One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 8939
Petition of priests against conscription of temple boys for dike work TM 8939Arsinoites117 - 138
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 3 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
Fragmentary petition from priests of a notable temple in the Arsinoite nome under Hadrian, complaining that, though exempted from dike work, their boys are being taken from the priests for dike labour. They ask that the prefect be informed, stressing that the boys' instruction, ordered by Hadrian, serves the Nile flood and the eternal order of the emperor.
In English machine translation
[1]
[…]
[…]
[…] to work (?) on the […]
[…] we were exempted from the work on the dikes
[…] the former prefect, written […]
[…] 24 (?), because our temple is notable
[…] we ask that our petition be made known […] to the most excellent prefect and to those whom it concerns, so that it not be unlawful (?) […] priests, that the boys be dragged away from the priests to the work on the dikes and abandon the instruction ordered by Hadrian, which is for the rising of the most sacred Nile and the permanence of the eternal order of our lord Caesar, into […]
[2]
[… lines lost …]
The 'boys' (paides) are probably young temple attendants or priestly trainees; much of the key wording, including Hadrian's name, rests on restoration.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as keiner). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
chrest.wilck.83
[1] […]αιω[…]…[…] […]θο[…]υν…[…]πον[…] […]ἀπεργάσασθαι εἰς τὸν δα…[…] […]ἐξῃρέθημεν τῆς ἀπεργασίας τῶν χωμάτων […] ἡγεμονεύσαντος γραφέντα τ[…] […]κδ διὰ τὸ εἶναι λόγιμον τὸ ἱερὸν ἡμῶν […]ἀξιοῦμεν τὴν δέησιν ἡμῶν φανερὰν γενέσθαι[…] […]τῷ κρατίστωι ἡγεμόνι καὶ οἷς δέον ἐστὶν πρὸς…