CGRN 48

Fragmentary sacrificial regulation mentioning a hero on Thasos

Date :

ca. 400-350 BC

Justification: early 4th c. lettering (Pouilloux).

Provenance

Thasos . Findspot unclear. Now in the Thasos Museum (inv. no. 319A).

Support

Fragment of a marble stele (?), with a moulding at the top. Thus, the first line of the text appears to be preserved, albeit badly; otherwise the stone is broken on all sides.

  • Height: 18 cm
  • Width: 25 cm
  • Depth: 13 cm

Layout

Letters: 1.2 cm high. The text is carefully inscribed but extremely worn.

Bibliography

Edition here based on Pouilloux 1954: 343 no. 128, with ph. pl. 37.3. Since Pouilloux only gives a majuscule copy, we adopt a text based on his readings, but with much more minimal restorations than Sokolowski.

Cf. also: Sokolowski LSS 66; SEG 18, 340.

Further bibliography: Seyrig 1927: 185-198; Parker 2010a.

Text


[..?..]ΙΝΕΩΙ ΠΛΙ[.]Ι[..?..]
[..?..]αν λευκὸν ΗΙΠΓ[..?..]
[..?.. οἴνου ὄ]στρακον καὶ ἀπο[..?..]
[..?.. οὐ θέ]μις· τῶι ἥρωι ΙΙ[..?..]
5[..?..]ΗΤΕΝ δαιν[..?..]
[..?..]

Translation

(Given the extremely fragmentary character of the text, no translation is attempted; see Commentary.)

Traduction

(En raison du caractère très fragmentaire du texte, aucune tentative de traduction n'est proposée; voir Commentary.)

Commentary

This short text may perhaps have been a sacrificial regulation of a type regularly found on Thasos (cf. e.g. CGRN 17), since it appears to mention an interdiction ([οὐ θέ]μις, line 4) which is commonly found on the island. However, since it is extremely fragmentary, the exact type and character of the document are virtually impossible to discern. The same can be said about the context of the regulations: given the uncertainty of the reading of the first line of the inscription, all we can say is that the text appears to have mentioned offerings (lines 2-3), as well as a hero (line 4) and perhaps feasting (line 5).

Line 2: Sokolowski restored the line as [εἰς θυσί]αν λευκὸν ἢ{ι} π[υρρὸν βοῦν?]. A similar choice in the colour of the animal offered is indeed attested on Rhodes: cf. CGRN 110 (Kamiros), line 4, and CGRN 117 (Lindos), lines 5-6. Most of Sokolowski's restoration seems gratuitous, however, and more damningly, it requires him to supress a letter as well as to ignore the final trace in the line (as read by Pouilloux). If correct, we would expect the colour term(s) to have followed a mention of a sacrificial animal rather than having preceded it. Masculine offerings with accusative ending in -αν are rare, but cp. perhaps the τομίας, τομίαν (a castrated animal), sacrificed at Tlos: see Parker.

Line 3: Sokolowski plausibly restores [οἴνου ὄ]στρακον. The line may have mentioned a series of sacrificial complements, including this earthen vessel filled with wine.

Line 4: Both Pouilloux and Sokolowski proposed [γυναιξὶν οὐ θέ]μις. This is possible (cf. here CGRN 18, also from Thasos, for the interdiction of women), but the mention of [θέ]μις as part of an authority statement may just as well have had a sacrificial point of reference here, as for example in CGRN 27, lines 3-4 (also from Thasos).

Line 5: Neither Pouilloux nor Sokolowski interpret this line, but a form of the verb δαίνυμι nonetheless seems clear. This verb is also used in CGRN 68, line 3, from Thasos, but its usage in that fragmentary inscription is equally unclear. The verb may have been part of a phrase expressing the requirement to eat the sacrificial meat on the spot, as is rather common in these regulations (cf. CGRN 32, Thorikos, Commentary on lines 10-12). Alternatively, it may have prescribed "giving a feast", as in CGRN 103 (Phrearrhioi), lines 5-6, where a herald and the hieropoios are to organize this.

Publication

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike International License 4.0 .

All citation, reuse or distribution of this work must contain somewhere a link back to the DOI (https://doi.org/10.54510/CGRN48), as well as the year of consultation (see “Home” for details on how to cite or click “Export Citation” to create a reference for this specific file).

Authors

  • Jan-Mathieu Carbon
  • Saskia Peels
  • Vinciane Pirenne-Delforge

How To Cite

Brief citation of the Greek text : CGRN 48, lines x-x.

Reference to the file as a critical study of the inscription : Jan-Mathieu Carbon, Saskia Peels et Vinciane Pirenne-Delforge, "CGRN 48: Fragmentary sacrificial regulation mentioning a hero on Thasos", in Collection of Greek Ritual Norms (CGRN), 2017-, consulted on April 25, 2024. URL: http://cgrn.philo.ulg.ac.be/file/48/; DOI: https://doi.org/10.54510/CGRN48.

Full citation of the CGRN in a list of abbreviations or a bibliography is the following : Jan-Mathieu Carbon, Saskia Peels-Matthey, Vinciane Pirenne-Delforge, Collection of Greek Ritual Norms (CGRN), 2017-, consulted on April 25, 2024. URL: http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be; DOI: https://doi.org/10.54510/CGRN0.

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					<p>Edition here based on <bibl type="author_date" n="Pouilloux 1954">Pouilloux 1954</bibl>: 343 no. 128, with ph. pl. 37.3. Since Pouilloux only gives a majuscule copy, we adopt a text based on his readings, but with much more minimal restorations than Sokolowski.</p>
					<p>Cf. also: Sokolowski <bibl type="abbr" n="LSS">LSS</bibl> 66; <bibl type="abbr" n="SEG">SEG</bibl> 18, 340.</p>
					<p>Further bibliography: <bibl type="author_date" n="Seyrig 1927">Seyrig 1927</bibl>: 185-198; <bibl type="author_date" n="Parker 2010a">Parker 2010a</bibl>.</p>
					
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<lb xml:id="line_1" n="1"/><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/><orig>ΙΝΕΩΙ Π<unclear>Λ</unclear>Ι</orig><gap reason="lost" quantity="1" unit="character"/><orig>Ι</orig><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
	    					
<lb xml:id="line_2" n="2"/><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>αν <name type="colour1"><w lemma="λευκός">λευκὸν</w></name> <orig>ΗΙΠΓ</orig><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
	    					
<lb xml:id="line_3" n="3"/><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/> <name type="liquid"><w lemma="οἶνος"><supplied reason="lost">οἴνου</supplied></w></name> <name type="object"><w lemma="ὄστρακον"><supplied reason="lost">ὄ</supplied><unclear>σ</unclear>τρακον</w></name> καὶ ἀπο<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
	    					
<lb xml:id="line_4" n="4"/><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/> <w lemma="οὐ"><supplied reason="lost">οὐ</supplied></w> <name type="authority"><w lemma="θέμις"><supplied reason="lost">θέ</supplied>μις</w></name>· τῶι <name type="deity" key="Hero"><w lemma="ἥρως">ἥρω<unclear>ι</unclear></w></name> <orig><unclear>ΙΙ</unclear></orig><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
	    					
<lb xml:id="line_5" n="5"/><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/><orig>ΗΤΕΝ</orig> <name type="meal"><w lemma="δαίνυμι">δαιν</w></name><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
	    					
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					<head>Translation</head>
	    				<p>(Given the extremely fragmentary character of the text, no translation is attempted; see Commentary.)</p>
					
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					<head>Traduction</head>
					<p>(En raison du caractère très fragmentaire du texte, aucune tentative de traduction n'est proposée; voir Commentary.)</p>
					
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					<div type="commentary">    
						<head>Commentary</head>    
						
<p>This short text may perhaps have been a sacrificial regulation of a type regularly found on Thasos (cf. e.g. <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_17/">CGRN 17</ref>), since it appears to mention an interdiction ([οὐ θέ]μις, line 4) which is commonly found on the island. However, since it is extremely fragmentary, the exact type and character of the document are virtually impossible to discern. The same can be said about the context of the regulations: given the uncertainty of the reading of the first line of the inscription, all we can say is that the text appears to have mentioned offerings (lines 2-3), as well as a hero (line 4) and perhaps feasting (line 5).</p>

<p>Line 2: Sokolowski restored the line as [εἰς θυσί]αν λευκὸν ἢ<surplus>ι</surplus> π[υρρὸν βοῦν?]. A similar choice in the colour of the animal offered is indeed attested on Rhodes: cf. <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_110/">CGRN 110</ref> (Kamiros), line 4, and <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_117/">CGRN 117</ref> (Lindos), lines 5-6. Most of Sokolowski's restoration seems gratuitous, however, and more damningly, it requires him to supress a letter as well as to ignore the final trace in the line (as read by Pouilloux). If correct, we would expect the colour term(s) to have followed a mention of a sacrificial animal rather than having preceded it. Masculine offerings with accusative ending in -αν are rare, but cp. perhaps the τομίας, τομίαν (a castrated animal), sacrificed at Tlos: see Parker.</p>
						
<p>Line 3: Sokolowski plausibly restores [οἴνου ὄ]στρακον. The line may have mentioned a series of sacrificial complements, including this earthen vessel filled with wine.</p>
						
<p>Line 4: Both Pouilloux and Sokolowski proposed [γυναιξὶν οὐ θέ]μις. This is possible (cf. here <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_18/">CGRN 18</ref>, also from Thasos, for the interdiction of women), but the mention of [θέ]μις as part of an authority statement may just as well have had a sacrificial point of reference here, as for example in <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_27/">CGRN 27</ref>, lines 3-4 (also from Thasos).</p>
	
<p>Line 5: Neither Pouilloux nor Sokolowski interpret this line, but a form of the verb δαίνυμι nonetheless seems clear. This verb is also used in <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_68/">CGRN 68</ref>, line 3, from Thasos, but its usage in that fragmentary inscription is equally unclear. The verb may have been part of a phrase expressing the requirement to eat the sacrificial meat on the spot, as is rather common in these regulations (cf. <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_32/">CGRN 32</ref>, Thorikos, Commentary on lines 10-12). Alternatively, it may have prescribed "giving a feast", as in <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_103/">CGRN 103</ref> (Phrearrhioi), lines 5-6, where a herald and the <foreign>hieropoios</foreign> are to organize this.</p>
						
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