Private Letter
Fragmentary letter to Panesneous(?)
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 28797
Letter to Panesneous about the toparch, with greetings TM 28797Perhaps Alexandria, province of EgyptIInd century A.D.
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 of the 2nd century AD, perhaps from Alexandria, to a man called Panesneous (?), addressed as brother. The writer complains that his earlier letter about the toparch went unanswered, asks to be informed about his affairs, and sends greetings to his mother, to Thais the addressee's wife and to the children, with greetings from Heraiskos and others.
In English machine translation
[…] to Panesneous (?) his brother, very many greetings.
Before all else I pray for your health and I make obeisance on your behalf every day before the lord Sarapis.
I want you to know, brother, that I wrote to you about the toparch and you wrote me no reply at all. And if [he is not willing (?)], make sure to inform me about everything that concerns me. I greet my mother warmly, and Thais your wife and your children, may the evil eye spare them. All greet you by name: Heraiskos and his mother (?) and […]odoros and Kalathous. They greet you all […].
I pray for your health.
The toparch was an official in charge of a district subdivision. 'Ammas' is a familiar word for mother or nurse, so its sense here 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 Fragment of a 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.
p.mich.3.208
[…]Πανεσνηοῦτι τῷ ἀδελφῷ πλεῖστα χαίρειν. πρὸ μὲν πάντων ἐρρωμένον σε εὔχομαι καὶ τὸ προσκύνημά σου ποιῶ καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν παρὰ τῷ κυρίῳ Σαράπιδι. γινώσκειν σε θέλω, ἄδελφε, ὅτι ἔγραψά σοι περὶ τοῦ τοπάρχου καὶ οὐδεμίαν μοι ἀντιφώνησιν ἀντέγραψας. καὶ ἂν μὴ θέλῃ ποίησον δηλῶσαί…