Loan of a donkey
Theodotos demands the return of a donkey he lent several months previously to Nikias, who is obstinately not returning it. The verso contains a summary of the petition.
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 3316
Petition of Theodotos against Nikias over a borrowed she-donkey TM 3316Magdola (Arsinoite Nome)Feb. 26, 221 BC
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 3 records across 3 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
A petition to King Ptolemy from Theodotos, who complains that Nikias of Boubastos borrowed his she-donkey, valued at 40 drachmas, while Theodotos was away in the Hermopolite nome and now refuses to return it. The strategos Diophanes instructs the epistates Meleagros to reconcile the parties or send them for judgement; written at Magdola in the Arsinoite nome in 221 BC.
In English machine translation
[recto]
To King Ptolemy, greetings from Theodotos. I am wronged by a certain Nikias, one of those living in Boubastos of the division of Herakleides. For having borrowed from me a [she-donkey] […] worth 40 drachmas in the month of Phaophi of year 26, and when I sailed up to the Hermopolite nome to […] while I was away until now, and when I came back and demanded the she-donkey which he had borrowed from me, he does not give her back to me nor does he bring the she-donkey into the open. He does this in contempt of me, contrary to […]. I beg you therefore, O King, if it seems good to you, to order Diophanes the strategos to write to Meleagros the epistates to send Nikias to him […] concerning the charges I bring against him through this petition, so that through you, O King, I may obtain justice. Farewell.
To Meleagros. Preferably reconcile them; if not, send them so that ⟦[…] they may be judged⟧ they may receive justice according to the laws.
Year 1, Gorpiaios 28, Tybi 13.
[verso]
Year 1, Gorpiaios 28, Tybi 13.
Theodotos against Nikias concerning a donkey.
The petition is formally addressed to the king but handled by the strategos, whose instruction to the village epistates is written below the text. Dated by both the Macedonian (Gorpiaios) and Egyptian (Tybi) calendars.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Prêt d’une ânesse). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
p.enteux.41
[r] βασιλεῖ Πτολεμαίωι χαίρειν Θεόδοτος. ἀδικοῦμαι ὑπὸ Νικίου τινός, τῶν κατοικούντων ἐν Βουβάστωι, τῆς Ἡρακλείδου μερίδος. χρησάμενος γὰρ παρʼ ἐμοῦ ὄνον[…]… δραχμῶν μ ἐν μηνὶ Φαῶφι τοῦ κϛ ἔτους, καὶ ἐμοῦ ἀναπλεύσαντος εἰς τὸν Ἑρμοπολίτην πρὸς …[…]ντός μου ἕως τοῦ νυνεί, παραγενο…