Iulius Apollinarius to Iulius Sabinus

Date: March 26, 107 AD, Karanis, province of Egypt.
Language: Greek.
Author: Iulius Apollinarius.
Type of text: private letter.
Content: Letter from Gaius Iulius Apollinarius to his father Sabinus, complaining about his negligence as a correspondent and telling him news from his life in the legion and his hopes of getting an advancement.
Copyright: Advanced Papyrological Information System.

"Iulius Apollinarius to Iulius Sabinus, his dearest father, very many greetings. Before all else, I pray for your good health, which is my wish, since I revere you next to the gods; but this has troubled me, that I have very often written to you through Saturninus the signifer, likewise through Iulianus the son of Longinus and [[through Dios]], and not yet have you answered me concerning your health. But nevertheless, now that you have been asked, do you give your attention necessarily before all else to writing to me concerning your health. A number of times I asked Longinus, who brings you the letter, to take something for you, and he refused, saying that he was unable [to take anything]; but I want you to know that Domitius the armicustos(?) [took a long a basket in which] there was a . . . for you. Things are [going well for me. After] Sarapis [conducted me hither] in safety, while others . . . all day long were cutting building stones and doing other things, until today I endured none of these hardships; but indeed I asked Claudius Severus the consularis to make me a secretary on his own staff and he said, "There is no vacancy, but meanwhile I shall make you a secretary of the legion with hopes of advancement." With this assignment, therefore, I went from the consularis of the legion to the cornicularius. If then, you love me, you will straightway take pains to write me concerning your health and, if you are anxious about me, to send me linen garments through Sempronius, for merchants come to us from Pelusium every day. I shall take pains, as soon as the prefect (of the province?) begins to grant furloughs, to come to you immediately. Volusius Proclus salutes you, as do Longinus Paccius, Valerius Sempronius, Valerius Herma . . ., Iulius Priscus, Apollinarius . . . ion, and all their comrades. Salute Iulia my lady sister, likewise Sarapias and my mother, my grandmother Sambathion, Thermouthis and her children, the father of Paccius, and all your colleagues individually, and those at home. I pray for your good health. The 10th year of Trajan, our lord, Phamenoth 30.
I am grateful to Volusius and Longinus Barbarus. You will tell the firm of Aphrodas, the son of the condiment dealer, that they enrolled me in the cohort at Bostra. It lies 8 days' journey from Petra and . . .
(Verso) . . . soldier . . ."