Private letter
Letter from Zenarion to Theon about some trouble cncerning a shipment.;
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 28900
Letter from Zenarion to her brother Theon about cheeses and a damaged shipment TM 28900Oxyrhynchos, Oxyrhynchite nome, province of EgyptIInd century A.D.
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 4 records across 3 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
A private letter from Zenarion to her brother Theon, written at Oxyrhynchus in the 2nd century AD. She reports receiving seven cheeses, some goods damaged by mice, responds to a complaint about a shipment, asks Theon to send Serenos quickly, and sends greetings to family members.
In English machine translation
[recto]
Zenarion to Theon her brother, greetings.
Before all else I pray that you are in good health.
I received 7 cheeses, and the sailor said that the […] had been eaten by mice. Since you wrote that you had not received the […] nor the cheeses safe in […], for this reason not […] to give to him concerning […] […] to come because there is need of him. He writes blaming me […] at another time not to blame […]
Urge Serenos to come out to us more quickly, since we have need of him, and when Serenos comes let him appear (?) at sunrise (?). I greet you and […] your mother and your brothers and Homonoia and Demetrios. Agathous and Isarous and […] greet you.
I pray for your health.
[verso]
To Theon from Zenarion […] former kosmetes of the Oxyrhynchites.
"Brother" may be a term of affection rather than literal kinship. A kosmetes was a civic magistrate responsible for the gymnasium and festivals; the address apparently identifies Theon by his relation to a former holder of this office.
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.
Letter
A personal letter including descriptions of misfortunes, such as stores being eaten by mice.
p.oslo.2.52
[r] Ζηνάριον Θέωνι τῶι ἀδελφῶι χαίρειν. πρὸ μὲν παντὸς εὔχομαί σε ὑγιαίνειν. ἐκομισάμην ζ τυρούς, καὶ ὁ ναυτικὸς εἶπεν μυόβρωτα γεγενῆσθαι τὰ […]. ἐπειδὴ ἔγραψας μὴ εἰληφέναι τὰ[…]…α μηδὲ τὰ τυρία σῶα ἐν αν[…] […]…, διὰ τοῦτο οὐδ[…] αὐτῷ δοῦναι περὶ τ[…] τα αγρα ……αι ν[…] …μι…σ…σ…