Honors for Markos

Bibliography

† Oliverio, SECir Oliverio, G., Pugliese-Carratelli, G., Morelli, D., 1961-1962, Supplemento Epigrafico Cirenaico, Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente (ASAA)39-40 (= n.s. 23-24), 219-375 - see in bibliography 81 and fig. 68 and Gallavotti, 1963 Gallavotti, C., 1963, Una "defixio" dorica e altri nuovi epigrammi cirenaici, Maia15, 450-463 - see in bibliography , pp. 458-459, whence Robert, Bulletin Épigraphique Robert, J. and L., Bulletin Épigraphique in Revue des Études Grecques (REG)1938-1984 - see in bibliography , 1964.563; Peek, 1972 Peek, W., 1972, Griechische Versinschriften aus der Cyrenaica aus Mauretanien und Numidien, Abhandlungen der sächsichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig, phil.-hist. Klasse, 63.4, Berlin - see in bibliography , n. 8.

Text

Apparatus

1 Gallavotti, 1963 Gallavotti, C., 1963, Una "defixio" dorica e altri nuovi epigrammi cirenaici, Maia15, 450-463 - see in bibliography  [Μ]α[ρ]κον : SECir Oliverio, G., Pugliese-Carratelli, G., Morelli, D., 1961-1962, Supplemento Epigrafico Cirenaico, Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente (ASAA)39-40 (= n.s. 23-24), 219-375 - see in bibliography  [χ'] ἁ̣[γνόν] (Oliverio's reading)

6 Peek, 1972 Peek, W., 1972, Griechische Versinschriften aus der Cyrenaica aus Mauretanien und Numidien, Abhandlungen der sächsichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig, phil.-hist. Klasse, 63.4, Berlin - see in bibliography  θ̣[ύρα]ις : SECir Oliverio, G., Pugliese-Carratelli, G., Morelli, D., 1961-1962, Supplemento Epigrafico Cirenaico, Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente (ASAA)39-40 (= n.s. 23-24), 219-375 - see in bibliography  σ[....] ς : SECir Oliverio, G., Pugliese-Carratelli, G., Morelli, D., 1961-1962, Supplemento Epigrafico Cirenaico, Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente (ASAA)39-40 (= n.s. 23-24), 219-375 - see in bibliography  σ[τήλαι?]ς (Pugliese Carratelli's suggestion, metrically impossible) : Gallavotti, 1963 Gallavotti, C., 1963, Una "defixio" dorica e altri nuovi epigrammi cirenaici, Maia15, 450-463 - see in bibliography  [ἀ]ν̣έ̣γραψα̣ σ[οροῖ]ς

7 [c. 5] Α[..] α : Peek, 1972 Peek, W., 1972, Griechische Versinschriften aus der Cyrenaica aus Mauretanien und Numidien, Abhandlungen der sächsichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig, phil.-hist. Klasse, 63.4, Berlin - see in bibliography  [ᾖ ῥα φἰ]λη[σ]α : SECir Oliverio, G., Pugliese-Carratelli, G., Morelli, D., 1961-1962, Supplemento Epigrafico Cirenaico, Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente (ASAA)39-40 (= n.s. 23-24), 219-375 - see in bibliography  [---] ΛΗ̣[.] α || τε [- max.3 -]  : Peek, 1972 Peek, W., 1972, Griechische Versinschriften aus der Cyrenaica aus Mauretanien und Numidien, Abhandlungen der sächsichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig, phil.-hist. Klasse, 63.4, Berlin - see in bibliography  τέ[κος] : SECir Oliverio, G., Pugliese-Carratelli, G., Morelli, D., 1961-1962, Supplemento Epigrafico Cirenaico, Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente (ASAA)39-40 (= n.s. 23-24), 219-375 - see in bibliography  τ̣έ[κνον]

8 [ὦ] ἄνα, Ι̣ [---]  : Peek, 1972 Peek, W., 1972, Griechische Versinschriften aus der Cyrenaica aus Mauretanien und Numidien, Abhandlungen der sächsichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig, phil.-hist. Klasse, 63.4, Berlin - see in bibliography  [ὦ] ἄνα,[πόλλ]α̣ : SECir Oliverio, G., Pugliese-Carratelli, G., Morelli, D., 1961-1962, Supplemento Epigrafico Cirenaico, Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente (ASAA)39-40 (= n.s. 23-24), 219-375 - see in bibliography  [---] ΑΝΑΙ[---] 

9 [c. 11] ρ̣ι : Peek, 1972 Peek, W., 1972, Griechische Versinschriften aus der Cyrenaica aus Mauretanien und Numidien, Abhandlungen der sächsichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig, phil.-hist. Klasse, 63.4, Berlin - see in bibliography  [νῦν δ' ὅτε χει]ρὶ || Peek, 1972 Peek, W., 1972, Griechische Versinschriften aus der Cyrenaica aus Mauretanien und Numidien, Abhandlungen der sächsichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig, phil.-hist. Klasse, 63.4, Berlin - see in bibliography  ρ̣ι τε̣ὴν [δ]ά̣φνην : SECir Oliverio, G., Pugliese-Carratelli, G., Morelli, D., 1961-1962, Supplemento Epigrafico Cirenaico, Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente (ASAA)39-40 (= n.s. 23-24), 219-375 - see in bibliography  ΡΙΤ[.] ΗΝ [ὄρ]φνην

10 [εὐάρμασιν ἵ]π̣π̣οις : SECir Oliverio, G., Pugliese-Carratelli, G., Morelli, D., 1961-1962, Supplemento Epigrafico Cirenaico, Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni Italiane in Oriente (ASAA)39-40 (= n.s. 23-24), 219-375 - see in bibliography  [---]  [γν]ή̣σιοι Π[---]  : Peek, 1972 Peek, W., 1972, Griechische Versinschriften aus der Cyrenaica aus Mauretanien und Numidien, Abhandlungen der sächsichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig, phil.-hist. Klasse, 63.4, Berlin - see in bibliography  [κρατέων στεφά]νο̣ι̣σ̣ι̣ν̣

French translation

Le célèbre Markos, qui s'épanouit pour ses parents tous deux florissants,

Markianos son père et Kléopatrè qui l'a mis au monde,

j'inscris, moi, son nom ici contre tes portes, ô Apollon.

 [---]  mon cher Markos, ô seigneur,  [---] 

 [---]  le laurier qui t'appartient  [---] 

avec ses chevaux - - - - - -?

English translation

The famous Markos, blossoming for his parents both flourishing,

Markianos his father and Kleopatra who gave him birth,

I write down his name here by your doors, oh Apollo.

 [---]  my dear Markos, oh lord,  [---] 

 [---]  the laurel which belongs to you  [---] 

with his horses - - - - - -?

Italian translation

Il famoso Markos, fiorente per i suoi genitori entrambi prosperi,

Markianos il padre e Kleopatra che lo generò,

ho scritto qui alle tue porte, o Apollo.

 [---]  mio caro Markos, o signore,  [---] 

 [---]  l'alloro che a te appartiene  [---]  con i suoi cavalli - - - - - -?

Arabic translation

ماركوس المشهور، البرعم المُتفتِّق (جالباً) لوالديه ، على حد سواء، النجاح أو الرخاء، ماركيانوس والده وكليوبترا التي ولدته ، اكتب اسمه هنا بجانب أبوابك ، يا أبولو. [---] عزيزي ماركوس ، يا إلهي، [---] [---]الغار (إكليل) الذي هو مِلكٌ لك [---] مع خيوله - - - - - -؟

Commentary

The peristasis of the so-called 'fourth Apollonion' is dated from the second century A.D. (see Stucchi, 1961 Stucchi, S., 1961, Le fase costruttive dell'Apollonion di Cirene, Quaderni di Archeologia della Libya (QAL), 4, 55-81 - see in bibliography , pp. 71-75) and the lettering might be later. The restored position of this drum allows to read the inscription easily, which is not the case for some dedicatory inscriptions cut upon other columns.

As pointed out by J. and L. Robert, Oliverio's and Gallavotti's restorations lead to a funerary interpretation, in contradiction both with the support and with the very words of the poem: designation of Markos as 'flourishing' and address to Apollo. Peek agreed with the Robert on that point.

The adjective ἀμφιθαλής is commonly used for people having both father and mother still living. This meaning is somewhat heavily commented upon by the second part of verse-line 1.

Who is the 'I' at line 3 remains unclear: either an undefined person or one of Markos' friends (cf. φίλον) or his own father (if τέκνον should be restored as Oliverio suggested) or mother (in Peek's view, with a sudden change of person which seems very awkward).

The lost parts of verse-line 4 probably contained the imperative of a verb addressed to Apollo, whereas verse-line 5 probably mentioned a victory for which Markos was celebrated in such a prestigious place. If he was crowned with Apollo's laurel, the event had taken place at Delphi. In this second sentence the subject has changed and seems to be Markos, either after a stop or through the use of a relative pronoun.

This agonistic interpretation is not contradictory with the information gathered from GVCyr037. If by chance the Markos mentioned there is the same man, he would have become priest of Apollo later on, whereas in the present poem he seems to be rather young. However many of Peek's restorations are based upon the idea that Markos is here mentioned as priest of Apollo.

Metrical analysis: in spite of the fragmentary condition of the poem, it is possible to detect its metrical scheme. Verse-lines 1-3 have two hexameters followed by one pentameter. Lines 4 and 5 are hexameters. If a pentameter followed, it should have taken two lines, which would not have both stood on the same drum. However, it is quite plausible that the lower drum (which is lacking) bore the end of the inscription. If by any chance GVCyr037 is the continuation of this one, it does begin with a pentameter. But after it the aforementioned metrical scheme is not followed. Prosody: at line 2 in πατρί the final vowel is taken as long on behalf of the caesura.

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