o.claud.1.157
Πτολλᾶς Σαραπίωνι χαίρειν. γεινώσκειν σε θέλω ὅτι ἐκρατήθην ὧδε διὰ τὸ τεσκελ…[…] με πεπο…κέναι. ὁ δὲ ἑκατοντάρχης αναβ… ἐλπίζω καταβῆναι … τις τῶν ταβελλαρίων ἔρχηται ὧδε μ… ὀψαρία διαπέμψω σοι α… ἔρρωσο.
One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 29816
Letter from Ptollas to Sarapion about being detained and sending fish TM 29816Mons ClaudianusII
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 on an ostracon from Ptollas to Sarapion, written at the Roman quarry site of Mons Claudianus in the Eastern Desert in the 2nd century AD. Ptollas explains that he has been held up where he is, mentions a centurion, hopes to come down, and promises to send fish if one of the couriers comes.
In English machine translation
Ptollas to Sarapion, greetings. I want you to know that I have been detained here because of the […] having made (?) me […]. The centurion […] I hope to come down […]
if any of the couriers comes here […]
I will send fish to you […]
Farewell.
The tabellarii were couriers who carried letters and small goods between the desert stations. The reason for the detention is lost in a damaged passage.
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 Ptollas to Sarapion). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.