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One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 28409

Letter from Chaireas the harbour master to the gymnasiarch Dionysios TM 28409OxyrhynchosII - III

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 →

A private letter from Chaireas, harbour master, to Dionysios, a gymnasiarch at Oxyrhynchus, reminding him of business they discussed in person: settling an outstanding matter in the record office, completing the sale of slaves belonging to the children, and selling wine from both sides of the river while keeping the money safe. Chaireas also sends cucumber seeds wrapped in two sealed rags and greetings to family members.

In English machine translation

[recto] Chaireas to Dionysios his lord brother, greetings. I have already urged you in person that the outstanding account (?) in the record office be settled, and that the sale ⟦registration⟧ of the slaves of the children be completed, and that the sale of the wine on this side and on the far side be carried out through you, and that the price be kept safe until I arrive. I have sent you good cucumber seeds through Diogenes, the friend of Chaireas the town councillor (?), in two rags sealed with my seal, of which you will give one to your children. Greet my sister and Kyrilla. Rhodope and Arsinoos greet you. I pray for your health. [verso] To Dionysios, gymnasiarch, from Chaireas, harbour master.

The word metewridin, apparently a pending or outstanding item in the record office (bibliotheke), has no exact English equivalent. The phrase about wines 'on this side and on the far side' probably refers to the two banks of the river or canal.

Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Letter). 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 →

p.oxy.1.117

Papyri.info — DDbDP (Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri) — text · II - III · Oxyrhynchos

[r] Χαιρέας Διονυσίωι τῶι κυρίωι ἀδελφῷ χαίρειν. καὶ κατʼ ὄψιν σὲ παρακέκληκα ὅπως ἀπαρτισθῇ τὸ ἐν τῇ βιβλιοθήκῃ μετεωρίδιν, καὶ τὴν πρᾶσιν τῶν παιδαρίων τῶν παιδίων ἀπαρτισθῆναι, καὶ τὴν πρᾶσιν τῶν οἰναρίων τοῦ ἄντα καὶ τῶν τοῦ πέρα διὰ σοῦ γενέσθαι, καὶ τὴν τιμὴν ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ γεν…