E04176: Coptic ostracon from western Thebes (Upper Egypt) mentioning the production of commentaries to *John (Apostle and Evangelist, S00042); datable to the 7th century.
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posted on 2017-10-19, 00:00 authored by gschenkeO.Frange 768
The limestone ostracon is written on both sides. The beginning and the end of the letter are missing, but it seems to be addressed to a monastic authority concerning the production of books, here of commentaries to the Gopsel of John. The addressee is asked to send the commentaries, if he has finished them. If he has not yet produced them, he should at least acknowledge receipt of the writing material provided, here apparently an empty papyrus roll (tomarion), so that it can be announced that he will produce and them them (soon).
Lines 4–18 of the recto read as follows:
ϯⲡⲁⲣⲁ-
ⲕⲁⲗⲗⲉⲓ ⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛ\ⲙⲛⲧ/-
ⲫⲓⲗⲁⲧⲉⲗⲫⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ
ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲑⲟⲥⲉⲃⲓⲁ · ⲉⲧⲣⲉ-
ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲣ ⲡⲛⲁ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲛⲉ-
ⲝⲏⲅⲉⲓⲥⲓⲥ · ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲓⲱ-
ϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ · ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲕⲧⲛⲛⲟⲟⲩ-
ⲥⲟⲩ ⲛⲁⲛ ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁⲕⲥⲁϩⲟⲩ ·
ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲥⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲁⲣⲓ ⲡⲛⲁ
ⲉⲛⲉⲟⲩ<ⲱ> ⲁⲕϫⲓ ⲛⲧⲟⲙⲁⲣⲓⲟⲛ · ⲛⲅϫⲟ-
ⲟⲩⲥⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲣⲕⲁⲛ ⲉⲛⲗⲩⲡⲉⲓ ϩⲙ
ⲡⲉⲓϣⲁϫⲉ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ϯ ⲙⲧⲟⲛ ⲛⲁⲛ̣
ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲛⲕⲉⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ
ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛⲁⲅⲓⲱ-
ⲥⲩⲛⲏ ⲁⲁⲩ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲛ
‘I am thus beseeching your brotherliness and your piety to let you be merciful with respect to the commentaries to saint John, to let you send them to us, if you have written them. If you have not written them, be merciful, so that we shall announce that you have received the (empty) papyrus roll and that you shall send them. Do not let us be lamenting in this matter, but calm us just as with all the other good deeds which your holiness has done for us.’
At the end of the letter, lines 35–37 of the verso read as follows:
ⲡⲗⲏⲛ ⲁⲣⲓⲥ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ
ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲙⲛ ⲡϩⲁⲅ[ ⲓⲟⲥ]
ⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ
‘But do it for God and for saint John.’
(Text: A. Boud'hors and Ch. Heurtel; trans.: G. Schenke)
A complete record of the text is available at:
http://papyri.info/ddbdp/o.frange;;768?
The limestone ostracon is written on both sides. The beginning and the end of the letter are missing, but it seems to be addressed to a monastic authority concerning the production of books, here of commentaries to the Gopsel of John. The addressee is asked to send the commentaries, if he has finished them. If he has not yet produced them, he should at least acknowledge receipt of the writing material provided, here apparently an empty papyrus roll (tomarion), so that it can be announced that he will produce and them them (soon).
Lines 4–18 of the recto read as follows:
ϯⲡⲁⲣⲁ-
ⲕⲁⲗⲗⲉⲓ ⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛ\ⲙⲛⲧ/-
ⲫⲓⲗⲁⲧⲉⲗⲫⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ
ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲑⲟⲥⲉⲃⲓⲁ · ⲉⲧⲣⲉ-
ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲣ ⲡⲛⲁ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲛⲉ-
ⲝⲏⲅⲉⲓⲥⲓⲥ · ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲓⲱ-
ϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ · ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲕⲧⲛⲛⲟⲟⲩ-
ⲥⲟⲩ ⲛⲁⲛ ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁⲕⲥⲁϩⲟⲩ ·
ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲥⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲁⲣⲓ ⲡⲛⲁ
ⲉⲛⲉⲟⲩ<ⲱ> ⲁⲕϫⲓ ⲛⲧⲟⲙⲁⲣⲓⲟⲛ · ⲛⲅϫⲟ-
ⲟⲩⲥⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲣⲕⲁⲛ ⲉⲛⲗⲩⲡⲉⲓ ϩⲙ
ⲡⲉⲓϣⲁϫⲉ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ϯ ⲙⲧⲟⲛ ⲛⲁⲛ̣
ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲛⲕⲉⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ
ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛⲁⲅⲓⲱ-
ⲥⲩⲛⲏ ⲁⲁⲩ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲛ
‘I am thus beseeching your brotherliness and your piety to let you be merciful with respect to the commentaries to saint John, to let you send them to us, if you have written them. If you have not written them, be merciful, so that we shall announce that you have received the (empty) papyrus roll and that you shall send them. Do not let us be lamenting in this matter, but calm us just as with all the other good deeds which your holiness has done for us.’
At the end of the letter, lines 35–37 of the verso read as follows:
ⲡⲗⲏⲛ ⲁⲣⲓⲥ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ
ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲙⲛ ⲡϩⲁⲅ[ ⲓⲟⲥ]
ⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ
‘But do it for God and for saint John.’
(Text: A. Boud'hors and Ch. Heurtel; trans.: G. Schenke)
A complete record of the text is available at:
http://papyri.info/ddbdp/o.frange;;768?
History
Evidence ID
E04176Saint Name
John, Apostle and Evangelist : S00042Saint Name in Source
ⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Documentary texts - Letter Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherdLanguage
- Coptic
