Letter of Chaereas to his 'father'
Letter of Chaereas to his 'father' Dionysius concerning some negotiation with Serenus in which the influence of Dionysius was desirable. Address on the verso.
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 29025
Letter from Chaireas to his 'father' Dionysios about Serenos TM 29025Oxyrhynchus2nd or 3rd 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 Chaireas to Dionysios, whom he calls 'father', about negotiations with a certain Serenos, who has released them but will not yet reconcile or make a written agreement until Dionysios arrives. Chaireas asks Dionysios to advise Serenos, since he will listen to him; Rhodope will give the details. Written at Oxyrhynchus in the 2nd or 3rd century AD.
In English machine translation
[recto]
Chaireas to Dionysios his lord father, greetings.
I thought it necessary to inform you of what has been done regarding Serenos. Rhodope will tell you the exact details. We made this request to him, and in the end he consented and released us, knowing what followed; however, he has not yet been willing to come to a reconciliation, nor has he said anything about a written agreement, as he is waiting for you. For this reason, then, we ask you to advise him about these matters. For he will listen to you rather than to us.
I pray for your health.
[verso]
To Dionysios, father, gymnasiarch.
'Father' may be a term of respect rather than literal kinship. The address gives Dionysios the title gymnasiarch (abbreviated), a senior civic 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 of Chaereas to his Father). 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.oxy.14.1762
[r] Χαιρέας Διονυσίῳ τῷ κυρίῳ πατρὶ χαίρειν. ἀναγκαῖον ἡγησάμην εἶναι δηλοῦν σοι τὰ περὶ Σερήνου πεπραγμένα. τὸ μὲν οὖν ἀκριβὲς Ῥοδόπη σοι δηλώσει. δεδεήμεθα ταῦτα πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ τέλος ἐπένευσεν καὶ ἀπέλυσεν ἡμᾶς εἰδὼς τὰ μετʼ αὐτά, οὔπω μέντοι εἰς διαλλαγὰς ἐλθεῖν ἠθέλησεν, οὐδὲ…