One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 28187

Court proceedings over the will and estate of Pnepheros TM 28187Arsinoitesca. 160

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Minutes of a court hearing in the Arsinoite nome, around AD 160, over the estate of Pnepheros, who died twelve years earlier. Advocates argue whether his sons inherited under a will or whether the will is forged; the judge, Ptolemaios son of Sarapion, orders the will to be formally opened before the strategos within 30 days, failing which the produce will be sequestered.

In English machine translation

[column 1] […] having given notice to the woman for whom we are advocates […] we ask that he render an account. Dioskoros, advocate, replied: Pnepheros died twelve years ago, and all his sons took possession of his property according to their proper shares; for our client is not the only one, but there are others too, now in military service, according to the will which he left. For the opposing party, knowing that [she had been provided for (?)] beforehand and that she has no share in his estate, kept quiet. Didymos the elder, advocate, said: The will is forged […] according to […] they carry off […] it sealed […] not yet opened, how can […] the things written in it […] illegal [column 2] as it is. Dioskoros: The written documents were produced. Ptolemaios son of Sarapion, former gymnasiarch of the city of the Arsinoites, the judge, having considered the matter, dictated a decision, which was also read out, worded as follows: Both parties shall give a written undertaking that within thirty days there will be a proceeding before the strategos, so that the will may be opened and the heirs made known. If the opening does not take place within these days, the produce shall be held in sequestration. Apollonios, the prefect's attendant, went out. Subscription: I have read it.

The opening of a will (lysis) was a formal procedure before an official, after which heirs were officially known. Mesengyema denotes sequestration of disputed property with a third party.

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.

bgu.2.592

Papyri.info — DDbDP (Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri) — text · ca. 160 · Arsinoites

[1] […]νδ[…] μεταδοὺς τῇ συνηγορουμένῃ […] λόγον αὐτὸν ἀξιοῦμεν δοῦναι. Διόσκορος ῥήτωρ ἀπεκρίνατο· ὁ Πνεφερῶς τετελεύτηκεν πρὸ δωδεκαετίας καὶ τῶν αὐτοῦ ἀντελάβοντο πάντες οἱ υἱοὶ κατὰ τὰ προσήκοντα μέρη· οὐ γὰρ μόνος ἐστὶν ὁ ἡμέτερος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτεροι, νῦν ἐν στρατείᾳ ὄντες, κατ…