E04142: Coptic ostracon from Edfu/Apollonopolis (Upper Egypt) with a letter requesting to invoke Apa *Viktor (possibly Viktor, son of Romanos, Egyptian martyr, S00749) on the sender’s behalf; datable to the 7th century.
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posted on 2017-10-12, 00:00 authored by BryanO.EdfouIFAO (= O. EdfouCopte) 21
The letter seems to ask the addressee to invoke the saint on the sender’s behalf.
Lines 1–11 read as follows:
+ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲃⲓⲕ-
ⲧⲱⲣ ⲉⲧⲥϩⲁ ⲛ-
ⲥ̣ⲁⲙⲟⲩⲏⲗ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩ-
ⲱϣⲉ ⲛϭϣⲏ ⲛϭ̣-
ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲕⲁⲗⲉⲓ ⲛⲁ-
ⲡⲁ ⲃ̣ⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣ ⲉⲧⲃⲉⲧ̣
ϫⲉ ⲙ{ⲡ̣}ⲁ̣ⲣⲉ ⲛⲉⲧⲛ-
ϣⲗⲏⲗ ⲧⲁϩⲁϥ ⲛⲧⲁ-
ⲣ̣ⲓ̣ⲣⲙ̣ⲡϣⲁ ⲛⲉⲓ ⲉⲣⲏⲥ
ⲛⲉⲧⲉⲩⲧⲉⲛ ϩⲛ ⲯⲁ-
ⲃⲁⲧⲟⲛ
‘I am Viktor who writes to Samuel:
Be pleased to go and entreat Apa Viktor on my behalf. May your prayers reach him, so that I may be worthy to come south to you on Saturday.’
(Text: S. Bacot, slightly modified; trans.: G. Schenke)
The letter seems to ask the addressee to invoke the saint on the sender’s behalf.
Lines 1–11 read as follows:
+ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲃⲓⲕ-
ⲧⲱⲣ ⲉⲧⲥϩⲁ ⲛ-
ⲥ̣ⲁⲙⲟⲩⲏⲗ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩ-
ⲱϣⲉ ⲛϭϣⲏ ⲛϭ̣-
ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲕⲁⲗⲉⲓ ⲛⲁ-
ⲡⲁ ⲃ̣ⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣ ⲉⲧⲃⲉⲧ̣
ϫⲉ ⲙ{ⲡ̣}ⲁ̣ⲣⲉ ⲛⲉⲧⲛ-
ϣⲗⲏⲗ ⲧⲁϩⲁϥ ⲛⲧⲁ-
ⲣ̣ⲓ̣ⲣⲙ̣ⲡϣⲁ ⲛⲉⲓ ⲉⲣⲏⲥ
ⲛⲉⲧⲉⲩⲧⲉⲛ ϩⲛ ⲯⲁ-
ⲃⲁⲧⲟⲛ
‘I am Viktor who writes to Samuel:
Be pleased to go and entreat Apa Viktor on my behalf. May your prayers reach him, so that I may be worthy to come south to you on Saturday.’
(Text: S. Bacot, slightly modified; trans.: G. Schenke)
History
Evidence ID
E04142Saint Name
Viktor, son of Romanos, Egyptian martyr, ob. 303–311 : S00749Saint Name in Source
ⲁⲡⲁ ⲃ̣ⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Documentary texts - Letter Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherdLanguage
- Coptic
