Sarri ————— Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies 54 (2014) 37–44 2014 Antonia Sarri A Letter of Proklos to Asklepiades: P.Lond.inv. 2553 + P.Col. VIII 211 Antonia Sarri PAPYRUS in the British Library (inv. 2553), published in 1924, preserves the left portion of a letter of one Proklos. A papyrus belonging to the archive of Isidoros of Psophthis,1 now at Columbia University (P.Col. VIII 211) and published in 1972, preserves the right portion of a letter to Asklepiades. Study of the two has led to the discovery that they are the two halves of a single letter. The archive of Isidoros of Psophthis so far contains eight published texts, all held by American collections: Michigan (SB XVI 12713, 12714, 12835; XXIV 15909, 15910; Pap.Congr. XXVI p.323), Columbia (P.Col. VIII 211), and New York (P.NYU II 18). The papyri were bought from M. Nahman through the agency of H. I. Bell of the British Museum in 1923/4. The Michigan papyri arrived at Ann Arbor from the British Museum in 1924 (SB XVI 12713, 12714, XXIV 15910, Pap.Congr. XXVI p.323 in January; SB XVI 12835, XXIV 15909 in November);2 P.Col. 211 was purchased by Columbia 1 For the archive of Isidoros of Psophthis see A. E. Hanson, “A New Letter from the Archive of Isidorus from Psophthis, Memphite Nome,” Pap.Congr. XXVI (Geneva 2012) 323–329; “Isidoros of Psophthis, Augustan Cultivator: An Update,” Pap.Congr. XXI (Berlin 1997) 413–429; J. Hengstl, “Das Archiv des Isidoros aus Psophthis aus rechtshistorischer Sicht,” Pap. Congr. XXIII (Vienna 2007) 273–278. 2 Information from APIS: for SB XVI 12713 see quod.lib.umich.edu/ a/apis/X-1434/1440R.TIF, for 12714 quod.lib.umich.edu/a/apis/X- 1432/1436R.TIF, for XXIV 15910 quod.lib.umich.edu/a/ apis/X-1433/ 1438R.TIF, for Pap.Congr. XXVI p.323 quod.lib.umich.edu/a/apis/x- 4047/1430R.TIF, for SB XVI 12835 quod.lib.umich.edu/a/apis/x-1505/ A 38 A LETTER OF PROKLOS TO ASKLEPIADES ————— Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies 54 (2014) 37–44 University in July 1923;3 P.NYU 18 was probably purchased around the same time.4 It has not been noticed that P.Lond.inv. 2553, which was “bought in the Fayum, with other papyri, by Dr. Askren for the University of Michigan, on whose behalf it was presented by Prof. Francis W. Kelsey to the British Museum,”5 is the missing left half of P.Col. VIII 211. It remained in the British Museum and was published in 1924 in New Palaeographical Society, Indices, with plate 136a; the right half was sent to Columbia and was first published by C. H. Kim in 1972,6 and re-edited in P.Col. VIII. The text of the London fragment has until now escaped the major papyrological resources (SB, DDbDP, HGV, TM). The new join confirms Worp and Nielsen’s suggestion7 that Proklos is the author of both P.NYU II 18 and P.Col. VIII 211, which Hanson rejected8 arguing that “the signatures of the writers … are remarkably different in penmanship, length, and sentiment.” The texts of this archive date to A.D. 5–6 and are related to a dispute that Isidoros, a cultivator from Psophthis in the Mem- phite nome, had with Tryphon, strategus in the Arsinoite nome. According to Isidoros, the reason for this dispute was that agents of Tryphon had forced Isidoros to submit a sworn declaration that he would cultivate a plot of 5½ arouras of land on the estate of the empress Livia at Philadelphia. Isidoros ___ 1674R.TIF, for XXIV 15909 quod.lib.umich.edu/a/apis/X-1504/ 1673R.TIF. See also Hanson, Pap.Congr. XXI 416 and XXVI 327–329. 3 Information from APIS: wwwapp.cc.columbia.edu/ldpd/apis/ item?mode=item&key=columbia.apis.p246. 4 The exact year is not given in APIS: wwwapp.cc.columbia.edu/ldpd/ apis/item?mode=item&key=nyu.apis.4790. 5 New Palaeographical Society, Indices to facsimiles of ancient manuscripts, second series, parts viii–ix (London 1924) no. 136, introduction. 6 The Form and Structure of the Familiar Letter of Recommendation (Missoula 1972) 205. 7 P.NYU II 18.3–4n. = ZPE 136 (2001) 138–139. 8 Pap.Congr. XXVI 328. ANTONIA SARRI 39 ————— Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies 54 (2014) 37–44 claimed that this was illegal, as he was registered in Psophthis, and tried to take back his sworn declaration from Tryphon and avoid this obligation. Among the texts of the archive are two letters of recommendation that were sent from Proklos, to whose household Isidoros belonged (so line 4): our letter, from Proklos to Asklepiades the dioiketes, and P.NYU II 18, from Proklos to Tryphon the strategus. Proklos’ social status is not known, but the language of his letters reveals someone of sim- ilar social standing to the strategus and gymnasiarch Tryphon and the dioiketes Asklepiades;9 he asks them to do the favour he requests for Isidoros on his own account. Our letter is in the same hand as P.NYU II 18, which was written on 25 Mecheir of year 35 of Augustus (19 Feb. 6), three days after our letter. Proklos may also be the sender of SB XVI 12835, dated the same day as our letter and similar palaeo- graphically; but its top is broken and the sender and addressee remain uncertain.10 P.Lond.inv. 2553 measures 9.7 x 20 cm (personal inspection), and P.Col. VIII 211 8.3 x 20.1 cm. (PLATE 1). The text is written along the fibres. The back of P.Col. 211 is blank. P.Lond.inv. 2553 is now mounted, and it was not possible to verify its back, but it is probably blank, like P.NYU 18. In the edition below of the joined papyri, some minor differences from the ed.pr. of 2553 regarding the placement of brackets and dots are not mentioned in the commentary. 9 Hanson, Pap.Congr. XXI 421–423. 10 The editors of P.Col. VIII 211 (introd.) suggested that SB XVI 12835 and P.Col. VIII 211 are in the same hand, and the editors of P.NYU II 18 (3–4n.) suggested that SB 12835 possibly originated from Proklos, but Hanson argued that SB 12835, P.Col. 211, and P.NYU 18 were written by different hands (Pap.Congr. XXI 415 n.5 and XXVI 328). 40 A LETTER OF PROKLOS TO ASKLEPIADES ————— Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies 54 (2014) 37–44 PLATE 1: P.Lond.inv. 2553, P.Col. VIII 211 Πρόκλος Ἀ|σκληπιάδηι τῶι διοικητῆι πλεῖστα | χαίρειν Ἰσίδω̣[ρ]ος ὁ ἀποδιδού|ς σοι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἔστιν µου̣ [ἐκ τ]ῆ̣ς οἰκίας, ἔ|στιν δ̣ὲ ἀπὸ κώµης Ψώφθεως 5 τοῦ Μεµ ̣φίτου· ὑπὸ δ̣|ὲ τῶν παρ̣ὰ Τρύφωνος τοῦ στρατηγοῦ κατὰ συν|ο̣χὴν γενόµενος ἐχειρογρά- φησεν ὑπὲρ τοῦ κατα|σπῖραι περὶ κώµην Φιλαδέλ- ANTONIA SARRI 41 ————— Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies 54 (2014) 37–44 φειαν ἀπὸ τῆς Λιβίας | προσόδου ἀρούρας πέντε ἥµισυ. ἐρωτῶι ο̣ὖ̣ν σε φίλτατ̣|ε ἐπισκεψάµενον εἰ περ̣ὶ ̣ 10 τὴν Ψῶφ̣θιν λαογραφ̣|ε̣ῖται συνεργῆσαι αὐτῶι ὡς ἀπα̣[ρ]ε̣ν̣[ό]χλητος ἔσ|τ̣αι ὑπὲρ ἧς προεῖται χειρογραφίας ἀναδ̣[ο]θε̣[ί]σ̣ης αὐτῶι κ|α̣ὶ εἰς τὸ µέλλον ἔχειν τὸν ἄν- θρωπ̣ο̣ν σ̣υ̣νεσταµέ|νον. ἔ̣ρρωσο (ἔτους) λε ̣| Κ̣α̣ί̣σ̣αρος Μεχειρ κ̅β̅. 15 (Ηand 2) ἐρωτ̣ῶ̣ι [σ]ε̣ [δ]ι̣οικητ̣ὰ ε|ἰ̣ς̣ τ̣ὴν ἐµὴν [κα]ταλο̣γὴν ποιῆσαι τὸ π̣[ᾶ]ν̣ τῶι Εἰσιδώρῳ· | µ ̣έλει γάρ µ ̣οι π̣ερὶ αὐτ̣οῦ. 7 l. κατασπεῖραι 9, 15 l. ἐρωτῶ 11 προεῖται corr. ε ex ι 16 l. Ἰσιδώρωι Proklos to Asklepiades the dioiketes, many greetings. Isidoros, who is delivering the letter to you, is a member of my household, and he is from the village Psophthis of the Memphite. When he was detained by the men of Tryphon the strategus, he signed a sworn declaration with regard to sowing five and a half arouras near the village of Philadelphia belonging to the revenue-estate of Livia. I ask you, therefore, dearest, after you investigate whether he pays the poll-tax at Psophthis, to cooperate with him so that he may be undisturbed with regard to the sworn declara- tion that he has given, (the sworn declaration) having been returned to him, and for the future to consider the man as recommended by me. Farewell. Year 35 of Caesar, Mecheir 22. I ask you, dioiketes, on my account to do everything for Isidoros, for I am concerned about him. 4 µου̣ [ἐκ τ]ῆ̣ς οἰκίας. In the ed.pr. of P.Lond.inv. 2553 it was given as µου̣ [ . . τ]η̣ς οικιας. Nielsen and Worp (P.NYU II 18.3–4n.) correctly proposed this supplement, [µου̣ ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας], for P.Col. VIII 211 on the basis of P.NYU 18.3–4, suggesting that both letters were sent from Proklos. 5 τοῦ Μεµ ̣φίτου. In the ed.pr. of P.Lond.inv. 2553 this was read as τουµε π̣[ε]ρι του. 6 συν|ο̣χήν. In P.Col. VIII 211 the word was restored as κατ]ο̣χήν, but it has been corrected by Hanson on the basis of P.Mich.inv. 1430.7 (= Pap.Congr. XXVI p.323, with 7n.). 42 A LETTER OF PROKLOS TO ASKLEPIADES ————— Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies 54 (2014) 37–44 8 Λιβίας | προσόδου. In the ed.pr. of P.Lond.inv. 2553 this was read as λιβιας τ̣[. 9–10 ἐπισκεψάµενον εἰ περ̣ὶ̣ / τὴν Ψῶφ̣θιν λαογραφ̣|ε̣ῖται. As shown by D. Hagedorn,11 in the first century dioiketai were lower-ranking members of the local administration, without excluding the possibility of private managers. Here, it seems that this dioiketes would be able to check if Isidoros indeed paid his taxes at Psophthis. Compare SB XVI 12835.4–5 ἐ[ρω]τῶι οὖν σε ἐπιγνόντα εἰ ταῦθʼ οὕτως ἔχει ὑπὲρ / τοῦ αὐτὸν εἶναι ἀπὸ τοῦ Μεµφίτου, “I ask you therefore, after you ascertain if the matter is so regarding his being from the Memphite,” where the addressee is not known, but it should be someone who would be able to verify that Isidoros was from the Mem- phite nome. 10–12 ὡς / ἀπα̣[ρ]ε̣ν̣[ό]χλητος ἔσ|τ̣αι ὑπὲρ ἧς προεῖται χειρογραφίας / ἀναδ̣[ο]θε̣[ί]σ̣ης αὐτῶι. The two basic requests in all the letters and draft petitions in support of Isidoros are for Tryphon to leave Isidoros free from any trouble with regard to the sworn declaration and to give the sworn declaration back to Isidoros. The phrasing of the requests, however, has small variations: in the draft petition to the prefect (SB XVI 12713 and 12714 are two drafts of the same petition) it reads µὴ [π]α̣ρ̣ενοχλεῖ̣ν̣ [µ]ε̣ π̣[ερὶ τούτ]ω̣ν / [ἀναδοῦναι δέ µοι τὴ]ν δη- λουµ[έν]η̣[ν χειρογ]ραφίαν / [καὶ εἰ]ς τ[ὸ] λ[οιπὸν ἀπέχεσθαί µου (12713.15–17), “that [Tryphon] not disturb me about these matters, but to turn over to me the cheirographia referred to, and in the future to keep away from me”; in the letter from Tryphon to his father Tryphon it is phrased πόησον (l. ποίη- σον) [α]ὐτὸν ἀπαρενόχλητον, ἀν<α>δοθεί/σης αὐτῶι κ[αὶ] τῆς χειρογραφίας̣, “make him free from trouble, with his sworn declaration also having been returned to him” (Pap.Congr. XXVI p.323.12–13); in the letter of Proklos to Tryphon, ἀπαρενόχλητον αὐτὸν διατή̣ρ̣η̣σ̣ο̣ν̣ καὶ προνόη̣σ̣ο̣ν̣ / ὡς ἀναδο- θήσεται αὐτῶι ἡ χειρογραφία, “leave him undisturbed and 11 “Zum Amt des διοικητής im römischen Aegypten,” YCS 28 (1985) 188. ANTONIA SARRI 43 ————— Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies 54 (2014) 37–44 take care that the declaration on oath be returned to him” (P.NYU II 18.12–13). 14–16 ἔρρωσο (…) αὐτ̣οῦ. The letter closes with a farewell and the date, and below this is a two-line postscript with a personal note for the dioiketes. As the editors of P.Col. VIII 211 suggested, the farewell and dating clause were apparently written by the first hand, while the postscript seems to be by a second. Hanson, however, suggested that “this [the second] hand writes the three lines 14–16—that is, the closing greeting and date, as well as the postscriptum.”12 In the Roman period, the closing farewell and the date are often more cursive and rapid than the letter above, but this is usually a change in the style of handwriting rather than a change of hand.13 If we compare the writing of the farewell and date with that of the postscript, it appears that they are by two different hands. The farewell and date are written upright, like the letter above; the script is not continuous but the letters tend to be separate, and the ends of the descending uprights have serifs. The postscript, on the other hand, has a rightward inclination, it is con- tinuously written without raising the pen to separate letters, and the uprights do not have serifs at the end. Perhaps the body of the letter and the farewell and date were written by a secretary, while Proklos, the author, wrote a personal note at the end. Similarly in P.NYU 18 there is no change of hand at the closing farewell and dating clause. 15–16 ἐρωτ̣ῶ̣ι (…) αὐτ̣οῦ. In the ed.pr. of P.Lond.inv. 2553 the left part of these lines was read as Ερω . . . [ . . ] . . οικη̣τα̣ ε[̣ / τοι̣[ . . ] . . [ . ] . τωι εισιδωρω[. The content of the postscript closely resembles P.NYU 18.10–14 ἐρωτῶι ο̣[ὖ]ν σε καὶ εἰ̣ς̣ τὴν ἐµὴν κα[ταλογήν] (…) τοῦτο δὲ ποιήσας ἔσῃ µοι κεχαρισµένος, “I ask you therefore also on my account … and 12 Pap.Congr. XXI 415 n.5. 13 See R. S. Bagnall and R. Cribiore, Women’s Letters from Ancient Egypt (Ann Arbor 2006) 46–48; A. Sarri, “Handshifts in Letters,” paper presented at Pap.Congr. XXVII (forthcoming) 44 A LETTER OF PROKLOS TO ASKLEPIADES ————— Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies 54 (2014) 37–44 by doing this you will gratify me.” In both this letter and P.NYU 18, Proklos expresses his care for Isidoros, and mentions that the favour he requests will be on his own account. 16 π̣[ᾶ]ν̣. ν̣ is clear in the reproduction of the papyrus in New Palaeographical Society plate 136a, but it is now damaged (per- sonal inspection).14 December, 2013 Heidelberg antonia.sarri@zaw.uni-heidelberg.de 14 This article was written during my work in the project “The Ancient Letter as Communications Medium,” supervised by Dr R. Ast and supported by the Sonderforschungsbereich 933 “Materiale Textkulturen: Materialität und Präsenz des Geschriebenen in non-typographischen Gesellschaften” at the University of Heidelberg, funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. I am very thankful to Dr R. Ast, Dr N. Gonis, and the anonymous reviewers of GRBS for their comments. I also thank the staff of the British Library, who facilitated my study of the papyrus there.