One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 220325

Letter to a spiritual father about an offering, with note on camels carrying water TM 220325Theben

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 →

Coptic ostracon letter from Thebes in which the writer thanks a spiritual father for his letter and news of his health, mentions a bishop, and asks him to come and make the offering (prosphora). An upside-down addition instructs that Matthaios and Markos take two camels to carry water.

In English machine translation

[recto] [We received the letter] of your Fatherhood […] Christ-loving (?); our [heart] was greatly comforted, and especially because we found your health in it, the thing that is […] care at all times. Concerning the answer which you wrote to us […], for indeed our heart was comforted […] and what you will hasten to […] that we may come out quickly […] the matter, according to what is fitting […] and do not let a man […] to the place until I come out […] and guard the myst(ery?) […] For I went, saying, I […] our father the bishop […] […] … we greet […] […] … with […] [verso] … brothers very, very much who are with us. I am thirsty for this with eagerness of heart: do the kindness to come and make the offering […] … man […] and also […] … the brothers who came in with you, so that they too may come to you when they have received the blessing […] […] great … them. The holy Trinity † [upside-down] Let Matthaios and Markos … two camels and let them carry water in the … Let … […] […]

Prosphora is the eucharistic offering or a donation of bread to the church. The word after the water-carrying instruction (ⲡϣⲁⲧⲉ) is of uncertain meaning and left untranslated.

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.

DDbDP-text Full record →

o.frange.795

Papyri.info — DDbDP (Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri) — text · Theben

[r] ⲁⲛϫⲓ ⲛⲉⲥϩⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲙⲛⲧⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲛ[…] ⲙⲙⲁⲓⲡⲉΧριστός ⲁⲡⲉⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲙⲧⲟⲛ ⲉⲙⲁⲧⲉ ⲛϩⲟⲩⲟ δέ ϫⲉ ⲁⲛϩⲉ ⲉⲡⲉⲕⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧⲟⲩ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲟ […] ⲛⲣⲟⲟⲩϣ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲧἀπόκρισις δέ ⲛⲧⲁⲕⲥϩⲁⲓ ⲛⲁⲛ […] καὶ γάρ ⲁⲡⲉⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲙⲧⲟⲛ …[…] ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲛⲁσπουδάζειν ⲉ[…] ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲛⲉⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩϭⲉⲡⲏ […] ⲡϩⲱⲃ πρός ⲡⲉⲧⲉϣϣⲉ […] ⲛⲅⲧⲙⲕⲱ ⲣⲱⲙⲉ…

HGV-meta Full record →

(untitled)

Papyri.info — HGV (Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis) — metadata · Fouilles belges dans la nécropole thébaine, inv. 291733 · Theben