Proceedings of a Murder Trial from a Greek Papyrus

Here is an extract from proceedings of a murder trial from a 6th century Greek papyrus (P.Mich. XIII 661 + P.Palau inv. 70). In this papyrus, Theodoros accuses the soldier Menas of murdering his brother Victor. Read the entire report in both Greek and English at the link below. 

Defendant: "The soldier Flavius Menas said: 'I did not murder anyone and I also can prove it [...] The same presbyter feeling nauseous stayed in the church and I in Antaiou (polis), and an abscess came out of the throat of the presbyter and he died thereof.'"

Plaintiff: "Flavius (defending Theodoros) said: 'In the last days of the past month Mesore of the past seventh indiction, the devoted Menas forced my brother Victor, who also is a presbyter, outside and murdered him having shot a piece of wood from a crossbow into his left arm and having (placed) many blows to his stomach from the fifth hour till the evening of the same day. And I lay out against him the appropriate law to me against murderers. And if I shall not prove that he murdered my brother I shall die instead of him.'"

http://www.papyri.info/hgv/36006