Coptic ostracon from western Thebes (Upper Egypt) mentioning the production of commentaries to *John (Apostle and Evangelist, S00042); datable to the 7th century.
E04176
Documentary texts - Letter
Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd
O.Frange 768
The limestone ostracon is written on both sides. The beginning and the end of the letter are missing, but it seems to be addressed to a monastic authority concerning the production of books, here of commentaries to the Gopsel of John. The addressee is asked to send the commentaries, if he has finished them. If he has not yet produced them, he should at least acknowledge receipt of the writing material provided, here apparently an empty papyrus roll (tomarion), so that it can be announced that he will produce and them them (soon).
Lines 4–18 of the recto read as follows:
ϯⲡⲁⲣⲁ-
ⲕⲁⲗⲗⲉⲓ ⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛ\ⲙⲛⲧ/-
ⲫⲓⲗⲁⲧⲉⲗⲫⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ
ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲑⲟⲥⲉⲃⲓⲁ · ⲉⲧⲣⲉ-
ⲧⲉⲧⲛⲣ ⲡⲛⲁ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲛⲉ-
ⲝⲏⲅⲉⲓⲥⲓⲥ · ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲓⲱ-
ϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ · ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲕⲧⲛⲛⲟⲟⲩ-
ⲥⲟⲩ ⲛⲁⲛ ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁⲕⲥⲁϩⲟⲩ ·
ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲥⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲁⲣⲓ ⲡⲛⲁ
ⲉⲛⲉⲟⲩ<ⲱ> ⲁⲕϫⲓ ⲛⲧⲟⲙⲁⲣⲓⲟⲛ · ⲛⲅϫⲟ-
ⲟⲩⲥⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲣⲕⲁⲛ ⲉⲛⲗⲩⲡⲉⲓ ϩⲙ
ⲡⲉⲓϣⲁϫⲉ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ϯ ⲙⲧⲟⲛ ⲛⲁⲛ̣
ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲛⲕⲉⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ
ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛⲁⲅⲓⲱ-
ⲥⲩⲛⲏ ⲁⲁⲩ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲛ
‘I am thus beseeching your brotherliness and your piety to let you be merciful with respect to the commentaries to saint John, to let you send them to us, if you have written them. If you have not written them, be merciful, so that we shall announce that you have received the (empty) papyrus roll and that you shall send them. Do not let us be lamenting in this matter, but calm us just as with all the other good deeds which your holiness has done for us.’
At the end of the letter, lines 35–37 of the verso read as follows:
ⲡⲗⲏⲛ ⲁⲣⲓⲥ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ
ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲙⲛ ⲡϩⲁⲅ[ ⲓⲟⲥ]
ⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ
‘But do it for God and for saint John.’
(Text: A. Boud'hors and Ch. Heurtel; trans.: G. Schenke)
A complete record of the text is available at:
http://papyri.info/ddbdp/o.frange;;768?
Cult building - monastic
Non Liturgical ActivityTransmission, copying and reading saint-related texts
Composing and translating saint-related texts
Source
The ostracon inv. O.291821 is a large limestone fragment inscribed on both sides. It was found during a season of the Belgian excavation at the Theban necropolis. It is part of the archive of the monk Frange who inhabited the tomb of Amenemope (TT29) in the Valley of the Kings.Bibliography
Text and French translation:Boud'hors, A., and Heurtel, C., Les ostraca coptes de la TT 29. Autour du moine Frangé (Études d'archéologie thébaine 3; Brussels, 2010), 408–409.
Gesa Schenke
20/10/2017
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00042 | John, the Apostle and Evangelist | ⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ | Certain |
|---|
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E04176 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E04176