Select Papyri, 2.274 (original) (raw)
PETITION FROM THE PRIESTS OF SOCNOPAEUS TO THE STRATEGOS
Greek text: PAmh 35
Date: 132 B.C.
To Apollonius, one of the first friends and strategos and superintendent of the revenues, from the priests of the great god Socnopaeus and the most great goddess Isis Snephorses and the associated gods, being also cultivators of Crown land, residing at Socnopaei Nesus. On the 18th of Epeiph of the 38th year Petesouchus the chief priest of the great god Socnopaeus, having waited for a favourable opportunity when we had business at Crocodilopolis, went down to Dionysias and imposed upon the cultivators employed by us, Teos and Stotoetis, by pretending to have been sent by us to collect the rents of the temple land of the great god Socnopaeus which they cultivate, and overpowering them at the threshing-floor he carried off 225 artabas of wheat to the house of Paalas. Concerning this we addressed a complaint to you at the Premit on the 22nd of the same month, and you summoned Paalas and laid an embargo on the wheat of the great god Socnopaeus, for the reason that Petesouchus the chief priest, in the compact which he made with us on assuming office in the 38th year, has signed an undertaking under the royal oath that he would not lay hands on the rents of the land in any manner and he has violated his written oath. Since therefore you have been saved when in sickness by the great god Socnopaeus and the most great goddess Isis Snephorses and the associated gods, we entreat you, if it please you, to give instructions that our petition shall be registered and filed in your office in view of the coming audience for our suit against Petesouchus the chief priest, in order that he may not be able to lay hands on the wheat, and also to write to Apollonius the epistates to produce him in your court for the deciding of this case, in order that, if our statements are found to be correct, we may recover the 225 artabas of wheat and place them to the account of the god, and for the violence and perjury of which he is guilty you may pass judgement on him with righteous zeal as a deterrent to others, enabling us to make the customary sacrifices to the gods on behalf of the king and of the royal children, if we obtain your support. Farewell. Year 38, Epeiph 22.
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