the imitation hypothesis 201
for what was agreed on (but which is not further stated in the letter) in
Bgu III 814.26 with Bl8 I 69 (III ce), a rush mat and two bags in sB XXII
15378.3–7 (mid II ce), clothes which should be given to a third person in
p.warr. 18.25–26 (III ce) and money in sB XX 14330.3–7 (III–IV ce). The
plural ἐρωτῶμεν representing the entire household is particularly note-
worthy in p.mich. VIII 481 (early II ce), a letter from Terentianus to his
sister Tasucharion, asking his father for—most likely—asparagus.
recommendations and requests to take care of certain people are
also part of the everyday sphere. examples with ἐρωτῶ can be found in
p.col. VIII 211.9–11 (february 16, 6 ce), p.oxy. IV 787 (april 6, 16 ce),
p.herm. 1.3–5 with Bl VIII 149 (I ce), sB VI 9636.7–11 (135–136 ce), sB VI
9564.4–6 (I ce).9 In p.mich. VIII 487.11–13 apollinarius asks his brother
sempronius to support a certain eros for a safe return back home.
further examples arising from everyday matters are the request to stick
to a bargain in p.oxy. IV 745.7–8 (ca. I ce) and the request to settle a cer-
tain matter quickly in p.Tebt. II 410.11–12 (november 13, 16 ce). In o.krok. I
95.2 (ca. 108–115 ce) the sender asks a certain proklos for support in his
attempt to be transferred to a different position. In p.mich VIII 498.17–19
(II ce) gemellus asks his brother apollinarios to inform a certain rufus.10
The letter o.claud. I 152 (ca. 100–120 ce) to heras contains a request for
hermogenes to do everything that is asked by the sister of the sender. all
the other recipients of the letter are asked to support hermogenes with
his task—ll. 8–11: ἐρωτῶ δὲ Ἑρμογέ[νην] | καὶ πάντες (l. πάντας) ὑμᾶς ἵνα
αὐτὸν [βοη]θ̣ή|σητε ἵνα ὃ ἂν αὐτο�̣ν̣ ἐρ[ωτᾷ] | ἡ ἀδελφή μου ποιήσ̣ῃ.
The following examples of private letters contain requests with ἐρωτῶ
for legal matters. dionysia asks panechotes to be her witness in p.wash.
univ. II 106.5 ( January 13, 18 bce)—τὸ λοιπὸν ἐρωτῶ σε εἵνα μαρτυρίαν διὰ
στρατηγοῦ δώσις (l. δώσῃς) (“after all I beg you to give witness through
the strateg0s”). This request is emphasized by dionysia’s request not to
forget her and to send her word as soon as possible—ll. 7–8: ἐρωτῶ σε ἵνα
μὴ | ἀμελήσῃς κὲ (l. καὶ) φάσιν μοι ἀποστίλῃς (l. ἀποστείλῃς) τὴν ταχίστην.
8 Bl refers to Berichtigungsliste der Griechischen Papyrusurkunden aus Ägypten
(vol. I–XII; ed. friedrich preisigke et al. Berlin et al.: Brill et al., 1922–2009).
9 for the more popular παρακαλῶ in letters of recommendation see peter arzt-grabner,
Philemon (pknT 1; göttingen: Vandenhoeck & ruprecht, 2003), 194. for letters of introduc-
tion see clinton w. keyes, “The greek letter of Introduction,” AJP 56 (1935): 28–44, and
John l. white, “The greek documentary letter Tradition Third century B.c.e. to Third
century c.e.,” Semeia 22 (1981): 88–90.
10 cf. sB XXIV 16337.3–5 (98–102 ce), where herakleides asks for further information
on certain matters.