The inscriptions about the Pythaïs at Delphi often do give any clear indication of their date. Sylloge³ argues that this inscription should be assigned to the second celebration, in 128/7 B.C. In that case, it forms a supplement to inscription 698; the epic poets were honoured separately, because as this inscription makes clear, they belonged to a different synodos (translated here as "guild").
Since the epic poets [who are gathered in Athens] are piously inclined towards the god { Apollo } who is the leader of the Muses and the founder of poetry, and [hold their] own people [in honour], and wish to increase holiness [towards] the gods; and when the [people of Athens] voted to send the Pythaïs to us in accordance with the oracle [of the god], for the health and safety of all the Athenians [and their children] and wives and their friends [and allies], the epic poets sent out Artemon son of Artemon, Hagias son of Boulon, Demetrios son of Kephisodoros [and Kephisodoros . . ., who] joined the people in offering a magnificent sacrifice, and joined [in the procession in a fine manner, worthy of the god and] of the Athenian people; therefore with good fortune, it is resolved by the city of Delphi [to praise the guild] of the epic poets in Athens for their piety towards the god and their [goodwill towards our city; and] to crown the guild with the wreath of the god, as is the traditional way at Delphi to crown [our own proxenoi] and benefactors; and to crown the poets Artemon, [Hagias], Demetrios and Kephisodoros who visited us; and all the epic poets who are gathered in Athens, in accordance with the oracle of the god, shall [have] proxeny and priority in access to the oracle and the other privileges just as has been decreed for them by the league of the Amphictyons and by our own city. So that the honourable conduct and goodwill of such men may be manifest to future generations, this decree shall
be inscribed in the temple of Apollo on the treasury of the Athenians, and a copy shall be sent to the guild of the epic poets in Athens.
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