One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 33624
Letter of recommendation from Apa Ioannes to Paulos TM 33624Lykopolisspätes 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 →
A Christian letter from Apa Ioannes to his brother in God Paulos, asking him not to neglect a certain Makarios and to help Hierax, the bearer of the letter. Ioannes regrets Paulos' sudden departure but is glad to hear from the praepositus that he will return soon. Written in Greek with a closing greeting in Coptic, late 4th century, from Lykopolis.
In English machine translation
To my beloved brother, blessed in God, Paulos,
Apa Ioannes.
I wish to be thought worthy always to write to your piety and to greet your unrivalled nobility unceasingly, yet not to become burdensome to your honour about any matter whatever; but the known fact of our familiarity with one another, this itself and nothing else, causes many who know your affection towards us to take refuge with me and to make me beg your nobility not to neglect Makarios; for as much as you provide, you will receive in full. Know that I was grieved because you went away without reason, unless this is the arrangement, but I rejoiced on hearing through the praepositus that you are coming up to us quite soon. So to Hierax, who brings you this letter of mine, deign to help him in whatever is possible for your honour. I greet your affection and all your dearest ones, for it is reasonable that this be placed first […] concerning the same matters. The beloved Papnouthes greets your affection.
† Greetings to you, my brother Paulos, and to all those of your house, in the Lord.
The final greeting is in Coptic, showing a bilingual writer. Apa Ioannes has often been identified with the famous hermit John of Lykopolis, though this is not certain; the praepositus was a military or civil officer.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Letter of Apa Johannes). 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.amh.2.145
τῷ ἀγαπητῷ ἀδελφῷ καὶ ηὐλογημένῳ ἐν τῷ θεῷ Παύλῳ Ἄπα Ἰωάννης βούλομαι μὲν καταξιωθῆναι ἀεὶ γράφειν τῇ σῇ θεοσεβείᾳ καὶ προσαγορεύειν τὴν ἀνεφάμιλλόν σου καλοκαγαθίαν ἀδιαλείπτως, μὴ φορτικὸς δὲ ὅμως γενέσθαι τῇ σῇ τιμιότητι περὶ οἱουδήποτε πράγματος, ἀλλὰ τὸ γνωστὸν τῆς πρὸς ἀλλή…