One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 33591
Letter from Kopres to his father Heron about a relief of workmen TM 33591Found at: KaranisIV CE
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 private letter from Kopres to his father Heron, found at Karanis and dating to the 4th century AD. Kopres insists that the overseer, not he, is holding back the workmen, urges his father to send the relief crew on the appointed day or he will come himself, and reports finding small stones at 18 talents each.
In English machine translation
[recto]
To my lord father Heron, Kopres, greetings.
Before all else I pray to God that this letter from me may be delivered to you in good health and good spirits.
As you sent me (word) on the 20th of Choiak, I came above all for the relief (shift). So do not think that I am detaining the workmen; rather it is the overseer who is detaining them. But do you too, then, make haste above all to send the relief. If you do not send the relief on the appointed day, just as you arranged with me, immediately when the day of the relief arrives I will come to you.
I greet all our people by name.
And if you wish to send Alypis for the little stones, send him; for I have found them at 18 talents each little stone. I pray for your health for many years.
[verso]
To my lord father Heron, Kopres.
The Greek allagē ("exchange") here seems to mean a relief or rotation of workers; "father" may be a term of respect rather than kinship. Prices in talents reflect the high inflation of 4th-century Egypt.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Letter). 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.nyu.1.25
[r] τῷ κυρίῳ μου πατρὶ Ἥρωνι Κοπρῆς χαίρειν· πρὸ πάντων εὔχομαι τῷ θεῷ ὑγιαίνοντί σοι καὶ εὐθυμοῦντι ἀποδοθῆναι τὰ παρʼ ἐμοῦ γράμματα. ὡς ἔπεμψές μοι τῇ εἰκάδι τοῦ Χοίακ ἧκα πρὸ πάντων τῆς ἀλλαγῆς. μὴ νόμιζε οὖν ὅτι ἐγὼ κατέχω τοὺς ἐργάτας, ἀλλʼ ὁ ἐπιμελητής ἐστιν ὁ αὐτοὺς κατέχω…