1243. Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica iii. Find an explanation of the colors displayed in the Greek text here.
11.6 x 7.5 cm.	Second century.
These few lines [iii.1055-1063] from the bottom of a column are written in an informal uncial script very similar to that of 841 A-B (P. Oxy. V, Plates i-ii), and no doubt of about the same period; it is likely to fall well within the second century. Stops in the high position are used, and accents, breathings, and marks of elision have been freely inserted, apparently by a diorthotes who has made corrections in l. 1062, and whose ink in comparison with that of the text is of a rather stronger black. An otherwise unrecorded variant occurs in l. 1058. As in 841, the literary text is on the verso of the papyrus; the recto contains the ends of a few lines apparently from a second-century survey-list.
.       .       .       .       .        σπειρομενων οφιος δνοφὲρην επι βωλον οδοντων αι κεν ορινομενους πολεας νειοιο δοκευσης λαθρη λᾶαν αφες στιβαρωτερον· οι δ αν επ αυτω καρχαλέαι κυνες ὥστε περι βρώμης ολεκοιεν αλληλους και δ᾽ αυτος επειγεο δηϊοτητος ιθυσαι το δε κωας ες Ελλαδα τοῖο γ᾽ εκητι οισεαι εξ Αιης τηλοῦ ποθι·  νέισεο δ᾽ εμπης                            α ηι φιλον ή τοι ἐάνδεν εφορμηθεντι νεεσθαι ως αρ εφη και σῖγα ποδῶν παρος οσσε βαλουσα
[1055] ' . . . when the serpent's teeth are sown on the dusky clods, if thou markest them uprising in throngs from the fallow, cast unseen among them a massy stone; and they over it, like ravening hounds over their food, will slay one another; and do thou thyself hasten to rush to the battle-strife, and the fleece thereupon thou shalt bear far away from Aea; nevertheless, depart wherever thou wilt, or thy pleasure takes thee, when thou hast gone thence. [1063] Thus she spake, and cast her eyes to her feet in silence . . .' (Source: Apollonius Rhodius, The Argonautica with an English translation by R. C. Seaton, Loeb Classical Library (London: Heinemann, 1912)
1058. καρχαλ]εαι: καρχαλέοι MSS., καρχαρέοι Et. Mag. 493. 1. The rough breathing and accent on the two omegas are probable, but not quite certain. 1059. ι of δηιο[τητος is likely joined to the preceding η by a diagonal stroke, which is not easily accounted for. It is hardly likely that διν was first written. 1060. There is a spot of ink, perhaps accidental, at the top of a hole in the papyrus between ο and γ of τοιο γ. 1061. νεισεο is also the spelling of Laur. Guelf. 1062. ή: so Laur. Vatt., Merkel; ᾗ Vrat. Pariss., εἰ Guelf. vulg. ν of εανδεν was deleted by the corrector who substituted α for ε in αφορμηθεν[τι.