One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 30799
Letter from Arrianos to his brother Paulos about the gymnasiarchy and land TM 30799Theadelphia (Arsinoites, Ägypten)
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 3 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
A Christian letter from Arrianos to his brother Paulos, found at Theadelphia in the Fayum, sending greetings from the family. He reminds Paulos about a gymnasiarchy matter, since a certain Herakleides has been nominated to the council, and asks him to buy 2 arouras of land and send some garum-oil.
In English machine translation
Greetings, my lord, incomparable brother Paulos,
I, Arrianos, greet you,
praying that the finest things in life may be granted to you.
Since the monthly messenger (?) is coming to you, I thought it necessary to greet you together with our lord father; and now I remind you about the gymnasiarchy, so that we may not be troubled here. For Herakleides is unable to speak, [...] for he himself was nominated to the council.
So find an opportunity to buy the [...] 2 arouras. And also send me the fish-sauce oil, whatever kind you judge to be good.
Our lady mother, being in good health, greets you together with your wives and your sweetest children, [with] the brothers and all our people. Greet our brother [...]genes and Xydes. All our people greet you.
I pray that you are well and in good health in the Lord.
The gymnasiarchy was a costly civic office imposed on wealthy citizens; the writer seems anxious to avoid being burdened with it. The meaning of 'mēnieion', here taken as a monthly courier or payment, is uncertain, and 'garelaion' is oil mixed with fish sauce.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Christian 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.bas.2.43
χαῖρε κύριέ μου ἀσύγκριτε ἄδελφε Παῦλε, Ἀρριανός σε προσαγορεύω. εὐχόμενός σοι τὰ ἐν βίῳ κάλλιστα ὑπαρχθῆναι. τοῦ μηνιείου ἐρχομένου πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀναγκαῖον ἡγησάμην προσαγορεῦσαί σε ἅμα τῷ κυρίῳ πατρὶ ἡμῶν· καὶ νῦν ὑπομιμνήσκω ὑμᾶς περὶ τῆς γυμνασιαρχίας, ἵνα ἐνθάδε μὴ ἐνοχλώμεθα. Ἡ…