Letter from Menas to Theodore
Cf. P.Oxy. XVI 1844. Menas appears here without title. The papyrus was a note sent with a present of fish, apparently on the occasion of the feast of Epiphany.
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 37863
Letter from Menas to Theodore sending fish for the Feast of Epiphany TM 37863Oxyrhynchus6th or 7th century
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 3 records across 3 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
A short Byzantine letter from Menas to Theodore, a comes and majordomo (meizoteros), sent with a gift of fish carried by a groom acting as letter-carrier. Menas asks to be told the weight received and wishes Theodore long life and many happy celebrations of the Feast of the Theophany (Epiphany). From Oxyrhynchus, 6th-7th century AD.
In English machine translation
[recto]
† I have sent to your patronal magnificence, by the letter-carrying groom, one simaris (?) and 5 alabes-fish of 70 pounds. I ask that you order someone to write to me the quantity of the pounds. May the Lord of the […] […] your life for a very long time and grant you to celebrate the festival of the holy Theophany for many years. †
[verso]
† To my master in all things, most illustrious and worthy of all honour and reverence, true brother after God, Theodore, comes and majordomo, † Menas. †
The simaris and alabes are kinds of fish (the alabes a Nile fish, perhaps a catfish or eel); exact identifications are uncertain. A meizoteros was the steward or majordomo of a great household.
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 Menas to Theodore). 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.oxy.16.1857
[r] † ἀπέστειλα τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ προστατικῇ μεγαλοπρεπείᾳ διὰ τοῦ γραμματηφόρου ἱπποκόμου σίμαριν ἕν, ἀλάβητας πέντε λιτρῶν ἑβδομήκοντα. παρακαλῶ δὲ αὐτὴν κελεῦσαι γράψαι μοι τὴν ποσότητα τῶν λιτρῶν. ὁ κύριος τῶν …[…]…ιων […]νακ… τὴν ζωὴν ὑμῶν ἐπὶ μήκιστον χρόνον καὶ ἀξιώσῃ ὑμᾶς ἐκτελέ…