Introduction
These fragments are carefully written in a handsome upright uncial script, probably from the second century (which bears a strong resemblance to the hand of the famous London Bacchylides papyrus, but the formation of the omega is different), though a corrector’s hand has been noted at lines 20 and 34. The fragments appear to have been deliberately cut due to the clear, straight edges. The top margin of Frag 3 is deep, which is consistent with the fine hand, and the verso of each fragment has been left blank. Frag 1 has paragraphoi, which appear to be from the original scribe, however they are conspicuously absent from Frag 3.
DCLP transcription: 60017 [xml]
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1α ξύλα·[·] ἐ[πεὰν δὲ τῶι τρό-]
——
πωι τού[τωι ναυπηγή-]
σωνται, [ζυγὰ ἐπιπολῆς]
τίνουσι [αὐτῶν· νομεῦ-]
5σι δὲ οὐδ[ὲν χρέωνται· ἔ-]
σωθεν δ[ὲ τὰς ἁρμονίας]
ἐν ὦν ἐ[πάκτωσαν τῆι]
βύβλωι˙ π[ηδάλιον δὲ ἓν]
——
ποιεόντ[αι](*) [καὶ τοῦτο δι-]
10ὰ τῆς τρό[πιος διαβύνε-]
ται· ἱ(*)στῶ[ι δὲ ἀκανθίνωι]
χρέωντα[ι, ἱστίοισι δὲ]
βυβλίνοι[σι.]
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—— fragment 2
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14[ὑπό Πέρσ]ηισί ἐστι [Α]ἴ̣[γ]υ̣[πτος,]
15[ἡ δὲ ἑτέρη] δοκέει μοι πό-
[λις](*) [τὸ οὔν]ομα σχεῖν(*) ἀπὸ
[τοῦ Δανα]οῦ γαμβροῦ Ἀρ-
[χάνδρου] τοῦ Φθίου· τοῦ
[Ἀχαιοῦ. κα]λέεται γὰρ δὴ
20[Ἀρχάνδρο]υ πόλις εἴ\η/ δ’ ἂν
[καὶ ἄλλος τ]ις Ἄρχανδρος˙
[οὐ μέντοι] Αἰγύπτιόν γε(*)
[τὸ οὔνομα]˙ μέχρι μὲν
[τούτου ὄψι]ς τε ἐμὴ· καὶ
25[γνώμη κ]αὶ ἱ(*)στορίη(*)ι fragment 3
ποιῆσαι τὸν Σέσω[στριν,]
καὶ δύο μὲν τῶν π[αίδων]
κατακαῆναι τρόπ[ωι τοι-]
ούτωι˙ τοὺς δὲ λοιπ[οὺς ἀ-]
30ποσωθῆναι ἅμα τ[ῶι πα-]
τρί· νοστήσας δὲ ὁ [Σέσω-]
στρις ἐς τὴν Αἴγυπ[τον]
⤚
καὶ τισάμενος (*) τὸν [ἀδελ-]
φ\ε/όν, τῶ\ι/ μὲν ὁμίλω\ι/[ -ca.?- ]
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Apparatus
^ 1.8. βυβλωι˙ papyrus
^ 1.9. ποιεῦνται MSS.
^ 1.10-11. |ται· papyrus
^ 1.11. ϊστω[ι papyrus
^ 2.15-16. πόλις δοκέει μοι MSS.
^ 2.16. ἔχειν MSS.
^ 2.18. φθιου· papyrus
^ 2.21. αρχανδροσ˙ papyrus
^ 2.22. γε Αἰγύπτιον Ad, Gronovius
^ 2.23. ουνομα]˙ papyrus
^ 2.24. εμη· papyrus
^ 2.25. ϊστοριη(*)ι papyrus
^ 2.25. Text canceled with slashes
^ 3.28-29. |ουτωι˙ papyrus
^ 3.30-31. |τρι· papyrus
^ 3.33. τεισάμενος MSS., Hude
Editorial History; All History; (detailed)
© Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Notes
- ξύλα.
D supports this reading of the papyrus, and it is what Wilson thinks is the most likely choice. However, little remains of the first letter of this word on the papyrus, and so it is at least possible that ζυγὰ could be the correct reading. A middot as been added after the alpha as the most likely reconstruction due to the paragraphos and the space beteen the alpha and epsilon.
- .
Lloyd notes that though no pharaonic source attests to the use of papyrus for sails, it is nevertheless still possible.
- η.
Correction is in a different hand
- Σέσωστριν.
Herodotus' Sesostris is probably to be identified with one of the three kings of the twelfth dynasty that bear the name Senusret. This is also the Sesostris mentioned by Manetho (Fr. 34-36) as being the third king of the 12th dynasty, for whom he records a 48 year reign, and Diodorus Siculus’ Sesoösis (I.53). Though Sesostris should be read as a legendary figure by Herodotus’ time, based on the length of his reign and that he appears to have been succeeded by Amenemhet III, the most likely conclusion is that Herodotus’ Sesostris is a combination of Senusret II and III. Manetho and Diodorus provide a similar picture of Sesostris the conqueror, and Diodorus also tells the story about his brother and the fire (I. 57.6), albeit with a different ending.
- 29.
It is possible this stop is a later addition
- 31.
Manetho makes no mention of this story, and Diodorus' version (I. 57.7) ends differently: ὁ δὲ Σεσόωσις ἀμφοτέρας τὰς χεῖρας ἀνατείνας καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς σωτηρίας τῶν τε παίδων καὶ τῆς γυναικὸς τοῖς θεοῖς εὐξάμενος διεξέπεσε διὰ τῆς φλογός.
- 34.
Corrections are in a different hand