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APIS Translation (English)

[col. I] Registering land in the allotment of Nikanor, father Theon also brought other land under cultivation and farmed it, and he planted this land (i.e. the land in dispute) in vines. But in the time of Sarapion, [l. 5] the rationalis, it happened that this was measured up and was registered in a supplementary report . . . tax assessments . . . But Dioskoros through his son [l. 10] introduced impious libel . . . and even calumny. Yet he agrees that the property was held and farmed by us; but the vineyard he says is unregistered and [l. 15] he thinks he has the right to declare this land. Having openly practiced deception, he has also made himself liable to the charge and it is clear . . . it is unjust to tamper with other people's [l. 20] property . . . [col. II] Narratio: You speak on behalf of Dionysios, ex-protector, and Ammonios, beneficiarius. The opponent (is) Dioskoros or his son Makrobios. Those who tamper with other people's property and who attempt an accusation, [l. 4] both the laws and your own hatred of evil despise. Precisely this Dioskoros will be shown to have done and he is worthy of punishment, as will be clear from the things which are going to be said. When Theon, father of my [l. 8] client and brother of Dionysios, was still living, he registered property in the allotment of Nikanor during the reign of the divine Diocletian and he also purchased other land; and because he was industrious, he went to considerable expense and he planted a part of his land in vines, while the other land [l. 12] he also brought under cultivation in grain and he continued to farm it and to hold possession of it. Much time has passed from then until the present, and the children came into possession after the death of their father. But in those days when Sarapion was holding [l. 16] the office of rationalis and new vineyard was being measured up and father Theon was still alive, it happened that also that land which had been cultivated as vineyard was subjected to measuring and became tax-bearing and [l. 20] was registered in a supplementary report for my clients, and in point of fact they pay the military annonas to the most sacred fiscus for it. But Dioskoros, or his son in his father's name as we just now learned, [l. 24] boldly brings before your grace an utterly libelous charge. Now on the one hand, even he agrees that from the beginning the land was both farmed by us and [col. III] planted in vines, but he lies when he says that it pays no tax and [l. 28] contributes nothing whatever to the most sacred fiscus, since as we said, even the part planted by us in vines was subsequently measured up by the censitor who was sent out and it became taxpaying. But he demanded that the things [l. 32] granted by them and improved be surrendered to him, which no law ever permits. Since it is not at all fitting to tamper with other people's properties, whether these are based on claims more or less founded, [l. 36] but since the laws confirm those who have worked hard, and since he wanted to introduce a libelous charge also he openly acknowledged that these were held and farmed by us, we request on the one hand that nothing be changed and that the indictment [l. 40] which he deceitfully invented accomplish nothing, and on the other hand he be produced (in court) through your office as one who stands liable to the charge by reason of the claims that they submitted. If he should say that "You agree that the land is unregistered," [l. 44] we shall say that it is he who says that the vineyard is unregistered. For we declare that since new vineyard land was measured at that time, this land was both submitted to survey long ago and pays the taxes required by the fiscus. Even if [l. 48] the censitor who may be sent out should find, when he has done his measuring, that a bit more has been improved by us, we do not then beg off from both registering and paying in full the sacred taxes in the same way as the province does. Meanwhile then, since he is introducing a malicious practice [col. IV] [l. 52] and so to speak to outright calumny which the laws and our lords hate, [l. 56] we beg you to order that his attempt be without result for him and that the countercharges brought by him accomplish nothing.