Letter to Sarapion
A letter addressed to Sarapion by a person whose name is lost, giving him directions about the sale of some barley and the irrigation of a farm.
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 31423
Letter to Sarapion about selling barley and irrigation TM 31423Kasr el BanâtThird or early fourth 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 to Sarapion from a writer whose name is lost, instructing him to get 36 artabas of barley sold at 14 drachmas and giving directions on filling the reservoir and watering the vegetables of a friend, Dekasios. It dates from the 3rd or early 4th century AD and comes from Euhemeria in the Arsinoite nome.
In English machine translation
[recto]
[… lines lost …]
from […] ...kraton 36 artabas of barley, and have them sold at (the rate of) 14 drachmas. He has had them for a long time and was unwilling to do our work. If the water comes down, use all zeal until the reservoir is filled, but by all means water the vegetables of our friend Dekasios, by all means. If you have not been watering, do not let the oxen (?) be idle; let them pluck (?) […] […] and […] I sent across […]. I pray for your health.
[verso]
To Sarapion.
The beginning is lost, so the sender and the full name of the man holding the barley (ending in -kraton) are unknown. 'Taurika' probably refers to the oxen or bull teams used on the farm; the end is too damaged to translate securely.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Letter 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.
p.fay.131
[r] [… ? lines lost …] παρ […]… κρατωνος κριθῆς ἀρτάβας τριάκοντα ἓξ καὶ ποίησον αὐτὰς πραθῆναι ἐκ δραχμῶν ιδ, ἐπὶ πολλῶι χρόνῳ ἔχει αὐτὰς καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ἡμῶν τὸ ἔργον ποιῆσαι. ἐὰν τὸ ὕδωρ κατέλθῃ πάσῃ προθυμίᾳ χρῆσαι ἔστʼ ἂν τὸ ὑδροστάσιον γεμισθῇ, ἀλλὰ πάντως τὸ Δεκασίου τοῦ …