This is the only contact for a wet nurse that has survived from Ptolemaic Egypt. Most of the translation of A is taken from M. Parca, "The Wet Nurses of Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt", pp.205-206 ( academia.edu ). The last part is adapted from the German translation by W. Spiegelberg, "Die demotischen Denkmäler", vol. 2:text (1904).
The date of the document shown above is based on the assumption that its registration was dated by the Egyptian financial year; but many writers assign it to the following year, 231 B.C.
[A] In year 15, month of Phamenoth, of king Ptolemy, endowed with eternal life, son of Ptolemy and Arsinoe, the brother-sister gods, when Thrasymachos son of Leon was priest of Alexander and of the brother-sister gods and of the benefactor gods, when Berenike daughter of Straton was kanephoros of Arsinoe Philadelphos, the woman Sponnesis, daughter of Horos and Taues, said to Phanesis, son of Nechtyris and Ta-by, manager of the storerooms and servant of Sobek:
I have come to your house; I am for you the wet nurse, my milk being good from both breasts, to suckle the newborn Petesouchos, your son. I shall feed, I shall care for and protect him from all fault and harm [that I could cause] as his nurse, from year 15, Phamenoth 11, of the king endowed with eternal life, until the completion of three years, that is 36 months, that is three years, again. And I shall spend the days aforementioned with the newborn Petesouchos, your son named above, nursing him with my milk from both breasts, so that he is not hungry, feeding him and protecting him from all error and harm [that I could cause] as nurse, 5 for the aforementioned days. I shall spend days and nights in your house with the newborn, your son named above, for the days aforementioned. You shall give me 1 ⅙ artabas of wheat measured in the measure of ... per artaba, 1 ½ lok of oil, and ½ kite of silver for the expenses (?) and one washing of the clothes each month, for my supplies, my oil and my money for the expenses each month; in addition you shall give me 1 silver deben and 2 kite, half of which is 6 kite of silver, that is 1 deben and 2 kite of silver again, for my clothing each year.
You cannot postpone by one month my supplies, clothes, oil, and money for the monthly expenses. If there is delay by one month, you will give it to me with its "1 that makes 1 ½" within one month of the said month. If I cease to nurse the newborn Petesouchos, your son mentioned above, because I am without milk or become pregnant by a man of the world or by you, so that I do not complete the days aforementioned with the infant Petesouchos, your son mentioned above, I shall give you 10 silver deben, half of which is 5 deben, that is 10 silver deben again, within five days [after the end of my activity]. You have the right to compel me to complete the aforementioned days with the infant Petesouchos, your son mentioned above. If I cease to care for the infant Petesouchos, your son mentioned above, during the aforementioned days, I shall give you a wet nurse who has good milk in both breasts, from his birth until the end of the time aforementioned, or I shall give you 20 silver deben, its half is 10 silver deben, that is 20 silver deben again, for (?) one day of 5 days.
I will do everything that you command regarding the two breasts (?). Everything and anything that belongs to me presently and that I will acquire is the guarantee for the fulfilment of the above contract. The fulfilment of the above contract is my responsibility. And the guarantee that you have commanded 10 . . . until I have provided for you the fulfilment of the above contract. I cannot say: I have already provided for you the fulfilment of the above contract. The above contract is in your hand. I shall spend every day in (?) service as a wet nurse for the above time. I shall not be able to leave you for any other dwelling place or shelter . . . with the infant, your son, until the expiration of the above-mentioned time. If you send me away from the infant, your son, within the above-mentioned time, I will grant you the right of the above-mentioned document within the above-mentioned time and you will give me 10 silver deben in the above-mentioned month. I am behind you in support to spend the above-mentioned time with the infant, your son. Your representative shall have power in respect of every word he speaks to me concerning the above-mentioned terms. I will do what is instructed without delay.
[B] {Greek subscription} In the 16th year, on the 20th of Phamenoth. Entered into the archive by Antikrates, subordinate of Harmodios: the three-year wet-nursing contract concluded at Tebtynis in the Arsinoite nome, which Sponnesis, daughter of Horos, issued to Phanesis, son of Nechthyris.
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