Petition of wine retailers about a short delivery of wine TM 3309Magdola (Arsinoite Nome)May 11, 218 BC

[recto] To King Ptolemy, greetings from Sopatros son of Melas and Dionysios son of Alkainetos and Ptolemaios son of Peritas, retailers from Kerkesoucha. We are wronged by Petenenteris. For in year 4, in Mecheir, he sold us 126 jars of wine, of which 72 were six-chous jars and 54 five-chous jars, each metretes, that is the six-chous jar, at 14 drachmas, and for this he received from us an earnest-money deposit of 80 drachmas, on condition that we would draw off (the wine) paying the price of what was removed. When we had drawn off 30 six-chous jars and 6 five-chous jars, and had paid the price of these, 490 drachmas, to the agent of Nikon, with whom Petenenteris […] (?), and 110 drachmas more, so that this too might be credited to us in addition to the deposit given, making the deposit 190 drachmas, and when we wished to draw off the rest as well, we find the total short by 6 six-chous jars and 8 five-chous jars. We therefore beg you, O King, if it please you, to order Diophanes the strategos to summon Petenenteris and investigate these matters, and if what we set out in this petition is true, to compel him to pay us the value of the 14 missing jars, as much as we declare on oath, so that, having taken refuge with you, O King, we may obtain justice. Farewell. […] Year 4, Dios 3, Phamenoth 27. [verso] Year 4, Dios 3, Phamenoth 27. Sopatros and his fellow retailers against Petenenteris concerning the value of wine.