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One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 29022

Letter from Demetrios to Theon about errands for food TM 29022OxyrhynchosII

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 short private letter from Demetrios to Theon son of Eudaimon, wishing him health and constant victory and reminding him to see to some errands: a little oil, sweetmeats, four young pigeons and good fish sauce. It comes from Oxyrhynchus in the 2nd century AD.

In English machine translation

Demetrios to his dearest Theon, greetings. Before all else I pray that you are well and always victorious. Concerning the commissions, take care of them: about the small (jar of) oil, and about the sweetmeats, and 4 little pigeons, and good Tymolitic (?) fish sauce. […] Farewell, my marvel (?). [verso] To Theon son of Eudaimon.

The wish that Theon be 'always victorious' and the address 'paradoxe' (a title used for champion athletes) suggest Theon was an athlete. The kind of fish sauce, here restored as 'Tymolitic', 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 of Demetrius to an Athlete). 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.14.1759

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

[r] Δημήτριος Θέωνι τῷ φιλτάτῳ χαίρειν. πρὸ τῶν ὅλων εὔχομαί σε ὑγιαίνειν καὶ νικᾶν πάντοτε. περὶ τῶν ἐντολικῶν μελησάτω σοι, περὶ τοῦ μικροῦ ἐλαδίου καὶ περὶ τῶν τραγημάτων καὶ περιστεριδίων δ καὶ τυμωλιτικῆς γαρίου χρηστοῦ. […]ἔρρωσό μοι, παράδοξε. [v] Θέωνι Εὐδαίμονος.