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E04376: Poorly composed, unfinished private letter, or a writing exercise, containing conventional greetings and saying that the writer's family are well, thanks to 'the grace of God, and of Saints *Sergios and *Bakchos' (soldiers and martyrs of Rusafa and Barbalissos, S00023 and S00079). Written in Greek, on papyrus. Found at Nessana/Auja Hafir in the Negev desert (Roman province of Palaestina III). Probably 6th-7th c.
online resource
posted on 2017-11-16, 00:00 authored by pnowakowskiOn a papyrus sheet: 23 cm x 25 cm.
recto:
Lines 1-7:
The main body of the letter/exercise is written along the fibres. Very narrow margins. Script: large capitals (termed 'rather childish' by the editor).
[+ . . . διὰ] γραμάτον παρόντων μου γράφω κ̣α̣ὶ ̣π[ρ]̣οσκυ̣ν̣ῶ ̣τ̣ὴ[ν - - -]
[. . .].νουραν τὴν θῖάν μου Μαρίαν καὶ πάντ[α]ς τοὺς ̣δ̣ιαφέρ̣ο̣ν[τας - - -]
μ[ε]γάλου καὶ ὥλον τὸ χορήον. αἴπιτα διὰ τῖς θεοῦ χάριτ[ος]
καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Σεργίου (καὶ) Βάχχου καλõς ἔχ̣ο̣υ̣σ̣ι̣ν . . . ιεναι . . . .[ -ca.?- ]
ος πλιρονο τὰ γράματα. ἔπιτα ζητίσατε πέμσειν ἡμῖν ωλ̣υ̣ν[ -ca.?- ]
.ολαχαν καὶ αἵψιμα καὶ οἰνάριν καὶ ̣δ̣ε . . . . η.[. . . . .] καὶ ηρι[ -ca.?- ]
[. . . . .] σου
1. διὰ] Rizos
'[+ - - - through] the present letter, and I am writing to and greeting [- - -] my aunt Maria, and all the household members, and the whole village. Now, through the grace (charis) of God and of Saint Sergios and Bakchos they are well [- - -] completed (?) the letter. Now, try to send us [- - -] and grape juice syrup, and oinarion (= weak wine), and [- - -] your'
At this point the author abandoned writing the letter, and began playing with words, and scribbling the same phrase, having turned the sheet upside down:
Line 8: in the middle of the remaining, unused part of the sheet; large script:
[ἐν ὀν]όματη τοῦ καὶ δεσπότου Εἰσοῦ Χρηστ̣ο̣ῦ
'[In] the name of (sic) and Master (despotes) Jesus Christ'
Line 9: eight cm below line 8; large script; overlapping line 7:
[ἐν ὀ]̣ν̣όματι τοῦ ̣Κ̣υρίου καὶ Δεσπότου Εἰ̣σ[οῦ] ̣Χ[ριστοῦ]
'[In the name] of the Lord (kyrios) and Master (despotes) Jesus [Christ]'
verso:
Lines 10-15:
καλõς ἔχομεν καὶ . . . τη ενομ̣ε̣ι διὰ τῖς τοῦ θεοῦ χάριτος . .[ -ca.?- ]
[κα]ὶ δεσπότου Εἰσοῦ traces
[Κυρ]̣ίου καὶ Δεσπό̣του [Εἰ]̣σοῦ Χρηστοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ
ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ κυρ . . . . ̣θ̣ε̣ός
[- ca.15 -] Εἰσοῦ Χρηστοῦ τ̣ο̣ῦ [θεοῦ -ca.?- ]
[Κυρίου] καὶ Δεσπότου
[Ε]ἰσοῦ
'We are well and [- - -] through the grace (charis) of God [- - - and] Master (despotes) Jesus Christ, God. In the name of the Lord [- - -] God [- - -] Jesus Christ, God [- - - of the Lord (kyrios)] and Master (despotes) Jesus.'
Text: P.Nessana 145. Translation: P. Nowakowski.
recto:
Lines 1-7:
The main body of the letter/exercise is written along the fibres. Very narrow margins. Script: large capitals (termed 'rather childish' by the editor).
[+ . . . διὰ] γραμάτον παρόντων μου γράφω κ̣α̣ὶ ̣π[ρ]̣οσκυ̣ν̣ῶ ̣τ̣ὴ[ν - - -]
[. . .].νουραν τὴν θῖάν μου Μαρίαν καὶ πάντ[α]ς τοὺς ̣δ̣ιαφέρ̣ο̣ν[τας - - -]
μ[ε]γάλου καὶ ὥλον τὸ χορήον. αἴπιτα διὰ τῖς θεοῦ χάριτ[ος]
καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Σεργίου (καὶ) Βάχχου καλõς ἔχ̣ο̣υ̣σ̣ι̣ν . . . ιεναι . . . .[ -ca.?- ]
ος πλιρονο τὰ γράματα. ἔπιτα ζητίσατε πέμσειν ἡμῖν ωλ̣υ̣ν[ -ca.?- ]
.ολαχαν καὶ αἵψιμα καὶ οἰνάριν καὶ ̣δ̣ε . . . . η.[. . . . .] καὶ ηρι[ -ca.?- ]
[. . . . .] σου
1. διὰ] Rizos
'[+ - - - through] the present letter, and I am writing to and greeting [- - -] my aunt Maria, and all the household members, and the whole village. Now, through the grace (charis) of God and of Saint Sergios and Bakchos they are well [- - -] completed (?) the letter. Now, try to send us [- - -] and grape juice syrup, and oinarion (= weak wine), and [- - -] your'
At this point the author abandoned writing the letter, and began playing with words, and scribbling the same phrase, having turned the sheet upside down:
Line 8: in the middle of the remaining, unused part of the sheet; large script:
[ἐν ὀν]όματη τοῦ καὶ δεσπότου Εἰσοῦ Χρηστ̣ο̣ῦ
'[In] the name of (sic) and Master (despotes) Jesus Christ'
Line 9: eight cm below line 8; large script; overlapping line 7:
[ἐν ὀ]̣ν̣όματι τοῦ ̣Κ̣υρίου καὶ Δεσπότου Εἰ̣σ[οῦ] ̣Χ[ριστοῦ]
'[In the name] of the Lord (kyrios) and Master (despotes) Jesus [Christ]'
verso:
Lines 10-15:
καλõς ἔχομεν καὶ . . . τη ενομ̣ε̣ι διὰ τῖς τοῦ θεοῦ χάριτος . .[ -ca.?- ]
[κα]ὶ δεσπότου Εἰσοῦ traces
[Κυρ]̣ίου καὶ Δεσπό̣του [Εἰ]̣σοῦ Χρηστοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ
ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ κυρ . . . . ̣θ̣ε̣ός
[- ca.15 -] Εἰσοῦ Χρηστοῦ τ̣ο̣ῦ [θεοῦ -ca.?- ]
[Κυρίου] καὶ Δεσπότου
[Ε]ἰσοῦ
'We are well and [- - -] through the grace (charis) of God [- - - and] Master (despotes) Jesus Christ, God. In the name of the Lord [- - -] God [- - -] Jesus Christ, God [- - - of the Lord (kyrios)] and Master (despotes) Jesus.'
Text: P.Nessana 145. Translation: P. Nowakowski.