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Ancient Egyptian Texts:  7.17


PROPOSAL TO BECOME A SCRIBE IN PATHYRIS

Text:   (A) BM EA 10486   [ TM 620 ],   (B) P.Ryl.Dem. 32   [ TM 500 ]
Date:   204 B.C. 
Language:   Demotic
Translated by:   M.-P. Chaufray & W. Wegner
Format:   see key to translations

One of the main points of interest in document A is that it is dated to the first year of the rebel king Haronnophris {Herwennefer}, proving that he was recognised as king in Pathyris from the very beginning of the reign of Ptolemy V.   The application of Harpiesis to take the role of scribe seems to have been successful, because two months later he was called upon to write document B, the transfer of a plot of land belonging to the temple of Hathor.

The translations are taken from the text and commentary by M.-P. Chaufray & W. Wegner, "Two Early Ptolemaic Documents from Pathyris" ( academia.edu ).  



[A]   Year 1 of the king (l.p.h.) Haronnophris (l.p.h.), beloved of Isis, beloved of Amon-rasonther, the great god. Harpaesis son of Thotortaios is the one who says to his masters, the priests of ' Hathor, lady of Gebelen ', the lesonis of Hathor and the scribes of Hathor: 'If one grants to me the job of document(?)-scribe of the temple (?) of Pathyris together with its revenues . . . (?) from year 2, Thoth, until year 2, Mesore, last day, makes 12⅙ months, makes 1 year, makes 12⅙ months again, I will give to the temple of Pathyris . . . (?) the third part of the things which will come into being from the job of a scribe except for its meat of fowl (?) according to the oath which I will make. And I will write the abstract (?) monthly . . . (?) in the days which are above. When year 2, Mesore, last day occurs, the completion of the 12⅙ months which are above, then you will lease it to the person, to whom you will wish to lease it.' Written in year [1], Mesore 20.

[B]   . . . [Necht]minis son of Sminis, the lesonis, [? to] [Har]ongous son of . . . (?). We have given [to] you a [plot] which is leveled for a foundation to build on it an Isis chapel to the east of the storehouse of Thothis, belonging to the divine offering endowment of Hathor. The neighbours of the above-named plot are: south: the plots of Hathor, which are in (?) . . .; north: the market place, which leads to the 'great river', belonging to the [above-named] plot of Hathor; east: the plot of Hathor, which is in the possession of Thothis; west: the storehouse of Hathor, which is in the possession of Thothis. Total of the neighbours of the above-named plot. You have brought its value to the temple. There is nothing that we claim against you. It is yours, namely your plot which is above, from today onwards, forever. 

Written by Harpaesis son of Thotortaios, who writes in the name of the priests of Hathor [of the 5 phyles], in year 2, Phaophi.




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