1
Greek Literary Epigrams in Private Compilations of Hellenistic Age
Greek Literary Epigram: From the Hellenistic to the early Byzantine Era
UCL, 11-13 September 2013; andrej.petrovic@dur.ac.uk
1)
Chronological distribution of papyri, ostraca and tablets with Greek epigrams:
Total No. of sources: 53; 27 (or 28) dated to Hellenistic period.
Data in graphs based on Leuven Database of Ancient Books and the Catalogue of Paraliterary Papyri.
2) Chronological distribution of papyri, ostraca and tablets: epigram vs. tragedy:
3) Hellenistic Epigrams outside poetic books
[LDAB = Leuven Database of Ancient Books; TM = Trismegistos Nos.; Cr. = Cribiore 1996]
1)
TM 59936 = Weil, Un papyrus inédit p. 1-34 = Paris, Louvre 7171 + Paris, Louvre 7172 (P. FirminDidot); literary, school text, papyrus; Memphis, Saqqara, Serapeum; BC02
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17)
TM 59942 = Guéraud / Jouguet, Un livre d'écolier p. 1-45 = Cairo, Egyptian Museum JdE 65445;
school text: syllabary + word list + epigrams, papyrus; Arsinoites (Fayum) (?); BC03
TM 61302 = O. Wilcken 2 1488 = London, British Library O. 25736; school text: Collection of first lines
of epigrams [incipit list], pottery, ostracon; Thebes (?); BC02
TM 61580 = P. Freib. (Sitzb. Heid. Akad. 1914, 2) 11 b (Aly, Wolfgang); literary, school text, papyrus,
Egypt, unknown provenance?, BC02-BC01, [Menander, Opus incertum ((CGFP) 297); Certamen Homeri
et Hesiodi 213-214; Homer, Il. V 387-391]
TM 65546 = O. Bodl. 2 2173 = Oxford, Ashmolean Museum Bodl. Gr. Inscr. 1205; school text, pottery,
ostracon; Egypt; BC01
TM 65548 = O. Bodl. 2 2172 = Oxford, Ashmolean Museum Bodl. Gr. Inscr. 930; school text, pottery,
ostracon; Egypt; BC01
TM 65597 = ZÄS 28 (1890), p. 61-62 [4757] = Berlin, Ägyptisches Museum P. 4757; school text,
pottery, ostracon; Dios Polis (Thebes east); BC02
TM 65619 = P. Ryl. Gr. 3 499 = Manchester, John Rylands Library Gr. 499; literary text: Elegy followed
by an epigram or rather two (or more) epigrams, Gronewald in SH 987, papyrus; Egypt; BC02
TM 65673 = Raccolta Lumbroso p. 257-259 no. 3 = Berlin, Ägyptisches Museum P. 12309; school text,
pottery, ostracon; Philadelpheia (Gharabet el-Gerza); BC03 - BC02
TM 65674 = Berlin, Ägyptisches Museum P. 13270 = BKT 5.2 p. 56-63 no. XV; literary text: two or
three sympotic epigrams or skolia, followed by an “Elegie, die vermutlich am Anfang des Symposions
gesungen werden sollte,” sheet, [Sympotic aide-mémoire = hypomnema], Elephantine, BC03.
TM 65682 = P. Cairo Zen. 4 59532 = Cairo, Egyptian Museum CG 59532; literary text: Two
epitaphs for Tauron, the hunting dog of Zenon, papyrus; template for a stone mason, Philadelpheia
(Gharabet el-Gerza); BC03
TM 65693 = Hermathena 80 (1952), p. 3-11 = Dublin, Trinity College Pap. F 90; literary text:
Hellenistic epigram (?) on the daughters of Lycambes [fictional epitaph?], papyrus; Egypt; BC03.
TM 65698 = Sitzb. Berl. Akad. (1912), p. 547-550 = Hamburg, Bibliothek gr. 312; literary text: epitaph
on the tragedian Philicus, papyrus, school exercise ?; Egypt; BC03.
TM 65775 = P. Hamb. 2 124 = Hamburg, Bibliothek gr. 666 Vo; (Page GLP I, No. 106); literary text:
Fragments of distichs on the origin of Rome, papyrus; epigram or elegy? (SH 957) Egypt; BC03 - BC02
TM 65784 = Le monde grec. Hommages à Claire Préaux p. 537-548 + Quaderni urbinati di cultura
classica 19 (1975), p. 145-176 + ZPE 24 (1977), p. 1-12 = Paris, Louvre 7733; literary text: recto:
philosophical treatise verso: epigram on an oyster: riddle with commentary; Inachos?,
papyrus;
Memphis, Saqqara, Serapeum; BC02
TM 66251 = AncSoc 8 (1977), p. 209-213 (SSH 1191) = Dublin, Trinity College Pap. F 134; literary text,
Pseudo- Anacreon?: sympotic epigram or skolion from an anthology, papyrus; [Sympoticaide-mémoire
= hypomnema] Arsinoites (Fayum); BC03
TM 217929 = Eulimene 10 -12 (2009-2011), p. 135-155; Greek (Ionic dialect); erotic epigram in elegiac
distichs, pottery, ostracon; Greece, Rhodos; BC03 - BC02
4) Sympotic aide-mémoire:
a) TM 65674 = Berlin, Ägyptisches Museum P. 13270 = BKT 5.2 p. 56-63 no. XV; literary text: sheet:
three sympotic epigrams or skolia [perhaps two, probably in dactylo-epitrites, titles: Muses, Easy Pray and
Mnemosyne], followed by an “Elegie, die vermutlich am Anfang des Symposions gesungen werden sollte, or an
epigram (= Page GLP No. 103),” sheet, [Sympotic aide-mémoire = hypomnema], Elephantine, BC03 [300-280
BC].
Χαίρετε συμπόται ἄνδρες ὁμ[ήλικες, ἐ]ξ ἀγαθοῦ γὰρ
Hail to you, companion revelers, with good omen I begin, and
ἀρξάμενος τελέω τὸν λόγον [ε] ς ἀγ[αθό]ν.
with good omen I will end my speech. When friends are come
Χρὴ δ’, ὅταν ε ς τοιοῦτο συνέλθωμεν φίλοι ἄνδρες
together for such purpose, they must laugh and play, behaving
πρᾶγμα, γελᾶν παίζειν χρησαμένους ἀρετῇ,
bravely, and rejoice in their company, and make sport of eachἥδεσθαί τε συνόντας, ἐς ἀλλήλους τε φ[λ]υαρεῖν, (5)
other, and utter such jests as bring laughter with them Earnest
καὶ σκώπτειν τοιαῦθ’ οἷα γέλωτα φέρει.
converse must follow, and we must listen to each speaker in his
Ἡ δὲ σπουδὴ ἑπέσθω, ἀκούωμέν [τε λ]εγόντων
turn: therein is the virtue of a merry company. And let us give ear
ἐμ μέρει· ἦδ’ ἀρετὴ συμποσίου πέλεται.
to the leader or our revels: such is the conduct of good men, and
Τοῦ δὲ ποταρχοῦντος πειθώμεθα· ταῦτα γάρ ἐστιν
the source of honest reputation. Tr. Page.
ἔργ’ ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν εὐλογίαν τε φέρει
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b) TM 66251 = AncSoc 8 (1977), p. 209-213 [SSH 1191] = Dublin, Trinity College Pap. F 134; literary
text, Pseudo-Anacreon?: sympotic epigram or skolion from an anthology, papyrus; [Sympotic aide-mémoire =
hypomnema?] Arsinoites (Fayum); BC03.
5) Template for a stone-mason:
TM 65682 = P. Cairo Zen. 4 59532 = Cairo, Egyptian Museum CG 59532; literary text: Two epitaphs for
Tauron, the hunting dog of Zenon, papyrus; Letter with a template for a stone mason, Philadelpheia (Gharabet
el-Gerza); BC03.
Page GLP No. 109 „These are good compositions; probably the work of a professional Alexandrian poet“
= SH 977: „manus peritissima fort. ipsius poetae... poeta ineptus sed non indoctus“
Ἰνδὸν ὅδ’ ἀπύει τύμβος Ταύρωνα θανόντα
κεῖσθαι, ὁ δὲ κτε νας πρόσθεν ἐπεῖδ’ Ἀ δαν·
θὴρ ἅπερ ἄντα δρακεῖν, συὸς ἤ ῥ’ ἀπὸ τᾶς Καλυδῶνος
λε ανον, ε κ ρποις ἐμ πεδ οις τρ ετο
Ἀρσινόας ἀτ νακτον, ἀπ’ α χ νος ἀθρόα ρ σσων (5)
λ]όχμαις κα ε[ν]ύων ἀ ρὸν ἀμερ όμενος·
σὺν δὲ πεσὼν σκύλακος τόλμαι στήθη μὲν ἑτο μως
ἠλόκισ’, ο μ λλων δ’ α χ ν’ ἔθηκ’ ἐπ ᾶν,
δρα] μενος ὰρ ὁμοῦ λο ιᾶι με λοιο τ νοντος
ο] πρ[ ]ν ἔμυσεν ὀδόντ’ ἔσθ’ ὑπ θηκ’ Ἀ δαι. (10)
.......] ή [νω]να πον[ων] ἀδ δακτα κυνα όν,
κα κατὰ ᾶς τύμβωι τὰν χ ριν ἠρ σατο.
ἄλλο
σκύλα ὁ τύμβωι τῶιδ’ ὕπ’ ἐκτερισμ νος
Ταύρων, ἐπ’ α θ νταισιν ο κ ἀμήχανος·
κ πρωι ὰρ ὡς συνῆλθεν ἀντ αν ἔριν, (15)
ὁ μ ν τις ὡς ἄπλατος οἰδήσας νυν
στῆθος κατηλόκιζε λευκα νων ἀ ρῶι·
ὁ δ’ ἀμ νώτωι δισσὸν ἐμβαλὼν ἴχνος
ἐδρ ατο ρ σσοντος ἐκ στ ρνων μ σων (20)
κα ᾶι συνεσπε ρασεν· Ἀ δαι δὲ δοὺς
τὸν α τόχειρ’ ἔθναισκεν, Ἰνδὸν ὡς νόμος.
σώιζων δὲ τὸν κυνα ὸν ὧι παρε πετο
ήνων’ ἐλα ρᾶι τᾶιδ’ ὑπεστ λη κόνει.
τῶι παρ’ Ἀπολλων ου
(24)
ήνωνι
This tomb proclaims that Indian Tauron lies dead.
But his slayer saw Hades first. Like a wild beast to
behold, like a relic of the Calydonian boar, it grew
in the fertile plains of Arsinoe immovable, shaking
from its neck the mane in masses in its lair, and
dashing the froth from its jaws. Engaging the
fearless dog, readily it ploughed a furrow in its
breast: then immediately laid its own neck upon the
ground. For Tauron, fastening upon the massive
nape, with mane and all, loosed not his teeth again
until he sent it down to Hades. So he saved Hunter
Zenon from distress, unschooled; and earned his
gratitude in his tomb below the earth.
Another.
A dog is put to rest beneath this tomb here, Tauron,
who did not lack craft facing the killer. Because as
he met a boar in a struggle face to face, the boar,
unapproachable, puffed out its jaws and white with
froth, ploughed a furrow in his breast. But the dog
planted two feet about its back and fastened upon
the bristling monster from the middle of its breast,
and wrapped him in the earth. He gave the murderer
to Hades and died, as a good Indian should. He
rescued Zenon, the hunter whom he followed; and
here in this light dust he is laid to rest.
For Zenon, employee of Apollonius.
(25)
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6) School-anthologies:
a)
TM 59942 = Guéraud / Jouguet, Un livre d'écolier p. 1-45 = Cairo, Egyptian Museum JdE 65445; Cr. 379:
school text: handbook: syllabary + word list + epigrams, papyrus; Arsinoites (Fayum); BC03 (post Raphia
217?)
[SH 978 – 979 (= Page GLP 105 a-b), both on benefactor foundations by Ptolemies, a) is a dedicatory
Bauinschrift on a fountain with statues of a Ptolemy and an Arsinoe (unclear which one, Philadelphos or
Philopator) and b) dedication of a temple to Homer by Ptolemaios IV Philopator):
literary anthology, structure: a) Euripides, Phoenissae 529-534, b) Euripides, Ino fr. 420 Nauck2; c) Homer,
Od. V 116-124; d) SH 978-9; e) 3 Frgs. in elegiac distichs (Austin CGFP 289 a and b and 219 = Straton,
Phoenicides, PCG frg. 1. 4-50)].
978. θοινα[
]τε λε ετ[ (1)
σι ηλου[
].ρια κα τολεμ[
ἀσπ σιοι βα[..........] δ χοισθε ρας
ὃς κα λ ινον [........]ηκατο δα ιλὲς οἴκωι
κτ σμα πα.[.. λ]ευκὴν ἐκποδ σας στα όνα (5)
εἰς ἡμισ αιρ..[ ]εύ ας θ σιν· ἡ δὲ λυχνῖτις
ζώνη στυλοῦται π ζαν ἴωνι τύπωι
ῥ βδου κο λης ἔντος ἀποστ λβει δὲ συην ς
στικτὴ πρὸς πτ ρναις· κ ονος ἥδε θ σις.
ἡ δ’ ἀ ’ Ὑμηττοῦ π τρος ἐρευ ομ νη πόμα κρήνης (10)
ἐ δ χεται σπιλ δων ὑ ρὰ διαινομ νη.
εἰκόνα δ’ ὑμετ ρην ἐτυπώσατο π ονι λύ δωι
πρηΰνας, μ σσην δ’ ἥρμοσ[ε]ν Ἀρσινόην
σύ κληρον νύμ αις κατὰ πᾶν ἔτος. ἀλλ’ ἐπ πη ὴν
τήνδε μετ’ ε νομ ης βα νετε Κρηνι δες. (15)
979. ..].τωνουρ[
]..ναν.α[ (1)
ε α ων τολεμ[c. 10—12].τοδ’ Ὁμήρωι
εἵσαθ’ ὑπὲρ δι..[c. 7—9 κ]ατ’ ὄναρ τ μενος
τῶι πρ ν Ὀδυσσε ας τε κ[α Ἰλι] δος τὸν ἀ ήρω
ὕμνον ἀπ’ ἀθαν των ρα [α]μ νωι πραπ δων. (5)
ὄλβιοι ὦ θνατῶν ε ερ ται, [οἳ] τὸν ἄριστον
ἐν δορ κα Μούσαις κο ρανον ἠρόσατε.
Blessed Ptolemy… set this up to Homer, who wrote of
old the ageless song of Odyssey and Iliad from his
immortal mind (or [I. Petrovic forthcoming a]): to the
one who, before he composed the Odyssey and the
Iliad, produced that ageless hymn from his immortal
mind). O happy benefactors of mankind! You sowed
the seed of a king who excels with spear and among the
Muses!
Feast [is about? and sacrifice is] burning ? Silent.. and
Ptolemaios? Gladly… accept the gift ..who also set up a work
in stone [Page: ergon eth]hkato], an ample building for your
house, having first set the bright water free. He made it into
the form of a semi circle: the Parian (lamp-stone) boundarywall supports the column-base in Ionian style, and within the
hollow moulding speckled Syenite (granite stone) glistens
near the heels; such is the foundation of the column. 10. From
stone from Hymettus gushes forth the draught of springwater, taking up the flood from caves, itself drenched
therewith. Your image (sc. of king and queen) he modeled
from rich white marble, smooth wrought, and in the midst he
set Arsinoe, who shares the Nymph’s fortune every year.
Come with good order to the fountain, nymphs of springwaters! Tr. Page, modified.
Eur. Phoe. 529-534: (Iocasta) ὦ τ κνον, ο χ ἅπαντα τῷ ήρᾳ κακ , Ἐτεόκλεες, πρόσεστιν: ἀλλ᾽ ἡμπειρ α
ἔχει τι λ αι τῶν ν ων σο ώτερον. τ τῆς κακ στης δαιμόνων ἐ εσαι Φιλοτιμ ας, παῖ; μὴ σύ ᾽:
ἄδικος ἡ θεός: πολλοὺς δ᾽ ἐς οἴκους κα πόλεις ε δα μονας ἐσῆλθε κἀ ῆλθ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ὀλ θρῳ τῶν
χρωμ νων.
Eteocles, my child, it is not all evil that attends old age; but experience [530] has something to say
wiser than youth. Why, my son, do you so long for Ambition, that worst of deities? Oh, do not; the
goddess is unjust; many are the homes and cities once prosperous that she has entered and left, to the
ruin of her worshippers;
ii) Eur. Ino. Fr. 420: ὁρᾷς τυρ ννους διὰ μακρῶν η ημ νους, ὡς μικρὰ τὰ σ λλοντα, κα μ ’ ἡμ ρα τὰ μὲν
καθεῖλεν ὑ όθεν, τὰ δ’ ἦρ’ ἄνω; ὑπόπτερος δ’ ὁ πλοῦτος· οἷς ὰρ ἦν ποτε, ἐ ἐλπ δων π πτοντας
ὑπτ ους ὁρῶ.
Do you see that trifling things overthrow tyrants whose power reaches far away, and a single day
brings down what used to be up, and lifts up what used to be down? For wealth is winged, and those
i)
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who had it, when they fall from grace, I see them on their back.
iii) Od. V 116-124: ὣς το, ῥ ησεν δὲ Καλυ ώ, δῖα θε ων, κα μιν ωνήσασ᾽ ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα
‘σχ τλιο ἐστε, θεο , ζηλήμονες ἔ οχον ἄλλων, οἵ τε θεαῖς ἀ ασθε παρ᾽ ἀνδρ σιν ε ν ζεσθαι
ἀμ αδ ην, ἤν τ ς τε λον ποιήσετ᾽ ἀκο την. ὣς μὲν ὅτ᾽ Ὠρ ων᾽ ἕλετο ῥοδοδ κτυλος Ἠώς, τό ρα οἱ
ἠ ασθε θεο ῥεῖα ζώοντες, ἧος ἐν Ὀρτυ ῃ χρυσόθρονος Ἄρτεμις ἁ νὴ οἷς ἀ ανοῖς βελ εσσιν
ἐποιχομ νη κατ πε νεν.
So he spoke, and Calypso, the beautiful goddess, shuddered, and she spoke, and addressed him with
winged words: “Cruel are you, O you gods, and quick to envy above all others, seeing that ye
begrudge goddesses that they should mate with men [120] openly, if any takes a mortal as her dear
bed-fellow. Thus, when rosy-fingered Dawn took to herself Orion, ye gods that live at ease begrudged
her, till in Ortygia chaste Artemis of the golden throne assailed him with her gentle shafts and slew
him.
b) TM 59936 = Weil, Un papyrus inédit p. 1-34 = Paris, Louvre 7171 + Paris, Louvre 7172 (P. Firmin-Didot); Cr.
244: school text (partly), papyrus; L01 - Memphis, Saqqara, Serapeum; BC02 [170-160 BC?]
[GLP 104 a-b; Medea 5-12 + Kares vel. Europa + adespota comica + two epigrams attributed to Posidippus on
the dedication of the lighthouse? / statue atop lighthouse? on Pharos at Alexandria and of the temple of
Arsinoe-Aphrodite) Thompson 1987:105-121 and Bing 2009:194-203, and on allo 206-207].
Ἑλλήνων σωτῆρα, Φάρου σκοπόν, ὦ ἄνα Πρωτεῦ,
Σώστρατος ἔστησεν Δεξιφάνους Κνίδιος·
οὐ γὰρ ἐν Α γύπτωι σκοπαὶ οὔρεος οἷ’ ἐπὶ νήσων,
ἀλλὰ χαμαὶ χηλὴ ναύλοχος ἐκτέταται.
τοῦ χάριν εὐθεῖάν τε καὶ ὄρθιον α θέρα τέμνειν (5)
πύργος ὅδ’ ἀπλάτων φαίνετ’ ἀπὸ σταδίων
ἤματι, παννύχιος δὲ θοῶς ἐν κύματι ναύτης
ὄψεται ἐκ κορυφῆς πῦρ μέγα καιόμενον,
καί κεν ἐπ’ αὐτὸ δράμοι Ταύρου Κέρας, οὐδ’ ἂν ἁμάρτοι
Σωτῆρος, Πρωτεῦ, Ζηνὸς ὁ τῆιδε πλέων. (10)
ἄλλο
μέσσον ἐγὼ Φαρίης ἀκτῆς στόματός τε Κανώπου
ἐν περιφαινομένωι κύματι χῶρον ἔχω,
τήνδε πολυρρήνου Λιβύης ἀνεμώδεα χηλήν,
τὴν ἀνατεινομένην ε ς Ἰταλὸν Ζέφυρον,
ἔνθα με Καλλικράτης ἱδρύσατο καὶ βασιλίσσης (5)
ἱερὸν Ἀρσινόης Κύπριδος ὠνόμασεν.
ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ τὴν Ζεφυρῖτιν ἀκουσομένην Ἀφροδίτην,
Ἑλλήνων ἁγναί, βαίνετε, θυγατέρες,
οἵ θ’ ἁλὸς ἐργάται ἄνδρες· ὁ γὰρ ναύαρχος ἔτευξεν
τοῦθ’ ἱερὸν παντὸς κύματος εὐλίμενον. (10)
c) TM 61580 = P. Freib. I 1b; literary, Cr. 248: school text, papyrus (from cartonage), Egypt, unknown provenance,
BC02-BC01, [Menander, Opus incertum (Austin CGFP 297); Certamen Homeri et Hesiodi 213-214; Homer,
Il. V 387-391]
Ἡσίοδος Μούσαις Ἑλικωνίσι τόνδ’ ἀνέθηκεν
ὕμνῳ νικήσας ἐν Χαλκίδι θεῖον Ὅμηρον.
{d) TM 64961 = Mélanges Nicole p. 615-624 = Heidelberg, Institut für Papyrologie P. G 1271; school text?,
papyrus; Egypt; AD05 - AD06 [anthology of epigrams with titles, ethopoea]}
7) Ostraca with reflexes of School-exercises:
a) TM 65597 = ZÄS 28 (1890), p. 61-62 [4757] = Berlin, Ägyptisches Museum P. 4757; Cr. school text,
pottery, ostracon; Dios Polis (Thebes east); BC02 [SH 973 B, epigram on the Homer’s fatherland] and cf. P.
Freib. 1 4 (TM 62820). Heading: allo.
μὴ πεύθου τίς Ὅ[μη]ρος ἔφυ<γ> γένος· αἱ γὰρ ]πασαι
εἵνεκ’ ἐμῆς δόξης φ[ασὶ] τεκεῖν με] πόλεις.
ἄξιον αιωνισμα. [.........]· ἔστι γ]ὰρ ἡμὴ
πατρὶς Ὀδυσσείης [γράμμα καὶ] Ἰλιά]δος.
Enquire not of which genos I, Homer, stem, for all the
Cities state me their offspring, on account of my fame.
Worthy… for my fatherland is the letter of Iliad and
the Odyssey.
6
aii) Cf. TM 63685 = O. Bodl. 2 2174 = Oxford, Ashmolean Museum Bodl. Gr. Inscr. 2105; pottery,
ostracon; Egypt; AD01? [epigram on the fatherland of Homer?; SH 972]
μυρναῖον σι ῷμι νος πατερησεδομησε
λ ω Κυμα ων εμβα. ἐπ’ ἀιόνων
αστη Ἀθηνα ης τ..σκαιδ...ς π νθ’ ὑπὲρ ἄκρης
bi)
TM 65546 = O. Bodl. 2 2173 = Oxford, Ashmolean Museum Bodl. Gr. Inscr. 1205; school text,
pottery, ostracon; Egypt; BC01 [Cr. 178; SH 971; epigram on Agesilaus?]
bii)
TM 65548 = O. Bodl. 2 2172 = Oxford, Ashmolean Museum Bodl. Gr. Inscr. 930; school text,
pottery, ostracon; Egypt; BC01 [Cr. 179; duplicate of TM 65546 (=d)) LDAB 6797]. Heading:
Peri S]partes?
τοῦθ’ ὁ Λ κων ποτ’ ἔλε εν ὁ μὴ ποσ ν ἄρτια βα νων,
εἰς τὸν ὑπὲρ π τρας στελλόμενος πόλεμον·
Σπ ρτα κἄμ’ ἐδ δεκτο βοηθόον, ἁν κα καυλῷ
ὡπλ σμην, κα περ υῖα βαρυνόμενον.
ἵ ομαι, ο δ’ ἀχρεῖον ἐ όλκιον ἵ ομαι, αἰχμ ν·
ο εύ ειν ὁ Λ κων, ἀλλὰ μ νειν ἔμαθον.
Thus spoke the Laconian once, who could not walk
properly on his feet, when he got ready for the battle for
his country: “Sparta took me too, hasting to the battle,
when I was armed with a shaft, even if my members
were heavy. I’ll rush, not as a useless appendage, I’ll
rush to the spear. Being a Laconian, I learned not to run
away, but to stay.”
c)
Cf. TM 65698 = Sitzb. Berl. Akad. (1912), p. 547-550 = Hamburg, Bibliothek gr. 312; literary
text: epigram on the tragedian Philicus, papyrus; Egypt; BC03 Pap. Hamburger Bibliothek Inv.Nr. 312;
Pack 1764.0; SH 980 [exercitatio?]; LDAB 6951: Epitaph for Philicus (Page No. 106)
ἔρχεο δὴ μακ ριστος ὁδοιπόρος, ἔρχεο καλοὺς
χώρους ε σεβ ων ὀ όμενος, Φ λικε,
ἐκ κισσηρε ος κε αλῆς εὔυμνα κυλ ων
ῥήματα, κα νήσους κώμασον εἰς μακ ρων,
εὖ μὲν ῆρας ἰδὼν ε στιον Ἀλκινόοιο (5)
Φα ηκος, ζώειν ἀνδρὸς ἐπισταμ νου·
Ἀλκινόου τις ἐὼν ἐ αἵματος <
>
[
]ο ημοδόκου
Go your path, blest wayfarer, go your path, Philicus to
see the fair land of the god-fearing dead. Your head
crowned with Ivy, rolling forth your lines of lovely
song, begone with revel to the Isles of the Blest. Happy
that you saw the festive old age from Alcinous, the
Phaeacian, a man who knew how to live. Born of
Alcinous line … from Demodocus…
d) TM 65673 = Raccolta Lumbroso p. 257-259 no. 3 = Berlin, Ägyptisches Museum P. 12309; school
text, pottery, ostracon; Philadelpheia (Gharabet el-Gerza); BC03 - BC02 [SH 975; an obscene epitaph for
one Kleitorios; written by a school boy?]
ἐνθ δε Κλειτόριος κεῖται δρῖλον καλυκῶδες
ὡς ἔλαβ’ εἰς κλόπιον τὸν χαλαρὸν τὸ χρ ος
ἐν δ’ ἐπ κλειμακ οισιν ἰδὼν ωλὴν ἐπ τεινεν
κα ῥαν σας εἴσω Κρούριος ἐνκ αλον
ὣς ἐβώασε· α ὔεις; μᾶτερ, ἐμο βο θει· τ κνον, τ ς ταῦτα
θεῶν (5)
[...].κ..........[..] — — — — in tergo:
ὧδε προ ειν ἁπ σας τὰς ἐκ τοῦ τόπου εἰς τὴν κλύδωνα
e) TM 217929 = Eulimene 10 -12 (2009-2011), p. 135-155; Greek (Ionic dialect); erotic epigram in
elegiac distichs, pottery, ostracon; Greece, Rhodos; late BC03.
τὴν τότε παννυχίδα [=Posidippus],
ἀνέθηκεν ὁρᾶσθαι τοῖς φιλέρωσιν allimachean ἀνέθηκεν ἐπεσσομένοισιν ὁρᾶσθαι],
φίλερως [Meleager],
καὶ σ δέχου [Julian and Agathias].
7
f) TM 61302 = O. Wilcken 2 1488 = London, British Library O 25736; school text: Collection of first
lines of epigrams, pottery, ostracon; Thebes; BC02. Cr. 243: 12 lines of writing by two different hands on
both sides: Leonidas, Ant.Gr. XXV and XLVI GP HE incipit with some unidentified epigrams.
Cf. P.Vindob. G 40611; LDAB 5473 (BC03) 200 Incipts.
g) TM 63841 = P. Lond. Lit. 63 = London, British Museum EA 29527; school text, wood, wax tablet;
Egypt; Cr 202; AD02 - AD03 [Epigram: Conundrum, riddle]
References mentioned in talk:
1)
Raffaella Cribiore: Writing, Teachers and Students in Graeco-Roman Egypt. Atlanta 1996.
Jessica Wissman: ‘Hellenistic Epigrams as School-texts in Classical Antiquity’, in Harder, Regtuit, and
Wakker (eds.), Hellenistic Epigrams, Leiden 2002, 215-30.
Id.
‘Education’ in Clauss, Cuypers (eds.), A Companion to Hellenistic Literature, Wiley-Blackwell,
2010, 62-78.
2)
Peter Bing: The Scroll and the Marble. Ann Arbor 2009.
Kathryn Gutzwiller: Poetic Garlands. Berkeley 1998.
Regina Höschele: Die blütenlesende Muse. Tübingen 2010.
Peter Parsons: ‘Callimachus and the Hellenistic Epigram.’ In: Callimaque. Sept Exposés suivis de Discussions.
Entretiens préparés et présidés par Franco Montanari et Luigi Lehnus. Vandoeuvres-Genève 3-7
Septembre 2001. Genève: Fondation Hardt, 2002 (Entretiens sur l’Antiquité Classique 48). 99-141.
3)
Ewen Bowie: 'From Archaic Elegy to Hellenistic Sympotic Epigram?' In: Peter Bing & Jon Steffen Bruss (edd.).
Brill's Companion to Hellenistic Epigram Down to Philip. Leiden: Brill, 2007. 95-112.
4)
Alan Cameron: Callimachus and his Critics. Princeton 1995.
5)
Marko Fantuzzi: 'Typologies of variation on a theme in archaic and classical metrical inscriptions.' In: Manuel
Baumbach, Andrej Petrovic & Ivana Petrovic (edd.). Archaic and Classical Greek Epigram. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2010, 289-310.
Valentina Garulli: Byblos lainee. Bologna 2012.
6)
Ivana Petrovic forthcoming a: "SH 979 and the cult of Homer in Alexandria", In: Traditions épiques et poésie
épigrammatique. Présence des épopées archaïques dans les épigrammes grecques et latines, ed. Y.
Durbec, series Hellenistica Groningana, Peeters.
Id.
forthcoming b: "Posidippus’ Lithika and Achaemenid royal propaganda", In: Hellenistic Studies at a
Crossroads, Exploring Texts, Contexts and Metatexts, eds. R. Hunter, F. Montanari, A. Rengakos, E.
Sistakou, series Trends in Classics, Supplementary Volumes, De Gruyter.