Regulation about ritual vases with list

IGCyr016800

Trismegistos ID: 6002

Source Description

Repository

Cyrene Museum, 31.

Support

Three pieces of a white marble slantering stele: the main fragment (b) re-cut on top for a later use in a curved and moulded shape, broken off below, chipped off at both sides and partly hammered off on the inscribed face (0.51-0.54; 0.8;0.22); . one small non-adjacent fragment (a) from the left edge of an upper part otherwise lost (0.04; 0.05;0.22); and one small fragment (c) adjacent to the left side of (b) (0.04; 0.13;0.22).

Layout

Inscribed on whole width at lines a.1-2 and b.1-13; inscribed on two columns from line 14 on.

Letters

0.014, but at lines 47 and 48 of column ii 0.013; carefully cut with serifs, sigma with parallel outer bars, rho with small loop, wide eta.

Place of Origin

Findspot.

Date

Probably second half of second century B.C. (lettering)

Findspot

Fragment b: found in 1925 at Cyrene : Sanctuary of Apollo, near the Temple of Apollo .

Findspot

Fragments a and c: found in 1928 at Cyrene : pronaos of the Temple of Hekate .

Last recorded Location

Fragment b only: seen by C. Dobias-Lalou in 1979 in Shahat : Cyrene Museum .

Text constituted from

Transcription from stone (partially) and from previous editors (CDL).

Bibliography

Ferri, 1925 , pp. 32-3, n. 6 (fragment b); Oliverio, 1930 , p. 207 n. 30 (loose fragments a and c); Oliverio, 1933-1936 , pp. 277-281, n. 548 (whole inscription), whence SEG , 9.73; Wilhelm, 1951 , pp. 83-87, whence SEG , 13.618; Sokolowski, 1962 , pp. 199-200, n. 117, whence SEG , 20.720. Cf. Laronde, 1987 , p. 424; Marquaille, 2003 , and Dobias-Lalou, Bulletin Épigraphique , 2005.620, whence SEG , 53.2028.

Text

fragment a
- - - - - - ἱερ[εὺς ---]  στ̣[---]  - - - - - -
fragment b+c
- - - - - - [---]  [πρὸ]ς τὴν ἄνυ[σιν? π]λὴν ἐν τῶι Ἀπολλωνι{εί}ωι κατὰ τὰς ἀγομέ[νας ἐ]πισήμους ἡμέρας τῶι θεῶι καὶ ὅταν ἡ πό̣[λις σ]υνάγηι στοὰν ἢ περίλ<ο?>υσιν, ἢ̣ [ἐν τ]ῶι πρυταν̣[είωι αἱ] 5[σ]υναρχίαι ἑστιῶνται, ἀ̣[γγεῖον? μηθε]νὶ διδό[ναι μ]ηθένα. Μηδὲ ἔξ[ω σκεύη φέρειν ἢ] λαμβά[νειν μ]ήτε πόλιν μήτε ἄ̣[λλον ἄρχοντα] τῶν ὄν[των μή]τε ἰδιώτην, μηδὲ [καταχρῆσθαι] δ̣όλωι (vac. 2) ἢ ἀπάτηι ἢ ἄλληι πα[ρευρέσει ἡιτινι]οῦν. (vac. 4) 10Ἐὰν δέ τις παρὰ τα[ῦτα ποιῆι], [ἱεροσ]υλίαι (vac. 2), ἔνοχος ἔσται κ̣[ακά τε ἀπαντή]σει. (vac. 2) αὐτῶι ὅσα καὶ τοῖ[ς ἀσεβήσασι] τὰ μέγ[ιστα]· ἔστιν δὲ ποτήρ[ια]  [c. 2 - 5]  [c. 2 - 5κότ]υλα
column i
ὧν ἕν, ὁλκῆς 𐅂 (δραχμῶν)  [- max.3 -]  15[ἄ]λλο 𐅂 (δραχμῶν)  [- max.3 -]  [ἄ]λλο [𐅂 (δραχμῶν)]  [- max.3 -]  [ἄ]λλο [𐅂 (δραχμῶν)]  [- max.3 -]  [ἄ]λλο [𐅂 (δραχμῶν)]  [- max.3 -]  [ἄ]λλο [𐅂 (δραχμῶν)]  [- max.3 -]  20[ἄ]λλο 𐅂̣ (δραχμῶν)  [- max.3 -]  [ἄ]λλο 𐅂̣ (δραχμῶν)  [- max.3 -]  [ἄ]λλο 𐅂̣ (δραχμῶν)  [- max.3 -]  [ἄ]λλο [𐅂 (δραχμῶν)]  [- max.3 -]  [ἄ]λλο [𐅂 (δραχμῶν)]  [- max.3 -]  25[ἄ]λλ[ο 𐅂 (δραχμῶν)]  [- max.3 -]  (vac. 1 line) [ὄσ]τρακο[ν καιν-ὸ?]ν̣ ἕν, ὁ[λκῆς 𐅂 (δραχμῶν)]  [- max.3 -]  [ἄ]λλ[ο 𐅂 (δραχμῶν)] [- max.3 -]  [ἄ]λλ[ο 𐅂 (δραχμῶν)] [- max.3 -]  30[ἄ]λλ[ο 𐅂 (δραχμῶν)] [- max.3 -]  [ἄ]λλο [𐅂 (δραχμῶν)] [- max.3 -]  [ἄ]λλ[ο 𐅂 (δραχμῶν)] [- max.3 -]  - - - - - -
column ii
[---]  𐅂 (δραχμῶν) ρλη´ [---]  ρλθ´ 35 [---]  ρμ´ [- max.1 -]  [---]  ρλ´ [- max.1 -]  [---]  ρμ´ [- max.1 -]  [---]  ρλη´ [---]  + 40 [---]  δ´ [---]  ϙ´ [- max.1 -]  [---]  ϙ´ [- max.1 -]  - - - - - - [---]  π´ [- max.1 -]  (vac. 1 line) 45δ̣ικότυ[λα] (vac.) [c. 1 - 2]  [- max.15 -]  ΛΙΕΙΟΣ+  [- max.15 -]  [δικό]τυλοι· ( vac. ) [εἷς ὁλκῆς] 𐅂 (δραχμῶν) τϙ´ 50[ἄλλος] το´ [ἄλλος]  [- max.2 -]  β´ - - - - - - -

Apparatus

Fragm. b+c:

3 Ferri, 1925 , Oliverio, 1933-1936  πό̣[λις] : Sokolowski, 1962  πο̣[λιτεία]

4 περίλ<ο?>υσιν : Ferri, 1925 , Oliverio, 1933-1936  περίλυσιν

5 ἀ̣[γγεῖον? μηθε]νὶ διδό[ναι] : Ferri, 1925  Μ[ὴ ἐξέστω μηθε]νὶ διδό[ναι] : Oliverio, 1933-1936  Μ[ὴ ἐξέστω μηθε]νὶ διδό[ναι] : Sokolowski, 1962  M[ηθὲν δὲ μηθε]νὶ διδό[ναι]

6 μηδὲ ἔξ[ω σκεύη φέρειν ἢ] λαμβά[νειν] : Ferri, 1925  μηδὲ ἐξ[εῖναι μηθένα] λαμβά[νειν] : Oliverio, 1933-1936  μηδὲ ἐξ[έστω σκεύη ἰδίαι] λαμβά[νειν] : Sokolowski, 1962  μηδὲ ἔξ[ω σκεύη φέρειν ἢ ἰδίαι] λαμβά[νειν]

7 μήτε ἄ̣[λλον ἄρχοντα] τῶν ὄν[των] : Ferri, 1925  μήτε [ἄρχοντα μηθὲν ἐκ τ]ῶν ὄν[των] : Oliverio, 1933-1936  μήτε ἄ̣[λλον τινὰ ἄρχοντα] τῶν ὄν[των] : Sokolowski, 1962  μήτε ἄ[ρχοντα ἐξ ἁπάντων] τῶν ὄν[των]

8 Ferri, 1925  μηδὲ [καταχρῆσθαι] δ̣όλωι : Oliverio, 1933-1936  μὴδε̣ [χρῆσαι μηθενὶ] δ̣όλωι (the active form χρῆσαι is inconsistent with the complement at the dative case) || (vac. 2) : Ferri, 1925 , Oliverio, 1933-1936  [τινὶ]

10 Wilhelm, 1951  Ἐὰν δέ τις παρὰ τα[ῦτα ποιῆι, ἱεροσ]υλίαι : Ferri, 1925  [Ἐὰ]ν δέ τις παρὰ τα[ῦτα τὰν ἱεροσ]υλίαν [ἄγηι] : Oliverio, 1933-1936  Ἐὰν δέ τις παρὰ τα̣[ῦτα ἐπὶ τὴν ἱεροσ]υλίαν [ἴηι]

11 Wilhelm, 1951  ἔνοχος ἔσται [κακά τε ἀπαντή]σει. (vac. 2) : Ferri, 1925  ἔνοχος ἔσται [τῆι ἱαρᾶι ζημιώ]σει (vac. 2) [ἐν τῶι] : Oliverio, 1933-1936  ἔνοχος ἔσται π̣[άσηι ἱερᾶι ζημιώ]σει (vac. 2)

12 Wilhelm, 1951  αὐτῶι ὅσα καὶ τοῖ[ς ἀσεβήσασι] τὰ μέγ[ιστα] : Ferri, 1925  [ἀδύ]τωι ὅσα καὶ τὸ [c. 6]  [δίω]τα μεγ[άλα] : Oliverio, 1933-1936  Αὐτῶι ὅσα καὶ τὸ π̣[έρυσιν ὑπάρχον]τα μεγ[άλα]

13 ἔστιν δὲ ποτήρ[ια]  [c. 2 - 5]  [c. 2 - 5κότ]υλα : Wilhelm, 1951  ἔστιν δὲ ποτήρ[ια ---]  [δικότ?]υλα (Wilhelm was the first one who extended line 13 on the whole width of the stone)

13-14 Ferri, 1925 , Oliverio, 1933-1936   (reading together ll. 13-14 as already divided in two columns) ποτήρ[ι]|ον ἕν ὁλκῆς (column i) [στρόγγ]υλα | [---]  𐅂(δραχμῶν) ρλη´ (column ii)

25a Oliverio, 1933-1936  (vac. 1 line) : Ferri, 1925 , SEG 9  (omitted)

39 + (only a vertical stroke survives from a unique numeral character, to be read either β´, γ´, ε´, η´ or ι´) : Oliverio, 1933-1936  υ̣[.] 

44a Oliverio, 1933-1936  (vac. 1 line) : Ferri, 1925 , SEG 9  (omitted)

46 Oliverio, 1933-1936  (vac.) [c. 1 - 2] : Ferri, 1925  (line omitted) : SEG 9  [------]  

47  [- max.15 -]  ΛΙΕΙΟΣ+ : Ferri, 1925 , SEG 9  [Διὶ?] + [πο]λιεῖ ὅσα̣ : Oliverio, 1933-1936  [---] λιεῖ ὅσα̣

49 Ferri, 1925  [εἷς ὁλκῆς] : Oliverio, 1933-1936  [---] 

50 Ferri, 1925  [ἄλλος] : Oliverio, 1933-1936  [---] 

51 Ferri, 1925  [ἄλλος]  [- max.2 -] β : Oliverio, 1933-1936  [---]  ΑΒ

French translation

fragment a

 [---]  le prêtre  [---] 

fragment b+c

 [---]  dans un souci d'[efficacité?], si ce n'est dans le sanctuaire d'Apollon lors des jours de fêtes en l'honneur du dieu et lorsque la cité convoque une réunion au portique ou organise une purification (?) ou que les magistrats mangent au prytanée, que personne ne fournisse aucun vase à quiconque. Qu'aucun récipient ne soit emporté à l'extérieur ni accepté, ni par la cité, ni au reste par aucun magistrat en fonction, ni par un particulier et qu'on ne s'en serve pas à la faveur d'une ruse, d'une tromperie ou d'un prétexte quel qu'il soit. Si quelqu'un agit contre ces règles, il sera coupable de sacrilège et exposé à tous les pires malheurs qui frappent les impies. Il y a  [---]  des vases à boire d'une contenance de  [---]  cotyles,

column i

(14) dont un d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes;(20) un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; (25) un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; un vase en terre cuite neuf d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; (30) un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes; un autre d'un poids de  [---]  drachmes;  [---] ;

column ii

(33) [---]  [d'un poids de] 138 drachmes;  [---]  d'un poids de 139 drachmes;  [---]  d'un poids d'au moins 140 drachmes;  [---]  d'un poids d'au moins 130 drachmes;  [---]  d'un poids de 138 drachmes;  [---]  d'un poids de 1 à 10 drachmes; (40)  [---]  d'un poids de  [---]  4 drachmes;  [---]  d'un poids de  [---] , plus de 90 drachmes;  [---]  d'un poids de  [---]  plus de 90 drachmes; [------]    [---]  d'un poids de plus de 80 drachmes; (45)  [---]  de deux cotyles  [---] ; (vac. 1 line). [------]    [---]  de deux cotyles: [un d'un poids de] 390 drachmes; (50) un autre de 370 drachmes; un autre d'au moins 2 drachmes,  [---] .

English translation

fragment a

 [---]  the priest  [---] 

fragment b+c

 [---]  aiming at [efficiency?], except in Apollo's sanctuary during the usual holidays in honor of the god and whenever the city summons for a meeting in the portico or for a purification (?) or whenever the magistrates are eating in the prytaneion , nobody should provide any vase to anyone. No vessel should be taken outside nor received, either by the city or generally speaking by any magistrate on duty or by a private person and nobody should use it by whatever trick, deceit or pretext. If anyone should act against these rules, he will be guilty of sacrilege and should endure the worst calamities that hit impious men. There are  [---]  drinking vases of  [---]  cotyles,

column i

(14) amongst which one, weight  [---]  drachmas; another, weight  [---]  drachmas; another, weight  [---]  drachmas; another, weight  [---]  drachmas; another, weight  [---]  drachmas; another, weight  [---]  drachmas; (20) another, weight  [---]  drachmas; another, weight  [---]  drachmas; another, weight  [---]  drachmas; another, weight  [---]  drachmas; another, weight  [---]  drachmas; (25) another, weight  [---]  drachmas; a terracotta new vase, weight  [---]  drachmas; another, weight  [---]  drachmas; another, weight  [---]  drachmas; another, weight  [---]  drachmas; (30) another, weight  [---]  drachmas; another, weight  [---]  drachmas;  [---] ;

column ii

(33)  [---]  [weight] 138 drachmas;  [---]  139 drachmas;  [---]  [weight] at least 140 drachmas;  [---]  [weight] at least 130 drachmas;  [---]  [weight] at least 140 drachmas;  [---]  [weight] 138 drachmas;  [---]   [---]  [weight] 1 to 10 drachmas; (40)  [---]  [weight]  [---] 4 drachmas;  [---]  [weight] at least 90 drachmas;  [---]  [weight] at least 90 drachmas; [------]   ,  [---] , [weight] at least 80 drachmas; (45)  [---]  of two cotyles,  [---] ; (vac. 1 line). [------]    [---]  of two cotyles: [one, weight] 390 drachmas; (50) another, weight 370 drachmas; another, weight  [---] 2 drachmas,  [---] .

Italian translation

fragment a

 [---]  il sacerdote  [---] 

fragment b+c

 [---]  in vista della [efficienza?], tranne che nel santuario di Apollo durante i giorni di festa in onore del dio e quando la città convochi una riunione nel portico o organizzi una purificazione (?) o quando i magistrati stiano mangiando nel prytaneion , nessuno fornisca alcuna coppa a nessuno. Che nessun recipiente sia portato fuori o preso, né dalla città né del resto da alcun magistrato in funzione né da un privato e che nessuno lo usi con qualche inganno o frode o qualsivoglia pretesto. Se qualcuno agisce contro queste regole, sarà colpevole di sacrilegio ed esposto alle peggiori calamità che colpiscono gli uomini empi. Ci sono  [---]  coppe per bere della capacità di  [---]  cotili,

column i

(14) tra le quali una, peso  [---]  dracme; un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; (20) un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; (25) un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; una coppa di terracotta nuova, peso  [---]  dracme; un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; (30) un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme; un'altra, peso  [---]  dracme;  [---] ;

column ii

(33)  [---]  [peso] 138 dracme;  [---]  139 dracme;  [---]  [peso] almeno 140 dracme;  [---]  [peso] almeno 130 dracme;  [---]  [peso] almeno 140 dracme;  [---]  [peso] 138 dracme;  [---]   [---]  [peso] da 1 a 10 dracme; (40)  [---]  [peso]  [---] 4 dracme;  [---]  [peso] almeno 90 dracme;  [---]  [peso] almeno 90 dracme; [------]   ,  [---] , [peso] almeno 80 dracme; (45)  [---]  di due cotili,  [---] ; (vac. 1 line). [------]    [---]  di due cotili: [una, peso] 390 dracme; (50) un'altra, peso 370 dracme; un'altra, peso  [---]  2 dracme,  [---] .

Commentary

Fragment a might not be different from a fragment known to Pugliese Carratelli from Oliverio's notebooks and edited as IGCyr097160. As it was impossible to check either of them, we did not push the joining forward.

At line b.1, ἄνυσις was restored by Oliverio, who understood it as 'efficiency': the vases should be reckoned up so that they will be at hand for sacred use. No other restoration occuring, we follow him, although the word may also mean 'end': the aim would thus be that disorders due to private use of the vases 'come to an end'. Anyhow, the general meaning is not very different. In fact, lines 1-12 of fragment b, as well as the tiny and isolated fragment a, which seems to bear the beginning of the text, are clearly related with regulations against misuse of sacred vases of which a record follows. At line b.5, Ferri and Oliverio read a mu before the deleted segment. However both the ancient photograph and the squeeze show only the apex of a triangular letter, which might be either alpha, delta or lambda. To fill the gap of ca. 5 letters, ἀγγεῖον seems to be a good guess.

In Oliverio's mind the vases registered in the two columns were new ones, obtained during the year of the eponymous priest mentioned at line 1 and added to those recorded in the inventory of the preceding year. However, his restorations at lines 11-12, with no clear referent of αὐτῶι and the asyndeton are not satisfactory. We prefer Wilhelm's restorations, along which all the vases are recorded, beginning with b.14, after a general title extending on the whole line 13. There the last word is a compound adjective indicating the capacity of the vessels with a number of cotyles: there are many possibilities, such as 'half' on one hand, 'two', 'three', 'four', 'five' on the other hand. Yet some of the highest numbers should be excluded for a ποτήριον 'drinking vase'.

Another point (see already Dobias-Lalou, Bulletin Épigraphique , 2005.620) is that the use of the koine clearly shows that we have here no decision of the city, but a regulation imposed by the Ptolemaic authority, contrasting for instance with the civic decree about the cult of the rulers in the first part of IGCyr011100. The city's autonomy was clearly limited in religious matters even if related to the traditional cults of the city.

At l. b.2, Ἀπολλωνιείωι is very plausibly an awkward reading combining iotacizing and traditional spelling of Ἀπολλωνίωι, the 'sanctuary of Apollo'. If not, the word would be derived from the personal name Apollonios and we know of no place with such a name. Furthermore, only Apollo's sanctuary deserves a regulation emanating from the city.

No decisive solution has been offered for the phrase συνάγηι στοὰν ἢ περίλυσιν at l. 4. As to στοά, it is probably used as a synecdoche for 'meeting in a portico'. Whether this building is on the agora (thus the meeting place of e.g. the boule ) or inside the sanctuary of Apollo (implying some religious meeting) cannot be decided. The fact that the inscription has been found in the sanctuary does not prove anything, as this is the very place where religious regulations should be exposed and where the vessels were kept. Furthermore, the stone has been re-used and its original place is unknown. As for περίλυσις, this rare word meaning 'cancellation, bringing to an end' is known in very different contexts. C. Dobias-Lalou tentatively suggests a misspelling for περίλουσις, 'washing all around', i.e. 'purification', which might be a better occasion for using sacred vases. This should remain hypothetical.

Lines b.47-48 are cut in slightly smaller characters and were perhaps not scheduled in the initial device. We agree with Oliverio's scepticism about Ferri's suggestion of Zeus Polieus, not otherwise attested at Cyrene. If so, even 'Polieus', kept by Oliverio, should be avoided. Some vases in inventories at Delos are mentioned with an adjective in -εῖος derived from the personal name of the donor. Might we have something of that type here ? The last letter of line 47, read as an alpha by Ferri and Oliverio, cannot be checked on the stone and anyway ὃσα cannot be satisfactorily related with what remains of line 48.

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Cyrene, Sanctuary of Apollo

Cyrene, Sanctuary of Apollo
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