7/31/2019 Oxyrhynchus Papyrus III 466 (P. Oxy. III,466) English Translation by Michael B. Poliakoff

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Oxyrhynchus Papyrus III 466 (P. Oxy. III,466)

English Translation by Michael B. Poliakoff

Papyrus Oxyrhynchus III 466 (P. Oxy. III,466) is a fragmentary 2nd century Greek papyrus

manuscript containing instructions for wrestling, including the description of various grips and

holds, constituting the earliest European martial arts manual.

You stand up to his side, attack with your foot and tangle.

You throw him. You stand up and turn around. You tangle.

You throw him. You sweep and knock his foot out. Stand to the side of your opponent and with

your right arm take a headlock and tangle.

You take a hold around him. You get under his hold. You step through and tangle.

You underhook with your right arm. You wrap your arm around his, where he has taken the

underhook, and attack the side with your left foot. You push away with your left hand. You force

the hold and tangle.

You turn around. You tangle with a grip on both sides.

You throw your foot forward. You take a hold around his body. You step forward and force his

head back. You face him and bend back and throw yourself into him, bracing your foot...

Each instruction is followed by plexon () "tangle", translated by Miller (2004) as "mix it

up!" (in the sense of "execute!"). Poliakoff (1987) translates "you fight it out".

Samurai Chef (2012) translates it as and fight! as in when people say lets tangle! when they

want to fight but here its more in a sparring sense.

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