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A private letter from Besarion, newly arrived in Alexandria, to his brother Hierakion. He reports that Valerius, whom he went to see, has left town, that his letter will be forwarded to him, and that he has made the customary prayer of obeisance for his family before Serapis.
The proskynema is a ritual act of worship made on someone's behalf before a god, here Serapis, a common courtesy in letters from Alexandria. 'Brother' may be literal or a term of affection.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Besarion to Hieracion). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
[r] Βησαρίων Ἱερακίωνι τῷ ἀδελφῷ πλεῖστα χαίρειν. πρὸ μὲν πάντων εὔχομαί σε ὑγιαίνειν. εὐθέως παραγενάμενος ἐν Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ πρὸς τὸν Οὐαλέριον ἀπῆλθα καὶ λέγουσί μοι σήμερον αὐτὸν ἐκδεδημηκέναι. ἔλαβαν τὸ ἐπιστόλιον ὡς ἵνα αὐτῷ πέμψωσι εἰς τὴν χώραν. τὸ λοιπὸν γνώσῃ παρʼ αὐτοῦ. ἄσ…
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