OPES – Oslo Papyri Electronic System

Background and Physical Properties

Material:

Papyrus

Connections:

–

Size:

20.5 x 12 cm.

Lines:

Recto - 22;Verso - 2

Publication side:

Recto; Verso address

Palaeographic description:

On the Verso, corresponding to line 2 - which is written in the opposite direction to the adress - there are some effaced letters (to the left) at the heading of the same line (the ink is rather faded). The meaning of this addition remains obscure.

State of preservation:

–

Content

Date:

IInd century A.D.

Origin:

Oxyrhynchos, Oxyrhynchite nome, province of Egypt

Language:

Greek

Genre:

Documentary

Author:

Zenarion

Title / Type of text:

Private letter

Content:

Letter from Zenarion to Theon about some trouble cncerning a shipment.

Subjects:

Mice Cheese Transport

Named people:

Zenarion, sister (brother?) of Theon Theon, brother of Zenarion Serenos Homonoia Demetrion Agathous Eisarous (unnamed) kosmetes of Oxyrhynchus

Named places:

Oxyrhynchus

English translation:

From Zenarion to her brother Theon. Greetings! (First of all) I pray that you are in good health. I (fetched?) seven cheeses; the sailor (said) that the (rest?) had been eaten by mice. Since you wrote that you have not received (neither the...) nor the cheeses whole ... for this reason ...not to give him for ... (Two and a half severely damaged lines). ...to be here, as (he) is needed. He writes blaming me ...not to be blamed at another time... Urge Serenos to come (to us?) as swiftly as possible, for we need him and, when he comes, he (will be like a star?) rising. Greet your mother and (brothers?), Homonoia and Demetrion. Greetings from Agathous, Eisarous and ... I wish you well.Verso:To Theon from Zena(rion?)(2nd hand in the opposite direction): ...the one who held the office of the kosmetes in Oxyrhynchos

Provenance:

Unknown place, province of Egypt

Acquisition:

Purchased by S.Eitrem in Egypt 1920

Acquisition year:

–

Editions

• Eitrem S-Amundsen L, P.Oslo II, 1931, 52
  ▾ Corrections:

  • Schmidt, KFW, Göttingische gelehrte Anzeigen 194 (1932) p. 284 (l. 15, 17f.)Hagedorn D, ZPE 12 (1973) p. 280, n.13 (l. v 2)

Further Literature

Bagnall & Cribiore, Women's letters from ancient Egypt 300 BC-AD 800, 2006, p.331-332