Copy of an official memorandum probably from the dioiketes to probably the oikonomos, giving instructions concerning agriculture, transport, royal revenues and monopolies, official correspondence, and behavior of royal officials.
Translation: (Lines 29 ff.) [You must inspect] … and the water-conduits which run through the fields and from which the peasants are accustomed to lead water on the land cultivated by each of them, and see whether the water-intakes into them have the prescribed depth and whether there is sufficient room in them; and similarly the said cuttings from which the intakes pass into the above-mentioned conduit, whether they have been made strong and the entries into them from the river are thoroughly cleaned and whether in general they are in a sound state. In your tours of inspection try in going from place to place to cheer everybody up and to put them in better heart; and not only should you do this by words but also, if any of them complain of the village scribes or the komarchs about any matter touching agricultural work, you should make inquiry and put a stop to such doings as far as possible. When the sowing has been completed it would be no bad thing if you were to make a careful round of inspection; for thus you will get an accurate view of the sprouting of the crops and will easily notice the lands which are badly sown or are not sown at all, and you will thus know those who have neglected their duty and will become aware if any have used the seed for other purposes. You must regard it as one of your most indispensable duties to see that the nome be sown with the kinds of crops described by the sowing-schedule. And if there be any who are hard pressed by their rents of are completely exhausted you must not leave it unexamined. Make a list of the cattle employed in cultivation, both the royal and the private, and take the utmost possible care that the progeny of the royal cattle, when old enough to eat hay, be consigned to the calf-byres. Take care that the grain in the nomes, with the exception of that expended on the spot for seed and of that which cannot be transported by water, be brought down … It will thus be easy to load the grain on the first ships presenting themselves; and devote yourself to such business in no cursory fashion … Take care also that the prescribed supplies of grain, of which I send you a list, are brought down to Alexandria punctually, not only correct in amount but also tested and fit for use. Visit also the weaving-houses in which the linen is woven, and do your utmost to have the largest possible number of looms in operation, the weavers supplying the full amount of embroidered stuffs prescribed for the nome. If any of them are in arrears with the pieces ordered, let the prices fixed by the ordinance for each kind be exacted from them. Take especial care, too, that the linen is good and has the prescribed number of weft-threads …. Visit also the washing-houses where the flax is washed and make a list, and report so that there may be a supply of kastor-oil and natron for washing. [Book?] always the monthly quantity of pieces of linen in the actual month and the quantity of the next month in the next, in order that the corresponding amounts may be apportioned (?) to the accounts of the treasury and the contractors. If there is any surplus over what is booked in the first month, let the surplus be booked in the next month as part of the monthly quantity. Let all the looms which are idle be transported to the metropolis of the nome, deposited in the store-house, and sealed up. Audit the revenue accounts, if possible, village by village--and we think it not to be impossible, if you devote yourself zealously to the business--, if not, by toparchies, passing in the audit nothing but payments to the bank in the case of money taxes, and in the case of grain dues or oil-bearing produce, only deliveries to the sitologoi. If there be any deficit in these, compel the toparchai and the tax-farmers to pay into the banks, for the arrears in grain the values assigned in the ordinance, for those in oil-bearing produce according to the liquid product for each kind. It behoves you to bestow care on all the points mentioned in the memorandum, but primarily those which refer to the oil-factories. For if you duly give heed to them you will increase not a little the sale in the nome, and the thefts will be stopped. This you would achieve by scrutinizing on each occasion the local factories and the store-houses for the produce both dry and liquid, and by sealing them. Be sure that the amounts delivered to the oil-makers do not exceed what is about to be used in the presses which exist in the factories. Take pains to let all the oil-presses be in operation if possible; or if not, most of them, and keep a close watch as you can on the rest …. The supernumerary implements of those presses which are not in operation must be collected and sealed up in the store-houses. If you are neglectful (?) in this … be sure that besides the payments … you will fall into no ordinary contempt, which you will not be able easily to remove. If you neglect your duty as regards this, [your honor will in no way increase.] Since the revenue from the pasturage dues, too, is one of the most important, it will most readily be increased if you carry out the registration (of cattle) in the best possible way. The most favorable season for one so engaged is about the month of Mesore; for the whole country in this month being covered with water, it happens that cattle-breeders send their flocks to the highest places, being unable to scatter them on other places. See to it, too, that the goods for sale be not sold at prices higher than those prescribed. Make also a careful investigation of those goods which have no fixed prices and on which the dealers may put what prices they like; and after having put a fair surplus on the wares being sold, make the … dispose of them. Take care to inspect the calf-byres also, and do your best to ensure that the grain be supplied in them till the time of the green food, and the quantity prescribed daily be used for the calves, and that the … be delivered regularly in full, both that from the locality and, if they need in addition an imported supply, from the other villages as well. Take care also that of the local trees the planting of the mature ones be done at the right season, namely for willows and mulberry-trees, and that of acacia-trees and tamarisk about the month of Choiak. Of these the rest must be planted on the royal embankments, but the young ones must be planted in beds in order to have all possible attention during the time of watering, and when it is the proper time for planting, then let them … set them on the royal embankments. The guarding of them must be done by the contractors in order that the plants suffer no damage from sheep or any other cause. In your further tours of inspection notice also whether any cut trees are left on the embankments or in the fields and make a list of them. Make also a list of the royal houses and the gardens belonging to them, stating what attention each one of these requires, and report to us. Take care, too, that the matter of the native soldiers be arranged according to the memorandum which we compiled on the men who absconded from their work and the … sailors, in order that … (all?) those men who fall into your hands may be kept together until they are sent to Alexandria. Take particular care that no peculation or any other wrong take place. For every one resident in the country must clearly understand and believe that all acts of this kind have been stopped and that they are freed from the bad conditions of the past, no one having the right to do what he likes, but everything being managed in the best way; you will (thus) make the countryside secure and [will increase] the revenue in no small measure. Now to comprise everything and to deliver it to you in memoranda is not easy, owing to the variety of circumstances in consequence of the present situation. Be careful to see that nothing of what I have ordered in my memorandum is neglected, so far as possible, and likewise inform me concerning contingencies, in order that … For since all our business is necessarily conducted by correspondence … you should arrange for them to write about each of the injunctions sent, if possible …, otherwise certifying the reasons, in order that … and that nothing of what has been specified be neglected … If you act thus, you will fulfill your official duty and your own safety will be assured. But enough now on this subject. I thought it well to write down for you in this memorandum what I told you in sending you to the nome. I considered that your prime duty is to act with peculiar care, honestly, and in the best possible way…; and your next duty is to behave well and be upright in your district, to keep clear of bad company, to avoid all base collusion, to believe that, if you are without reproach in this, you will be held deserving for higher functions, to keep the instructions in your hand, and to report on everything as has been ordered.