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One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 31812

Letter from a son to his mother and brothers about oil, fish sauce and a visit TM 31812Oxyrhynchosspätes 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 private letter from a son to his mother and brothers at Oxyrhynchus, late 3rd century AD. He complains that they never write back despite his daily letters, asks them to hand a labelled jar of oil to Hierax, urges his mother to come quickly or else send Thonios, and requests a Knidian jar of fish sauce.

In English machine translation

[recto] To my lady mother, together with my lords brothers, very many greetings. Before all else I pray that you are in good health and prosper. I want you to know that we are well, with everyone. I am surprised that every day I write to you and you have not written me a single letter. I received everything you sent; […] for he does not write clearly […] Solychis (?). So collect […] from the man who delivers this letter of mine a jar of oil and give it to Hierax, bearing the label of Horion, 'Hor(ion)', and do everything to come to us quickly. But if you know that you are staying where you are, send me Thonios, for I need him here. And if you come safely, you will hear everything, including what has been done. Send me a Knidian jar of fish sauce, and give the letters to Hierax, the […] with him. I greet my lord son T[…] and all of ours by name. And E[…] greets you all. I pray for your health for many years. [verso] […]

Garum (Greek garos) was a fermented fish sauce; a 'Knidian' was a type of jar named after the wine containers of Knidos. The verso, presumably with the address, 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 of a Son to his Mother). 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.14.1770

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

[r] κυρίᾳ μου μητρὶ ἅμα τοῖς κυρίοις μου ἀδελφοῖς πλεῖστα χαίρειν. προηγουμένως εὔχομαι ὑμᾶς ὑγιαίνειν καὶ εὖ πράττειν. γινώσκειν ὑμᾶς θέλω ὅτι μετὰ πάντων ὁλοκληροῦμεν. θαυμάζωὅπως καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ὑμῖν γράφω καὶ οὐδεμίαν μοι ἐγράψατε. ἐκομισάμην ὅσα ἀπεστείλατε· …[…] γὰρ οὐ …