PREFACE

Part I of this volume contains three papyri (4705-7) of Hermas, all dating from the second and third centuries AD: one roll, one recycled roll, one codex. These offer a number of good new readings; and more generally contribute to the arguments about the date and compositional history of the work (4706 apparently contained Visiones Visions III-IV as well as Mandata Commandments).

Part II offers fragments of otherwise unknown Greek poetry. 4708 contains a substantial piece of Archilochus’ Elegies, which tells the early history of Telephus, an extended exemplum example rather than an independent mythological narrative; the new text represents a major advance in our knowledge of the genre. 4709-10 are scraps of verse, the first of lyric (Stesichorus?), the second with musical notation. 4711 preserves elegiacs partly at least concerned with metamorphoses (possibly Parthenius?). 4712-14 come from hexameter poems: 4712 certainly from an Argonautica, perhaps Hellenistic, perhaps later; 4714 with narratives about Lapiths and Centaurs, Cassiepeia and Andromeda, probably of imperial date.

Part III collects papyri of known prose-works. 4715-16 provide rare examples of Lysias being read at Oxyrhynchus: 4715 the end title of the lost Περὶ τῶν ἀνακαλυπτηρίων On the Unveiling Gifts (considered spurious by some ancient critics); 4716 three columns from the transmitted Or. XXI Oration 21. 4717-37 represent one of the most-read orators, Isocrates: these papyri of Ad Nicoclem To Nicocles, Nicocles, and De Pace On the Peace offer a scatter of new readings (mostly variations of word-order) and in general confirm the modern view of the textual tradition, that the systematic divergence between the Urbinas and the ‘vulgate’ postdates the Roman period. 4738 (the back of LXVIII 4666) is the first published papyrus of one of Lucian’s authentic works (Dialogi deorum Dialogues of the Gods).

Part IV includes documents of the Roman period that illustrate the bases of agriculture and transport (land-leases, 4739, 4747, 4753; sales of donkeys, 4746, 4748, 4749?, 4750, 4751, 4752?); a group of customs receipts shows Oxyrhynchites doing business in the Fayum, where one imports donkeys and camels via Dionysias (4740), another exports reeds via Tebtunis (4741-4). From the sixth century come papers referring to the aristocratic landowners who give the period a (deceptively) feudal look: Flavia Maria (4754), Flavius Ioannes (4755), Flavia Anastasia (4756-8).

The contributions of Dr Colomo and Dr Nodar originally formed part of their doctoral theses written at Oxford University; they have been revised for publication by the General Editors. The contributions of Dr Litinas and the late Dr Montserrat originally formed part of their doctoral theses written at University College London; they have been revised for publication by Dr R. A. Coles and Professor J. D. Thomas.

The literary indexes were compiled by the individual editors (4708, 4711, 4714) and by Dr C. Meliadò; Ms P. Strataki and Dr Gonis prepared the documentary indexes.

We are grateful to Dr Jeffrey Dean for typesetting the volume with great skill and patience; and to The Charlesworth Group for their dispatch in the printing and binding. As in past years, we are indebted to the Arts and Humanities Research Board and The British Academy for their support of the project.

April 2005

R. A. COLES
J. R. REA
J. D. THOMAS
Advisory Editors

N. GONIS
D. OBBINK
P. J. PARSONS
General editors