SEG 50.155 Ephebic decree and transcript of ephebic oration, 184/5 AD

Ephebic decree and transcript of ephebic oration, 184/5 AD

SEG 50.155 Date: AD 184/5

Ἐπὶ ἄρχοντος Τίτου Φ̣[λαο]υ̣ίου Σωσιγένους Παλ̣[ληνέως, κοσμη]- τεύοντος ἱερέως β̣[ου]τύπου Λακρατείδου Εὐτ̣[υχίδου Ἀζηνιέως], ἔ̣δοξεν τοῖς ἐφή[βοι]ς, συνελθοῦσιν μετὰ τὸν [τῶν Θησείων? ἀγῶ]- [να], τὸν προτρ̣[επ]τ̣ικὸν λόγον ἐν στήλη ἀν̣[αγράψαι, ὃν εἶπε] (5)[Πόπλι]ο̣ς Α̣[ἴλιος] Ἰσόχρυσος Φλυεύς, ὁ ἄρχων τ̣[ῶν ἐφήβων καὶ] [γυμνασίαρχος καὶ] ἀγωνοθέτης τοῦ περὶ ἀλκῆς ἀ̣[γῶνος. vac.] vacat [Ἐχθὲς μὲν ἐπιτά]φ̣ι̣όν τινα Θησέως ἡμεῖς εἴπομεν οὕτω τὸ[ν ἥρωα ἐγ]- [κωμιάζοντες, κ]αὶ ἀπαρχὰς πρ̣οσηνέγκαμεν, ἀντὶ πολλῶν τῶ[ν ἐκείνου] [ἔργων λόγων ἀμ]οιβὴν ποιούμενοι. Νῦν δὲ ἔδοξεν ἤδη καὶ τοὺς [συνεφήβους] (10)[εἰς ζῆλον ἀνασ]τ̣ῆσαι, ἵν’ ἔχῃ παρὰ τῶν ἐφήβων καὶ τὰ ἔργα με[μιμημένα] [καὶ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ἐφ?]ί̣εσθαι, ἀλλ’ ἡμᾶς του[- - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -]Ο̣Σ̣[- - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - π]ρῶτο[ν? - - - - - - - - - - - -] (15)[- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - τοῦτο?]ν γὰρ νή[πιον? - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -]α ἐξ αὐτ[- - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - τ?]οὺς πόν[ους? - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -]ο ἄθυμο[- - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -]οι ἐν τῆι [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] (20)[- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -]ξ ἐκειν[- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] τέλειο[ς? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ἐπα?]ινετὰ [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -]ΤΟΝΑ̣[- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - οὑτ?]ος μαχ̣[όμενος? - - - - - - - - - - - -] (25)[- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] αὐτὸ[ς? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ἐπ?]αινεῖσ[θαι] νίκη[ν? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] πλειόνω̣[ν -]χθέν[των - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ε]ἰς τὸ λεῖπον κἀκεῖ[ν - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - πρ]ο̣σήκει καὶ λογί̣ζεσθ[αι - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] (30)[- - - - - - - - - - - - κάλ]λιστα. Ἀναμνησθῶμ[εν - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - ο]ἰκιστῆι τῶν Ἀθηνῶν Ἁ̣[δριανῶι Σεβαστῶι? - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - -] ἡμῖν τὴν μεγάλην π[όλιν ὠικοδόμησε καὶ] [ὄντως? ἐγένετο πατρίδο]ς πατήρ. Τούτων οὖν [συντελεσθέντων πάλιν ἤνθη]- σ̣ε̣[ν ἔφ’ ἡμετέρας?] ἡλικίας ἡ πόλις. Τ[ὸ δὲ] τ[οῦ πυλῶνος?] ἐ̣πί̣γ̣ρ̣α̣μ̣- (35)μα εἰς [αὐτὸν ἔφερε]ν̣∙ Αἵδ’ εἰσ’ Ἀθῆναι Θη̣[σ]έ̣ως ἡ̣ [πρὶν] π̣ό̣λ̣[ις]. Ἡμεῖς δ̣[ὲ ἐλπίδας?] τῆς πόλεως ἁπάση̣[ς καθ’ ὁνδηποτεο]ῦ̣ντιν̣[α] τ̣[ρόπ]ο̣ν ̣ φέρομεν. [Ἐν]θυμήθητε δὲ κἀκε[ῖνα, πῶς] αὐ[τὸ]ς ὁ Θησ[ε]ὺ[ς ἔ]φη- βος ὢν τὰ μ̣[έ]γιστα ἆθλα εἰργ[άσατο καὶ Σίνιν?] ἐ̣ν̣ τῆι ἡμ̣[ετέρα]ι̣ καὶ τὴν το[ῦ] πατ̣ρ̣ὸς Περι̣[φήτου βίαν εἷλε] καὶ̣ Κ̣ο̣ρ̣υ̣[νήτην καὶ] (40)ληιστὰς ἐξεῖλ[ε τοὺς ἐν τῆι Μεγαρίδι? καὶ μετ]ὰ Σ̣κε̣ί̣ρω[να Π]ροκρο̣ύ̣- στην. Ἔφηβο[ς γὰρ ὢν τοὺς δὶς ἑπτὰ ἐκείνους ἄγω]ν εἰς Κρ[ή]τ̣ην̣ [ἐξ]- έπλευσεν ἐ[πὶ τὸν Μινώταυρον καὶ τοῦ αἰσχίστου] δασμοῦ τ̣ὴ̣ν̣ π̣α̣- τρίδα ἠλευθέ[ρωσε καὶ οὕτω τὰ μέγιστα ὠφέλ]ησε τοὺς πολ[ίτας καὶ] ἐφήβους. Τίς [οὖν ἂν ἐφίκοιτο τηλικούτων?] ἔργων τῶν ἐκ̣[είνου]; (45)Τίς μιμεῖσ[θ]αι τ[οιαῦτ’ ἂν δύναιτο ἔφη]βος, ἐκείνωι πε̣[πρᾶχθαι] πα̣γκ̣ρ̣α̣τῆ̣ μέν, [κάλλιστα δὲ ἀκούων; Ἀλλ’ οὐ] πρὸ⟨ς⟩ θηρία ὡς ἐκε[ίνωι νῦν] [ὁ ἀγών ἐσ]τιν τ[ῆς ἀρετῆς? οὐδὲ πρὸς τὸν Κέρβ]ερον?, ἀλλ’ ἐν ἀλλήλοις ἐ̣[ρί]- [ζομεν ἐ]παξ[ίως ἐκείνου καὶ εἰς ἅμιλλαν ὁρ]μώμεθα καὶ τὸν κοσμη̣τ̣ή̣ν̣, [ὃς ἐπισκέ]ψασθ[αι ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἐφήβους? ἐκέ]κ̣τητο τῶι τὰ κάλλιστα προ- (50)[ηιρῆσθα]ι̣ πάν[τα, βουλόμεθα μιμεῖσθ]α̣ι̣.

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Translated text

References:

SEG 50.155 (Translated text) (AIO)

IG II² 2291a (= Fragment A & B) (PHI)

IG II² 1125 (= Fragment C) (PHI)

SEG 38.1970, T 17 (ll. 3, 41)

Byrne, RCA 509, 530

Translation by: Chris de Lisle

Images: Krateros - (1)

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decree (ephebic), Transcript of oration

Fragment a - Findspot: House of K. M. Parisis, south of the tower of the Winds (EM 9506-9507)
Fragment b - Findspot: Unknown (EM 9509)
Fragment c - Findspot: Near the Hephaisteion (EM 2097)
Fragment d - Findspot: Near the tower of the Winds (EM 9510)
Fragment e - Findspot: Unknown (EM 9505)
Fragment f - Findspot: Unknown (EM 9508)
Fragment g - Findspot: Unknown (EM 3028)
Fragment h - Findspot: Unknown (EM 3862)
Fragment i - Findspot: Unknown (EM)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This inscription is a decree passed by the ephebic cohort of 184/5 AD (for the date, see Byrne, RCA, p. 509, 530). The ephebic catalogue (IG II² 2128) and a systremma list (IG II² 2129) also survive from this year. This is the only decree of the ephebes from the Imperial period to be inscribed in full, but collective decisions by the ephebes, particularly honorific ones, are frequently referred to in inscriptions (e.g. IG II² 3737). On other decrees of the Imperial period, see SEG 21.499. This decree orders the inscription of a speech delivered by the ephebic archon at one of the ephebic festivals, probably the Theseia (on which see IG II³ 4, 377). The speech is a “protreptic oration” – an exhortation to listeners to behave virtuously. According to IG II² 2119, ll. 247-49, the ephebes were subjected to two of these per year, as well as numerous speeches at the ephebic festivals. However, this is the only ephebic speech whose text survives – unfortunately, only in fragmentary form. Inscribed Greek orations are very rare; the few other examples are all of Roman date: IG II² 2291B (speech of an unknown sophist before the Areopagos), IG VII 2713 (speech of Nero at Isthmia), SEG 39.1193 (speech of thanks, Ephesos). The speaker, Isochrysos, possessed Roman citizenship and was wealthy enough to perform the ephebic gymnasiarchy and competition directorship (agonothesia), but is only attested subsequently once, as a member of the Council of 500 (Agora XV 392, l. 44). For the positions held by him as an ephebe, see AIO Papers 12, sect. 2.3. The superintendent’s title, “Ox-slayer” (boutypos) was a priesthood involved in the “Ox-slaying rite” (Bouphonia) of the Dipoleia festival, on which see AIO 1185 F1 col. 2 with notes, cf. Parker, Polytheism, 187-91. [2] The opening section of the speech, the exordium, introduces the topic of the whole oration: how are the ephebes to emulate Theseus, founding hero of Athens? The parallel between Theseus and the ephebes had been established already in the Classical period, since he carried out his most famous exploits as a young man and went on to be the archetypal male citizen (H. J. Walker, Theseus and Athens, 1995, 94-112). The association of Theseus with the ephebes remained live in the Roman period, as shown by this speech (especially ll. 37-38 and 41, where Theseus is called an ephebe). Compare SEG 46.286, a funerary stele for an ephebe called Paramonos, which concludes, “I am a new Theseus.” However, given his superhuman stature and the difference between his world and that of the ephebes, it was not obvious how the ephebes were meant to emulate Theseus in practice. This gap between the emphasis on the idealised mythic and Classical past and the reality of life under Roman rule was a key issue underlying Greek literature and thought of this period (S. Swain, Hellenism and Empire, 1996, esp. 65-100, J. König, Athletics and Literature, 2005, 45-96). The question had a contemporary dimension, since in this period Theseus was often treated as an Athenian prototype for the Emperor – another role model, whom the ephebes could not realistically expect to emulate (see n. 3). Isochrysos thus sets out to deal with an issue of central importance to his audience. The conclusion that he reaches – that the ephebes should take Theseus as inspiration for the pursuit of virtue generally, but must be conscious of the difference between his setting and theirs, restricting their own efforts to competitions amongst themselves in a civic context – is similar to that presented by Plutarch (e.g. Political Advice 813c-816a, On Progress to Virtue 85a). [3] The speaker appears to refer to the Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD), whose extensive benefactions to Athens led him to be honoured as a second founder of Athens (see M. Boatwright, Hadrian and the Cities of the Roman Empire, 2000, 144-57, 167-71). Hence the (probable) reference to him as “our fatherland’s father” (l. 33), which also puns on the title “father of the fatherland” (pater patriae) awarded to Emperors by the Roman Senate. The “epigram on the gate” is IG II² 5185a, still visible in Athens today on the Arch of Hadrian. The arch itself emphasises the parallel between Theseus and Hadrian, referring to one side of the gate as “the Athens of Theseus” and the other as “the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus.” The reference to Hadrian had contemporary relevance, since Hadrian was the adoptive great-grandfather of the reigning emperor Commodus. This fact was referenced in Commodus’ official titulature and the two emperors were closely associated (e.g. being honoured together in Hadrianeia-Commodeia festivals at both Smyrna and Ephesus, FD III 6, 143; TAM II 587). If l. 35 is correctly restored, a parallel is constructed between the city’s buildings, which “bear" witness to the past, and the ephebes who “bear" the hopes for the future. Such parallelism between civic structures and the city’s populace was a literary commonplace (e.g. Plato, Laws 778d-e, Plutarch, Life of Lykourgos 19). [4] The parallel between Theseus and the ephebes is emphasised by the anaphora (repetition of the opening clause) in ll. 37-38 and 41, and by the reference to his successes as “prizes” (athla), akin to those won by the ephebes themselves in their athletic competitions. In ll. 38-40, Isochrysos refers to various bandits defeated by the young Theseus as he travelled from his birthplace in Troizen to meet his father in Athens. The main literary accounts of this journey, which was a prototypical Athenian coming-of-age narrative, are Bacchylides 18.16-30, Isokrates Or. 10.29, Diodoros 4.59-61, and Plutarch, Life of Theseus 8-12. Many of the restorations are tentative. Sinis the “pine-bender” killed people by bending down pine-trees, tying people to them, and then letting the trees bounce back. The reference to him as “in our land” is unparalleled (he was traditionally placed at Isthmia, whose special symbol was the pine); the restoration of a reference to him may be incorrect. Periphetes or Korynetes (“Club-bearer”) was based at Epidauros – as reconstructed, this speech would be the only source to separate him into two individuals. However, the first name might instead be Perigyne, daughter of Sinis (Plut. Theseus 8). Skeiron was a bandit at Chelone in the Megaris, who would make travellers wash his feet at the top of a cliff and then kick them off. Prokroustes, based at Korydallos on the road from Eleusis to Athens, killed travellers by stretching or amputating them to make them the same length as his bed. [5] Theseus’ most famous exploit was his defeat of the half-man, half-bull Minotaur. According to the myth, Minos’ son Androgeos was killed in Attica and as compensation the Athenians were required to send seven young men and seven young women (regularly referred to as “the double seven,” dis hepta, hence the restoration in l. 41) to Crete to be fed to the Minotaur. Theseus volunteered to join the "double seven" and slew the monster. The myth was also closely associated with the ephebes – one explanation of the black cloaks that the ephebes wore until 165/6 AD was that they commemorated the black sails of Theseus’ ship (see IG II² 2090). [6] Lines 44 and 45 use anaphora of τίς (“who, what”) to strengthen the rhetorical questions. “Overwhelming” (pankrate) might be a pun on the pankration, a wrestling event familiar to the ephebes from their athletic contests. [7] Theseus fought against a number of beasts, aside from the Minotaur: the sow of Krommyon, the bull of Marathon, and the Centaurs (Plut. Theseus 9, 13-14, 30). The restoration of Kerberos, if correct, refers to Theseus’ expedition to the Underworld in a failed attempt to abduct Persephone as a bride for Perithoos. [8] This is the most explicit statement of the role of the superintendent (kosmetes) as a moral exemplum for the ephebes, something which is implied by other epigraphic and visual material – especially the herms erected by the ephebes in their honour, on which see IG II² 3739 and AIO Papers 12, sect. 1.4 and 2.1.

Textual note AIO’s text follows S. Follet, D. Peppas-Delmouzou, in F. Prévot, Romanité et cité chrétienne, 2000, 11-17 (= SEG 50.155). Restorations in ll. 3 and 41 are due to A. Chaniotis, Historie und Historiker in den griechischen Inschriften, 1988, T 17, p. 70-72 (= SEG 38.1970, T 17).

Added: 14 Jan 2021
Updated: 4 Jul 2024
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ID: AIO_2128