On the conveyance of sacred objects for the Eleusinian Mysteries
AIUK 4.2 (BM, Decrees of Council and Assembly) no. 17 Date: ca. 220 AD
The People decided. Arabianos was archon; - was
the prytany; Eutychos was secretary; - was chairman;
Dryantianos archon [of the Eumolpidai proposed]:
since we continue even now, as also
(5) throughout times past, to celebrate the Mysteries,
and tradition obliges the genos of the Eumolpidai
to have considered how the sacred objects should be brought [in good order] both hither from Eleusis and back again from the city to
Eleusis, for good fortune the People shall decide, to
(10) require the superintendent of the ephebes in accordance with ancient
custom to lead the ephebes to Eleusis on the thirteenth
of Boedromion with the dignity usual
to a procession with sacred objects, in order that on the fourteenth
they may convey the sacred objects to the Eleusinion under
(15) the (Acro)polis, so that there should be more good order and a larger escort
for the sacred objects, since also the Brightener of the two Goddesses
traditionally reports to the priestess of Athena that
the sacred objects have come and the escorting host; and in the same way
on the nineteenth of Boedromion to require
(20) the superintendent of the ephebes to lead the ephebes
back to Eleusis accompanying the sacred objects with
the same dignity; and that the future superintendents should do this
every year, so that there should never be any omission or
reduction in the piety shown towards the two Goddesses;
(25) and all the ephebes shall take part in the procession, in
full armour, crowned with a myrtle crown,
proceeding in military formation; and since we oblige the
ephebes to process such a great distance, they shall take part
in the sacrifices and libations and paians on the way,
(30) so that the sacred objects may be led with a [stronger?] escort
and a longer procession, and the ephebes
in participating in the city’s cultivation of the divine
should also become more pious men; and
all the ephebes will partake in everything which
(35) the archon of the genos provides for the Eumolpidai, and especially the
distribution; and this decision shall be notified
to the Council of the Areopagos and the Council of
500 and to the hierophant and the genos of the Eumolpidai;
and the treasurer of the genos of the Eumolpidai
(40) shall inscribe this decree on three stelai and stand
one in the Eleusinion under the (Acro)polis, another in
the Diogeneion, and another at Eleusis in the sanctuary in front
of the Council chamber.[1]