The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-03

zone who is attending and comforting
| the Emperor who can be none other thar
| Antoninus. The graf antiquity OF the
| papyrus shows that II was written prob
| ably within thirty, certainly sixty. years
| of the Emperor's death 1t may, there
| fore, be an authentic version of letter
of Hadrian.
Among the miscellaneous papers which
have been recovered are tax receipts.
revenue returns, accounts of various
kinds as well as a large number Of pri-
| vate letters. OF the latter the most iu-
| teresting are the bundle of letters of 4
| certain Lucius Bellenus Gamelius, who
owned extensive estates in the neighbour
| hood of Euhemeria, in the Fayoum. The
letters were found in room in house at
/ Kasr-el- Banat. the ancient Euhemeria,
| probably that of Epagathus, to whom most
of them are addressed, and the CORE
| spondence covers period of sixteen
years "a. D. 94-110) The life of this
ancient landowner is set before us with
very full details in these letters. From a
contract dated in \. d. 90 We know that
Gamellus was a soldier discharged from
the Legion and at that time aged sixty
seven, so that from this correspondence
| ii appears that he reached the age of sew
| enty-seven. He had two sons. Sabinus
and Harpocrdtion. and a daughter, of
whom he was very fond. named Gamella
His letters reflect his age. for the hand
writing is very shaky and feeble, and in
some places he employs a scribe. Most
of The letters relate to the management OF
his estates, the olive groves and the
farms. As specimen We may quote the
following: Il blame you greatly for the
loss of the two pigs. owing to the fatigue
of the journey, when you had in the vii
lage ten animals fit for work. Heracli-
das, the donkey driver, shifted the blame
from himself, saying that you told him
to drive the pigs on foot" The meaning
is that, as there were plenty of animals.
the pigs should have been sent in a cart,
of which there were several.
II there was severe side to the char
acter of this old veteran. there was also
tovial one. He never neglects the PUB
lie festivals, or domestic anniversaries.
Thus we read, Buy some presents Tor the
festival of Isis, for those we are accus-
toned to send them to, especially the
strategi." In another, Send ten cocks
from the market for the Saturnalia, and
for Gemella's birthday some delicacies
and white bread Very kindly is
the request, Send twelve drachmas'
worth of fish for the little one's
no doubt, was his grandson, the
child OF Gamella. Such is the story
told by this bundle of old letters, left be-
hind in a deserted house in the early part
of the second century. Many other exam
Piles might be quoted, but. in concluding
mention may be made of curious early
Christian letter. of which few have as yet
been found. II dates from the fourth CEN
fury, and appears TO be addressed to
some Christians who have fed from their
homes: Knowing that you have me TO
aid tyou?) in whatever you may suffer the
Lord helping you Therefore heed no ore
rather than me- and return from where
you are. before some one fetehes you, and
there is no longer grace IN you. 1t is bet
ter for you to be in your homes, whatever
they be, than abroad. / offer many pray
ers for your health
1t is evident that we have reference
to a persecution in this letter. but by
whom it is impossible to say. Such are
some of the results of the arduous and IN
interesting work of papyrus hunting in
the Fayoum. They are well worth the la
Dor; and it is to be hoped the season now
begun may still further increase their
scope