Μαχάται ἐπιστάτηι Τάνεως παρ’ Ὀννώφριος ἐνταφιαστοῦ τῶν ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς κώμης.
τεχθέντων τινῶν αἰλουρίων ἐν τῆι οἰκήσει μου καὶ τῆς μητρὸς μὴ παραγινομένης πρὸς αὐτὰ παραγενηθεὶς εἰς τὸ Βουβαστεῖον ἠξίουν τοὺς σώμφεις παραγεναμένους μετενέγκαι εἰς τὸ Βουβαστεῖον.
οὐ παραγινομένων δὲ, ἀλλὰ παραφερόντων συνέβη τρεφομένων ὑπὸ μοῦ γάλακτι ἐν οἰκίᾳ ἁρπαγῆναι ὑπὸ αἰλούρου ἄρσενος καὶ καταφέρεσθαι ἐκ τῆς οἰκήσεως εἰς τὴν πλατεῖαν.
ἐπικαταδραμόντος δὲ μοῦ καὶ βοῶντος τοῖς παροῦσι καὶ ἀκούουσιν ἐπιβοηθεῖν, οὕτως περιστάντες μόλις ἓν αἰλούριον ἀφειλόμεθα, παρόντος τοῖς συμβοηθήσασι καὶ Φάσιτος τοῦ κωμογραμματέως, ὧι καὶ ἐπέδειξα ἐπιμαρτυρόμενος καὶ τὰ συμβάντα.
οὐκ ἔχων δὲ ὃ ποιήσω διὰ τὸ καὶ σὲ πυνθάνεσθαι ἔκδημον εἶναι καὶ μὴ δύνασθαί με ἐν τῆι δὲ τῆι κώμηι ὀπτάζεσθαι διὰ τὸ περὶ ἐμὲ ἐπιτήδευμα τῆι κβ τοῦ ἐνεστῶτος μηνὸς, καὶ ἐνέγκας πρὸ τῆς θύρας τοῦ Βουβαστεῖου ἐχαρισάμην, ἀξιῶν εἰσκομίσαι τοὺς σώμφεις, οὐ δυνάμενος εἰσελθεῖν.
ἵνα οὖν μὴ ἐξ ὑστέρου κακοηθευσαμένων τινῶν συκοφαντῶμαι παρὰ τὸ καλῶς ἔχον, ἀξιῶ σε δεόμενος ἕκαστα τούτων καθυπογραψάμενον …
τούτου δὲ γενομένου τεύξομαι τῆς παρὰ σοῦ ἀντιλήψεως.
ἔτους γ Φαρμοῦθι κβ
Note: The source contains repeated/variant spellings (e.g., Βουβαστεῖον/Βουβαστῖον; συμβοηθήσασι/συμβοηθείσασι; ἐχαρισάμην/ἐχαρεισάμην) and at least one damaged/unclear stretch after “καθυπογραψάμενον …”. I have normalized minimally and omitted the illegible fragment.
None detected.
To Machatas, superintendent of Taneos, from Onnophris, embalmer, one of those from the same village.
When some kittens were born in my dwelling and my mother was not coming to them, I went to the Bubasteion and was asking that the sōmpheis (temple personnel/attendants) who came should transfer them to the Bubasteion.
But since they did not come, and instead were delaying/neglecting it, it happened that, while they were being fed by me with milk in the house, they were snatched by a male cat and carried out of the dwelling into the street.
When I ran after it and shouted to those present and within hearing to come to help, then, after gathering around, we barely managed to take away one kitten, with those who helped being present, and also Phasitos the village scribe, to whom I also pointed it out, calling him as witness to what had happened.
And since I did not know what to do—because you too were said to be away from home, and because I am not able to appear in the village on account of the affair concerning me on the 22nd of the present month—after carrying it to the door of the Bubasteion I handed it over as a gift, requesting that the sōmpheis bring it inside, since I was not able to enter.
Therefore, so that later, if certain people act maliciously, I may not be falsely accused contrary to what is proper, I ask you, begging you, to sign/endorse each of these matters …
And when this has been done, I shall obtain assistance from you.
Year 3, Pharmouthi 22.
Note on “σώμφεις”: the term is not standard Classical Greek; in papyri it can denote local temple staff/attendants. The translation reflects the likely administrative/temple context of the Bubasteion.