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Letter from Saras and Eudaimon to their son Diogenes about preparations for a visitor TM 31345Oxyrhynchosspätes III

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 letter from Saras and Eudaimon to their son Diogenes, preparing for the visit of an important person. They ask him to arrange a ferry-boat, writing to the strategos and eirenarchs for their safety if needed, to bring supplies and frankincense from the priests for the guest's entertainment, to hurry, and to send back two delayed cooks. It dates to the late 3rd century AD and comes from Oxyrhynchus.

In English machine translation

[verso] Saras and Eudaimon to Diogenes their son, greetings. Having been advised by the most worthy Ammonion, because of the uncertainty of the journey, to send for a ferry-boat, we have sent you a letter, so that if they are persuaded by you and send it, you may, while you are present, secure what is needed; but if not, you may write to the strategos and the eirenarchs, a letter to be registered for our safety. And knowing what sort of hospitality is required, get a little […] from the priests and, buying also some good frankincense, bring them when you come. We hear that he is spending two days in the Herakleopolite nome, so with your usual diligence make haste, having the things for which you set out; for there is no use if the necessary things come later than his arrival. Ammonas and Dioskoros the cooks have gone up to the Oxyrhynchite nome intending to come straight back. Since then they are delaying, in case there should be need of them, send them off at once. Farewell, I pray, with good fortune. Farewell, for me and for you, with good fortune. [recto] To Diogenes.

Eirenarchs were local officials responsible for keeping the peace. The word for what Diogenes should get from the priests is lost.

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.

DDbDP-text Full record →

p.oxy.1.118

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

[v] Σάρας καὶ Εὐδαίμων Διογένει τῷ υἱῷ χαίρειν. συμβουλευθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀξιολογωτάτου Ἀμμωνίωνος διὰ τὸ ἄδηλον τῆς ὁδοιπορίας πορθμεῖον μεταπέμψασθαι, ἐπέμψαμέν σοι ἐπίσταλμα ἵνʼ ἐὰν μὲν πεισθέντες σοι πέμψωσιν σοῦ παρόντος κατασχῇς ἃ δεῖ, εἰ δὲ μήγε, ἐπιστείλῃς τῷ τε στρατηγῷ κα…