Private Letter
Fragmentary letter from Taeis[...] to her son
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 27120
Letter from Taeis to her son TM 27120Alexandria (?)IInd century/IIIrd A.D.
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 3 records across 3 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
A fragmentary private letter from a mother, Taeis[…], to her son, probably written in the early 2nd century AD and possibly connected with Alexandria. She reports receiving a papyrus sheet, a great mortality in Alexandria, fertilizing date palms, and paying all public taxes thanks to him, and asks him to write about his health.
In English machine translation
Taeis[…] to her son and lord, very many greetings. Before all else I pray that you are healthy and prosper. If you sold […] of your father […]
[…] of Sempronius the brother […]
drachmas […] the little papyrus sheet which you told me I should get from […], I have received it. Son, write to me about your well-being. I cannot tell you just now […]
[…]
[…] Nemesas (?), since there has been a great mortality in Alexandria. Just as you looked after me when you had my name (?), so now again you look after me while you are away. I want you to know that we are fertilizing the date palms in the [...] (?). If Taseus listens to me, she will also receive from me a little basket […]. I have paid all the public taxes, thanks to you. The little papyrus sheet which you told me not to give, I have given it to no one; I said, 'You yourself will give it.' I have found no one on my side among the friends […] three linen cloths worth […] you have received a gift in return […]
[…] Nephotianus […] four choes daily, so that […] as […]
[…] you neglect […] Serenus […]
[margin] […] to his mother, since she is anxious about him.
Your sister and her children greet you.
One record dates the letter more broadly to the 2nd or 3rd century AD. The phrase rendered 'when you had my name' (Greek echonoma, perhaps for echon onoma) is obscure, and the 'great mortality' may refer to an epidemic.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Taeis... to her Son). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
p.mich.8.510
[ctr] Ταεις[…] τῷ υἱῷ καὶ κυρίῳ πλεῖστα χαίρειν. πρὸ μὲν πάντων εὔχομαί σεὑγιαίνειν καὶ εὐτυχεῖν. εἰ ἐπώλησας τοῦ πατρὸς […]ν…[…]… τεσ…[…]μη…α[…]…[…]Σεμπρωνίου τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ […]ρ[…] δραχμ[…]…[…] χαρταρίδιν ὃ εἴρηκάς μοι ὅτι παρὰ τῆς[…]ς λάβω αὐτὸ εἴληφα. υἱέ, γράψον μοι περὶ τῆς σω…