Petition to a centurion about a wife who left taking household goods TM 31479Theadelphia (Arsinoites)Mitte III

To Claudius Alexander, centurion, from Panetbeus, public farmer from the village of Theadelphia. The woman living with me […], by whom I also had a child, having become estranged from her life together with me and taking the opportunity of my absence, left my house […] months ago without the so-called (deed of) separation, carrying off […] both her own things and most of ours, among which were a large white unfulled cloak, an Oxyrhynchite pillow, a double-woven(?) crosswise-striped (garment), materials for two tunics, and […] and other farming tools. And although I sent to her many times wishing to recover our things, she paid no heed and returned nothing, even though I had supplied her with the maintenance for the child. Since, then, I have now learned that a certain Neilos son of Syros from the same village has unlawfully carried her off and married her, I submit (this petition) and ask that both she and Neilos be brought before you, so that I may obtain justice and recover our things, and I shall have been helped. Farewell. …