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Select Papyri, 1.85


GREEK VERSION OF A ROMAN WILL

Greek text:   BGU 326
Date:   A.D. 189-194.

Translation of will. Gaius Longinus Castor, veteran honourably discharged from the praetorian fleet of Misenum, has made a will. I direct that my slave Marcella aged over thirty years and my slave Cleopatra aged over thirty years shall be freed, and they shall each in equal portion be my heirs. All the others shall be disinherited. They shall enter on the inheritance, each on her own portion, as soon as they each think proper to attest that they are my heirs, and it shall not be lawful to sell or mortgage it. But if the aforesaid Marcella suffers the lot of humankind, then I wish her portion of the inheritance to go to Sarapion and Socrates and Longus. Likewise for Cleopatra, I wish her portion to go to Nilus. Whoever becomes my heir shall be obliged to give, perform, and provide all things that are written in this my will, and I commit them to its trust. My slave Sarapias daughter of my freedwoman Cleopatra shall be freed, and I give and bequeath to her five arourai of corn land which I own in the area of the village of Karanis in a place called Strouthos "Ostrich", likewise one and a quarter arourai of a ravine, likewise a third portion of my house and the third portion of the same which I bought formerly from Prapetheus mother of Thaseus, likewise a third portion of a palm-grove which I own close to the canal called Old Canal. I wish my body to be carried out and dressed for burial through the care and piety of my heirs. If I leave any later provision written by my hand in any manner whatsoever, I wish it to hold good. May evil guile be absent from this will. On the making of this will Julius Petronianus bought the household and chattels for one sestertius, Gaius Lucretius Saturnilus being the scale-holder (acknowledged) and Marcus Sempronius Heraclianus being called to witness (acknowledged). The will was made in the village of Karanis in the Arsinoite nome on November 17 in the consulship of the two Silani, in the 30th year of the Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Pius Felix Augustus Armeniacus Medicus Parthicus Sarmaticus Germanicus, Hathur 21. If I leave any further document written by my hand, I wish it to hold good. Opened and read in the Arsinoite metropolis in the Forum Augustum in the office of the five per cent tax on inheritances and manumissions on February 21 in the consulship of the present consuls, in the 2nd year of the Emperor Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pertinax Augustus, Mecheir 27. The remaining scalers Gaius Longinus Acylas (acknowledged), Julius Bolyssius, Marcus Antistius Petronianus, Julius Gemellus, veteran. Translation of the codicillary tablets. I, Gaius Longinus Castor, veteran honourably discharged from the praetorian fleet of Misenum, have made a codicil. I have appointed Marcus Sempronius Heraclianus, my respected friend, trustee to act on his own good faith. To my kinsman Julius Serenus I give and bequeath 4,000 sestertii. Written in my own hand on February 7. Sealed by Longinus Acylas and Valerius Priscus. Sealers Gaius Longinus Acylas (acknowledged), Julius Philoxenus, Gaius Lucretius Saturnilus (acknowledged), Gaius Longinus Castor, Julius Gemellus, veteran. Opened and read on the same day on which the will was unsealed

{Subscribed}   I, Gains Lucius Geminianus, expert in Roman law, translated the foregoing copy and it agrees with the original will.

{Endorsed}   Of Gaius Longinus Castor.

papyrus 86


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