Letter of a Daughter
A letter from Taorsenouphis to her mother, requesting the delivery of some grapes to the sister of the writer's mother and announcing the dispatch of various articles.
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 28620
Letter from Taorsenouphis to her mother Isio about grapes and gifts TM 28620�mm el'AtlSecond or third century
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 private letter from Taorsenouphis to her mother Isio, asking her to give her share of the vineyard's produce and some grapes to Isio's sister. She also announces that she has sent pairs of bowls and small cups to various relatives, and asks for lentils. It dates to the 2nd or 3rd century AD and comes from Bakchias in the Fayum.
In English machine translation
[recto]
Taorsenouphis to Isio her mother, many greetings.
Before all else I pray that you are in health, and I make your obeisance before the lord Sarapis. Please give the share of the fruit of the vineyard that falls to you to your sister, and a small bunch of grapes too. I have sent you 3 pairs of bowls, 1 for you and 1 for Petesouchos and 1 for the in-laws of your sister, and a small cup for little Theonas and another for the daughter of your sister. And if you get lentils, send them to me through Katoites.
[verso]
From Taorsenouphis to her mother.
The proskynema formula, making someone's obeisance before a god, is a standard pious greeting in letters of this period. The word rendered 'in-laws' (gambroi) can also mean sons-in-law or brothers-in-law.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Letter of a Daughter). 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.fay.127
[r] Ταορσενοῦφις Ἰσίῳ τῇ μητρὶ πολλὰ χαίρειν. πρὸ μὲν πάντων εὔχομαί σε ὑγιαίνειν καὶ τὸ προσκύνημά σου ποιῶ παρὰ τῷ κυρίῳ Σαράπιδι. καλῶς ποιήσεις τὸ ἐπιβάλλον ὑμῖν τοῦ καρποῦ τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος δοῦναι αὐτὸ τῇ ἀδελφῇ σου καὶ σταφύλιον. ἔπεμψα ὑμῖν γ ζεύγη φιαλῶν, σοὶ α καὶ Πετεσούχῳ …