o.frange.540
ⲛϣⲟⲣⲡ μέν ⲙⲡⲁϣⲁϫⲉ ⲛἐλάχιστος ⲉⲓⲥϩⲁⲓ ⲉⲛⲁ[…] […]ⲙⲉⲣⲁⲧⲉ ⲛⲥⲛⲏⲩ […] […]ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ […] […]ⲡⲁⲥⲟⲛ ⲁ[…] [… ? lines lost …]
One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 220077
Opening of a letter to beloved brothers TM 220077Theben
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 2 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
Fragment of the opening of a Coptic letter on an ostracon from Thebes. The writer, calling himself "the least" in the usual humble formula, addresses beloved brothers, with mention of something holy and of "my brother".
In English machine translation
Fi[rst]
of my word, [I], the least, write [to my …] […]
[…] beloved bro[thers] […]
[…] holy […]
[…] my brother […]
[… lines lost …]
"The least" (Greek elachistos) is a conventional self-designation of monks and clergy in Coptic letters. The rest of the text is lost.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below. It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.