Theon Θέων
boy · Oxyrhynchus, Roman Egypt · 2nd–3rd century
A boy who lived at Oxyrhynchus in Egypt; his father was also called Theon. When his father went off to Alexandria without him he sent a letter in shaky spelling, and that one sheet of papyrus came out of the ancient rubbish heaps of Oxyrhynchus at the end of the nineteenth century. Nothing else is known of his life.
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2nd–3rd century · The boy Theon wrote this when his father left for Alexandria without him. The spelling is full of mistakes and is given as it stands on the papyrus. ⟨ ⟩ marks a word the writer left out, [ ] letters lost to damage and supplied by editors.
A fine thing you did, not taking me with you to the city! If you won't take me with you to Alexandria, I won't write you a letter, I won't speak to you, I won't wish you good health.
καλῶς ἐποίησες οὐκ ἀπενηχες με μετε ἐσοῦ εἰς πόλιν. ἠ οὐ θέλις ἀπενεκκεῖν ⟨με⟩ μετὲ σοῦ εἰς Ἀλεξάνδριαν οὐ μὴ γράψω σε ἐπιστολὴν οὔτε λαλῶ σε οὔτε υἱγενω σε.
Oxyrhynchus Papyri I 119 (P.Oxy. I 119)
2nd–3rd century · The end of the same letter. In the middle of it he reports: “My mother said to Archelaus, ‘He is upsetting me, take him away!’”
So send for me, I beg you. If you don't send, I won't eat, I won't drink. So there!
λυπὸν πέμψον εἴ[ς] με παρακαλῶ σε. ἂμ μὴ πέμψῃς οὐ μὴ φάγω, οὐ μὴ πείνω· ταῦτα.
Oxyrhynchus Papyri I 119 (P.Oxy. I 119)
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