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Letter from Achillas to his father Apollonios TM 28782ArsinoitesII

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 Achillas to his father Apollonios, written in the Arsinoite nome in the 2nd century AD. Achillas complains that Sarapammon was not sent to him and urges his father to come in person to sort out a matter involving documents handed by Areios to the royal scribe.

In English machine translation

[recto] Achillas to Apollonios his father, greetings. I am surprised that, when so many came up, even with empty pack animals, you did not send Sarapammon, knowing that he is needed here. Until now no one has asked for you. The man who delivered the letter to me waited, saying that Areios is finishing up (?), having handed the documents (?) to the royal scribe; he did not have them sent. So I am writing to you so that you may know and do whatever is necessary, knowing that unless you come yourself, this matter will not get settled. So do not neglect it. I pray for your health. [verso] To Apollonios from Achillas his son.

The kollemata are glued sheets of a roll, probably official papers here; the basilikos is the royal scribe, a nome official. The sense of ekplekei ('is finishing up' or 'is extricating') is uncertain.

Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Letter from Achillas to Apollonius). 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.mert.2.80

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

[r] Ἀχιλλᾶς Ἀπολλωνίῳ τῷ πατρὶ χαίρειν. θαυμάζω πῶς τοσούτων ἀνελθόντων μετὰ καὶ κτηνῶν κενῶν οὐκ ἔπεμψας Σαραπάμμωνα, εἰδὼς ὅτι χρεία αὐτοῦ ἐστὶν ἐνθάδε. μέχρι νῦν οὐδείς σε ἐπεζήτησε. ὁ ἀναδούς μοι τὸ ἐπιστόλιον ἀνέμεινε λέγων ὡς ἐκπλέκει Ἄρειος δοὺς τὰ κολλήματα τῷ βασιλικῷ· ο…