An agreement from sixth-century Hermopolis in which Phoibammon son of Pebes undertakes, for one year, to plough and water certain arouras of land with his own animals for wages, and to lend his two camels with their driver for 12 days of unpaid work. It also records a rent of 12 gold solidi connected with an earlier lease, of which 2 had been paid. Work was to begin at the new moon of Mesore.
In English machine translation
[… lines lost …]
thus […]
[…]
[…] of the present ending […] indiction […]
you providing […] of seeds […] this […] according to your order, for one year's crop of the same arouras, that is, on condition that I plough and cross-plough the aforesaid arouras with my own animals for wages as written above, apart from the present ploughing, which is also […] of arouras, and that I water the same arouras with my own animals for wages likewise as written above, whenever you wish, until the completion of the aforesaid year. However, I receive from you for the rent of these 12 gold solidi in accordance with the lease made to you by me, and from this I have received from you 2 gold solidi out of the aforesaid rent of 12 solidi, the remaining […] 10 gold solidi […] nonetheless to provide you with my 2 camels with their camel-driver for 12 days for work and […] of the same arouras without wages. The agreement is valid and binding, and having been asked the formal question I gave my assent. That is, the beginning […] of the work of the same arouras from the new moon of the following month Mesore […].
☧ I, Phoibammon son of Pebes, […]on, the aforesaid, made this agreement as stated above. I, Aurelius […]es son of Isakios, having been asked, wrote on his behalf since he does not know letters. † I, Aurelius Ioannes son of Basileides, from Hermopolis, witness the agreement, having heard it from the parties. I, Aurelius Victor son of Taurinos, from Hermopolis, witness the agreement, having heard it from the parties.
[Through me […]] Written by Iosephios.
The beginning is lost, so the parties' exact relationship (Phoibammon as lessor receiving rent and also hired for labour) is not fully clear. An aroura is an Egyptian land measure of about 0.68 acre.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Agreement concerning cultivation of land). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.