The little town of Soknopaiou Nesos got its name from the cult of Soknopaios, a local version of the god Sobek. But it also had a small temple of Harpsenesis {"Horus son of Isis"}, which is mentioned in several contracts connected to the sale of liturgical days; for details of some similar sales, see B. Muhs, "The Ancient Egyptian Economy", p. 248 ( Google Books ).
[A] { Cession: }
Year 11, 1st month of akhet season {Thoth}, [day .. of] the reign of Queen Cleopatra Philopator and Ptolemy, who is also called Caesar, Theos Philopator Philometor, and at the time of [the priest of] Alexander and those who are registered ] in Alexandria.
The Lord of Purity and Overseer of the [Great Green] Lake of Nephersatis Harpagathes, son of Onnophris, whose mother is Tasais, and the lady Thases, [daughter of ...], whose mother is Tasais, being two persons, a man and a woman, speaking with one voice, say to the pastophoros of Soknopaios, the great god, Herieus, son of Petesuchus, that they let go of every document and every judicial document and everything on earth related to them.
Every deed and every legal document issued to us concerning it, and every deed and every legal document issued to our father and mother concerning it, they all belong to you. [They belong to you, along with the legal title attached to them] whereby I have a right in their name, from now on for ever. The oath and the proof that will be imposed on you, that you should cause us to perform them in its name, we will perform them for you, necessarily and without delay, after we have completed [this cession document] for you, since you have a legal claim against us from the contract of payment that I issued in the 11th year of the reign of Queen Cleopatra Philopator, and Ptolemy, who is also called Caesar, Theos Philopator Philometor, and in the time of the [priest] of Alexander and those who are registered in Alexandria, the ever-living ... gods. And [we will fulfil] for you the legal claims arising from the contract of payment [and also the legal claims arising from the above cession document , in total two documents that we issued to you]. And we will fulfil [the due legal claims] for you, necessarily and without delay.
[And the lady] Thases, daughter of Orsenuphis, whose mother is Soeris, being present, says: "Write and act according to each of the above items, as my heart is content with them. I have nothing on earth to demand from you in the name of [our (?)] quarter of the sanctuary and its dimensions and its adjacent neighbours, from today onwards."
Written by . . ., [son of . . .]
{ Greek subscription: }
In the [11th] year, [on ... Thoth, in] Soknopaiou Nesos of the Heraklelides district of the Arsinoite nome. [Submitted for registration in the register of contracts . . . with the agreement of] Thases, daughter of Orsenuphis, whose mother is Soēris . . . of the record-office . . . .
{ Surviving names of witnesses on reverse: }
[B] { Contract of Payment: }
[Year 11, 4th month of the akhet season {Choiak}, day 5, of the reign] of Queen Cleopatra Thea [Philopator] and Ptolemy, also called Caesar, Theos Philopator Philometor, and at the time of the priest of [Alexander] and those who are registered in Alexandria.
The pastophoros of Soknopaios, the great god, Peteharpsenesis, son of Petesuchos, whose mother is Satabus, says to . . . son of . . . , whose mother is . . . :
You have satisfied my heart with the money for the price of my share of the sanctuary of Harpsenesis, the great god, which is equipped with beams and doors, having two floors, in the western part of the Sobek village, 'Island of Soknopaios, the great god', on the northern bank of the Moeris Canal in the Herakleides district of the Arsinoite nome.
And the [dimensions and the adjacent neighbours of the sanctuary,] where [the ⅛ share is located], are as follows : _ God's cubits [from south to north] by _ God's cubits from west to east. The adjacent neighbours of the above Sanctuary in which my ⅛ (?) share is located: in the south: the royal road; in the north: the royal road; in the west: the house of Sokmenis, which is in the possession of his children, and the portion of Herieus the Younger, son of Petesuchus; in the east: [the house of] Satabus, which is in the possession of his children, and the walkway along which you [and your] people and your agents go out to the [royal] road, - which completes the measurements and the adjacent neighbours of the above sanctuary, where my ⅛ share is located, which has accrued to me in the name of my father.
I have nothing on earth to [demand from you] in [its] name, from now on and for ever. No other man on earth, nor I, will be able to dispose of it except you. Whoever proceeds against you in regard to it, I will remove him from you. If I have not removed him from you, I will remove him from you, necessarily and without delay. I will remove from you every document, every legal document, and everything on earth. Every document, every legal document that was issued to me in regard to it belongs to you, and every document, every legal document that was issued to my father and mother in regard to it belongs to you. They belong to you with their respective legal rights. Anything by which I have a right in regard to it belongs to you. [The oath and the] proof, which will be imposed on you [that you should make me perform them], I will perform them for you, necessarily and without delay."
Written by . . . son of Harpbekis(?).
{ Cession: }
Year 11, 4th month of the akhet season {Choiak}, day 5, of the reign of Queen Cleopatra Thea Philopator, and of Ptolemy, also called Caesar, Theos Philopator Philometor, and at the time of the priest of Alexander and those who are registered in Alexandria.
The pastophoros of Soknopaios, the great god, Peteharpsenesis son of Petesuchos, whose mother is Satabus, says to . . . son of . . ., whose mother is . . . :
I am far from [you] in regard to your ⅛ (?) [share] of the sanctuary of Harpsenesis, the great god, [which is equipped with] beams and doors, having [two] floors, in the western part of the Sobek village, 'The Island of Soknopaios, the great god', on the northern bank of the Moeris Canal in the Herakleides district of the Arsinoite nome.
[And the measurements and the boundaries of the sanctuary in which [your ⅛ share] is located are: _ God's cubits from south [to] north, _ God's cubits from west to east. The boundaries of the [above] sanctuary in which your ⅛ share is located are: to the south and north: the royal road; to the west: the house of Sokmenis, which is owned by his children, [and the share of Herieus the Younger], son of Petesuchus; to the east: the house of Satabus, which is owned by his children, and the] walkway by which you and your people and your agents go to and from the royal road, - which completes the measurements and the boundaries of the above sanctuary in which my ⅛ share is located, [which] has accrued to me in the name of my father.
I have nothing on earth to demand from you in regard to it, from now on and for ever. If anyone proceeds against you in regard to it, I will remove him from you. If I have not removed him from you, I will remove him from you, necessarily and without delay. And I will remove from you every document, every legal document, and everything on earth. Every document and [every] legal document [that was issued to me about it], and every document and every legal document that was issued to [my father and mother in regard to it], they all belong to you. They belong to you with the legal rights that come with them. [Anything] by which I have a right [in regard] to it [belongs to you], from now and for ever. The oath and proof, which [you will be required to make me perform] in regard to it, I will perform for you, necessarily and without delay. I will fulfil the deed of cession for you, in that you have a legal claim against me from the contract of payment that I issued for you in the 11th year, [4th month] of the akhet season {Choiak}, [day 5, of of the reign of Queen] Cleopatra Thea Philopator and of Ptolemy, who is also called Caesar, Theos Philopator Philometor and in the time of the priest of Alexander and Written by . . Stoethis.
{ Greek subscription: }
Year 11, Choiak 5, in Soknopaiou Nesos in the Herakleides district of the Arsinoite nome. A contract of payment [and] a deed of cession, for the sanctuary of Harpsenesis, were submitted for registration in the register of contracts by Soterichos (?) . . . ⅛ share . . . made by Peteharpsenesis son of Petesūchos whose mother is Satabūs . . . by the contract scribe . . .
{ On the reverse is a poorly preserved list of six witnesses. }
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