These two contracts were preserved as important documents; most of the other documents in the 'archive' with which they are associated are from a later period, between 120 and 100 B.C ( Trismegistos ). The contracts were made in the period when much of southern Egypt was in rebellion against Ptolemaic rule; in the first document, the rebel king Chaonnophris (also known as Ankhwennefer) was recognised as king in Djeme, but by the time of the second document Ptolemy V had regained control of the area.
The translation is adapted from L. Uggetti, "Les archives bilingues de Totoès et de Tatéhathyris", vol. 2, pp. 2-17 ( PDF ). Contract A was written in duplicate; only the first copy is shown here - the date and the name of the king are preserved in the second copy, and restored here.
[A] Regnal year [11, month Epeiph, of the king (l.p.h.) Chaonnophris (l.p.h.), living forever, loved by Isis, loved] of Amon-rasonther, the great god; the priest of Min of Medinet Habu and priest of Amon-Rê of the Ramesseum Imouthes, the eldest son of Psenamounis and Taouahmou, said to the pastophoros of Amon of Djeme and sacred servant of Hathor mistress of the west Psenminis son of [Zmanres and Senminis:
"You have satisfied my heart with] money for the value of my 44/9 days of service in the temple of Hathor mistress of the west, which is in the necropolis of Djeme, for each subsequent month, as a sacred servant, priest, pastophoros, responsible for all tasks, doorkeeper, astronomer [and responsible for all duties in the temple in question. Their details: day 25, day 26, day 27, 4/9 of day 28 and day 24, or 44/9 days of service each subsequent month, which makes 53⅓ days of service each subsequent year, with their share of the five epagomenal days, their income, with their usufructs, with everything [which comes from them, with everything that is received towards them, with what will be added to them from the countryside, from the temple, from the city and from any place, with their religious rites and their services of worship. I gave it to you, it belongs to you, it is your 44/9 days of service that I bought from the woman Senhyris 5 daughter of Patemis . . . I received their cash value from] you, which was complete, with no residue. My heart is satisfied with it. I have nothing in the world against you about them. No one in the world, including me, will be able to exercise power over them except you from today [and from now on. Whoever comes against you because of them in my name or in the name of anyone else, I will [cause him] to be made far from you. And I will make them clear for you in all writings, all legal documents, everything in the world at any time. It is to you that the writings and the legal documents about them belong wherever they are, any writing that has been done about them, with any writing that has been done for me about them, with every document in which I assert my rights over them. They belong to you, with the rights over them. It is you who assert your rights over them in their name. The oath or certification that will be required of you in court regarding the rights given in this document, which I have made for you to commit myself to do this, I will do so without disputing any legal documents or anything in the world with you."
Written by Petosiris [son of Totoes.]
Witnesses:
[B] Regnal year 18, month Epeiph, of king (l.p.h.) Ptolemy (l.p.h.) son of Ptolemy (l.p.h.) and Arsinoē (l.p.h.), the gods Philopatores, when Charilaos son of Nymphion was priest of Alexander (l.p.h.), of the gods Adelphoi, of the gods Euergetai, of the gods Philopatores, of the gods Epiphaneis, and when Karneïs daughter of Timolaos was athlophoros of Berenice (l.p.h.) Euergetes, and when Galateia daughter of Praxitimos was kanephoros of Arsinoē (l.p.h.) Philadelphos, and when Eirene daughter of Ptolemaios was the priestess of Arsinoē (l.p.h.) Philopator, and when the one appointed by the sovereign (l.p.h.) was priest of Ptolemy (l.p.h.) Sôter (l.p.h.); the pastophoros of Amon of Djeme Psenminis, the elder son of Totoes and Tigonis, said to the pastophoros of Amon of Djeme and sacred servant of Hathor mistress of the west and of Maât mistress of the west Psenminis, son of Zmanres the elder and Senminis:
"I am far from you with regard to your 10 days of service in the temple of Hathor mistress of the west and of Maât mistress of the west, who is on the hill of Djeme, for each subsequent month, which is 120 days of service per year in each subsequent year, with their share of the five epagomenal days, with their income and their usufructs, with all that comes from them, with all that is received in respect of them, with what will be added to them from the countryside, from the temple, from the city and from all places, with their religious rites and their services of worship in the [temple] of Hathor mistress of the west and of Maât mistress of the west, with their share of the farm houses. Their details: of what is received in day 5, 5/6 of a day's service; day 17, day 18, half of day 19, which is together 2½ days, in total 3⅓ days; ⅔ of day 24, day 25 and then onwards until the last day of the month, which is together 6⅔ days of service, in total 10 days of service for each subsequent month, which is 120 days of service per year in each subsequent year, with their share of the five epagomenal days,5 with all that pertains to them above. [It is to you that they belong; they are your] 10 days of service each subsequent month, which is 120 days of service in one year, with their share of the five epagomenal days, with all that pertains to them above. I have nothing in the world against you with regard to them subject from today onwards. Anyone who will come against you concerning them in my name or in the name of anyone else, I will make them far from you. If I do not make him far from you, I can be compelled to make him far from you, without delay and without any recourse to law."
Written by Peteesis son of Paes, who writes in the name of the priests of Amonrasonther, [of the gods Adelphoi, of] the gods Euergetai, of the gods Philopatores and of the gods Epiphaneis, of the 5 phyles.
Witnesses:
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