P.Hibeh I 54: Flutes, Dancers, Food and a Slave in a Ptolemaic Greek Papyrus

Below are the text and image of P.Hibeh I 54 (3rd cent. B.C.E.), a fascinating letter from Demophon to Ptolemaios, extracted from mummy cartonnage. It was edited by Grenfell and Hunt in the first part of the Hibeh Papyri. The recipient is asked to provide a list of goods and musicians for a women's festival. 

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P.Hibeh I 54

"Demophon to Ptolemaios, greetings. By all means send us the flute-player Petous with both the Phrygian and other flutes; and if any expenditure is necessary, pay it and you will be reimbursed by us. Send us also Zenobius the effeminate dancer with the drum and cymbals and castanets, for the women want him for the festival; and let him be dressed as well as possible. Get the kid from Aristion and send it to us. And if you have arrested the slave, hand him over to Semphtheus to bring to us. Send us also as many cheeses as you can, empty jars, vegetables of every sort, and whatever delicacies you have. Farewell. Put them on board with the policemen who will help to bring the boat along." 

Δημοφῶν Πτολεμαίωι χαίρειν. ἀπό[σ-]τειλον ἡμῖν ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου τὸν αὐλητὴν Πετωῦν ἔχοντ[α] τούς τε Φρυγίους αὐλ[ο]ὺς καὶ τοὺς λοιπούς, κ[αὶ] ἐάν τι δέηι ἀνηλῶσαι δός, παρὰ δὲ ἡμ[ῶ]ν κ̣ομι̣ε̣ῖ̣. ἀπόστειλον δὲ ἡμῖν καὶ Ζηνόβιον τὸν μαλακὸν ἔχοντα τύμπανον καὶ κύμβαλα καὶ κρόταλα, χρεία γάρ ἐστι ταῖς γυναιξὶν πρὸς τὴν θυσίαν· ἐχέτω δὲ καὶ ἱματισμὸν ὡς ἀστειότατον. κόμισαι δὲ καὶ τὸν ἔριφον παρὰ Ἀριστίωνος καὶ πέμψον ἡμῖν. καὶ τὸ σῶμα δὲ εἰ συνείληφας παράδος ⟦αυτο⟧ Σεμφθεῖ ὅπως αὐτὸ διακομίσηι ἡμῖν. ἀπόστειλον δὲ ἡμῖν καὶ τύρους ὅσους ἂν δύνηι καὶ κέραμον κα̣[ι]νὸν καὶ λάχανα π[αντ]ο̣δαπὰ καὶ ἐὰν ὄψον τι ἔχ̣η̣ι̣[ς̣(?)] ἔρρ[ωσο.] ἐμβαλοῦ δὲ αὐ̣τ̣ὰ̣ καὶ φυλακίτας οἳ συνδιακομιοῦσιν ⟦α̣⟧ τὸ πλοῖο[ν.]

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