A contract from Hermopolis in which Aurelius Hierax, also called Sarapammon, sells a slave woman named Komasia to a woman of the same city registered in the West City quarter, for 3,000 silver drachmas. The seller guarantees the sale and accepts penalties for any challenge. It dates to the 3rd century AD.
In English machine translation
[Aurelius] Hierax also called Sarapammon, son of Herma…[…], [of Hermopolis the great, ancient, illustrious]
[and most] august, registered in the quarter […], [to Aurelia …, of the same Hermopolis,]
registered in the quarter of West City, greetings. [I acknowledge that I have sold to you the]
[…] slave belonging to me, named Komasia, about […] years old, [or by whatever name she is or shall be called, whom I have also handed over to you from this moment, such as she is,]
not subject to return except for epilepsy [and external claim (?); and the price agreed between us, 3,000 drachmas of silver], total 3,000 drachmas of silver, I have received on the spot from [you the buyer, from hand to hand, in full; and that you and your successors shall have]
[ownership and possession of the] aforesaid sold slave Komasia [and of the offspring to be born of her from now on, using]
[and] managing her [in whatever way you choose, from now and likewise for all time, the guarantee]
[always] with full guarantee [being incumbent on me the seller; and that neither I nor anyone on my behalf shall proceed]
[against you the] buyer or against your [successors concerning any part of this sale in any way; and if I proceed]
[or fail to guarantee], the claim shall be invalid and [I or whoever proceeds on my behalf shall additionally pay to you the buyer or to]
[your successors the] damages and expenses [and as a penalty, as a private debt, double the price, and to the treasury]
[an equal sum, and] the sale shall nonetheless [be valid as if deposited in a public archive; I have issued it to you in duplicate.]
[From now on I] consent to the forthcoming registration in the public records. [Having been asked whether these things have been done rightly and properly,]
[I] acknowledged it. Year […] Imperator […]
[…]
[…]
Most of the right half of each line is restored from standard Hermopolite sale formulas. 'Sacred disease' (hiera nosos) means epilepsy, a standard exception to the seller's no-return clause.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Acte d’achat d’une esclave). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.