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Egyptian Texts:  4.14


STATUE OF ARISTONIKOS

Text:   Cairo JE 85743   [ TM 91974 ]
Date:   2nd century B.C. 
Language:   Demotic
Translated by:   I. Guermeur
Format:   see key to translations

It is clear that the man honoured by this statue belonged to the elite of the Ptolemaic kingdom. He was a syngenēs {"kinsman"}, which was one the most prestigious titles in the royal court - see I.S. Moyer, "Court, Chora, and Culture in Late Ptolemaic Egypt " ( academia.edu ). However the inscription on the statue stresses his devotion to the local Egyptian gods.

The translation is adapted from the French translation by I. Guermeur, "Le syngenes Aristonikos et la ville de To-bener" ( PDF ). More recently, it has been suggested by J.-Y. Carrez-Maratray, in "L'armée lagide sur le front du Delta, intervenants et champs d'operation ( encore le syngenes Aristonikos )" (2014), that this statue may represent the same Aristonikos who played a prominent part in suppressing the rebellion in Upper Egypt, as recorded by, for instance, the Second Philae Decree.   



The nobleman, the first of the patricians, the unique friend, the brother of the king's family {syngenēs}, the perfect of heart who is faithful to them, doing what their hearts love,  .  .  .  .  of the master of the Two Lands, the 'nurturer' prophet of.  .  .  (2) Aristonikos, upright in speech;  he says .  .  .  :

  O Amon-Rê lord of To-bener, the very ancient, the lord of the nest, the one whose body is hidden in the temple, inside the Castle -.  .  .  To-bener, Mut the great mistress of To-bener, the eye of Rê, mistress of the sky, sovereign of the gods of To-[bener];  .  .  .  (3) in bread-beer, oxen, poultry, I erected statues near the forecourt of the temple of Amon .  .  .  from my master, the reward for that from you is that you ensure my love remains with everyone, while my household is filled with all good [things] and you grant me a long lifetime, living on earth, while my [heart {jb}] is in its place and my heart {ḥȝtj} is in its ideal position .  .  .


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