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Letter from Paesis to the praepositus Ameneus about recruiting men at Karanis TM 32673Philadelphia? (Arsinoites)Mitte IV

The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 3 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →

Letter from Paesis to his patron Ameneus, a praepositus pagi, protesting his loyalty and reporting his efforts, with his son who served in the prefect's office, to round up men at Karanis. He detained the eirenarch, and the villagers offered 2 solidi and 50 talents of silver. Mid-4th century AD, probably from Philadelphia in the Fayum.

In English machine translation

[recto, main text] To my master and my lord the praepositus, from Paesis. You know my disposition, what kind of disposition I have, and you know my mind, what kind of mind it is. God is witness that I do not fight for gain, but I fight for you. Since you are in office (?), I want you always to be well, but we want you to profit a little, for this is good in the eyes of all and in the eyes of God. Question Heron, who came with your letter when I was not found in our own village but in Karanis. My son, who serves in the office of the prefect of Egypt, came with him to me in the [village] of Agrarios (?). For we spent three days in Karanis all together and could not drag a single man away from there. We detained the eirenarch, wanting to drag him away; […] the whole village, because we allowed no one to leave the village. And they gave you, if you agree, 2 solidi and 50 talents of silver. I greet you together with your children and your house, may the evil eye not touch it. [recto, margin] And if you return safely, inquire about this matter, that there is no dispute at all. And when we went there we found the praepositus of the pagus there and we did not want to stir up the matter. And God willing, I am with you. [verso] To my master and patron Ameneus, praepositus, from Paesis.

Part of the Abinnaeus archive; the 'men' sought may be recruits or fugitives. A praepositus pagi was the official in charge of a rural district; the meaning of the phrase rendered 'since you are in office' is uncertain.

Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below. 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.abinn.35

Papyri.info — DDbDP (Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri) — text · Mitte IV · Philadelphia? (Arsinoites)

[r,ctr] τῷ δεσπότῃ μου καὶ κυρίῳ μου πραιποσίτῳ Παήσιος· οἶδας τὴν προαίρεσίν μου ὅτι ὁποίαν προαίρεσιν ἔχω καὶ οἶδας τὴν γνώμην μου ὅτι γνώμη ὅποιά ἐστιν. μάτυρός ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς ὅτι οὐ διὰ λῆμμα μάχομαι ἀλλὰ μάχομαι διὰ σέ. ἐπειδὴ πράσσεις θέλω σε πάντοτε καλῶς ἔχειν ἀλλὰ θέλομέν …