Private letter
Letter from Apollonia?, daughter of Theodoros, complaining about the recipient's indifference to writing her.
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 35471
Letter of reproach from Apoll[…], daughter of Theodoros, to Ioannes TM 35471Fay�mVth century A.D.
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 4 records across 3 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
A private letter, apparently from a woman named Apoll[onia?], daughter of Theodoros, to Ioannes, reproaching him for not writing about his health while she writes often. She mentions some distressing news and ends with emotional rhetorical questions about their bond. It dates to the 5th century AD and comes from the Fayum.
In English machine translation
[recto]
[…] your letters. Deign then at some time to write to me about your health through your letters. For I too write not once, not twice, but many times, greeting your affection(?). For nothing is grievous to me except this. For I heard here that a grievous thing had happened to me, as you know about what kind. I greet your lady mothers and the brothers.
Were you not given into my soul? Did they not clothe you in the […] mantle (maphorion)? Did my mother not think to put (you?) into my swaddling band (?)
[verso]
To Ioannes, Apoll[…] (daughter?) of Theodoros […]
The sender's name is broken on the verso; the reading Apollonia is only a suggestion. The closing questions, involving a maphorion (a mantle or veil) and a phaskis (perhaps a band or bundle), are obscure in meaning.
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.
Letter
A letter.
p.oslo.2.64
[r] …… σου γράμματα. καταξιώσατε οὖν ποτε συνγράψαι μοι περὶ τῆς ὑγείας ὑμῶν διὰ τῶν ὑμετέρων γραμμάτων. καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ οὐκ ἅπαξ, οὐ δεύτερον, οὐ πολλὰ συνγράφω προσαγορεύων ὑμῶν τὴν διάθεσιν; οὐδὲν γάρ μοι λυπηρόν ἐστιν εἰ μὴ τοῦτο. ἤκουσα γὰρ ἐνταῦθα λυπηρὸν πρᾶγμα συμβεβηκέναι μο…