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One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 33723

Letter from Maximos to Papnouthios and Dorotheos about a debt TM 33723OxyrhynchosIV

The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 2 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →

A private letter from Maximos to his brothers Papnouthios and Dorotheos, complaining that their brother Ammonios harasses him daily over a debt they owe. Maximos, who says he has paid money on their behalf for three years, threatens to go to the city and have them forced to pay everything at once unless they settle. It was written at Oxyrhynchus in the 4th century AD.

In English machine translation

To my lords brothers Papnouthios and Dorotheos, Maximos. I am exceedingly surprised at you, how you let our brother Ammonios bother me every day about that matter. You neither did it for God's sake nor do you have feeling for people, but you have left me to be oppressed by him. And I have my own troubles. Did you not leave me (alone) after them? Even so, at least from now on have some shame, and give the man what is his. For by divine providence, if you do not settle with him and you leave me to be oppressed by him, I am going up to the city and I will have you made to pay the whole amount at one stroke. Are you not ashamed that for three years now I have been supplying money on your behalf, which is not just before God and men? For three days now he has been detaining me in the village, and so much to him […] this […]. For he is coming to you. Do not let him come to me another time. I pray for your health.

Papnouthios and Dorotheos are known from a 4th-century Oxyrhynchus archive; 'brothers' may be a courtesy address rather than kinship. One line near the end is too damaged to translate.

Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Letter from Maximus to Papnuthis and Dorotheus). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.

DDbDP-text Full record →

p.oxy.48.3417

Papyri.info — DDbDP (Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri) — text · IV · Oxyrhynchos

[ctr] κυρίοις μου ἀδελφοῖς Παπνουτίῳ καὶ Δωροθέῳ Μάξιμος. θαυμάζω ὑμᾶς ὑπὲρ τὴν πολλὴν πῶς ἀφίετε τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν Ἀμμώνιον ἐνοχλεῖν μοι καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν περὶ τοῦ πράγματος ἐκείνου. οὔτε οὐκ ἐποιήσατε αὐτὸ διὰ τὸν Θεὸν οὔτε οὐκ αἰσθάνετε ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλʼ ἀφήκατέ μοι θλίβεσθαι ὑ…