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One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 31731

Letter from Aurelius Dios to his father Horion about his studies TM 31731OxyrhynchosIII

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 student, Aurelius Dios, writes to his father Aurelius Horion, reassuring him that he and his companions are working hard at their studies, and sends greetings to a long list of family members. The letter dates to the 3rd century AD and comes from Oxyrhynchus.

In English machine translation

[recto] Aurelius Dios to Aurelius Horion, my sweetest father, many greetings. I make obeisance for you every day before the gods here. Do not worry then, father, about our studies; we are working hard and taking relaxation, and all will be well with us. I greet my mother Tamiea and my sister Tnepheros and my sister Philous; I greet also my brother Patermouthis and my sister Thermouthis; I greet also my brother Herakl(…) and my brother Kollouchis; I greet my father Melanos and my mother Timpesouris and her son. Gaia greets you all; my father Horion and Thermouthis greet you all. I pray for your health, father. [verso] Deliver to Aurelius Horion from Dios his son.

Family terms like 'father', 'mother', 'brother' and 'sister' were used loosely in such letters, which explains a second 'father' (Melanos, and Horion who is with the writer). The 'obeisance' (proskynema) is a customary formula of prayer for the addressee before local gods.

Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Letter of Dius). 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.10.1296

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

[r] Αὐρήλιος Δῖος Αὐρηλίῳ Ὡρείωνι τῷ γλυκυτάτῳ μου πατρὶ πολλὰ χαίρειν. τὸ προσκύνημά σου ποιῶ καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν παρὰ τοῖς ἐνθάδε θεοῖς. ἀμερίμνει οὖν, πάτερ, χάριν τῶν μαθημάτων ἡμῶν· φιλοπονοῦμεν καὶ ἀναψύχομεν, καλῶς ἡμῖν ἔσται. ἀσπάζομαι τὴν μητέρα μου Ταμιέαν καὶ τὴν ἀδελφ…