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One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 35623

Christian letter of recommendation from Theon to Pascentius for a wronged old woman TM 35623Oxyrhynchosspätes IV - frühes V

The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 4 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →

A short letter in Greek with Latin lines, from Theon to Pascentius, a Christian addressed as 'servant of God', recommending an old woman who claims that she and her son are being wronged. Theon asks Pascentius to investigate whether her case is just and to help her. It comes from Oxyrhynchus, late 4th or early 5th century AD.

In English machine translation

[recto] […] God created (us) immortal, but (through) the plague (?) we have become mortal (?). Greetings in the Lord God our Saviour, Pascentius, lover of goodness. By Theon. The most divine and exhorting word has reached you, that your mind should not willingly turn aside, nor should you overlook the plea of the poor who are in need. Therefore the old woman came and asked for a letter to your godly judgement, having explained that 'I am being wronged and they are wronging my son.' Find out therefore with certainty whether she has any just claim, and help her devoutly. [verso] Deliver to Pascentius, servant of God, at the proper time (?).

The opening Latin lines are obscure and their translation is uncertain; 'lues' may mean plague or sin. The letter mixes Latin (opening and address) with a Greek body.

Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Graeco - Latin 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.

DDbDP-text Full record →

c.epist.lat.243

Papyri.info — DDbDP (Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri) — text · spätes IV - frühes V · Oxyrhynchos

[r] immortales condidit deus lues autem commortales fieri χαῖρε ἐν κυρίῳ θεῷ σωτηρίῳ φιλάγαθε Πασκέντιε διὰ Θέωνος ἔφθασεν ἐπὶ σὲ ὁ θειότατος καὶ παρακλητικὸς λόγος τὸ μή σε ἐκκλινέτω ἑκὼν ὁ νοῦς μηδὲ παρίδῃς δέησιν πενήτων τῶν ἐν ἀνάγκῃ ὄντων διὸ ἐλθοῦσα ἡ γραῦς ᾐτήσατο γράμματα…