These two contracts are part of the bilingual Archive of Dionysios son of Kephalas.
[A] In year 10, third month of the akhet season {Hathyr}, day 29, in the reign of Cleopatra and Ptolemy the gods who love their mother and who save; and under the priest of Alexander and of the saviour gods, of the brother-and-sister gods, of the beneficent gods, of the gods who love their father, of the gods who have appeared, of the god who exalts his father, of the god who loves his mother, of the god who loves his father, of the beneficent god, and of the gods who love their mother and who save; and under the other priests who are in Alexandria.
The mercenary's son Plenis son of Kephalas, surnamed Paueris, whose mother is Senabollous, has said to the horseman Dionysios, son of Asklepiades:
You have hired out to me your (?) pair of black cows which have given birth and their calves which are at their feet. This pair of cows remains in my hands, as directed by you, to work the fields of my portion of land from year 10, the third month of the akhet season {Hathyr}, until the last day of second month of the shemu season {Payni}. I undertake to provide their food.
I shall give you 10 artabas of wheat, half of which is 5, making 10 in all, as their hire charge in year 10, second month of the shemu season {Payni}, measured by the bronze measure of wheat, in pure grains of good wheat without any foreign element, paid at the port of Tenis. If I do not pay them in year 10, in the second month of the shemu season, as is written above, I shall give you their value at the rate of 150 deben of silver, half of which is 75, making 150 deben again, in bronze at the rate of 24 obols for two kites, per artaba, in the following month, necessarily and without delay. I shall return your oxen mentioned above, with their calves which are at their feet, to your stable on the island of . . ., in year 10, on the last day of the third month of the shemu season {Epeiph}, free from any blemish. If I do not return them, as is written above, I will give you 1500 deben of silver, which is five talents, making 1500 deben again, in bronze at the rate of 24 obols for two kites, in the named month, necessarily and without delay. All my goods present and future are the guarantee . . . that I am acting according to all the above words, as long as the above writing is in your hand.
Written by Petihapi, son of Horphof, who writes in the name of the priests of Thoth.
{ Declaration of borrower, in Greek: }
I, Dionysios son of Kephalas, have hired the cows and I will act according to . . .
{ Declaration of registrar, in Greek: }
Year 10, day 29 of Hathyr; registered by Ptolemaios at Tenis of the Mochites.
{ Names of 12 witnesses on the reverse }
{ Docket, in Greek: }
Contract of Dionysios, for the hire.
[B] Year 12 which is equivalent to year 9, second month of the inundation season {Phaophi}, under the monarchs Kleopatra, the goddess benefactress, and Ptolemy her son, who is called Alexandros, the god who loves his mother, and under the [eponymous] priest in Alexandria. Declared by the police chief of . . . , Psenamounis son of Abykis, his mother being Thermouthas, to the Greek Dionysios son of Kephalas, one of the soldiers [serving under the command] of Demetrios:
You have satisfied my heart with the money for the black cow, which is sturdy on her feet, branded on the neck, able to lie down and get up, and is unhurt by any fall. I have given her to you for money and she belongs to you from today for all future time. . . . As for anyone who comes against you for her, I will take steps so that he goes away from you; otherwise I will give you 750 [deben] of silver - half is 375, which, again, makes [the total] 750 - [paid] in copper . . . as a money penalty, in the month involved, perforce and without delay, beside the fact that I will still act so that you are left alone with regard to [the cow]. I will not be able to say, "This is not at all the cow which is described above, which I gave you for money." You are the one who has the right over me with regard to her, for it is indeed she, and I will act so that she remains free for you against [all claims], in keeping with what is written here above.
Written by Pebes[?] son of Phibis . . . scribe of legal documents of the sacred[?] books of Thot, thrice great, master of Hermopolis, the great god.
{In Greek} Year 12 which is also year 9, Phaophi 15, at Ammonopolis. [Recorded] by Hermias.
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