Translations of Hellenistic Inscriptions: 203

ATHENS HONOURS THE EPHEBES AND THEIR OFFICERS

Amongst their other activities, the ephebes of this year attended the lectures of the Stoic philosopher Zenodotos (line 19), who is mainly known for the epitaph that he wrote for Zenon ( DiogLaert_7.30 ). The epigraphic evidence for the Ptolemaion, where Zenodotos taught, is discussed by T.V. Mavrojannis, The Royal Donations of Ptolemy IX Soter II Lathyros in Athens ( academia.edu ).

The translation is mostly adapted from J.D. Mikalson, "Religion in Hellenistic Athens", chapter 8 ( UC Press E-Books ).

Gods.   When Nikodemos was archon, in the third prytany, that of the tribe Aigeis, for which Epigenes, son of Epigenes, of Oinoē was secretary, on the eighth, intercalated day of Boedromion according to the archon, on the ninth day according to the moon, on the ninth day of the prytany, the full assembly met in the theatre. Timon, son of Theopompos, of Paiania and his fellow presidents put it to the vote on behalf of the presidents. It was resolved by the council and the people, as proposed by Aphrodisios, son of Aphrodisios, of Azenia :  

Since the ephebes in the year when Demetrios was archon :  
• sacrificed at their registration in the prytaneion on the public hearth of the people , with the kosmētēs, the priest of Demos and the Charites, and the exēgētai in accordance with the laws and decrees of the people and put on the procession for Artemis Agrotera;  
• and met the sacrificial victims and escorted them, and did the same for Iacchos;  
• and lifted up the cattle in Eleusis at the sacrifice 10 and at the Proērosia and those in the other sanctuaries and gymnasia, and performed the races;  
• and also participated in the processions and ran the appropriate torch races;  
• and joined in leading Pallas to Phaleron and back again from there under torchlight in all good order;  
• and brought Dionysos from the altar {eschara} into the theatre under torchlight and at the Dionysia sent a bull worthy of the god - a bull which they also sacrificed in the sanctuary at the procession. And for this they received a crown from the people;  
• and, when the sacrifice was being performed for Athena Nike, they joined in the procession well and in an orderly manner, escorting the cow which they also sacrificed on the Acropolis to the goddess;  
• and they joined in performing also the other appropriate sacrifices to the gods and to the benefactors in accordance with the laws and decrees;  
• and through the whole year they continually were at the gymnasia and obeyed the kosmētēs, and, having thought it most important and most necessary to maintain good order in the lessons assigned by the people, they were always without reproach and obeyed the pronouncements of the kosmētēs and their teachers;  
• and through the whole year they persevered in studying with Zenodotos in the Ptolemaion and the Lykeion, 20 and likewise with all the other philosophers in the Lykeion and the Academy ;  
• and also they sat in good order in armour in the meetings of the assembly;  
• and through the whole year they met Roman friends, and benefactors who arrived;  
• and at the Epitaphia they made the race in armour from the public tomb and the other appropriate races;  
• and they made a display in weapons at the Theseia and the Epitaphia;  
• and they contributed seventy drachmas to the fund established for this purpose according to the decree of the people for the libation bowl for the Mother of the Gods, and they dedicated a second in the sanctuary in Eleusis ;  
• and they went out to the boundaries of Attica in weapons and became experienced in the land and roads, and they [were present] . . . at the sanctuaries in the countryside, and in these they continually sacrificed and sought good omens on behalf of the people;  
• and coming to the public tomb [ at Marathon ] they put a crown on it and made an offering to those having died in war for freedom's sake;  
• and they went to the Amphiaraion and [they inquired] into the proprietary rights over the sanctuary which were established from ancient times by their ancestors, and, having sacrificed, they returned on the same day [to their own land];  
• and they sailed to the trophy monument and they sacrificed to Zeus Tropaios;  
• and in the procession of the Great Gods they made [the contest of the ships];  
• and at the Mounichia they sailed in a race into the harbour at Mounichia, 30 and likewise at the Diisoteria;  
• and [they sailed also to the] Aianteia, and, after having made the contest of the ships there, the procession, and the sacrifice to Aias they were praised by [ the deme of the Salaminians ] and received a gold crown because they had made their stay in an orderly and seemly manner;  
• and in the whole [year they preserved] harmony and friendship [with one another], with no discord, in accordance with the policy of the kosmētēs  
• and they made also the appropriate [display] for the council in accordance with the law;  
• and showing a love for all good and beautiful things, and wishing [to act in accordance] with the [policy] of the kosmētēs, for the benefit of the state and for their own seemliness, from their own funds they serviced one of the old, stone-throwing catapults, repaired the defective parts, and restored, after several years, the use of [and instruction] in the weapon, . . . and they practiced with it;  
• and in other matters they continually were free from reproach in their activities . . . ;

therefore, in order that the council and people may be seen to honour those from their earliest youth worthy and obeying the laws, [decrees], and [kosmētēs]; with good fortune, the council has resolved that those selected by lot as presidents for the next [assembly] raise this matter and report to the people the opinion of the council, 40 that the council resolves to praise the ephebes of the year when Demetrios was archon and to crown them with a gold crown because of their piety towards the [gods], because of the good order which they have maintained in the whole year, and because of their generosity toward the council and the people, and to announce this crown at the new tragedies of the City Dionysia and at the athletic contests of the Panathenaia and Eleusinia; and that the strategoi and the treasurer of the military fund shall take care of the announcement of the crown; and to praise their teachers:

• physical trainer :   Timon of Boutadai, son of Timarchos
• military trainer :   Satyros of Kephisia, son of Herakleides
• javelin-thrower :   Nikandros of Euonymon, son of Demetrios
• archer :   Asklepiades of Marathon, son of Aristokrates 
• catapulter :   Kalchedon of Perithoidai, son of Kalchedon
• assistants :   Satyros of Halimous, son of Apollonios; Hieron of Anagyros, son of Herakleides; and Athenaios of Halai, son of Isidorus;

The secretary of the prytany shall inscribe this decree on two stone steles, and shall place one of them in the agora and the other wherever seems suitable; and the [treasurer] of the military fund shall allocate money for the costs incurred in the inscription and the erection of the steles.

→ inscription 204

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