Private letter
Private letter from Ambrosios presbyter to his son.
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 33592
Letter from the prophet Ambrosios to his son urging him to come home TM 33592Pentaso, Memphite nome, province of EgyptIVth century A.D.
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 Ambrosios, a prophet (priest), to his son, urging him to drop everything and come with his wife because the community has become very small and their priest Hermeias has died. He mentions recommending his son to Helladios and to Hesychios the speculator. Fourth century AD.
In English machine translation
[recto]
[…] of Ambrosios. So if you find an opportunity, put everything aside and come with your wife. For there is need of you from now on especially, since we have become very few. And it was surely known from my letters that […] (?). For our priest Hermeias has died. I have also commended you to my lord Helladios, and also to my master Hesychios the speculator; likewise in the village it was sent by the friend concerning […]. Farewell, together with our son and our mother, with all your household.
[verso]
From Ambrosios, prophet, father […] in Penta[…]
From my father Ambrosios
One record places the letter at Pentaso in the Memphite nome, from the partly preserved place name on the back, while others give the Hermopolite nome; it also calls Ambrosios a presbyter, though the text reads 'prophet', a priestly title. A speculator was a military or official courier and executioner.
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.oslo.2.59
[r] […]… Ἀμβροσίου. ἐὰν οὖν εὐκαιρίας τύχῃς, πάντα ὑπερθέμενος ἧκε μετὰ τῆς συμβίου σου. χρεία γὰρ σοῦ ἐστιν ἀπὸ νῦν μάλιστα, ἐπεὶ ὀλίγιστοι ἐγενόμεθα. καὶ πάντως ἦν γνωστὸν ἀπʼ ἐμῶν γραμμάτων ὅτι ἀλλοτρι…… ὁ γὰρ ἱερεὺς ἡμῶν Ἑρμείας ἀπεγένετο. παρεθέμην δέ σε καὶ τῷ κυρίῳ μου Ἑλλ…