Private Letter
Letter from Apollinarius to his brother(?) Sempronius, regretting not to have seen him in Rome and asking him to assist Eros in reaching home safely
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 27097
Letter from Apollinarius to Sempronius about Eros's journey home TM 27097Rome, ItalyIInd century A.D.
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 4 records across 3 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
A private letter written in Rome in the 2nd century AD by Apollinarius to Sempronius, whom he calls his brother. He regrets having missed him in Rome, asks for news, and requests help for Eros, whom he has sent, so that he can reach home safely.
In English machine translation
Apollinarius to Sempronius, his most honoured brother, greetings.
When I was in Rome I learned that you had left from there before I arrived, and I was very grieved at not having seen you. But now I urge you to let me know, since I am anxious, how you are doing. For the affairs of […] up to now not yet […] I sent our Eros. Therefore I ask you to help him, so that through you he may get home safely. For I gave him for the transport […] 25 (?). If it is convenient for you, escort (?) him as he travels back […]
[… 12 lines lost …]
"Brother" may be a term of affection rather than literal kinship. The letter was written in Rome but preserved in Egypt; the end is lost.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Apollinarius to Sempronius). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
Letter from Apollinarius to his brother(?)
Letter from Apollinarius to his brother(?) Sempronius, regretting not to have seen him in Rome and asking him to assist Eros in reaching home safely
p.mich.8.487
Ἀπολλινάριος Σεμπρωνίωι τῶι τιμιωτάτωι ἀδελφῶι χαίρειν. γενάμενος ἐν Ῥώμῃ ἐπέγνων σε ἐκεῖθεν, ἐξεληλυθέναι πρὸ τοῦ με ἐλθεῖν, καὶ λίαν ἐλυπήθην διὰ τὸ μὴ τεθεωρηκέναι σε. ἀλλὰ νῦν παρακαλῶ δῆλόν μοι ποιήσῃς ἀγωνιῶντι τί πράσσεις. τὰ γὰρ πε…υιου μέχρι νῦν οὔπω βε[…]…[…] ἔπεμψα Ἔρω…