The date at the top of this contract is 'year 25'; but later on it refers to 'year 36'. E. Bresciani, when translating the text, assumed that this was a mistake of the scribe, and that he probably meant to say 'year 35' at the top. But more recently, it has been suggested that the contract refers to year 36 of Ptolemy VI and year 25 of Ptolemy VIII. This is only possible if the month at the top of the contract was Epeiph (= Shemu III) rather than Phamenoth (=Peret III), as shown in Bresciani's translation; Ptolemy VI is thought to have died in June or July 145 B.C. If so, this would be one of the earliest surviving documents from the second reign of Ptolemy VIII; see C. Bennett, Ptolemy VI, note 14.
Year 25, day 20 of Phamenoth, of the pharaohs Ptolemy and Cleopatra, son of (?) Ptolemy and Cleopatra the gods Epiphanes, may they live eternally, forever. Harpaesis the elder son of Pathebis (?), 5 says to Tesenouphis son of Marres, the agent of the priests of Soknopaios and Isis Nepherses:
You gave into my hands the donkey of Paesis son of Pa-p-ret (?), and it is fast, robust, and healthy in both eyes. 10 I will return it to you on the 26th day of Phamenoth; if I do not return it to you by the aforementioned day, I will give you 300 deben of silver, half of which is 150, that is, 300 deben of silver again. . . price . . . on one day of the two days after the aforementioned deadline. 15 The aforementioned donkey acts as a pledge on your part for the ferry that has been hired for year 36 .
Written by Harsiesis son of Haryotes.
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