IEleus 93 Decree of the Eumolpidai honouring Neoptolemos of Melite

Decree of the Eumolpidai honouring Neoptolemos of Melite

I Eleusis 93 Date: ca. 345-320 BC

Gods. Hirophanes proposed: since [Neopto]lemos son of A[ntikles of Melite]^[1] manages the rites well and (5) with love of honour (philotimōs) and piously and adorned (ekosmēsen) beautifully the sanctuary of Plouton, to praise him and crown him with a myrtle crown^[2] for his piety and love of honour (philotimias), (10) and to allot him a portion (merida) from the Greater Mysteries and those in Agrai as large as that for each of the Eumolpidai,^[3] since he is devoted (spoudaios) to the sanctuary and the genos of the (15) Eumolpidai; and to inscribe the decree on a stone stele . . . . . .

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References:

I Eleusis 93 (Translated text) (PHI)

IG II² 1231 (PHI)

SEG 41.81 (PHI)

Syll.³ 1050

Tracy, ADT 84-85 (date)

Translation by: Nicolai Futás

Images: Krateros - (1)

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decree (Genos Eumolpidai)

Findspot: Eleusis (Eleusis Museum E 202)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] A prominent benefactor on whom see IG II³ 4, 1057. The adornment of the sanctuary of Plouton, mentioned in line 6, probably entailed a financial benefaction by Neoptolemos. [2] The myrtle crown was appropriate to cult of Demeter. On the Eumolpidai, who with the Kerykes were one of the two major Eleusinian genē which supplied the leading male officiants for the Eleusinian Mysteries see I Eleusis 19 n. 8. On the genē in general see RO 37. For an honorific decree of the Kerykes at this period recognising contributions by another wealthy Athenian, Xenokles of Sphettos, see I Eleusis 87 (see notes thereto for references to other decrees of these two genē). [3] This refers to a share of the sacrificial portions at the Greater (megala) and Lesser Mysteries (“in Agrai”) distributed among the Eumolpidai. For sacrificial portions allocated to specific officials cf. IG II³ 1, 447, ll. 37-42; Dein. 1.56 with Harris, BICS 56.1 (2013), 39 n. 38 (= Rule of Law in Action 292, n. 32).

Added: 26 Jul 2018
Updated: 7 Jan 2024
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