Selections From the Greek Papyri, GEORGE MILLIGAN

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SELECTIONSFROM THE GREEK PAPYRI


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CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESSEonoon: FETTER LANE, E.G.

C. F. CLAY, Manager

CfBinbtirtif) : loo, PRINCES STREETaSnIin: A. ASHER AND CO.leipjig: F. A. BROCKHAUS

jilfto Igork: G. P. PUTNAM'S SONSbonxdag anc CalcutU; MACMILLAN AND CO., Ltd.

AU rights reserved


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-'N

^ .J _.- I

Oxyrhynchus Papyrus 744 ( No. 12)Letter of Ililaiinn to Alls, written in Alexandria, 17 June r..C. 1.Now in possession of the Ks^ypt Exploration Fund and

facsimiled with their permission.Original size 25 x i^-j cm.


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SELECTIONSFROM THE GREEK PAPYRI

EDITED WITH TRANSLATIONS AND NOTESBY

GEORGE MILLIGAN, D.D.PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY AND BIBLICAL CRITICISM IN THE

UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW

Cambridge ;at the University Press

1912


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TOM. C. M.


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xii PRINCIPAL COLLECTIONS OF GREEK PAPYRIP. '^2i\\Co. = Griechische Papyrusurhunden der Hamburger Stadt-

bibliothek^ ed. P. M, Meyer. Vol. l . Leipzig, 191 1 .P. \i^\^.=-Heidelberger Papyrus- Sammlung. VoL I, Die Septua-

ginta Papyri und andere altchristliche Texte, ed. A. Deissmann.Heidelberg, 1905.

P. YL\\). = The Hibeh Papyri. Vol. I, ed. B. P. Grenfell and A. S.Hunt. London, 1906.

P. 'Lt\d..= Papyri graeci Musei antiquarii publici Lugduni-Baiavi,ed. C. Leemans. 2 vols. 1843, 1885.

p. ht^p.^Griechische Urkunden der Papyrussammlung zu Leipzig.Vol. I, ed. L. Mitteis. Leipzig, 1906.

P. \XW& = Papyrus Grecs from the Institut Papyrologique de F Uni-versity de Lille^ ed. P. Joiiguet. Vol. I, Parts i, 2. Paris,1907-08.

P. Magd. = Papyri from Magdola, ed Lefebvre in Bulletin decorrespondance helltfm'que, 1902 ff.

P. Oxy. = T/ie Oxyrhynchus Papyri, ed. B. P. Grenfell and A. S.Hunt. Vols. IVIII. London, 1898 1911.P. Par. = Paris Papyri in Notices et Extraits xviii, ii, ed. Brunet dePresle. Paris, 1865.

P. Petr. = The Flinders Petrie Papyri, in the Proceedings of theRoyal Irish Academy'^Cunningham Memoirs" Nos. viii, ix,xi. Parts I, ll, ed. J. P. Mahaffy; Part ill, ed. J. P. Mahaffyand J. G. Smyly. Dublin, 1S91 1905.

P. R^'mdiCh^ Papyrus Grecs et Demotiques, ed. Th. Reinach. Paris,1905.

P. Ry\:ix\d?, = Catalogue of the Greek PaPyri in the fohn RylandsLibrary Manchester, ed. A. S. Hunt. Vol. I. Manchester,1911.

P. Strass. = Griechische Papyrus der Kaiserlichen Universitdts- undLandesbibliothek zu Strassburg. Parts I, ll, ed. F. Preisigke.Strassburg, 1906-07.

P Tebt.= 7y/^ Tebtunis Papyri. Vol. I, ed. B. P. Grenfell, A. S.Hunt, and J. G. Smyly; Vol. ii, ed. B. P. Gremell, A. S.Hunt, and E. J. Goodspeed. London, 1902-07.

P. Tor.^ Papyri graeci regit Taurinensis Musei Aegyptii, ed. A.Peyron. 2 vols. Turin, 1826, 1827.


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TABLE OF PAPYRI PUBLISHED IN THIS VOLUMENO.


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XIV TABLE OI< FArVKINO.


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XV

AUTHORITIES QUOTED AND RECOMMENDEDArchiv= ArchivfiirPapyrusforschung, ed. U. Wilcken. Leipzig,

1901

.

Blass, F. Grammar of New Testament Greek. Eng. Tr. byH. St John Thackeray. 2nd Edit. London, 1905.

Croneit, W. Memoria Graeca Herculanefisis. Leipzig, 1903.See p. xxiv.

Deissmann, A. Bible Studies ( = BS.). Eng. Edition by A. GrieveEdinburgh, 1901.

Deissmann, A. Lic/it vom Ostefi { = L0?). 2* Aufl. Tiibingen,1909. An English translation of this work has appeared underthe title Lightfrom the Ancient East.

Dittenberger Syll. = Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum, ed. W.Dittenberger. 2nd Edit. 2 vols, and Index. Leipzig, 18881901.

Erman and Krehs=Aus den Papyrus der Koniglichen Afuseen, byA. Erman and F. Krebs. Berlin, 1899. One of the handbooksto the Royal Museums at Berlin, containing German transla-lations of a number of Greek and other Papyri, with an inter-esting Introduction.

Exp.= The Expositor. London, 1875 . Cited by series, volumeand page.

Gerhard, G. A. Untersuchungen zur Geschichte des griechischenBriefes. Heft i. Die Anfangsformel. Diss. Heidelb.Tiibingen, 1903.

Gradenwitz, O. Einfiihrung in die Papyruskunde. Heft i.Leipzig, 1900.

Hatzidakis, G. N. Einleitung in die Neugriechische Grammatik.Leipzig, 1892.Herwerden, H. van. Lexicon Graecum suppietoriutn et dialecticum.Editio altera. Lugd. Batav., 19 10.

HohUvein, N. La Papyrologie Grecque. Louvain, 1905. A clas-sified bibliography of all papyrological publications, includingreviews and magazine articles, up to Jan. i, 1905.

Jannaris, A. N. An Histoi'ical Greek Gram>nar. London, 1897.Kennedy, H. A. A. Sources of New Testament Greek, or the


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XVI AUTHORITIES QUOTED AND RECOMMENDEDInfluence of the Septuagint on the Vocabulary of the NewTestament. Edinburgh, 1895.

Kenyon, F. G. The Palaeography of Greek Papyri. Oxford, 1899.Kuhring, G. De Praepositionuvi Graecaruvi in Chartis AegyptiisUsu. Diss. Bonn. Bonn, 1906.Laqueur, R. Quaestiones Epigraphicae et Papyrologicae Selectae.

Strassburg, 1904.Lex. Notes Lexical Notesfrom the Papyri, by J. H. Moulton and

G. Milligan, in the Expositor, VII, v (in progress). Seep. XXX.

Lietzmann, H. Greek Papyri. Cambridge, 1905. Eleven Textswith Notes, published by Deighton Bell & Co., Cambridge, asNo. 14 of Materialsfor Theological Lecturers and Students.

Mayser, E. Grammatik der Gricchischeti Papyri aus der Ptolemder-zeit : Laut- und Wortlehre. Leipzig, 1906.

Meisterhans, K. Graniviatik der Attischen Inschriftcn, by K.Meisterhans. 3rd Edit, by E. Schwyzer. Berlin, 1900.

Mdanges Nicole. Geneva, 1905. A collection of studies in classicalphilology and in archaeology, dedicated to Prof. J. Nicole.

Mouiton, J. H. A Grammar of New Testament Greek. Vol. I,Prolegomena. 3rd Edit. Edinburgh, 1908. See p. xxx.Moulton, J. H. New Testament Greek in the light of modern dis-

covery in Cambridge Biblical Essays, pp. 461 505. London,1909.

Nagcli, Th. Der Wortschatz des Apostels Paulus. Gottingen,1905. A study of the Pauline vocabulary (in so far as it fallsunder the first five letters of the alphabet), more particularly inits relation to the Koti'jf.

O. G. I. S.= Oritntis Graeci Inscriptiones Selectae, cd. W. Dilten-berger 2 vols. Leipzig, 1903-05.

Otto, W. Priester und Tempel im Hellenistischen Agypten. 1 vols.Leipzig and Berlin, 1905, 1908.

Preisigke, F. Familicnbricfc aus alter Zcit, in the PreussischeJahrbiicher 108 (1902), pp. 88 HI.

Rcitzenstein, K. Poimandres : Studien zur Griechisch-Agyptischenund Friihchristlichen Literatur. Leipzig, 1904.

Rossbcrg, C. De Praepositionum Graecarum in Chartis AegyptiisPtolemaeorutn Aetatis Usu. Diss. Icn. Jena, 1909.

Rutherford, \V. G. The New Phrynichus. London, 188 1.Schubart, \V, Das Buch bei den Griechen und Romern. Berlin,

1907.


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AUTHORITIES QUOTED AND RECOMMENDED XviiSophocles, E. A. Greek Lexicon of the Roman and Byzantine

Periods. New York, 1887.Thackeray, H. St John. A Grammar of the Old Testament in

Greek according to the Septuagint. Vol. I, Introdjiction,Orthography and Accidence. Cambridge, 1909.

Thess. = The writer's edition of St PauPs Epistles to the Thessa-lonians. (London, Macmillan, igo8.) The notes in this editionare cited as i Thess. i i (note).

Thumb, A. Die Griechische Sprache im Zeitalter des Hellenismt/s.Beitrdge zur Geschichte undBeurteilung der Kotvrj. Strassburg,1901.

Volker, F. Papyrorum Gi-aecarum Syntaxis Speciinen : de accusa-tive. Diss. Bonn. Bonn, 1900.

Volker, F. Syntax der griechischen Papyri. I. Der Artikel.Miinster i. W. 1903.

Wessely, C. Les phis anciens Monuments du Christianisnie Meritssurpapyrus (being Patrologia Orientalis iv, 2). Paris [1907].See p. xxix.

WH. or WH. Notes'^= The New Testatnent in the original Greek,by B. F. Westcott and F, J. A. Hort. Vol. i, Text; Vol. li,Introduction and Appetidix containing Notes on Select Read-ings, etc. Revised Editions. London, 1898 and 1896.

Wilamowitz-Moeliendorf, U. von. Griechisches Lesebuch. Fourhalf-volumes. Berlin, 1902.

Wilcken, U. Die griechischen Papyrusurkufiden. Berlin, 1897.Wilcken, U. Giiechische Ostraka. 2 vols. Leipzig, 1899.Witkowski, S. Epistulae Privatae Graecae quae in papyris aetatis

Lagidarum servantur. Leipzig, 1906.Witkowski, S. Prodromus grammaticae papyrorum graecarum

aetatis Lagidarum. Cracow, 1897.WM. = .^ Treatise on the Grammar of New Testainent Greek, byG. B. Winer, tr. and enlarged by W. F. Moulton. 8th Eng.Edit. Edinburgh, 1877.W. Schm. = Gramtnatik des neutestamentlichen Sprachidioms, byG. B. Winer. 8th Edit, newly revised by P. W. Schmiedel(in progress). Gottingen, 1894

.

Z. N. T. ]V.=Zeitschrift fiir die neutestametitliche Wissenschaft.Giessen, 1900

.


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XVUl TABLE OF MONTHS

TABLE OF MONTHSEgyptian


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GENERAL INTRODUCTION1. Interest of Papyrus-discoveries.2. Manufacture of Papyrus.3 History of Papyrus-discoveries.4. Papyrus Collections.5. Literary Papyri.6. Non-literary Papyri.7. Significance of the Papyri.8. The Richness of the Field.

M.


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" You are not to suppose that the word [some New Testamentword which had its only classical authority in Herodotus] hadfallen out of use in the interval, only that it had not been used inthe books which remain to us : probably it had been part of thecommon speech all along. I will go further, and say that if wecould only recover letters that ordinary people wrote to each otherwithout any thought of being literary, we should have the greatestpossible help for the understanding of the language of the NewTestament generally."

Bishop Lightfoot in 1863.


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INTRODUCTION XXlllThe size and character of these papyrus-sheets naturally

varied considerably with the quality of the papyrus, of whichthey were formed, but for non-literary documents a verycommon size was from 5 to 5^ inches in width, and 9 to 11inches in height'. When more space was required, thiswas easily obtained by joining a number of sheets togetherto form a roll. A roll of twenty sheets, which could becut up or divided at will, was apparently a common sizefor selling purposes. This was, however, a mere matter ofconvenience, and smaller quantities would be easily procurableon demand ^

The price paid was of course determined by the size andnature of the paper provided, and in view of our ignoranceon these points the few figures that are available do notgive much guidance'. But it is clear that papyrus was byno means a cheap commodity, and this helps to explain thefrequent use of the verso already referred to, and the difficultywhich the poor often experienced in procuring the necessarymaterial for writing*.

In itself papyrus is a very durable material, when notexposed to much handling, or to the action of damp, andit is consequently, thanks to their sandburial and to thesingularly dry climate of Egypt, that so many documents and

^ See Kenyon Palaeography of inscription relating to the expensesGreek Papyri (Oxford, 1899), p. of the rebuilding of the Erechtheum16 ff. at Athens in B.C. 407, from whicli

^ An extra sheet seems to have it appears that two sheets {xtixIbeen known as kirixo^pT-t\ (P. Oxy. 5uo) cost at the rate of a drachma34. 15, A.D. 127). For other writing- and two obols each, or a little overmaterials see P. Grenf. il 38 (B.b. a shilling of our money: see also81), where directions are given for Schubart op. cit. p. 12 f.the purchase of pens (/cdXa/noi 7/>a- ^ In P. Gen. 52, a letter written^t/coi, cf. 3 Mace, iv 20) and ink on the verso of a business docu-(,uAas, cf. 2 Jo. 12). In P. Oxy. nient, the writer explainsxapTioi-326 (c. A.D. 45) we hear of rb (Wilcken Archiv III, p. 399) KO-da.-ppoxiov Tov fiiXai'Oi (' the inkpot ') pbi> nrj evpiof wpbt ttjv uipav ehand Td (j-/i7j\io[j'] [3]7rwj yaKi'jcry toi{t]ov fypa'pa.: cf. B.G.U. 822Toi/s KaXd/xovs. ' (iii/A.D.) verso v^p-xpov p.01 aypaov

=* Thompson {Greek and Latiit x'^P'^Vi'y ^''a e6po[jx]v iTna-ToXlnf]Palaeography, p. 28) refers to an ypixpai.


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xxiv INTRODUCTIONletters have been preserved there, while they have almostwholly disappeared elsewhere

3. The earliest discoveries took place in 1778 at Gizeh,J where the fellaheen produced a chest containing

Papyrus- about fifty papyri. As however no purchasersdiscoveries. ^^^^ forthcoming, all these, except one now inthe Museum at Naples (the Charta Borgiana), were destroyedfor the sake, so it is said, of the aromatic smell which theygave forth in burning^No further discoveries are reported for about twenty years,after which we hear of various sporadic finds, more particularlyat Saqqarah, the ancient Memphis, about a half of the docu-ments recovered there relating to its Serapeum, or great templein honour of Serapis (see Nos. 4, 5, 6). In view of the noveltyand intrinsic interest of these documents, it is astonishing thatthey did not attract more notice at the time. But, as a matterof fact, it was not until 1877, when several thousand papyri ofwidely different characters and dates were found amongst theruins of Crocodilopolis, or Arsinoe, the old capital of the Fay(imdistrict', that public attention was fully awakened to the far-reaching importance of the new discoveries.

^ The principal exception is Her- "^ See Wilcken Die griechischenculaneum, wliere as a matter of fact Papyiustirkundcn (Berlin, 1897),the first Greek papyri were brought p. 10. The result of an experi-to light in the course of the excava- ment, conducted along with Prof,tions in 1752 and the following E. J. Goodspeed on some papyrus-years. From the calcined nature fragments, leads the present writerof the rolls, the work of decipher- rather to doubt the 'aromatic' partment was unusually dilTitult, but of the story.eventually it was found that the * The great bulk of these nowgreater part were occupied with form the Rainer collection at Vienna,philo.-ophical writings of the Epi- which was still further enriched incurean school. A few fragments 1896, and their contents are gradu-of Epicurus himself were also really being made available throughcovered, including a charming letter the labours of Dr C. Wessely andto a child (No. 1). The evidence others. To the collections men-of the Ilerculancum ]iapyri on tioned on p. xi f. add in this con-questions of accidence and grammar nexion Wessely's monographs onis fully stated in W. Criinert's great Karanis tntd Sociiopaei Nesos andwork Mcmoria Gracca Hercula- Die Stadt Arsinoe (\'ienna, 1902).ncitsis (Leipzig, 1903).


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INTRODUCTION XXVFrom that time the work of exploration has gone steadily

on, a foremost place in it being occupied by our own Oxfordscholars, Prof. B. P. Grenfell and Dr A. S. Hunt, to whoseremarkable labours in this field, whether as discoverers or asinterpreters, almost every page of the following Selections willbear witness.

4. The collections that have thus been formed are namedPapyrus either from the locality where the texts were firstCollections. discovered, as e.g. the Oxyrhynchus Papyri orthe Hibeh Papyri^ or from the place where they are nowpreserved, as the British Museum or Chicago Papyri, or theBerliner Griechische Urkunden, or in a few instances from theirowners, as the Amherst Papyri or the Reitiach Papyri. Andthrough the patient labours of many scholars, both in thiscountry and abroad, these collections are yearly being addedto^

5. Of the papyri now available a comparatively smallLiterary number, about 600 in all, are literary, one fourthPapyri. Qf these supplying us with texts not previouslyknown. Amongst these is what can claim to be the oldestGreek literary MS. in existence, a poem of Timotheus ofMiletus, dating from the fourth century before Christ, whilefragments of Homeric and other texts, belonging to the suc-ceeding century, are still some thirteen hundred years olderthan the generality of Greek MSS. Other new texts embracefragments of Sappho and the Paeans of Pindar, the Odes ofBacchylides, the Comedies of Menander, the Constitution ofAthens by Aristotle, and the Mimes of Herodas. And asproof that surprises in this direction are by no means

^ For a list which comprises the by Prof. Grenfell's statement (as re-titles of most of the existing col- ported in the Athenaeum, Aug. 22,lections see p. xi f. ; but how much 1908, p. 210) that of the Papyristill remains to be done before even from Oxyrhynchus alone, only aboutthe existing materials can be made one-sixth have as yet been de-available for general use is shown ciphered.


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XXvi i i INTRODUCTIONcorrected, and the whole history of book production before theadoption of vellum put in a new and striking light. Thus, torefer only to a single point, the New Testament student canno longer have any possible doubt that the books of the NewTestament were written originally on papyrus, and that in sucha letter as is reproduced in facsimile as a frontispiece to thisvolume he can see the prototype, so far as outward appear-ance is concerned, of an original Pauline Epistle^

To the historian again their value is no less remarkable.If it be the case, as we recently have been assured, that itwas the want of adequate ' records ' that prevented theGreeks themselves from being the founders of scientifichistory, that is certainly no longer the fate of any onewho seeks to reconstruct the internal condition of Greco-Roman Egypt. Contemporary documents, whose genuinenessis incontestable, now lie before him in such abundance, thattheir very number constitutes one of his greatest difficulties.And it will need much careful sifting and comparison beforetheir results can be fully appreciated or stated". But confiningourselves again to their relation to Christian history, it isimpossible not to recognize the importance of having the'enrolment' of Luke ii i, 2 illustrated by the recovery of alarge number of similar enrolments or census-returns, knownby the same name {dTroypacf>ai, cf. No. 17), and even themethod of the enumeration by the return of each man to hisown city (ver. 3) confirmed by the discovery of an exactlyanalogous order (No. 28). When too we find a Prefect re-leasing a prisoner in deference to the wishes of the multitude(see note on No. 55. 28), or the summary of a trial with thespeech of the prosecuting counsel (No. 18), we are at once

1 See further Kenyon Palaeo- valuable information in the vols.graphy, p. 9^ tT., and Handbook on The Ploiemaic Dynasty by Prof.to the Textual Criticism of the Mahaffy and on Under Roman RuleNew Testament (Macmillan, 1901), by Mr J. .S. Milne in Methuen'sChap, n 'The Autographs of the History ef E^pt, Vols. IV, VNew Testament.' (iSy8).

' The student will find much


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INTRODUCTION XXIXreminded of what took place in the case of our Lord (Mk xv15) and of St Paul (Ac. xxiv aff.). Or, to pass to a laterperiod in the history of the Church, while the persecution ofthe Christians under Decius, and the consequent demand forlibelli, or certificates of conformity to the state-religion, werepreviously well known, it is surely a great gain to be able tolook upon actual specimens of these libelli, attested by thesignatures of the libellatici themselves, and counter-signed bythe official commission that had been appointed to examinethem (No. 48).The value of the papyri, however, for the Biblical studentis very far from being exhausted in ways such as these. Theyhave added directly to his materials not only a certain numberof Biblical texts^, but also several highly important fragmentsof extra-canonical writings, including the so-called Logia ofJesus, which have attracted such widespread attention^. Noris this all, but the indirect aid which they constantly afford forthe interpretation of our Greek Bible is perhaps even morestriking. It will be one of the principal objects of the com-mentary that accompanies the following selections to illustratethis in detail, but it may be convenient to recapitulate herethat this aid is to be looked for principally in three directions.(i) In the matter of language, we have now abundantproof that the so-called 'peculiarities' of Biblical Greek aredue simply to the fact that the writers of the New Testament

' These include some third and the Neiu Sayings ofJesus (P. Oxy.fourth century fragments of the 654) and the Fragment of an Un-LXX, a third century MS. of Mt. i canonical Gospel (P. Oxy. 840) have(P. Oxy. 2), and about one-third of all been published separately inthe Ep. to the Hebrews from the convenient forms (Frowde, 1897,early part of the fourth century 1904 and 190S) : see also Swete's(P. Oxy. 657). So far as they go, edition of Two Neio Gospel Frag-the N.T. texts confirm on the wlide metits (Deighton, Bell & Co., 1908).the evidence of the great uncials XB, In les plus anciens Aloniimcnts duor what we know as the Westcott Chrislianisme {Patrologia Orientalisand Horttext. Alist of the principal iv 2 [1907]) Wessely has edited theBiblical papyri is given by Deissmann most important early Christian do-Enc. Biblica, col. 3559 f. cunients written on papyrus, with

' The original Logia (P. Oxy. i), translations and commentaries.


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XXX INTRODUCTIONfor the most part made use of the ordinary colloquial Greek,the K01VJ7 of their day.

This is not to say that we are to disregard altogether theinfluence of translation Greek, and the consequent presence ofundoubted Hebraisms, both in language and grammar'. Noragain must we lose sight of the fact that the sacred writers,especially in the case of the New Testament, deepened andenriched the significance of many everyday words, and em-ployed them in altogether new connotations. At the sametime the best way to get at these new connotations is surelyto start from the old, and to trace, as we are now enabled todo, the steps by which words and phrases were raised fromtheir original popular and secular usage to the deeper andmore spiritual sense, with which the New Testament writingshave made us familiar^ It is sufficient by way of illustrationto point to the notes that follow on such words as a8X^ds(No. 7. 2), aicoi/tos (No. 45. 27), /^aTTTt^o) (No. 7. 1 3), Kvpios(No. 18. 6), XiiTovpyeo) (No. 5. 2), napovcria (No. 5. 18),Trpio-ftivw (No. 40. 14), TTpeor/Jurcpos (Nos. 10. 1 7, 29. Il),irpoypa^xi) (No. 27. Il), (TU)Ti]p (No. IQ. 18), crwTTjpia (No. 36.13), and ^y]p.aTit,ia (No. 25. 2).

^ An over-tendency to minimize scntially an isolated language, andthese last is probably the most per- the whole question of how far thetinent criticism that can be liirected Greek of the New Testament de-against Dr J. H. Moulton's Pro- viates from the Koivt) requires alegomcna to his Gravtmar of New fuller discussion and statement thanTestament Greek, a book that is as it has yet received. Some good re-useful to the papyrologist as it is marks on the 'eigenartig' characterindispensable to the student of the of the New Testament writings,Greek New Testament. See further notwithstanding the linguistic andthe valuable sections ( 3, 4) on stylistic parallels that have been dis-' The Kowr\the Basis of Septuagint covered, will be found in Heinrici'sGreek,' and 'The Semitic Element \wox\oz\7\\)\^ DcrlitlerarischeCharak-in LXX Greek' in Thackeray's tcr der vcuteslamentlichen SchriftenGramviar of the Old Testament in (Leipzig, lyoS).Greek I, p. 16 fi". " For many more examples of the''The denial of a distinctive influence of the Ko^^'tJ on N.T. Greek'Biblical' or 'New Testament than are possible in the limits of theGreek ' is often too unqualified to- present volume reference may per-day owing to the recoil from the haps be allowed to the ' Lexicalold position of treating it as es- Notes from the Papyri' wlych Dr


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INTRODUCTION XXXI(2) The form^ again, \Yhich the New Testament writers

so frequently adopted for the conveyance of religious truthis reflected in the clearest manner in the private letters thathave been rescued from the sands of Egypt. It may seemstrange at first sight to those who have had no previousacquaintance with the subject, that those simple and artlesscommunications, the mere flotsam and jetsam of a longpast civilization, should for a moment be put in evidencealongside the Epistles of St Paul. But even if they do nothingelse, they prove how ' popular ' rather than ' literary ' in originthese Epistles really are^ and how frequently the Apostleadapts the current epistolary phrases of his time to his ownpurposes-.

(3) Once more, the papyri are of the utmost value inenabling us to picture the general environment, social and re-ligious, of the earliest followers of Christianity. These followersJ. H. Moulton and the presentwriter are contributing to the Ex-positor VII V, p. 51 ff. &c.

^ The distinction holds good, evenif we cannot go all the way withDeissmann {^BS. p. 3 ff.) in pro-nouncing all the Pauline writings'letters' rather than 'Epistles.'This may be true of the shortEpistle to Philemon, which is littlemore than a private note, but surelythe Epistle to the Romans standsin a different category, and, if onlyby the character of its contents, isto be widely differentiated from theunstudied expression of personalfeeling, that we associate with theidea of a true ' letter.'

^ The first recognition I havecome across in this country of thevalue of the papyri for N.T. studyoccurs in Dean Farrar's The Messagesof the Books, first published in 1884,where in a note to his chapter onthe ' Form of the New TestamentEpistles' the writer remarks 'It isan interesting subject of inquiry towhat extent there was at this period

an ordinary form of correspondencewhich (as amongst ourselves) was tosome extent fixed. In the papyrusrolls of the British Museum (editedfor the trustees by J. Forshall [in1839]) there are forms and phraseswhich constantly remind us ofSt Paul' (p. 151). But he doesnot seem to have followed up thehint, and it was left to Prof. A.Deissmann, following independentlyon lines already hinted at by A.Peyron in his introduction to theTurin Papyri {Papyri graeci regiiTauntiensis Alusei Aegyptii, Turin,1826), to show in detail in Bibel-siiidien (1895) and Neue Bihelstudien(1897) (together translated intoEnglish as Bible Studies (1901)),and more recently in Licht vomOsten (i Aufl. 1908, 2 u. 3 Aufl.1909), the wealth of material theycontain in this and other respects.Mention should also be made ofDean Armitage Robinson's in-teresting Excursus ' On some currentepistolary phrases' in his Com-mentary on Ephesians, p. 275 ff.


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XXXll INTRODUCTIONbelonged for the most part, though by no means exclusively^to the humbler and poorer classes of the population, whom theordinary historian of the period did not think it worth his whileto notice'^. But now by means of their own autographic lettersand documents we can see them in all the varied relationshipsof everyday life and thought. Notices of Birth (No. 32) andof Death (No. 35) are intermingled with Marriage-Contracts(Nos. I, 34) and Deeds of Divorce (No. 16) : the oppressedappeal to the ruling powers for protection (Nos. 10, 29), andthe village 'elders' arrange for dancing-girls to enliven anapproaching festival (No. 45) : the youth who has wasted allhis substance with 'riotous living' (No. 27), and the poorprodigal with his humble confession of sin (No. 37), standbefore us in the flesh : while the mourners 'sorrowing as thosewho have no hope ' (No. 38), and the perplexed and diseasedseeking help in dreams or oracles (Nos. 6, 25, cf. 54) andenchantments (Nos. 46, 47), prove how deep and real werethe needs of those to whom the Gospel was first preached.

8. There may be a temptation perhaps at present, in viewT,, of the unusual and romantic character of the1 neRichness of new discoveries, to exaggerate the significance of* ^ '^ the papyri in these and similar directions. Muchrequires still to be done before their exact linguistic andhistorical value can be fully estimated. But there can be nodoubt as to the richness of the field which they present to thestudent alike of religion and of life. And one main object ofthe present volume of Selections will have been fulfilled, ifit succeeds in any measure in arousing a more wide-spreadinterest in the larger collections, and the notable work oftheir first editors and interpreters.

^ Cf. Orr, Neglected Factors in but omits of set purpose 'hominumthe Study of the Early Progress of plebeiorum infinitam illam turbam'C,4r;.f/'/a/Vy (London, 1899), p. 95 ff. Jesus and Paul among them!

2 Dcissmann [LO? \>. 217 f.) See also the same writer's articlesstrikingly recalls the Prosopogra- on ' Primitive Christianity and thephia. Imperii Koiiiuiii which cata- Lower Classes' in Exp. VII vii,logues 8,644 men and women of pp. 97 ff., 208 ff., 352 ff.note during the first three centuries,


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TEXTS, TRANSLATIONSAND NOTES

TOIS/StjSXi'oty (Tov avTo fj,6vov npoaex^f^ (piko\oyS)v


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For the convenience of the reader, the following Texts are givenin modern form with accentuation and punctuation. Letters insertedwithin square brackets [ ] indicate the Editors' proposed restora-tions for lacunae in the original, and those in round brackets ( ) theresolutions of abbreviations or symbols. Angular brackets < >are used to denote words or phrases that have been accidentallyomitted in the original, double square brackets [[ ]] letters thathave been erased in the original and braces { } a superfluous letteror letters. Dots placed inside brackets [. . .] represent the approxi-mate number of letters that have been lost or erased, and dotsoutside brackets mutilated or illegible letters. A dot under aletter, e.g. a, shows that the letter is uncertain.

As regards dating, i/B.C. = ist century B.C., i/A.D. = ist centuryA.D., and i/ii A.D. = a date falling about the end of the ist or thebeginning of the 2nd centuiy A.D.


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I. A MARRIAGE CONTRACTp. ElEPH. I. B.C. 311-IO,

Discovered at Elephantine, and edited by Rubensohn in theElephantine-Papyri, p. 18 ff.

The following marriage contract from Elephantine isthe oldest specimen of its class that has hitherto been dis-covered (cf. P. Gen, 21 of ii/B.c, as completed by Wilcken,Archiv iii, p. 387 ff., and P. Tebt. 104, B.C. 92), and alsothe earliest dated Greek papyrus document that we possess.Rubensohn in his commentary draws special attention to itspure Greek character, as proved by the nationality of the con-tracting parties, and the terms employed, e.g. the 'patriarchal'part played by the bride's father, and her own repeated desig-nation as iXfvOipa (1. 4f). Noteworthy too are the stringentprovisions regulating the married life of the pair (11. 6, 8 ff.)which, with faint echoes in the Oxyrhynchus documents, dis-appear from the contracts of the Roman period, to be renewedlater under Christian influences; cf. C. P. R. 30. 20 ff.(vI/a.D.) Trpos T


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2 A MARRIAGE CONTRACT No. i"AXeâvhpov rov ÂXe^dvBpov â


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No. I A MARRIAGE CONTRACT 3aTepeaOo) wjx irpoarjvey/caro Trdvrcov, iirihîârto he 'Hpa-

KkelSr)^ OTL av ijKoXrjt Arj/xrjTplai evavriov avhpoivrptoiv,

0V9 av SoKiiidôjatv djjbôTepoi. M^ iêaTOi Be UpaKXelBrjtyvvatKa aWtjv iTreiadjeaOat iif)' v^pet AijfiyTpLai; fjbrjSe

reKvoTTOLeladaL i^ aXXr)6Tpoi, aTroBoToy 'HpaAcXetS??? AijfirjTpLUi ttj/m (pepvrjvrjv irpoa'qve'yicaro {Bpa')(fj.d


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4 A MARRIAGE CONTRACT No. iAr]fii]Tpi,a'i ITpdaaova IV e'/c re avrov 'UpaKkeiSov kul t(ov

'Hpa/cXetSou irdvrwv koI i


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No. 2 EPICURUS TO A CHILD

2. EPICURUS TO A CHILDEx VOL. Hercul. 176. iii/B.C.

Discovered at Herculaneum and edited by Gomperz, Hermes, y.,p. 386 ff. See also H. Usener, Epicurea, p. 154, and Wilamo\vitz,Gr. Les. r, p. 396; II, p. 260.

The following fragment of a letter to a child is interesting,not only on account of the writer, the well-known philosopher,Epicurus (t B.C. 270), but also from its own artless and affec-tionate character. According to Wilamowitz the child addressedwas one of the orphan children of a certain Metrodorus, ofwhom Epicurus took charge.

[a]^et7/i^a t


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O EPICURUS TO A CHILD No. 3KoX trnirai Koi 'b,\cirpo}[y\i, irdv-ra '7re[i]6i][i,, waTr^ep koX e[/A]- 10irpocrOev. ev yap I'crOi, rj alria,OTL Koi iyd) Kal o[t] \0c7r0l7rdvT6


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No. 3 POLYCRATES TO HIS FATHER 7T\o\vKpaT7]^ Twt TTarpl ')(aipeLv. Ka\a>^ 7roic


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8 POLYCRATES TO HIS FATHER No. 4ei9 ra Siovra vTreXtTrofXTjv, ro Se Xolttov eliv.


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No. 4 /S//^5 TO HEPHAESTION 9The exact position of the Serapeum recluses is still a matterof discussion amongst scholars. By some they are regardedas a kind of monkish community : by others, as persons whoin special sickness or trouble had sought the aid of the god,and were for the time being ' possessed,' or under his influenceand protection. In any case this letter makes clear that,whatever the nature of the vows they took upon them, thesewere not binding for all time, but lasted only until the koltoxolhad attained the end they had in view (1. 26). On the wholesubject see Preuschen, Monchtuvi mid Sarapiskiilt (2'^ Aufl.,Giessen, 1903), where the latter of the above-mentioned viewsis strongly supported, and cf. Archiv iv, p. 207. For furtherparticulars regarding the Serapeum see Nos. 5 and 6.'Icrta? 'H(f>aicrTia)VL rcoi d8e\0c3[t ')(âi{peLv).el ippcofiivMt TctWa Kara Xoyovd-TravTai, elrjt civ ox? rot? êot? ev)(o-fiivrj BiareXS' Kal avTi] 8 vîaivovKoX TO iraiBlov koX ol ev ockcoc 7rdvTe


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lO ISIAS TO HEPHAESTION No. 4eV Karo^^rjt iv rwi ^apatriHwi rdociv M^fjt,(f>et, iirl fiev rail ippooadall]


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No. 4 ISIAS TO HEPHAESTION IIKol ToiovTwv Kaipwv < KoX > fXTjOev aov wrrea-ToKKOTo^.Tt 8k KoX "D,pov rov TT]V iiTLtTToXrjv TTapaKCKO- 25/it/co[To]9 dirrjyiyeXKOTO'i vTrep rov aTroXeKvcdai cee/c Tj}? aT0%?}9 7ravT\(i}


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12 rETITION FROM THE SERAPEUM TIVJNS No. 5

PETITION FROM THE SERAPEUMTWINS

p. Par. 26. B.C. 163-2.

Discovered at Memphis and edited by Brunet de Presle amongthe Paris Papyri, A^otices et /.xtraits xvill, 2, p. 274 flF. See alsoWitkowski, Pi-odrontus p. 30, for various amended readings.

Of the Serapeum documents that have been recovered(of. No. 6), the greater number refer to the grievances of twogirls, twins, by name Thaues and Thaus or Taous. Theirstory has been graphically reconstructed by Kenyon {BriiishMuseum Papyri i, p. 2 ff.). Here we can only notice that thetwins acted as attendants in the Serapeum, and were con-sequently entitled to a certain allowance of oil and bread.For some reason this allowance was withheld in B.C. 164-2,and accordingly we find them with the assistance of theirfriend Ptolemy, son of Glaucias, one of the Serapeum recluses,presenting various petitions for the restitution of their rights.Amongst these is the following document, in which, apparentlyfor the third time, they addressed themselves directly to KingPtolemy Philometor and Queen Cleopatra, on the occasion ofa royal visit to Memphis, with the result that, as later reportsprove, the temple officers were at length stirred up to lookinto the matter, and the twins recovered most, if not all, ofwhat was due to them.


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No. 5 PETITION FROM THE SERAPEUM TWINS 1Col. I.

BaflTtXe? IlToXe/ia/^ /cat âaLXiacrr} KXeoirdrpa rrjdeoU î\o/j.i]Topt fieydXrp XapairieiM, koI Trporepov

fiev vfiivi7nST]fnjaa[cri]v iv ^lep,(fit Kal dvaâaiv el


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14 PETITION FKOM THE SERAPEUM TWINS No. 5"^^apaTrteLOV kov ^AaKXr^meiov. Me;^pt 8e toO vvv

OV K/COflLafJ,VateKK 7rXT]pov


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No. 5 PETITION FROM THE SERAPEUM TWINS 1Tov Se XoiTTOi/ y^povov ovK i^eTcOecrav. Ato Kat,

Trpo? TOV)K


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1 PETITION FROM THE SERAPEUM TWINS No. 5Kcii ^kyoyiappri fxev rS iTTiaTaTT) rov lepoO TrXeovd/ci

hiecyToXfiedaairohihovaL rj^lv koI tc3 vlw Se "^Lvraeov^ rov

eTTKnarov rwvlepcov, ava/3dvTi Trpcorjv et? to lepov, Trpo(rrj\6op,ev,

KoX irepl eKacTTcou 25/xereSdoxafiev. Ka), TrpoaKoXeadfievo^ rov 'Aô/iapp?;!;avveraêv aTrohovvai r)[xlv ra 6(f>ei\6fieva. 'O Se,

TTUVTCOVdvdpcoTTWv dyvwfxovicrTaTO^ virdp'x^cov, "qfilv fiev vTriff-

XTOTO 7rpoKLfMevou i7rtTe\iaiv' rov 8e rov "^cvraiovi

vlov tt}?

Col. ILMe/u.(ê&)9 ')(^(optadevTo


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No. 5 PETITION FROM THE SERAPEUiM TWINS I7KoiX erepoL ro)v e/c rov ^AaK\7]7netouoWe? irpo '^eipiaiJbOL


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1 PETITION FROM THE SERAPEUM TWINS No. 6Xva, nrav to ef?}9 e'^^ôvaai, ttoXXw fiaWovra vofjiîôfxeva rai "âpdirei Koi rrj "laeteTTLreXwfiev vTrep re v/umv koX tcov 5"^v/xeTepwv riKvcov. 'T/xiv 8e


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No. 6 A DREAM FROM THE SERAPEUM 1The Bible student hardly needs to be reminded of the

dreams of Pharaoh (Gen. xli), or, from other localities, of theDivine messages granted, as they slept, to Jacob (Gen. xxviiilo ff.) and to Solomon (i Kings iii $ ff.).nToX6[/ua?o


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20 A DREAM FROM THE SERAPEUM No. 6XL ravTU \eyei


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No. 7 A DREAM FROM THE SERAPEUM 21Su KUTeBiica'i A.i8vfia


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22 LETTER OF APOLLONIUS No. 7*A7roW(ovio


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No. 7 LETTER OF APOLLONIUS 2$^pa'TTk\rri\ Troirore iv rrj TpiKOfj.laiviTO Trj


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24 LETTER OF APOLLONIUS No. 8On the verso

(in small letters) (in larger letters)7r/)09 T0U9 nToXc[/u.]at'-ri)V akr\- an, y^alpeiv.0eau Xeyovrei;.

(Addressed) To those that speak the truth. To Ptolemaeusgreeting.

8. A LETTER OF INTRODUCTIONP. GOODSPEED 4. ii/B.C.

Edited by Goodspeed in Greek Papyrifrom the Cairo Museum^ p. 8.See also Witkowski, Ep. Gr. Pri7\ p. 70 f.A letter from Polycrates to Philoxenus introducing to his

notice one Glaucias, who was in all probability the bearer ofthe letter: cf. P. Oxy. 292 (=^No. 14).

noX[u]/cpaT7;9


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No. 8 A LETTER OF INTRODUCTION 2$TXavKiav ovra rjfjLMViSiov KOLvoXoiyijaofievov aouX^apiel ovv aKovcra


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26 A PROMISE OF REWARD No. 9

9. A PROMISE OF REWARDp. GOODSPEED 5. ii/B.C.

From Gebelcn. Edited by Goodspeed in Greek Papyri from theCairo Museum , p. 9.Goodspeed understands the following note as a promise

on the part of Peteuris to pay his contribution towards thecrTiavo


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No. 10 PETITION OF A TAX-FARMER 2?

lo. PETITION OF A TAX-FARMERp. TEBT. 40. B.C. 117.

Discovered at Tebtunis, and edited by Grenfell, Hunt, and Smylyin Tebtunis Papyri i, p. 140 ff.

A petition from a tax-farmer of Kerkeosiris asking that heshould be placed under the protection of the royal scribe of thevillage. A docket appended to the petition shows that it wasforwarded by the scribe to Menches the komogrammateus withthe request that it should be given effect to. For similaradvantages derived from official ' protection ' see P. Tebt. 34(quoted in note on 1. 9) ; while as showing how even the officialsthemselves had recourse to bribery to secure the goodwill oftheir superiors, it may be noted that this very Menches, ac-cording to P. Tebt. 9, undertook to make certain payments inkind to the village on condition of his reappointment askomogrammateus.

X,{d^o/Mv) erovi v


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28 PETITION OF A TAX-FARMER No. loe'/c tt}? Kcaiiri^ ofiodvfxaSbvdvre^eaOai tt}? }9 0"/ce7r779,/cat avTb


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No. II PETITION OF A TAX-FARMER 2g6eiv ToU e'f a.px^'i Ôkt/jloU 20OTTW? Svvcofiai ra KadtJKovraairevraKTelv. evrv'xêi,.

3rd hand M67%?}t KO)ixo'yp{aîîaTel). yevrjOijrcoTuc vTrqreKel to SikuiovKara tou? t^9 K(i)iM'r)


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30 PREPARATIONS FOR A ROMAN VISITOR No. ii&c., all of which arc described by Strabo on the occasion ofhis visit about loo years later. After the Roman occupationno person of senatorial rank was allowed to set foot in Egyptwithout the express permission of the Emperor (Tac. Ann. ii 59).'Ep/i(ia9) "lpwi 'XjaiipeLv). rrj'As tQv iirb t^ iKK\r]- distinguished from the courf, e.g.fflas, Mt. xxvi 3 (as against Meyer ncl /.).

6. Otuplav] Cf. 3 Mace, v 24, KaTaaKfvaa-[e]vc[o]vTai] Cf. Heb.Lk. xxiii 48. iii 4 ttSs yap ohoi KaraffKevdieraiHiyaXoxpcirioTtpov] The adj., ^n-d rivos.


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No. II PREPARATIONS FOR A ROMAN VISITOR 3[^];;(T[o]j'Tat KoX al cLiTo TOVTWv i>y^a{rr)plaL) e[-]te[-Tr'-'-avvreXeaOija-ovTai koX uvtmc irpocr- 10ve-)(6'q iirl r/}? i


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33 HILARION TO HIS WIl-E ALIS No. 12

12. HILARION TO HIS WIFE ALISp. OXY. 744. B.C. I.

Discovered at Oxyrhynchus and edited by Grenfell and Hunt inOxyrhynchtts Papyri IV, p. 243 f. See alio Lietzmann, (Jr. Papyri,p. 8 f. ; Witkowsld, Ep. Gr. Priv. p. 97 f. ; and Deissmann, Licht voinOsten"^, p. 109 f. (E. Tr. p. 154 ff.).

A letter from a man, who had gone to Alexandria, to hiswife regarding certain domestic matters.

\\ap[o)v[a\ "AXiTi rrjc aSeXcfyPji irXelcrra X^'''peiv Kot BepovTi ttj Kvp'ia fxov Kal 'AttoWo)-vdpiv. yivcoaKe o)? eVt Kal vvv iv 'AXe^ai/-hpe(J)a (^e)crfiV' pirj dycovtaTu>] 'beg,' 'request,' as 5e toD (rw/uaroj.


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No. 12 HILARION TO HIS WIFE ALIS 336l^r)i Tu> TraiStft) kcli iav evOu'i oyfrcovi'ov Xd^wfjiev uTToaTeXoi ere dvco. iaviroXkanroWSiv reKr)


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36 LETTER FROM ALEXANDRIA No. 13eVl 8taX[o7tcr]yLto9, eay fxri ti iriatoaL rov apX''-ardropa ho\vv\aL eiKavov e


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No. 14 ^ LETTER OF COMMENDATION Z7

14. A LETTER OF COMMENDATIONp. OXY. 292. C. A.D. 25.

Discovered at Oxyihynchus, and edited by GrenfoU and Huntin Oxyrhynchus Papyri 11, p. 292.

Theon recommends his brother Heraclides to the notice ofTyrannus, For a somewhat similar cttio-toXt^


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38 A LETTER OF COMMENDATION No. 15


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LETTER TO A MAN IN MONEY-DIFFICULTIES 39some way (cf. 1. i f. 'Hp. tw ij/xerfpoi), writes advising him to dohis utmost to win over Ptollarion, lest he should be driven outof house and home. In any case he bids him ' beware of theJews ' (1. 24 ff.), apparently in their character of money-lenders.

^apuTTccov 'HpaKXeLSj) rwr)fxerep(p ')(a{ipGiv). "^Treixy^d aouaWa58. dviyvwv] Contrary to the 5^ \onrovs KO){iJ.o)yp{an!.iaTeh) irpa.-

general use of the verb both in ^at...'that the rest of the komo-classical and late Gk for ' read grammateis should be made toaloud,' 'read publicly,' d. must here pay...' (Edd.).mean simply ' read ' : cf. i Thess.


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LETTER TO A MAN IN MONEY-DIFFICULTIES 4I("Etoi;?) a Ti^eplov KXavSCov Kaia-apo(OLV ^wr}


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42 DEED OF DIVORCE No. i6Me\'(l)p Kd

"Eroy? rerdpTov Tt^epiov KXavSiovKatcapo? 2e/3ao"Toi) TepfiavcKovAvTOKpdTopo


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No. 1 DEED OF DIVORCE 43/ifco eV Sîo(v) a-vvrjpa6at Ttjv irpo^ ISdWtjpOV^ (TVV^tOCTLV, ^;T[t]? aVJOV15, 16. (Tvin)p(T9ai kt\.] 1. (Tvvrjp- the dowry is an essential feature in6ai rr/v irphs aWrfKov^ av/j.îucnv. all divorce-contracts : of. especiallyThis passage maybe taken as con- P. Brit. Mus. 178 (= li, p. 207)firming Wessely's restoration in (a.d. 145), which is simply anC.P.R. 23. 17 cvvTjpfxaL T-qv Trp[bs awox^ on the woman's part forZi/poi' (fvvîoici.'\v (as against GH. 400 drachmas out of 1000 whichOxy. Papyri, II p. 239). In P. had formed her dowry. On d-rrix'^Grenf. II 76 the husband declares = 'I have received' (as in Mt. vithat he will make no claim on his wife 2 ff., Lk. vi 24, Phil, iv 18) seefirjdiirplc7VfiPtilj[(Te(i)siJ.rj]Tîrepl^vov Deissmann BS. p. 229, and the('wedding-gifts'), but that she will addenda in Zex. Notes, Exp. vii vi,be free a.Tô(nr\\ya.{. koX\ yanrjdrjvai ws P- 9i'Sj/ /Soi/Xtj^^. 22 f. n-apdypa


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44 CENSUS RETURN No. 17

17. CENSUS RETURNp. OXY. 255. A.D. 48.

Discovered at Oxyrliynchus, and edited by Grenfcll and Hunt inOxyrhynchns Papyri 11, p. zis f.

Few official documents amongst the papyri have awakenedgreater interest than the census returns or house-to-houseenrolments (kot' oiVt'av aVoypa^ai), of which a large numberhave now been recovered, extending over a period of nearlytwo and a half centuries. It is impossible here to enter intothe many important questions that these returns raise, but oneor two particulars regarding them may be mentioned. Thusit has been established beyond a doubt that the enrolmentsfollowed a cycle of fourteen years, and that they were sent induring, and generally towards the end of, the first year of thenew census-periodthe census-paper, for example, of A.D.4849 containing the facts required for the enrolment of A.D.4748. As yet we are not in possession of a return for anyperiod earlier than a.d. 19 20, but there is general agreementthat the whole system was originated by Augustus, perhaps asearly as B.C. 109, and that probably in this, as in so manyother details of his administration, he made use of a similarsystem already in existence in Egypt. In any case it isinteresting to notice that not only have we numerous instances


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No. 17 CENSUS RETURN 45of closely allied rating papers, dating from the time of thePtolemies, but also an actual return, belonging to the sameperiod, in which the names of the owner and the otheroccupants of each house are given, and then the total numberof inhabitants and the number of males (P. Petr. in, 59 {d)).

In the main the Imperial aVoypa^ai follow the same form.Beginning with a statement as to the house, or part of a house,which belongs to him, the writer goes on to specify thenumber and ages of its inhabitants, whether members of hisown family or slaves or tenants, including in his return bothmales and females, apparently always in that order. Thewhole then concludes with some such formal phrase as 816ciri8tSa)/x.t and the date.

The uses to which such returns could be put were various.For not only did they contain a record of the whole populationin any given year, but they also furnished a basis for the dis-tribution of various public burdens (Xeiroupytai), and moreparticularly for the levying of the poll-tax (Aaoypae^ta), towhich all males in Egypt were liable from the age of fourteento sixty.

These and other kindred points are fully discussed byKenyon in British Museum Papyri 11, p. lyff., by Grenfelland Hunt in Oxyrhynchus Papyri 11, p. 207 ff., and by Wilckenin Gr. Ostr. i, p. 435 ff., while for the important bearing thesecensus returns have upon the historical accuracy of Luke ii,I 4, it is sufficient to refer to Sir W. M. Ramsay's brilliantmonograph, Was Christ born in Bethlehem 1 I have not seenA. Mayer's study, Die Schdtzung bet Christi Geburt in ihrerBeziehung zu Qnirinius (Innsbruck, F. Rauch, 1908).

The present papyrus is a census return addressed by awoman called Thermoutharion to the officials of Oxyrhynchusin Oct., A.D. 48. Apart from the usual features, it contains acurious declaration, made on oath, that ' neither a stranger,nor an Alexandrian citizen, nor a freedman, nor a Romancitizen, nor an Egyptian ' was living in the house.


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4^ CENSUS RETURN No. x^Acop[i(i}vi cr^TpariTyooi, K[al']r)v ["]i/ei)[l3a[fMoypa{/jLfiaTevcrc) irapa

ep[fji.ov-Oapiov Trj


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No. 17 CENSUS RETURN 47Kvpiov Tov a[vTo]v 'A7roWa>(vlov) ofivxxaIT^L^epLov YiXavhiov Kaiaapa Xe^laaTovTepfiaviKov KvroKparopa el firjv 15[e]^ [v]yiov


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48 REPORT OF A LAWSUIT No. 18

18. REPORT OF A LAWSUITp. OxY. yj. A.D. 49.

Discovered at Oxyrhynchus, and edited by Gixnfell and Hunt inOxyrhynchus Papyri I, p. 79 ff. See also Lietzmann, Gr. Papyrip. 4 f.

The official report of the proceedings instituted by Pesourisagainst a nurse Saraeus for the recovery of a male foundling,Heraclas, whom he had entrusted to her care. For the defenceit is urged that the foundling had died, and that the childwhom Pesouris was seeking to carry off was Saraeus' own.This plea the strategus sustained on the ground of thelikeness of the living child to Saraeus, and accordingly gavejudgment that she should get back her child, on refunding thewages she had received as nurse.

Col. I.'E^ v7ro/jL[v]r]fiaTiafji,ct)v Ti[/3epLo]v K\avB[i6]v TlaaLCOvo^

(TTparrji'yov).{eTOv


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No, i8 REPORT OF A LAIVSUIT 49viTip Ilcrovpto


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50 REPORT OF A LAWSUIT No. 18ai. \tfJ.avxov/j,v[o]v rov ao)/xaTlL]ov cnre-ciraa^ev 6 Tleaovpi^. fier\_a\ ravra Kaipnv vpova[a 1l(r7r')]Br](Tev eh rrjv rov rifieTepov [oYtniavKol TO crto/jidrLov dcfy/jpiraaev, Kal /SovXerai 6i'[6-fxaxL iXevdepov to crcofjiaTiov uTreveyKaa-Oat. e;i^rjTov.

dnonraati'] For the pass. ( 20. [ajTrox^Lv]] the exact equiva-the verb in a strong sense cf. Lk. lent for our 'receipt' in the papyrixxii 41 Kal airrbi dire


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No. J 8 REPORT OF A LAWSUIT SI

Col. II

i[St]of /xou reKvov UTrocnrdaai." Hiso)v'" Fpa/Mfiara rov acofiariov e'X^ofiev."6 a-Tparrjyo'i' " 'ETret e r?}? oyp-co


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52 PEriTlON TO THE PREFECT No. 19

19. PETITION TO THE PREFECTp. OXY. 38. A.D. 4950.

Discovered at Oxyrhynchus, and edited by Grenfell and Hunt inOxyrhynchus Papyri I, p. 81 f. See also Lietzmann, Gr. Papyn,p. 6.

This document deals with the same circumstances as thepreceding. Pesouris, or, as he is here called, Syrus, hadapparently not complied with the judgment there recorded,and accordingly the husband of Saraeus petitioned the Prefectto aid him in the recovery of his rights.

For similar petitions addressed directly to the Prefect seeP. Brit. Mus. 177 (= II, p. 167 ff.) (a.d, 4041) and B. G. U.113, 114 (both ii/A.D.).

Vvaiwi OvepyeXifot, Ka7rtT&)i/i[[&)]]irapa Tpv(f)covo


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No. 19 PETITION TO THE PREFECT 53Koirpia'; apaevtKov acofiaTiov, S ovofxa Il/oa/cXay,ware rpo


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54 PETITION TO THE PREFECT No. 20oKKa Kill Karap^ovvTu'i jxe ^tp6Te)(^vov ovra,cTTi ae roevvo) top awrrjpa TOiv htKaliov rv-Xelv. evrvx{i).decided, but also hinders me in my handicraft, (I turn) to you, mypreserver, to obtain my just rights. Farewell.

17. KaTapyovvTOi] ' hinders,''makes inactive,' as in P. Strass.32. 7 (a.D. c6i) rh ravpiKw ixtjKaTapyrjTai. For the generallystronger sense 'abolish,' 'bring tonaught' in the N.T. cf. 1 Thess.ii 8 (note).

XeipoTexfov] From P. Oxy. 39. 8we learn that Tryphon was a weaver(y^pdioi).

18. auTrjpa] The use of this titlein a complimentary sense may beillustrated by its constant applica-

tion to the Ptolemies and the RomanEmperors, e.g. P. Petr. 11 8 (2)(of Euergetes I), or the Egyptianinscription in Archiv 11, p. 434'SipijivL...TC)i crwriipi Kal evepyirrji(see above on 1. 13) rijs olKov/xivijs,a passage which offers a strikingparallel and contrast to Jo, iv 42,r Jo. iv 14: see further Moulton,Ex/>. VI viii, p. 438, and Wend-land's valuable study in Z.N.T. IV.V (1904), p. 335 ff.

20. CONTRACT OF APPRENTICESHIPp. Oxy. 275. A.D. 66.

Discovered at Oxyrhynchus, and edited by Grenfell and Hunt inOxyrhynchus Papyri 11, p. 262 ff.

One of a number of interesting documents that have beenrecovered relating to the family history of a certain Tryphon,son of Dionysius. Tryphon was born in a.d. 8 (P. Oxy. 288. 40),and when twenty-eight years of age was married for the secondtime to Saraeus (P. O.xy. 267), his first marriage with a womannamed Demetrous having turned out unhappily. From thissecond union a son, of whom we have already heard, was bornin A.D. 46-7 (P. Oxy. 37. i. 5, 22 = No. 18), and another son,Thoonis, about a.d. 54. A weaver by trade, Tryphon desiredthat this Thoonis should follow the same calHng, but instead ofinstructing him himself, perhaps, as the Editors suggest {Ox.Pap. ii, p. 2.^4\ because at this time he was 'suffering from


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No. 20 CONTRACT OF APPRENTICESHIP 55cataract and shortness of sight ' (i'7ro(Ke)_)(VjLteVos oXtyov /JXcVtuv,P. Oxy. 39. 9), he arranged to apprentice him for one year withanother weaver, named Ptolemaeus, upon certain conditionsthat are fully stated in the document before us. For similaragreements cf. P. Oxy. 724 (a.d. 155), 725 (a.d. 183).

'0[/Lt]o[X]o7o{5


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56 CONTRACT OF APPRENTICESIirP No. 20ypBiaKr}v rex^V^ iraaav OD


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No. 20 CONTRACT OF APPRENTICESHIP S7'iaa


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58 CONTRACT OF APPRENTICESHIP No. iiAteOro? t^9 Sta/cew? eypayfravirep avTov fir) IB6to


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LETTER REGARDING THE PURCHASE OF DRUGS 59Kiv8vv(p TO KOXOV TTOi-\^aa


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60 LETTER OF REMONSTRANCE TO A DILATORY SON

22. LETTER OF REMONSTRANCE TOA DILATORY SONi/A.D.

From the Fayftm. Edited by Krebs in Berliner GriechischeUrhinden n, p. 174, cf. p. 357, See also Erman and Krebs,p. 215 f; Preisigke, Fannlienbriefe, p. 104 f.

This letter gives us a clear glimpse into the anxieties of asmall landholder. He is dependent upon the assistance of hisson for the care of his lot of land, but that assistance has beenwithheld, and for some reason or other the son has left hisfather's and mother's letters unanswered. The father ac-cordingly writes him again in peremptory terms telling himthat he must return, as otherwise the lot will be ruined, andit will be impossible to find a tenant for it.

*^pl.LOKpaTt]\ji 'KaLpa\rep vlwL Ixaip^Lv].

np[o] T6}\y o\wv ippwaOai[o-]e evxo[fiat ][8Jfc'o/ie ere e[ ] 5\;y]pa


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LETTER OF REMONSTRANCE TO A DILATORY SON 6T6 avriypaylra'; ovre lO^\9a[\>;]/30u. 'O Koivwvo


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62 LETTER OT REMONSTRANCE TO A DILATORY SONypdcfyco rn hrjfioaia 251/09, fioXirjaai] 'perish.' For see Dcissmann ^^. p. 1=4.


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LETTER OF REMONSTRANCE TO A DILATORY SON 6^KTope


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64 AN INVITATION TO A FESTIVAL No. 23KaX(W9 '7roii](Ti


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No. 24 GEMELLUS TO EPAGATHUS O5

24. GEMELLUS TO EPAGATHUSp. Fay. III. A.D. 9S-6.

From the Fayflm. Edited hy Grenfell and Hunt in Fayfltn Townsand their Papyri, p. 265 f.

One of a family budget of fourteen letters which were dis-covered by Drs Grenfell and Hunt in a house at Kasr el Banat,a village in the FayClm. They are for the most part addressedby the head of the family, a certain Lucius Bellenus Gemellus,to his son Sabinus or to Epagathus, perhaps his nephew, whoseem to have managed his affairs for him. The letters extendover sixteen years, and the latest, written by Gemellus whenhe was seventy-seven years old, bears traces of his advancingage in the ' shaky and illegible ' character of the handwriting.The general impression the Editors have formed of thecharacter of Gemellus, as they tell us in their delightful in-troduction to the letters {Fayurn Papyri '^. 261 ff.), is that 'ofa shrewd old man of business, somewhat wilful and exacting,but of a kind and generous disposition.' The following letter,the earhest in the series v.'ritten by Gemellus' own hand, provesthat he was no great scholar, his spelling in particular oftenleaving much to be desired.

M. 5


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66 GEMELLUS TO EPAGA THUS No. 24AovKi\o


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No. 24 GEMELLUS TO EPAGATHUS 67XofTivov {dprd^a


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68 GEMELLUS TO EPA GA THUS No. 25eppaao. (erovf}) te AvTOKpriropo^l^aiaapo


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No. z6 QUESTION TO THE ORACLE 6()%OK(i>vv(OKOVvt 0e(oi> fi{yd)\o /xeyd'Xcoi. ')(pr}fxa.Ti(r6v fJLOi, 17 fieiveoiiv ^aK')(^td8t ; >] /i.eX(\)w ivrvv^-ctvLv ; TOvrioL efxol ')(pr)fji,dTcaov.

To Sokanobkoneus the great, great god. Answer me, Shall Iremain in Bacchias ? Shall I meet (him) ? Answer me this.

r. lloKU}yvi


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/O LETTER DESCRIBING A JOURNEY UP THE NILE/jbivcDV, iva Ta;[Tou? re-]Xvci': 1(7X0prj


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No. 27 COFV OF A PUBLIC NOTICE 71

27. COPY OF A PUBLIC NOTICEp. FloR. 99. i/ii A,D.

From Hermopolis Magna. Edited by Vitelli in Papiri FiormtiniI, p. 188 f., cf. p. xvi.

The copy of a public notice which the parents of a prodigalyouth requested the strategus of the Hermopolite nome to setup, to the effect that they will no longer be responsible fortheir son's debts.

['Ai/]Tt7/3a^oy K66fji,aro


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72 copy OF A PUBLIC NOTICE No. 28TCL auTov Trdvra kol eirl ra rjfioiv fiTa^a


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ORDER TO RETURN HOME FOR THE CENSUS 73A.D. 103-4 (cf. No. 17 intr.). The document thus presents aninteresting analogy to Luke ii 1-4, and confirms the fact thatHerod, when he issued his command, was acting under Romanorders (cf. Ramsay, Luke the Physician, p. 244).

Along with the reference to the census the Prefect takesthe opportunity of reminding the absentees of a certainXciTovpyi'a, which as other edicts (e.g. B. G. U. 159, P. Gen. 16,P. Fay. 24) show, was sometimes evaded by leaving home(11. 26, 27).

r[at09 Out]/3to[9 Mrt^t/xo? e7ra]p;!^[o9]

T^9 Kar ol\Kiav d7ro'ypa(f>"]


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74 PEnrioN kegarding a robbery no. 29

29. PETITION REGARDING AROBBERY

B. G. U. 22. A.D. 1 14.Edited by Krebs in the Berliner Giiechische Urkunden i, p. 36.See also Erman and Krehs, p. 137 f.

A petition by a woman to the Strategus, bringing a chargeof assault and robbery against another woman, and askingthat justice should be done.1apa]7ri,oovi (Trp{aTr}'yw) 'Ap


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J^ PETITION REGARDING A ROBBERY No. 29iXfuVf ei


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No. 30 WILL OF THAESIS 77

30. WILL OF THAESISp. Test. 381. a.d. 123.

Edited by Grenfell, Hunt and Goodspeed in Tebtiinis Papyri il,p. 527 f.Will of Thaesis, in which she bequeaths all her property,

with a nominal exception (cf. 1. 15), to her daughter,Thenpetesuchus, on condition that she makes her funeralarrangements and discharges her private debts.

As is generally the case with wills, the writing is across thefibres of the papyrus, and consequently the lines are of greatlength: cf. P. Oxy. 105."Etou? o^hoov AvTOKpdTopo


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78 WILL OF THAESIS No. 30ovvK^')(


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No. -o AF/ZZ OF THAESIS 79%^vai ap


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80 A REGISTER OF PAUPERS No. 31

31. A REGISTER OF PAUPERSp. Brit, Mus. 911. a.d. 149.

Edited by Kenyon and Bell in British Mttsetim Papyri III,p. 126 f.

The existence of a poor-rate (fxepiaixb^ aVopwi/) in RomanEgypt, by means of which the well-to-do contributed to therelief of those lacking means, conjectured by Wilcken (Gr.Osir. I, p. 161) on the evidence of an ostracon of a.d. 143, hasnow been strikingly confirmed by the discovery of the followingdocument. It is the copy, unfortunately much mutilated, ofan official list of persons, described as airopoL and presumablyentitled to relief, amongst whom the only name preserved isthat of a certain Petesorapis.

dvTiypa(f>ov 'ypa(f)i]


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No. 33 NOTICE OF BIRTH tJl

32. NOTICE OF BIRTHp. FAV. 28. A.D. 1 50-1.

Ediled by Gienfell and Hunt in Fayiiui Towns and their Papyri,P- '37 f-

The exact object of this and similar Birth Notices (P. Gen. 33and B. G. U. 28, no, in) has not yet been determined. Theywere apparently not compulsory, or, as the Editors here pointout, the common formula Kara to. KeAevo-^evra would hardlyhave been so consistently omitted. It is also noteworthy thatthe ages of the boys so announced (in none of the documentsis there any mention of girls) vary from one to seven years.Wilcken {Gr. Ostr. i, p. 451 ff.) considers that their purposewas primarily military, and not fiscal.^(OKpaTTj Kal Ai8vfx,(p T(p Koi Tvpdvvo)

ypafx/xaTeuac fi'qrpoTroXeco'iTTapa 'l


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82 NOTICE OF BIRTH No. 32a/i(f)6^ov 'KpfiovdtaKy)^. a7roypa(f)6fX0aTov yevvrjdevra rj/xelu ef dWijXcov vlovl


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No. 33 COMPLAINT AGAINST A PRIEST 83

1J3' COMPLAINT AGAINST A PRIESTB. G. U. 16. A.D, 159160.

From the Faiyum. Edited by Wilcken in the Berliiier GriechischeUrkuiidcn l, p. 27 ; cf. Erman and Krebs, p. 185.

The following Report has reference to an inquiry which thefive presbyter-priests of the Socnopaeus temple had beenordered to make into the conduct of a brother-priest Pane-phremmis, who was charged with letting his hair grow toolong, and with wearing woollen garments. Unfortunately tlicpapyrus breaks off without our learning the result of theinvestigation.

'A[i']Tt7p(a) 'yp{afx/Jbarl),

^Apai{votTov) 'HpaKXeL8o{v) fiepiSo


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No. 34 A MARRIAGE CONTRACT ?.$

34. A MARRIAGE CONTRACTp. OXV. 905. A.D. 170.

Discovered at Oxyrhynchus, and edited by Grenfell and Hunt inOxyrhynchus Papyri vi, p. 243 ff.A contract of marriage between ApoUonius, son of

Heracles, and Thatres, daughter of Menodorus, inhabitants ofthe Oxyrhynchite village Psobthis. The contract, as generallyin the case of similar Oxyrhynchus documents, is in the formof a protocol, and includes the ordinary provisions with regardto the maintenance of the wife, and the return of her dowry inthe event of a separation, though the mention of the bride-groom's father, as a consenting party (1. 17 ff.), is unusual.The differences of formula from the Elephantine contract (No.I) will be at once remarked.[ ^h.vT(i3Vi\vov KoX âvareiva'i êâcncov.\_i^khoro Mt^z/oSoj/oo]? "Vlpov /ji7]T{po


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86 A MARRIAGE CONTRACT No. 34['0^ipu7%e/T7] fivayalov ev ^[TeTapTov^ ip elBeai

crvvTifirjOev,[ku) Tt iv 7rap]a(f)epvoL


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No. 34 A MARRIAGE CONTRACT 87fiev yit[a] t[^ a'Tr\aX\a'yy r))v h\e\ ^epvrjv iv ^fiepai


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S8 NOTICE OF DEATH No. 35

35. NOTICE OF DEATHp. OXY. 79. A.D. iSl 192.

Discovered at Oxyrhynchus, and edited by Grenfell and Hunt in'Oxyrhynchus Papyri I, p. 142 f.To ensure the proper keeping of the census-returns it was

customary to make official notice of all cases of death, that thenames of the deceased persons might be struck off the lists.The earliest of these certificates that has been recoveredis P. Brit. AIus. 281 (=11, p. 65 f.) belonging to the yearA.D. 66, where a priest's death is notified to the 77-yov/u,c'voisu[pwi']. Other examples are Papyri 173, 208 a, and 338 inthe same collection (p. 66 ff.), and B.G. U. 17, 79, 254all ofthe second century, and P. Oxy. 1030 (a.d. 212).On the verso of the present document are several rudelywritten lines, containing moral precepts such as \xy]Vi.v raTrtvov/X7;S a'ycrc? \vi]h\ dSo^[o]i' /Lt7;[[8e]] dvdXKLfiov Trpdtrj^, * do nothingmean or ignoble or inglorious or cowardly.' From theircharacter and the corrections in the writing that have beenmade, the Editors conjecture that they may have formed aschool composition. Similarly the irrso of another certificate(B.G.U. 583) has been utilized for a private letter (B.G.U.594)-

TT

*]ov\i(p KO)/xoyp(ajj,/uaTel) Sca(f)6arrrapa Ke^aXaro? AeovTaTa


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No. 35 NOTICE OF DEATH 897/69 yuov vi6


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90 A SOLDIER TO HIS FATHER No. 36

36. A SOLDIER TO HIS FATHERB. G. U. 423. ii/A.D.

Edited by Vieieck in the Berliner Griechische Urkunden ll, p. 84 f.,cf. p. 632. See also Deissmann, Licht vom Os/en^, p. 120 ff. (E. Tr.p. 167 ff.).The soldier Apion who had been despatched to Italy writes

from Misenum to his father Epimachus, to announce his safearrival after a stormy passage. He mentions that he has re-ceived his travelling-pay, and that his army-name is Antoni(u)sMaximus, and takes the opportunity of forwarding a picture ofhimself.

The address is of interest as showing that the letter wassent in the first instance to the headquarters of the writer'scohort in Egypt, to be forwarded from there, as opportunityoffered, to the residence of Epimachus at Philadelphia in theFayum.

In the original 11. 25, 26 are inserted in the margin.Âttlcov 'E7r/-yLt;^6) T&> irarpl xal

Kvpio) ifkeia^ra ')(âipiv. irpo fiv ttciv-Tcov ev)(ofiai ere vyLulveiv Kol Sia 7raj/T09ipwfievov evrv')(êlv fiera TJ7? dSeX^j-;?fiov Kol T^9 dvyarp6


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No. 36 A SOLDIER TO HIS FATHER 9iaaxre. ev6ea)' is fcimd in MSS.Kipie, côr fix. evBeas 8i 6 rf the X.T., eg. xelpv' Jo. xx'Iiftrof-i erreirar rrp' x^^ ^^ 25 AB, i Pet. v 6KA: see Blass

9. fka^ ^rurw] the vuxH-cum Crj.mm. p. 36.of the Roman soldier : cf. P. Good- 17. TpoOcra.i] = rpoicoâi: cf.speed 30, col. xli. 18 (Karanis Lk. ii ;;, Gal. i i+. A strikingaccounis, a.d. 1913) E/vutth {'[rkp) parallel to the former passage occurs/Staricov {Sf-axfJi-is) js"'. in SjfU. 32s. 18 (i/B.C-), where aFor the extension of the 'vulgar' certain Aristagoras is praised as

and aor. in a to the LXX and ijkudg, wfonomi^T cai rpoayafjieivsin lesser degree to the X.T. see e& rd ffevreêlf.Thackeray Gramm. i p. 210 ff., W. iS. riSy ê[I']r dsXarriar] a com-Schm, p. Ill f., Blass Gramm. monpaganphrase (examples in Deiss-p. 45 f. Numerous examples of mann S. p. 253) which reappearsthis usage from the papyri will be in its Chrisdan form Ac. xviii a i ro?found in Deissmann BS. p. i9of. 6eo\ tiKorrcs, cl. i Cor. iv 19, Jas.10. xp^'^'*''' ~i>j]= 75 'Ir-^'^ûnas. iv 15; see farther the note on

13. ffvngpLas] here used as fre- RG.U. i~. 11 ( = Na 41).qaently in the Kcufrj in the general djTraroi . . roWi] Cf. 1 Cor. x\i 19.


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92 A SOLDIER TO HIS FA THER No. 36

jxovo^. 'ia\r'\i \he\ fMov ovofxa *Avtq)vi^ Ma-^ilxo


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N\.. 37 LETTER OF A PRODIGAL SON 93

37. LETTER OF A PRODIGAL SONB. G. U. S46. ii/A.D.

From theFayum. Edited by Kiebs xxiBerliner Griechische UrkundeiiIII, p. 170 f., cf. ibid. Berichtigitngeii, p. 6, for various emendations bySchuliart. See also Deissmann, Licht votn Osien", p. 128 ff. (E. Tr.p. i76ff.).

A son writes to tell his mother of the pitiful state into whichhe has fallen. He is ashamed to come home, but he does notforget her in his prayers, and if he had only dared to hope thatshe would actually seek him in the metropolis, he would havemet her there. As it is, he begs her forgiveness, and at thesame time inveighs against a certain acquaintance, Postumus,who had met her on her way home from Arsinoe, and retailedthe whole sad story. The letter is very illiterate, and thoughunfortunately the concluding lines are much mutilated, like therest they testify to the depth of the writer's emotion.

'Ai/Tft)i't9 Aoi/709 NetAouTt[t]/; /jbTjTpl 7r[/V,]t(TTa )(âipeiv. Kat St-

a 7rdvTco[v^ euô/xal aai, vyeiULveiv. To TrpoaKvvrj-fia aov [ttolôo Kar aiKtiaTijv rîxaipav irapa tmKvpiO) [SepjaTreiSet. TetpwaKeiv crai dekco, 6- 5Tt ou^ \ri\ir\Llôv, on dva^vc


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94 LETTER OF A PRODIGAL SON No. 37TToKiv. %[o]/3eii' TOUTO ovh^ iyo elarjQa et? rrjv iro'\tv. alh\y]ao'TTo[y'\ixr]v 8e iXOecv et? KapaviBa"on aa7rp(t)


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No. .58 LETTER OF A PRODIGAL SON 95e* fyvovvai, oirw^; avdpoTTW [e]T[t] o(f)eL\Q) o^oXov

] o [ ] ai) avrrj iXdi. ] %ai'"[- -Joz/ ijyovcra, on-

]X,7;(Tat["] irapaKaXu) aab][] cih^ (T^eBv 20]fi) TrapaKoXcl) aat^(ovov dekoi) al'ya)]crt OVK fc ] aXXi)9 7ro


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96 LETTER OF CONSOLATION No. 38consolation could be is clearly shown by such a passage asI Thess. iv. 14 18, which the letter before us so strikinglyrecalls (1. 11). Deissniann {op. cit. p. 88) refers to the letteras a good example of popular narration.

Rlprjvr) Taovv(ii)(f)pei kol 'PiXcoj/t

ovTO)


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No. 39 INVITATION TO DINNER 97

39. INVITATION TO DINNERp. OXY. 523. ii/A.D.

Discovered at Oxyrhynchus, and edited by Grenfell and Hunt inOxyrhynchus Papyri iii, p. 260.

An invitation from Antonius to a friend (unnamed) todinner in the house of Claudius Sarapion ; cf. B. G. U. 596(- No. 23), and for similar formulas see P. Oxy. no, in,P. Fay. 132.

From Jos. Antt. xviii 65 ff., which implies that membersof the Isis-community were in the habit of being invited toSeiTTvov in the Isis temple, Wilcken (Archiv iv, p. 211) con-siders that such a document, as P. Oxy. no, is an invitationto a ceremonial rather than a private feast. In this way thegeneral resemblance to the phraseology regarding the rpdvi^aKvpLov Kol SatjuovtW in I Cor. x 21 becomes all the morestriking.

'E/3&)Ta


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98 EXTRACTS FROM A DIPLOMA OF CLUB MEMBERSHIP40. EXTRACTS FROM A DIPLOMA

OF CLUB MEMBERSHIPp. Brit. Mus. 1178. a.d. 194,

Edited by Kenyon and Bell in British Miisetitn Papyri in,p. 214 ff.The following extracts are taken from a diploma of mem-

bership granted to the boxer Herminus by the WorshipfulGymnastic Club of Nomads, and consist of (i) a letter fromthe Emperor Claudius to the Club acknowledging the 'goldencrown ' which they had sent him on the occasion of hisvictorious campaign in Britain (11. 8 15), and (2) the formalnotification to the members of the Club of the admission ofHerminus on his payment of the statutory fee (11. 3744)-

The whole document, whose 'unique' character is em-phasized by the Editors, is dated at Naples in Italy at the49th performance of the Augustan games, 22nd Sept. a.d. 194,and is signed in various hands by most of the Club officials.TtySe'pio? [K\]auS


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TOO EXTRACTS FROM A DIPLOMA OF CLUB MEMBERSHIP[ Ejp^oird^.cirriv ttv^kttjv cu? ctcov kui (iTroBeScoKora

TO KaraTov v6fj.\ov ivlrayiov irav eV TrXyjpovi hrjvdpia eKarov.

iypdyfra-fi6p ovv vp-eu' u'a elSrjTe. ippcocrdeMorus, boxer of Hermopolis, about years old, on his paymentof the legal fee amounting altogether to a hundred denarii. Wehave written you accordingly that you may know. Farewell.claim in 2 Cor. v 20, Eph. vi 20: 43. iv]Ta.yiov] apparently heresee Deissmann ZC- p. 284. ='a fee for registration' (Edd.).

42. lis iTwv] The actual age of The word is found several times inHerminus has not been filled in late papyri =' receipt,' e.g. P. Oxy.here, but from a census return of 136, 142 (both vi/A.D.).A.D. 216 or 217 that has been iK vXripovs] Cf. P. Far. 26. 8recovered, P. Brit. Mus. 935 (=111, (=No. 5).p. ^9 f.), we know that it was 27.

41. LETTER FROM ROMEB. G. U. 27. ii/A.D.

From the Fayum. Edited by Krebs in the Berliner GriechischeUrkiinden i, p. 41, cf. p. 353. See also Erman and Krebs, p. 213.The ship-master Irenaeus, who had been sent with a cargo

of corn to Rome, writes from thence to his brother in theFayflm announcing his safe arrival. According to our modeof reckoning, he had reached Ostia on June 30th, finished un-loading on July 1 2th, and arrived in Rome a week later, wherehe was now awaiting his discharge.

Apart from its contents, the letter is interesting as one ofthe few papyrus-documents, hitherto discovered in Egypt, butnot written there: cf. B.G. U. 423, 632, P. Amh. 3 (a) (allfrom Rome), B.G.U. 316 (from Ascalon), ? 895 (from Syria),and a Latin papyrus from Seleucia in Pieria (cf. Wessely Taf.Iat No. 7): see Wilcken Archiv 11, p. 13S n*.


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No. 41 LETTER FROM ROME 101[Et'pT^rato? 'ATToXt- ][vapicoL rJaJt aS6[X.](^[(yt] 7r[oXXa] X^t/3[tn'].Afai 8ia 7r[a]vTo. VI xii 18, xv 38, and see further theiii, p. 276. * note on E.G. U. 423. iS(= No. 36).

10. TrapeS^^oTo] For the idea 13. ot/ii[(r](j-io/^(a'] Cf. Latin ///-of ' welcome ' underlying the word (true dimissoriae.cf. Mk iv 20, Acts XV 4 irofjeSfx^ijca*"


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I02 LETTER FROM ROME No. 41TToWa KoX ^eprjvov koI vav-T


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No. 42 ^ SOY'S LETTER 1^3t' kaov et9 ^KXe.^avhplav, ou firj


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I04 LETTER OE AN ANXIOUS MOTHER No. 43

43. LETTER OF AN ANXIOUSMOTHER

n. G. U. 380. iii/A.D.

From the Fayiim. F^dited by Krebs in Berliner GriechischeUrkundcn II, p. 40, with emendations by Viereck, p. 355. Seealso Preisigke, Eamilienbriefe, p. 95 f. ; Erman and Krebs, p. 112 i.

A mother has heard of an injury to her son's foot, butresolves to delay setting off to visit him, until she learns fromhimself how he really is. These tidings she now begs him tocommunicate and so relieve the anxiety of a mother.

The letter, which is in very illiterate Greek, is written onthe verso of an ofificial document, which had been crossedthrough, cut into smaller pieces, and sold for further use(cf. Intr. p. xxiif.).

')(aipeLV.^Oyp-eiwi T?}f a)pa


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No. ^3 LETTER OF AN ANXIOUS MOTHER I05i^et? airo aKoXanrov, KoliToXoTTJV,


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I06 LETTER OF APION No. 44

44. LETTER OF APIONp. Tebt. 421. iii/A.D.

Edited by Grcnfell, Hunt, and Goodspeed in Tebiimis Papyri II,p. 598.

An urgent letter addressed to a certain Didymus informinghim that his sister is ill. and bidding him come at once.

'Atticoi/ At8i//Lti) ')(aipeLV. iravravTrpde/j.evo


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N. 45 LETTER OF APION 10/T\) Ovyarpi (t\ov\ d(f}^. dWa fiv dfieXij- lo0'779 Ti avrfj


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I08 HIRE OF DANCING GIRLS No. 45\^kvp\r]\{l(jd) Sewvt Trpwvorjirfj) av\(r]TpLdo)i>)[irajpa AvprjXiov 'Acr/cXa ^tXaSiX-[4>ov] Tjyovp.epov avvoSov koh-[/xt;]? Ba/cp(;ia8o?. ôv\o/xai[i]K\aêlv irapa croi) T[.]o-a'Ji/ 5Ipp'lxqa-rpiav (tvv eripa fxia [Xjet-[rovp^jqcnif rjpuv iv rfj 7rpo[/c]t-[P'e]vr) KoopLTj eirl rjixepa^; idJTTO T?;? 47' âaxpt fxr]v6


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No. 45 HIRE OF DANCING GIRLS IO9\TTvpo\v apTa/Ba'i 7' Koi ylrcofxicovfe[y]777 le , virep KaTa0da(o


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I 10 HIKE OF DANCING GIRLS[Me7tVT0u] ^aKiKox) MfylcrTov "SapfiariKlov[MeyLCTTOu ro]v yevvaiordrov (Kal)aapo


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No. 4^ MAGICAL FORMULA IIITot


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112 MAGICAL FORMULA No. 47Suo, TO Se L'7roX,t7r6[/i]6- 20I/O J/ Gayarov avd'yvod-71 Ke evpi'-jCTL'; crov Trjv kXij-huva iv ol? fiereaTeipKUL ')(^pi)fjLa6ia-6t]aT) ttj-\auy(a


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N'o. 47 MAGICAL INCANTATIO.V II3TTpd^t,^ yevvaia eK^aXkovaa 8atfiova at(BS. p. 282) quotes Origen c. Cch. rr\v Svyapnv crov: see also Mt. xxviv 45 to the effect that these names 63, Ac. xix 13, and ^fop/c/fw i Thess.had to be left untranslated in the v 27 (note).adjurations if the power of the in- 1240, 1. Kara toxitov toO OeoO]cantation was not to be lost. Cf. P. Petr. iii p. 20 (=P. Par. 63,


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114 MAGICAL INCANTATION No. 48âpâOiovd ' aafiapfiapâdicovrid(raâpfiapâ(f>ai' eêkde, Balfiov,0(TTL


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No. 48 CERTIFICATE OF PAGAN SACRIFICE USheathen manner ('qui se ipsos mfideles inUcita nefariorumhbellorum professione prodiderant' Ep. 30 (3), cf. 55 (2)) hasbeen strikingly illustrated by the pubHcation of five of theselibelli, which can be conveniently studied in Wessely's collec-tion cited above : cf. also OxyrhyncJuis Pap. iv, p. 49 f. Asixth Hbellus is included among the Rylands Papyri, edited byDr A. S. Hunt, see vol. i p. 20 f.

The different documents resemble one another very closelyin phraseology, showing that there was a stereotyped formulaemployed, which doubtless followed the language of the originaledict, ordering the sacrifices to be offered. In view of thefact that all five fall within the narrow limits of 1325 JuneA.D. 250, it has been conjectured that at that time the wholepopulation, pagan as well as Christian, furnished themselveswith libelli, which for the time being took the place of the usualcensus-returns (Wessely, op. cit. p. 123 f.). As further pointingin the same direction, it may be noted that one of thecertificates, now at Vienna, is on behalf of a priestess ofPetesuchus, who is hardly likely to have been accused ofbeing a Christian {ibid. p. 119 f., and A/izei^er d. phil-hisi.Klasse, xxv (1907) of the Vienna Academy).

Tot? iirl {j^ojv Ovatwv rjpr)-/jLcvot


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Il6 CERTIFICATE OF PAGAN SACRIFICE No. 48ra 7rpotrTe[T]aTa[7]/A[e- lOva eOvaa [/ca]t ea[7rca-a]\_K]al rwv l[i\peiwv [eVeu-]inroar^liiaiaacfOni.

AtVTVXiTai. 15Avp')]X(io


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No. 49 LETTER OF PSENOSIRIS WJ

49. LETTER OF PSENOSIRISp. Grenf. II, Ti- Late iii/A.D.

From the Great Oasis. Edited by Grenfell and Hunt in GreekPapyri, Series 11, p. 115 f., and the subject of a special study byDeissmann, The Epistle of Psaiosiris (Lend. 1Q02 and 1907). Seealso the same writer's Licht zotn Osten^, pp. 24 f., X49 ff. (E. TV.pp. 37 f. , 201 H'.), and Wessely, Montnnents du Christianisnie, p. r 25 ff.,where the literature to which the letter has given rise is fully detailed.

The situation of this letter has been reconstructed with greatingenuity and probabiUty by Deissmann. A Christian woman,by name Politike, has been banished to the Great Oasis duringthe Decian persecution. At Kysis, in the south of the Oasis,she finds a protector in the Christian presbyter ApoUon, who,to secure her greater safety, sends her under the care of a partyof grave-diggers to a Christian community in the interior, pre-sided over by Psenosiris. The journey is accomplished safely,and in the following letter Psenosiris reports the arrival ofPolitike to ApoUon, and promises that her son Neilus, who ison his way to rejoin his mother, will shortly send furtherparticulars,

"êvoGipL 7r/3eayS[i'Te]/)0) ÂttoWcovl'jrpecrûTipo) dyaTnjTO} dBeXcpai

iv K(vpl)(p ')(aipeLv.trpo Tcov oXtov TToWci ae acTra-

Psenosiris the presbyter to Apollo the presbyter, his belovedbrother in the Lord, greeting ! Before all else I salute you much

1. 7rpffp[iTi]pif)] For the re- 2, 3. dde\(p(^ iv K(u/)Ov] Cf.ligious sense of this word see Dei>s- Phil, i 14, and for the use of d5e\(p6smann BS. pp. 154 ff., 233 ft"., and to denote a member of the samecf. P. Tebt. 40. 17 ( = No. 10), religious community see i Thess.B.G.U. 22. II ( = No. 29), and 16. 6 14 (note).( = No. 33), notes.


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Il8 LETTER OF PSENOSIRIS No. 49^ofiai Kai rov


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No. 50 LETTER OF PSENOSIRIS 119rJKaacv. S[?;]X&)[cr]oi' [Se] /xoi[ai av'\ irepl wv 6eXei

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Selections From the Greek Papyri, GEORGE MILLIGAN

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