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Rectangular marble
Letters:
Encoded for EpiDoc schema 8.17 on 01-01-2014 by JM Carbon.
Edition here based on Ehrhardt
Cf. also:
Further bibliography:
[...], and to receive the skins and the other perquisites. If one (animal) is sacrificed, he will receive the tongue, the continuous sacrum, the foreleg (or tail?). If more (animals) are sacrificed, he will get the continuous sacrum and the tongue from each (animal), and one thigh from among all (the animals). When the priest officiates for the other gods sharing the precinct, he will receive the same perquisites and a thigh instead of (5) the foreleg (or tail?), unless the
[...] de recevoir les peaux et les autres parts d'honneur. Si un seul (animal) est sacrifié, il recevra la langue, le long sacrum, le jarret (ou la queue ?). Si l'on sacrifie plus (d'un animal), qu'il reçoive le long sacrum et la langue, sur chaque (animal), et une seule cuisse sur tous. Quand le prêtre officie pour les autres dieux qui partagent l'enceinte, qu'il reçoive les mêmes parts d'honneur et une cuisse au lieu (5) du jarret (ou la queue ?), sauf si le roi la reçoit. Si la cité sacrifie un animal dont la peau a été roussie, qu'il reçoive la langue, le long sacrum, le jarret (ou la queue ?). Si un étranger offre un sacrifice à Apollon, quel que soit le citoyen que l'étranger choisit pour remplir l'office, qu'on donne au prêtre exactement les parts d'honneur que la cité donnerait, [sauf] la peau. Si c'est lors des Apollonia que sacrifie l'étranger, que [x serve de prêtre suppléant... ?]
Though only partially preserved, the regulation is organised much like other contracts for priests. It may be a more general regulation than a contract, but it is worth noting that the practice of sales of priesthood is well-attested at Miletos: cf. CGRN 39, etc. Accordingly, this document may well be a further instance of this type. It presents a series of cases and scenarios which modify the list of habitual perquisites for the priest: there are seven of these cases preserved here (the first and the last one partially). Since line 1 mentions the phrase τὰ ἄλλα γέρεα, the standard perquisites were probably defined in an earlier (now missing) section of the document. A good guess, however, is the usual series of three or four portions which are listed here: the hide or skin in some cases, along with the tongue, the sacrum, and finally a portion called the ὤρη or, alternatively, the thigh. The attribution of these perquisites depends on how many animals are offered, to which gods, and on who is offering the sacrifice (the city, a foreigner).
At any rate, it is clear that the regulation refers to the priesthood of Apollo at Miletos and very likely the priest of Apollo Delphinios, the central figure in the city (cf. Ehrhardt, Herda). There are several indications which support this identification. Apollo is obviously mentioned in line 6, as well as in line 8, where a festival called the Apollonia is cited. Though not attested
Line 2: For the tongue as a priestly perquisite, see also here e.g. CGRN 36 (Chios), lines 2-3, etc. The ὀσφῦς is a fundamental portion in Greek sacrifice, being often offered on the altar as a burnt offering, and sometimes granted to priests, see e.g. CGRN 42 (Iasos), line 2. Anatomically, it should refer to the sacrum bone, its marrow, and the meat surrounding it (perhaps other vertebrae, portions of the tail, or adjacent bits of the hip). Here, however, the portion is explicitly qualified by the adjective δασύς, which has caused some problems of interpretation (see still Ehrhardt, who translates "mit viel Fleisch";
Line 3: Since the thigh—perhaps deboned and the thighbone offered on the altar for the god—would have been a substantial and valuable portion of meat, the priest only receives a single item from the available legs in the multiple sacrifice. The same specification applies to the granting of a valuable skin to the priest, since this appears to be only granted exceptionally in the regulation.
Lines 4-5: Τhe portion called ὤρη ought to be the Ionian form of a word like ὥρα or ὤρα (so
Lines 6-8: The verb προϊεράομαι refers to the appointment and designation of a substitute for the one offering the sacrifice, i.e. a surrogate officiant working with the priest or acting himself as priest. This appears to be particularly necessary in the case of foreigners, who were not themselves entitled to offer a sacrifice, except in name. A citizen is freely chosen as a surrogate and the priest of Apollo presumably still oversees the rites in question. See also here CGRN 41 (Chios), lines 4-5, CGRN 50 (Chios), lines 10-12, and CGRN 138 (Miletos), lines 6-7, other instances from priestly contracts.