CGRN 237

Decree concerning the procession to Eleusis for the Eleusinian Mysteries

Date :

ca. 220 AD

Justification: prosopography of officials (cf. AIUK 4.2, p. 131).

Provenance

Athens . Seven of the nine fragments of the stele were found in 1861 in an excavation at the church of Agios Demetrios Katephores in Athens. The church is possibly located near the ancient gymnasion known as the Diogeneion, but the exact provenance of the stele remains somewhat uncertain (see below on lines 40-44). The fragments are now in the Epigraphical Museum in Athens (inv. no. 8614, fragments b-i), except for fragment a, taken by Lord Elgin to the British Museum (inv. no. BM 1816,0610.294).

Support

Stele of white ("Pentelic") marble broken into nine fragments. Fragments b-h were excavated in 1861, whilst an eighth fragment (i) was later identified in the Epigraphical Museum of Athens. Dittenberger added to his edition the ninth fragment.

Fragment a

  • Height: 15 cm
  • Width: 22 cm
  • Depth: 10 cm

Fragments b-h

  • Height: 83 cm
  • Width: 48 cm

Fragment i

  • Height: 19 cm
  • Width: 23 cm

Layout

The nine fragments preserve the left and right sides and bottom of the stele.

Letters: 0.8 cm high

Bibliography

Edition here based on Lambert AIUK 4.2 17 (online version ).

Cf. also: Dittenberger 1866; Kirchner IG II² 1078; Clinton I.Eleusis 638; Sokolowski LSCG 8.

Further bibliography: Clinton 1974; Lambert 1997; Robertson 1998; Chaniotis 2003: 189-190; Parker 2005a: 342-351; Perrin-Saminadayar 2007; Patera 2011; Lambert forthc.

Text


vacat
[ἔδοξεν τ]ῶι δήμωι · Ἀραβιανὸ[ς ἦρχεν ....8.... ἐπρυ]-
[τάνευε]ν· Εὔτυχος ἐγραμ[μάτευεν]· [....8.... ἐπεστά]-
[τει]· Δρυαντιανὸς ἄρχων [τῶν Εὐμολπιδῶν εἶπεν]·
[ἐπει]δὴ καὶ διατελοῦμε[ν τοῖς νῦν καθάπερ] καὶ
5[δ]ιὰ τῶν παρῳχημένων [χρόνων τελοῦντες τὰ μυ]στήρι-
α, καὶ τὰ πάτρια προστάττ[ει τῶι γένει] τῶν [Εὐμο]λπιδῶν
πεφροντικέναι ὅπως ἂν [ἐν κόσμωι ἀχθ]είη τὰ ἱερὰ
δεῦρο τ’ ἐκ τῆς̣ Ἐλευσεῖνο[ς καὶ πάλιν ἐκ το]ῦ ἄστεως Ἐ- vv
λευσεῖνάδε, ἀγαθῆι τύχ[ηι δεδόχθαι] τῶι δήμωι προσ-
τάξαι10 τῶι κοσμητῆι τῶν [ἐφήβων κ]ατὰ τὰ ἀρχαῖα νόμι-
μα ἄγειν Ἐλευσινάδε τοὺ[ς ἐφήβ]ους τῆι τρίτηι ἐπὶ δέ-
κ[α] τοῦ Βοηδρομιῶνος μετ[ὰ το]ῦ εἰθισμένου σχήμα- v
[τος] τῆς ἅμα ἱεροῖς πομπῆ[ς], ἵνα τῆι τετράδι ἐπὶ δέκα πα-
[ραπ]έμψωσιν τὰ ἱερὰ μέχ[ρι] τοῦ Ἐλευσεινίου τοῦ ὑπὸ v
15[τῆι π]όλει, ὡς ἂν κόσμο[ς] τε πλείων καὶ φρουρὰ μείζων v
[περὶ] τὰ ἱερὰ ὑπάρχοι, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὁ φαιδυντὴς τοῖν Θε- v
[οῖν] ἀγγέλλει κατὰ τὰ πάτρια τῆι ἱερείαι τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς ὡς
[ἥκει τ]ὰ ἱερὰ κ[α]ὶ ἡ παραπέμπουσα στρατιά· κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ
[δὲ τῆι] ἐνάτηι ἐπὶ δέκα τοῦ Βοηδρομιῶνος προσ-
[τάξα]ι20 τῶι κοσμητῆι τῶν ἐφήβων ἄγειν τοὺς ἐφή[βους]
[πάλιν Ἐ]λευσεινάδε μετὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ σχήματος π[αραπέμ]-
[πο]ντας τὰ ἱερά· μέλειν δὲ τούτου τῶι κατ’ ἐν[ιαυτὸν]
κοσμητῆι, ὅπως μηδέποτε τοῦτο ἐκλε[ιφθείη μη]-
δὲ ὀλιγωρηθείη ποτὲ τὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας [τῆς πρὸς τὼ Θε]-
ώ25· παραπέμπειν δὲ τοὺς ἐφήβους π[άντας, ἔχοντας]
τὴν πανοπλίαν, ἐστεφανωμέν[ους μυρρίνης στεφά]-
νωι, βαδείζοντας ἐν τάξει· ἐπ[εὶ] δ[ὲ προστάττομεν τοῖς ἐ]-
φήβοις τὴν τοσαύτην ὁδοιπορῆσαι π[ομπήν, αὐτοὺς]
καὶ θυσιῶν καὶ σπονδῶν καὶ παιάνων τῶ[ν κατὰ τὴν]
30ὁδὸν μεθέξειν, ὡς ἂν τά τε ἱερὰ μετὰ φρουρᾶ[ς ἰσχυρο]-
τέρας (?) καὶ πομπῆς μακροτέρας ἄγοιτο, v οἵ τε ἔφ[ηβοι]
παρακολουθοῦντες τῆι περὶ τὸ θεῖον τῆς πόλεως̣ [vv]
θεραπείαι καὶ ἄνδρες εὐσεβέστεροι γείνοιντο· v μεθέ-
ξουσιν δὲ καὶ οἱ ἔφηβοι πάντες τῶν τε ἄλλων ὧν ἂν v
35παρέχ[ηι τ]οῖς Εὐμολπίδαις ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ γένους, καὶ τῆ[ς]
δι[αν]ομῆς· γενέσθαι δὲ τὴν γνώμην ταύτην φα[νε- v]
[ρ]ὰν καὶ τῆι ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου βουλῆι καὶ τῆι βουλ[ῆι] τῶν v
Φ v καὶ τῶι ἱεροφάντηι καὶ τῶι γένει τῶν Εὐ[μο]λπιδῶν·
ἀναγράψαι δὲ τὸ ψήφισμα τοῦτο τὸν [τα]μία[ν τ]οῦ γέ- v
νους40 τῶν Εὐμολπιδῶν ἐν τρισὶν [στή]λαις καὶ στῆσαι
τὴν μὲν ἐν Ἐλευσινίωι τῶι ὑπὸ τ[ῆ]ι πόλει, τὴν δὲ ἐν v
τῶι Διογενείωι, τὴν δὲ ἐν Ἐλευσεῖνι ἐν τῶι ἱερῶι πρὸ
τοῦ βου[λ]ευτηρίου.

Translation

The people decided. Arabianos [was archon, ... was president], Eutychos was secretary, [... was supervisor], Dryantianos, archon [of the Eumolpidai proposed:] since we continue [celebrating] the Mysteries even now as also (5) throughout [times] past, and the ancestral customs command [the genos] of the Eumolpidai to see to it that the sacred objects are [carried in good order] both hither from Eleusis [and from] the city [back] to Eleusis, for good fortune [it was decided] by the people to command (10) the kosmetes of the [ephebes], according to the ancient customs, to lead the ephebes to Eleusis on the 13th of Boedromion with the accustomed dignity in a procession together with sacred objects, in order that on the 14th they may escort the sacred objects to the Eleusinion under the (15) Acropolis, so that there should be more good order and a larger escort for the sacred objects, since also the phaidyntes of the two Goddesses, according to the ancestral customs, reports to the priestess of Athena that the sacred objects and the escorting host [have come]; in the same way, (it was decided by the people) on the 19th of Boedromion to command (20) the kosmetes of the ephebes to lead back to Eleusis the ephebes escorting the sacred objects with the same dignity; (to command) the kosmetes to care for this every year, so that this should never be omitted nor should there ever be any lack of piety [towards the two Goddesses]. (25) [All] the ephebes should escort [with] a full armour, crowned with [a myrtle crown], walking in military formation. And since we command the ephebes to process such a great distance, they shall take part in sacrifices and libations and paeans on the way, (30) so that the sacred objects may be led with a [stronger (?)] guard and a larger procession and the ephebes, following closely the city’s service of the divine, may also become more pious men; and all the ephebes will take part in everything which (35) the archon of the genos provides to the Eumolpidai, especially the distribution; this decision should be notified to the council of the Areopagos and the council of Five Hundred and the hierophant and the genos of the Eumolpidai; and the treasurer of the genos of the Eumolpidai shall inscribe this decree (40) on three stelae and erect one in the Eleusinion under the (Acro)polis, another in the Diogeneion, and another at Eleusis in the sanctuary in front of the bouleuterion.

Traduction

Il a plu au peuple; Arabianos [était archonte; ... était président]; Eutychos était secrétaire [... était superviseur]; Dryantianos, archonte [des Eumolpides a fait la proposition :] puisque nous continuons [à célébrer] les Mystères aujourd’hui de la même façon que (5) du [temps] passé, et que les coutumes ancestrales ordonnent [au genos] des Eumolpides de veiller à ce que les hiera soient [transportés en bon ordre] jusqu’ici depuis Éleusis et [en sens inverse de la] ville à Éleusis, à la bonne fortune [il a plu au peuple] d’ordonner (10) au kosmète des [éphèbes], conformément aux anciennes coutumes, de conduire à Éleusis les éphèbes le 13 Boedromion avec la bienséance d’usage pour une procession comprenant des objets sacrés, afin que le 14 ils escortent les objets sacrés jusqu’à l’Éleusinion sous (15) l’Acropole, de manière à ce que les objets sacrés disposent de davantage d’ordre et d’une garde plus ample, puisqu’aussi le phaidyntes des Deux Déesses, conformément aux coutumes ancestrales, annonce à la prêtresse d’Athéna [l’arrivée] des objets sacrés et de la troupe qui les escorte; de la même manière, le 19 Boedromion, (il a plu au peuple) d’ordonner (20) au kosmète des éphèbes de conduire les éphèbes qui escortent les objets sacrés [en sens inverse] à Éleusis avec la même bienséance; (d’ordonner) au kosmetes d’y veiller chaque année, de manière de manière à ce que ce ne soit jamais abandonné et à ce qu’il n’y ait jamais de manquement en ce qui concerne la piété [envers les Deux Déesses]. (25) Que [tous] les éphèbes escortent [en portant] l’armure complète, coiffés d’une [couronne de myrte] et en marchant en formation militaire. Et puisque nous ordonnons aux éphèbes d’accomplir une si longue [procession], qu’ils participent à la fois aux sacrifices, aux libations et aux péans tout au long du chemin, (30) de manière à ce que les objets sacrés soient conduits avec une garde plus [forte (?)] et une procession plus longue et que les éphèbes, en suivant de près le soin de la cité envers le divin, deviennent des hommes plus pieux; les éphèbes participeront à tout ce que (35) fournit aux Eumolpides l’archonte du genos, en particulier la distribution; que cette motion soit portée à la connaissance à la fois du conseil de l’Aréopage, du conseil des Cinq Cents, du hiérophante et du genos des Eumolpides; que le trésorier du genos des Eumolpides inscrive ce décret (40) sur trois stèles, l’une dans l’Eleusinion sous l’Acropole, l’autre dans le Diogeneion et la dernière à Éleusis, dans le sanctuaire devant le bouleuterion.

Commentary

This inscription from the 3rd century AD records one of the latest inscribed decrees passed by the Athenian assembly. It concerns the organisation of a procession which formed part of the celebration of the Eleusinian Mysteries, which at the time of this inscription remained one of the most important religious celebrations in the Greek world (see e.g. Paus. 5.10.1). On Eleusis, the Mysteries, and the Eumolpidai, see CGRN 8 (concerning sacrifices at Eleusis), CGRN 31 (the offering of first-fruits at Eleusis) and CGRN 94 (sacrificial calendar of Eleusis). For the Great Mysteries, see also here CGRN 45, face B, fr. 4, and CGRN 56 (Marathonian Tetrapolis), col. II, lines 5-6. On the City Eleusinion in Athens, see also here CGRN 7.

The decree prescribes the organisation of the ephebes’ participation in the procession of ta hiera, "the sacred objects", from Athens to Eleusis, as part of the celebration of the Eleusinian Mysteries. The ephebes, led by their superintendent (the kosmetes), lead the procession in military formation and full armour and participate in paeans and sacrifices along the way to Eleusis. The decree emphasises continuity with the past and makes repeated reference to the authority of archaia nomima and ta patria, "ancestral customs and tradition", in the celebration of the Mysteries. Its emphasis on the maintenance of tradition has usually been understood as implying that these were sometimes neglected: the decree is intended to restore, and preserve for the future, an earlier arrangement, whether real or possibly imagined: see Chaniotis; AIUK 4.2, p. 134. Not only in content but also in form does the decree show archaising features: see Lambert forthc.

Line 1: The decree is made by the assembly. Lines 36-38 imply that the council of 500, as well as the Areopagus, were simply notified of the decision, rather than the council being involved in the decision-making process as a probeuleutic body, as was usually the case in Athens. Clinton assumes this was because the matter was a Eumolpid affair and thus did not require prior attention from the council. Lambert, however, suggests the council probably did have a probouleutic function here, but the proposal was then reformulated in the assembly (see AIUK 4.2, p. 132-133).

Line 3: The proposer of the decree is Dryantianos, archon of the genos of the Eumolpidai. He can be identified as Flavius Dryantianos, son of Kallaischros of Marathon, attested as an ephebic liturgist in 215/6 AD (IG II² 2208, line 8; IG II² 3763, line 3). Not much is known about the position of archon of the Eumolpidai: one might compare it to the annual archon of the Salaminoi (cf. Lambert 1997: 98). Our inscription demonstrates the significant role played by the genos of the Eumolpidai in the decreeing of these regulations: as well as being proposed by the leader of the genos itself, the decree is also to be reported to the Eumolpidai and their leading priest, the hierophant (line 48). The text further implies that the cost for the three copies of the inscription is also taken up by the Eumolpidai (lines 39-43). Thus, we see here a measure for which the Eumolpidai take the lead, while the city itself appears to have withdrawn from funding its own inscriptions, relying instead on wealthy groups or individuals directly involved in the content of the decree to provide the funds. On the changing relationship between the polis and such groups, see Lambert, AIUK 4.2, p. 137.

Line 6: As Clinton points out, the decree does not refer to existing laws which regulated these rituals (for example I.Eleusis 250) but instead refers to the vaguer authority of ta patria, "ancestral traditions", and archaia nomima, "ancient customs" (line 10). Taken together with the decree’s reference to the traditional exclamation made by the phaidyntes (lines 16-17), we see here a focus on oral sources of authority, part of the archaising element of the decree (Lambert forthc.).

Line 7: What exactly the sacred objects were is unknown. Perhaps they were objects to be displayed to the initiates during the celebration of the Mysteries (Parker, p. 346).

Line 10: The kosmetes is the official responsible for the training of the ephebes. The position is known from the 4th century BC and was probably introduced during the reorganisation of the ephebeia in the 330s: see Ath. Pol. 42.2.

Lines 11-22: On the 13th of Boedromion, the ephebes proceeded to Eleusis, so that they could escort the sacred objects from Eleusis to the Eleusinion in Athens on the 14th of Boedromion. On the 19th of Boedromion, they then escorted the sacred objects back from the Eleusinion in Athens to Eleusis along the Sacred Way. Other epigraphic evidence demonstrates the importance of this procession: a decree from 214/3 BC specifies that the sacred objects were conveyed on a cart (IG II³ 1, 1164, lines 17-19), while bridges were built at Rheitoi (IG I³ 79, 422/1 BC) and over the Kephisos (IG II² 1191, 321/0 BC?) to ensure safe passage of the sacred objects and their accompaniment. Ancient sources indicate there were several stops along the procession, at various times (Parker, p. 346-347). However, these sources date from different time periods and include contradictory elements, which make a complete reconstruction of the details and timing of the procession difficult. The procession back to Eleusis is noted in this inscription as taking place on the 19th of Boedromion, but Plutarch indicates the 20th of Boedromion (Plut. Phoc. 28.2). A procession of the god Iacchos, presumably in the form of a statue, to Eleusis was an integral part of the Mysteries (e.g. Plut. Alc. 34.4; Phoc. 28.2), though there is no mention of this element of the procession in our inscription. For an attempt at reconciling all the evidence, see Robertson, who suggests there were two processions, one on the 19th of Boedromion with the hiera, one on the 20th consisting of the initiates and the statue of Iacchos. However, this interpretation makes use of this inscription from ca. 220 AD to reconstruct the procession as it took place in the Classical period, which disregards the potential ritual changes (see also Patera). Lambert (AIUK 4.2, p. 135-136) examining the sources Plutarch might have used and misunderstood, suggests that he was mistaken and thus places the procession on the 19th of Boedromion.

Lines 16-17: The phaidyntes was one of the minor sacred officials of the Eleusinian Mysteries, probably drawn from the Eumolpidai (Clinton 1974, p. 95). He is mentioned already in the late 5th century (I.Eleusis 7, line 14). Not much is known of the specific duties of this official aside from what is recorded in this inscription here, where the phaidyntes is responsible for reporting the arrival in Athens of the sacred objects to the priestess of Athena.

Lines 22-25: Not only does the decree aim to (re)establish earlier traditions, it also makes explicit its concern for the maintenance of these rituals in the future, ordering future superintendents (kosmetai) of the ephebes to continue carrying out their duties “so that there should never be any omission or reduction in the piety shown towards the two Goddesses”. On this explicit reference to eusebeia, compare CGRN 145 (Kos), line 23.

Lines 25-27 : As Chaniotis has pointed out, the participating ephebes would have made an impressive performance, marching in full armour and wearing myrtle garlands. For armoured processions of ephebes, see also here CGRN 167 (Kos), lines 37-38. On the religiosity of civic elites in the Roman East, of which this inscription can serve as an example, see Chaniotis, p. 189-190.

Lines 31-33: The inscription also confers an educational aspect on the procession: it decrees that through their participation in the city’s cultivation of the divine, the ephebes also should become more pious men. On the increased importance of education in the post-Classical ephebeia, see Perrin-Saminadayar. Use of the generic θεῖον to refer to the divine is relatively rare in the present collection: see CGRN 148 (Kos), line 14 (restoration), CGRN 200 (Magnesia-on-the-Maiander), line 16, and CGRN 222 (Andania), line 40.

Lines 40-44: Three copies of the decree were made. This inscription is one of two copies from Athens, either from the City Eleusinion or the Diogeneion. The second possibility may be the most likely, since several other inscriptions found in the church of Agios Demetrios Katephores appear to be linked with a gymnasion, almost certainly the Diogeneion (cf. Lambert, AIUK 4.2, p. 3, n. 19-20). However, this location is also not far from the City Eleusinion and a second copy of the inscription, found in this area of Athens, is known from Fourmont’s transcription (IG II² 1079).

Publication

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike International License 4.0 .

All citation, reuse or distribution of this work must contain somewhere a link back to the DOI (https://doi.org/10.54510/CGRN237), as well as the year of consultation (see “Home” for details on how to cite or click “Export Citation” to create a reference for this specific file).

Authors

  • Elie Piette
  • Rebecca Van Hove

How To Cite

Brief citation of the Greek text : CGRN 237, lines x-x.

Reference to the file as a critical study of the inscription : Elie Piette et Rebecca Van Hove, "CGRN 237: Decree concerning the procession to Eleusis for the Eleusinian Mysteries", in Collection of Greek Ritual Norms (CGRN), 2017-, consulted on May 14, 2025. URL: http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/file/237/; DOI: https://doi.org/10.54510/CGRN237.

Full citation of the CGRN in a list of abbreviations or a bibliography is the following : Jan-Mathieu Carbon, Saskia Peels-Matthey, Vinciane Pirenne-Delforge, Collection of Greek Ritual Norms (CGRN), 2017-, consulted on May 14, 2025. URL: http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be; DOI: https://doi.org/10.54510/CGRN0.

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<p><placeName type="ancientFindspot" key="Athens" n="Attica"><ref target="https://pleiades.stoa.org/places/579885/" type="external">Athens</ref>.
Seven of the nine fragments of the stele were found in 1861 in an excavation at the church of Agios Demetrios Katephores in Athens. The church is possibly located near the ancient gymnasion known as the Diogeneion, but the exact provenance of the stele remains somewhat uncertain (see below on lines 40-44). The fragments are now in the Epigraphical Museum in Athens (inv. no. 8614, fragments b-i), except for fragment a, taken by Lord Elgin to the British Museum (inv. no. BM 1816,0610.294).
                                 
                            </placeName>
                            </p>
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                <language ident="grc">Ancient Greek</language>
                <language ident="lat">Latin</language>
                <language ident="fre">French</language>
                <language ident="ger">German</language>
                <language ident="gre">Modern Greek</language>
                <language ident="ita">Italian</language>
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            <change>Revised by XX in 20XX.</change>
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            <div type="bibliography">
                <head>Bibliography</head>
                 
                <p>Edition here based on Lambert <bibl type="abbr" n="AIUK 4.2">AIUK 4.2</bibl> 17 (<ref target="https://www.atticinscriptions.com/inscription/AIUK42/17?text_type=greek" type="external">online version</ref>).</p>
                 
    <p>Cf. also: <bibl type="author_date" n="Dittenberger 1866">Dittenberger 1866</bibl>;
        Kirchner <bibl type="abbr" n="IG II²">IG II²</bibl> 1078;
        Clinton <bibl type="abbr" n="I.Eleusis">I.Eleusis</bibl> 638;
        Sokolowski <bibl type="abbr" n="LSCG">LSCG</bibl> 8.</p>
 
    <p>Further bibliography:
        <bibl type="author_date" n="Clinton 1974">Clinton 1974</bibl>;
        <bibl type="author_date" n="Lambert 1997">Lambert 1997</bibl>;
        <bibl type="author_date" n="Robertson 1998">Robertson 1998</bibl>;
        <bibl type="author_date" n="Chaniotis 2003">Chaniotis 2003</bibl>: 189-190;
        <bibl type="author_date" n="Parker 2005a">Parker 2005a</bibl>: 342-351;    
        <bibl type="author_date" n="Perrin-Saminadayar 2007">Perrin-Saminadayar 2007</bibl>;
        <bibl type="author_date" n="Patera 2011">Patera 2011</bibl>;
        <bibl type="author_date" n="Lambert forthc.">Lambert forthc.</bibl></p>
            </div>
             
            <div type="edition">
                <head>Text</head>
                <ab>
<lb/><space quantity="1" unit="line"/>
 
<lb xml:id="line_1" n="1"/> <w lemma="δοκέω"><supplied reason="lost">ἔδοξεν</supplied> </w> <supplied reason="lost">τ</supplied>ῶι <name type="group"><w lemma="δῆμος">δήμωι </w></name>· Ἀραβιαν<unclear>ὸ</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ς</supplied> <name type="title"><w lemma="ἄρχων"><supplied reason="lost">ἦρχεν</supplied></w></name> <gap reason="lost" quantity="8" unit="character"/> <name type="title"><w lemma="πρυτανεύω"><supplied reason="lost">ἐπρυ</supplied>
                         
<lb xml:id="line_2" n="2" break="no"/><supplied reason="lost">τάνευε</supplied>ν</w></name>· Εὔτυχος <name type="title"><w lemma="γραμματεύω">ἐγραμ<supplied reason="lost">μάτευεν</supplied></w></name>· <gap reason="lost" quantity="8" unit="character"/> <name type="title"><w lemma="ἐπίστημι"><supplied reason="lost">ἐπεστά</supplied>
             
<lb xml:id="line_3" n="3" break="no"/><supplied reason="lost">τει</supplied></w></name>· Δρυαντιανὸς <name type="title"><w lemma="ἄρχων">ἄρχω<unclear>ν</unclear> </w></name> <supplied reason="lost">τῶν <name type="group"><w lemma="Εὐμολπίδαι">Εὐμολπιδῶν</w></name> <w lemma="λέγω">εἶπεν</w></supplied>·
                     
<lb xml:id="line_4" n="4"/><w lemma="ἐπειδή"> <supplied reason="lost">ἐπει</supplied>δὴ</w> καὶ <w lemma="διατελέω">διατελοῦμ<unclear>ε</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ν</supplied></w> <supplied reason="lost">τοῖς <w lemma="νῦν">νῦν</w> <w lemma="καθάπερ">καθάπερ</w></supplied> <unclear>κ</unclear>αὶ
                     
<lb xml:id="line_5" n="5"/><supplied reason="lost">δ</supplied><unclear>ι</unclear>ὰ τῶν <w lemma="παροίχομαι">παρῳχημένων</w> <supplied reason="lost"><w lemma="χρόνος">χρόνων</w> <w lemma="τελέω">τελοῦντες</w> τὰ</supplied> <name type="festival"><w lemma="μυστήριον"><supplied reason="lost">μυ</supplied>στήρι
                 
<lb xml:id="line_6" n="6" break="no"/>α</w></name>, καὶ τὰ <name type="authority"><w lemma="πάτριος">πάτρια</w></name> <w lemma="προστάσσω">προστάττ<supplied reason="lost">ει</supplied></w> <supplied reason="lost">τῶι <name type="group"><w lemma="γένος">γένει</w></name></supplied> τῶν <name type="group"><w lemma="Εὐμολπίδαι"><supplied reason="lost">Εὐμο</supplied>λπιδῶν</w></name>
                     
<lb xml:id="line_7" n="7"/><w lemma="φροντίζω">πεφροντικέν<unclear>α</unclear>ι</w> <w lemma="ὅπως">ὅπως</w> <w lemma="ἄν">ἂν</w> <supplied reason="lost">ἐν <w lemma="κόσμος">κόσμωι</w></supplied> <w lemma="ἄγω"><supplied reason="lost">ἀχθ</supplied>είη</w> τὰ <name type="object"><w lemma="ἱερός">ἱερὰ</w></name>
     
<lb xml:id="line_8" n="8"/> <w lemma="δεῦρο">δεῦρο</w> τ’ <w lemma="ἐκ">ἐκ</w> τῆς̣ <name type="locality"> <w lemma="Ἐλευσίς">Ἐλευσεῖνο<supplied reason="lost">ς</supplied></w></name> <supplied reason="lost">καὶ <w lemma="πάλιν">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="ἐκ">ἐκ</w> το</supplied><unclear>ῦ</unclear> <name type="locality"><w lemma="ἄστυ">ἄστεως</w></name> <name type="locality"> <w lemma="Ἐλευσίς">Ἐ- <space quantity="2" unit="character"/>
         
<lb xml:id="line_9" n="9"/>λευσεῖνάδε</w></name>, <w lemma="ἀγαθός">ἀγαθῆι</w> <w lemma="τύχη">τύχ<supplied reason="lost">ηι</supplied></w> <supplied reason="lost"><w lemma="δοκέω">δεδόχθαι</w></supplied> <unclear>τ</unclear>ῶι <name type="group"><w lemma="δῆμος">δήμωι</w></name> <w lemma="προστάσσω">προσ
                     
<lb xml:id="line_10" n="10" break="no"/>τάξαι</w> τῶι <name type="title"><w lemma="κοσμητής">κοσμητῆι</w></name> τῶν <supplied reason="lost"><name type="group"><w lemma="ἔφηβος">ἐφήβων</w></name></supplied> <w lemma="κατά"><supplied reason="lost">κ</supplied><unclear>α</unclear>τὰ</w> τὰ <w lemma="ἀρχαῖος">ἀρχαῖα</w> <name type="authority"><w lemma="νόμιμος">νόμι
         
<lb xml:id="line_11" n="11" break="no"/>μα</w></name> <w lemma="ἄγω"><unclear>ἄ</unclear>γειν</w> <name type="locality"> <w lemma="Ἐλευσίς">Ἐλευσινάδε</w></name> τοὺ<supplied reason="lost">ς</supplied> <name type="group"><w lemma="ἔφηβος"><supplied reason="lost">ἐφήβ</supplied>ους</w></name> τῆι <w lemma="τρίτος">τρίτηι</w> <w lemma="ἐπί">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="δέκα">δέ
     
<lb xml:id="line_12" n="12" break="no"/><unclear>κ</unclear><supplied reason="lost">α</supplied></w> τοῦ <name type="month"><w lemma="Βοηδρομιών">Βοηδρομιῶνος</w></name> <w lemma="μετὰ">μετ<supplied reason="lost">ὰ</supplied></w> <supplied reason="lost">το</supplied>ῦ <name type="authority"><w lemma="ἐθίζω">εἰθισμένου</w></name> <w lemma="σχῆμα">σχήμα- <space quantity="1" unit="character"/>
             
<lb xml:id="line_13" n="13"/><supplied reason="lost">τος</supplied></w> τῆς <w lemma="ἅμα">ἅμα</w> <name type="object"><w lemma="ἱερός">ἱεροῖς</w></name> <w lemma="πομπή">πομπῆ<supplied reason="lost">ς</supplied></w>, <w lemma="ἵνα">ἵνα</w> τῆι <w lemma="τετράς">τετράδι</w> <w lemma="ἐπί">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="δέκα">δέκα</w> <w lemma="παραπέμπω">πα
 
<lb xml:id="line_14" n="14" break="no"/><supplied reason="lost">ραπ</supplied>έμψωσιν</w> τὰ <name type="object"><w lemma="ἱερός">ἱερὰ</w></name> <w lemma="μέχρι">μέχ<supplied reason="lost">ρι</supplied></w> τοῦ <name type="structure"><w lemma="Ἐλευσίνιος">Ἐλευσεινίου</w></name> τοῦ <w lemma="ὑπό">ὑπὸ</w> <space quantity="1" unit="character"/>
     
<lb xml:id="line_15" n="15"/><supplied reason="lost">τῆι</supplied> <name type="locality"><w lemma="πόλις"><supplied reason="lost">π</supplied>όλει</w></name>, <w lemma="ὡς">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ἄν">ἂν</w> <w lemma="κόσμος">κόσμο<supplied reason="lost">ς</supplied></w> <unclear>τ</unclear>ε <w lemma="πολύς">πλείων</w> καὶ <w lemma="φρουρά">φρουρὰ</w> <w lemma="μέγας">μείζων</w> <space quantity="1" unit="character"/>
                     
<lb xml:id="line_16" n="16"/><w lemma="περί"><supplied reason="lost">περὶ</supplied></w> τὰ <name type="object"><w lemma="ἱερός">ἱερὰ</w></name> <w lemma="ὑπάρχω">ὑπάρχοι</w>, <w lemma="ἐπειδή">ἐπειδὴ</w> καὶ ὁ <name type="personnel"><w lemma="φαιδυντής">φαιδυντὴς</w></name> τοῖν <name type="deity" key="Demeter"><name type="deity" key="Kore"><w lemma="θεός">Θε- <space quantity="1" unit="character"/>
                         
<lb xml:id="line_17" n="17"/><supplied reason="lost">οῖν</supplied></w></name></name> <w lemma="ἀγγέλλω">ἀγγέλλει</w> <w lemma="κατά">κ<unclear>α</unclear>τὰ</w> τὰ <name type="authority"><w lemma="πάτριος">πάτρια</w></name> τῆι <name type="personnel"><w lemma="ἱέρεια">ἱερείαι</w></name> τῆς <name type="deity" key="Athena"><w lemma="Ἀθήνη">Ἀθηνᾶς</w></name> <w lemma="ὡς">ὡς</w>
         
<lb xml:id="line_18" n="18"/><supplied reason="lost"><w lemma="ἥκω">ἥκει</w> τ</supplied>ὰ <name type="object"><w lemma="ἱερός">ἱερὰ</w></name> κ<supplied reason="lost">α</supplied><unclear>ὶ</unclear> ἡ <w lemma="παραπέμπω">παραπέμπουσα</w> <name type="group"><w lemma="στρατιά">στρατιά</w></name>· <w lemma="κατά">κατὰ</w> τὰ <w lemma="αὐτός">αὐτὰ</w>
                     
<lb xml:id="line_19" n="19"/><supplied reason="lost">δὲ τῆι</supplied> <w lemma="ἔνατος">ἐνάτηι</w> <w lemma="ἐπί">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="δέκα">δέκα</w> τοῦ <name type="month"><w lemma="Βοηδρομιών">Βοηδρομιῶνος</w></name> <w lemma="προστάσσω">προσ
                         
<lb xml:id="line_20" n="20" break="no"/><supplied reason="lost">τάξα</supplied><unclear>ι</unclear></w> τῶι <name type="title"> <w lemma="κοσμητής">κοσμητῆι</w></name> τῶν <name type="group"><w lemma="ἔφηβος">ἐφήβων</w></name> <w lemma="ἄγω">ἄγειν</w> τοὺς <name type="group"><w lemma="ἔφηβος">ἐφή<supplied reason="lost">βους</supplied></w></name>
             
<lb xml:id="line_21" n="21"/> <supplied reason="lost"><w lemma="πάλιν">πάλιν</w></supplied> <name type="locality"> <w lemma="Ἐλευσίς"><supplied reason="lost">Ἐ</supplied>λευσεινάδε</w></name> <w lemma="μετά">μετὰ</w> τοῦ <w lemma="αὐτός">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="σχῆμα">σχήματος</w> <w lemma="παραπέμπω"><unclear>π</unclear><supplied reason="lost">αραπέμ</supplied>
                     
<lb xml:id="line_22" n="22" break="no"/><supplied reason="lost">πο</supplied>ντας</w> τὰ <name type="object"><w lemma="ἱερός">ἱερά</w></name>· <w lemma="μέλω">μέλειν</w> δὲ <w lemma="οὗτος">τούτου</w> τῶι κατ’ <w lemma="ἐνιαυτός">ἐ<unclear>ν</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ιαυτὸν</supplied></w>
         
<lb xml:id="line_23" n="23"/><name type="title"><w lemma="κοσμητής"><unclear>κ</unclear>οσμητῆι</w></name>, <w lemma="ὅπως">ὅπως</w> <w lemma="μηδέποτε">μηδέ<unclear>π</unclear>οτε</w> <w lemma="οὗτος">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="ἐκλείπω">ἐκλ<unclear>ε</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ιφθείη</supplied></w> <w lemma="μηδέ"><supplied reason="lost">μη</supplied>
         
<lb xml:id="line_24" n="24" break="no"/>δὲ</w> <w lemma="ὀλιγωρέω">ὀλιγωρηθείη</w> <w lemma="πότε">ποτὲ</w> τὰ τῆς <w lemma="εὐσέβεια">εὐσεβείας</w> <supplied reason="lost">τῆς <w lemma="πρός">πρὸς</w> τὼ</supplied> <name type="deity" key="Demeter"><name type="deity" key="Kore"><w lemma="θεός"> <supplied reason="lost">Θε</supplied>
             
<lb xml:id="line_25" n="25" break="no"/>ώ</w></name></name>· <w lemma="παραπέμπω">παραπέμπειν</w> δὲ τοὺς <name type="group"><w lemma="ἔφηβος">ἐφήβους</w></name> <w lemma="πᾶς">π<supplied reason="lost">άντας</supplied></w><supplied reason="lost">,</supplied> <w lemma="ἔχω"><supplied reason="lost">ἔχοντας</supplied></w>
                     
<lb xml:id="line_26" n="26"/>τὴν <name type="object"><w lemma="πανοπλία">πανοπλίαν</w></name>, <name type="adornment"><w lemma="στεφανόω">ἐστεφανωμέν<supplied reason="lost">ους</supplied></w></name> <name type="vegetal"><w lemma="μυρίνη"><supplied reason="lost">μυρρίνης</supplied></w></name> <name type="adornment"><w lemma="στέφανος"><supplied reason="lost">στεφά</supplied>
     
<lb xml:id="line_27" n="27" break="no"/>νωι</w></name>, <w lemma="βαδίζω">βαδείζοντας</w> <w lemma="ἐν">ἐν</w> <w lemma="τάξις">τάξει</w>· <w lemma="ἐπεί">ἐπ<supplied reason="lost">εὶ</supplied></w> <w lemma="δέ">δ<supplied reason="lost">ὲ</supplied></w> <supplied reason="lost"><w lemma="προστάσσω">προστάττομεν</w> τοῖς</supplied> <name type="group"><w lemma="ἔφηβος"><supplied reason="lost">ἐ</supplied>
             
<lb xml:id="line_28" n="28" break="no"/>φήβοις</w></name> τὴν <w lemma="τοσοῦτος">τοσαύτην</w> <w lemma="ὁδοιπορέω">ὁδο<unclear>ιπ</unclear>ορῆσαι</w> <w lemma="πομπή"><unclear>π</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ομπήν</supplied></w><supplied reason="lost">,</supplied> <w lemma="αὐτός"><supplied reason="lost">αὐτοὺς</supplied></w>
     
<lb xml:id="line_29" n="29"/>καὶ <name type="sacrifice"><w lemma="θυσία">θυσιῶν</w></name> καὶ <name type="liquid"><w lemma="σπονδή">σπονδῶν</w></name> καὶ <name type="invocation"><w lemma="παιάν">παιάνων</w></name> τῶ<supplied reason="lost">ν</supplied> <supplied reason="lost"><w lemma="κατά">κατὰ</w> τὴν</supplied>
             
<lb xml:id="line_30" n="30"/><w lemma="ὁδός">ὁδὸν</w> <w lemma="μετέχω">μεθέξειν</w>, <w lemma="ὡς">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ἄν">ἂν</w> <unclear>τ</unclear>ά τε <name type="object"><w lemma="ἱερός">ἱερὰ</w></name> <w lemma="μετά">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="φρουρά">φρουρᾶ<supplied reason="lost">ς</supplied></w> <w lemma="ἰσχυρός"><supplied reason="lost">ἰσχυρο</supplied>
         
<lb xml:id="line_31" n="31" break="no"/>τέρας</w> (?) καὶ  <w lemma="πομπή">πομπῆς</w> <w lemma="μακρός">μακροτέρας</w> <w lemma="ἄγω">ἄγοιτο</w>, <space quantity="1" unit="character"/> οἵ τε <name type="group"><w lemma="ἔφηβος">ἔφ<supplied reason="lost">ηβοι</supplied></w></name>
     
<lb xml:id="line_32" n="32"/><w lemma="παρακολουθέω">παρακολουθοῦντες</w> τῆι <w lemma="περί">περὶ</w> τὸ <name type="deity" key="generic"><w lemma="θεῖος">θεῖον</w></name> τῆς <name type="group"><w lemma="πόλις">πόλεως̣</w></name> <supplied reason="lost"><space quantity="2" unit="character"/></supplied>
             
<lb xml:id="line_33" n="33"/><name type="genericOffering"><w lemma="θεραπεία">θεραπείαι</w></name> καὶ <name type="group"><w lemma="ἀνήρ">ἄνδρες</w></name> <w lemma="εὐσεβής">εὐσε<unclear>β</unclear>έστεροι</w> <w lemma="γίγνομαι">γείνοιντο</w>· <space quantity="1" unit="character"/> <w lemma="μετέχω">μεθέ
 
<lb xml:id="line_34" n="34" break="no"/>ξουσιν</w> <w lemma="δέ">δ<unclear>ὲ</unclear></w> καὶ οἱ <name type="group"><w lemma="ἔφηβος">ἔφηβοι</w></name> <w lemma="πᾶς">πάντες</w> τῶν τε <w lemma="ἄλλος">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="ὅς">ὧν</w> <w lemma="ἄν">ἂν</w> <space quantity="1" unit="character"/>
     
<lb xml:id="line_35" n="35"/><w lemma="παρέχω">παρέ<unclear>χ</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ηι</supplied></w> <supplied reason="lost">τ</supplied>οῖς <name type="ethnic" key="Eumolpidai"><w lemma="Εὐμολπίδαι">Εὐμολπίδαις</w></name> ὁ <name type="personnel"><w lemma="ἄρχων">ἄρχων</w></name> τοῦ <name type="group"><w lemma="γένος">γένους</w></name>, καὶ τ<unclear>ῆ</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ς</supplied>
                     
<lb xml:id="line_36" n="36"/><name type="portion"><w lemma="διανομή"><unclear>δι</unclear><supplied reason="lost">αν</supplied><unclear>ο</unclear>μῆς</w></name>· <w lemma="γίγνομαι">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="δέ">δὲ</w> τὴν <w lemma="γνώμη">γνώμην</w> <w lemma="οὗτος">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="φανερόω">φ<unclear>α</unclear><supplied reason="lost">νε- <space quantity="1" unit="character"/></supplied>
                     
<lb xml:id="line_37" n="37"/><supplied reason="lost">ρ</supplied>ὰν</w> καὶ τῆι <w lemma="ἐκ">ἐξ</w> <name type="locality"><w lemma="Ἄρειος">Ἀρείου</w> <w lemma="πάγος">πάγου</w></name> <name type="group"><w lemma="βουλή">βουλῆι</w></name> καὶ τῆι <name type="group"><w lemma="βουλή">βου<unclear>λ</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ῆι</supplied></w></name> τῶν <space quantity="1" unit="character"/>
                     
<lb xml:id="line_38" n="38"/><num value="500">Φ</num> <space quantity="1" unit="character"/> καὶ τῶ<unclear>ι</unclear> <name type="personnel"><w lemma="ἱεροφάντης"><unclear>ἱ</unclear>εροφάντηι</w></name> καὶ τῶι <name type="group"><w lemma="γένος">γένει </w></name> τῶν <name type="personnel"><w lemma="Εὐμολπίδαι">Εὐ<supplied reason="lost">μο</supplied><unclear>λ</unclear>πιδῶν</w></name>·
                     
<lb xml:id="line_39" n="39"/><w lemma="ἀναγράφω">ἀναγράψα<unclear>ι</unclear></w> <w lemma="δέ">δὲ</w> τὸ <name type="authority"><w lemma="ψήφισμα">ψήφισμα</w></name> <w lemma="οὗτος">τοῦτο</w> τὸ<unclear>ν</unclear> <name type="title"><w lemma="ταμίας"><supplied reason="lost">τα</supplied>μί<unclear>α</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ν</supplied></w></name> <supplied reason="lost">τ</supplied>οῦ <name type="group"><w lemma="γένος">γέ- <space quantity="1" unit="character"/>
                     
<lb xml:id="line_40" n="40"/>νους</w></name> τῶν <name type="personnel"><w lemma="Εὐμολπίδαι">Εὐμολπιδῶν</w></name> <w lemma="ἐν">ἐν</w> <w lemma="τρεῖς">τρισὶν</w> <objectType key="stele"><w lemma="στήλη"><supplied reason="lost">στή</supplied><unclear>λ</unclear>αις</w></objectType> κ<unclear>α</unclear>ὶ <w lemma="ἵστημι">στῆσαι</w>
                     
<lb xml:id="line_41" n="41"/>τὴν μὲν <w lemma="ἐν">ἐν</w> <name type="structure"><w lemma="Ἐλευσίνιος">Ἐλευσινίωι</w></name> τῶι <w lemma="ὑπό">ὑπ<unclear>ὸ</unclear></w> <unclear>τ</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ῆ</supplied><unclear>ι</unclear> <name type="locality"><w lemma="πόλις">πόλει</w></name>, τὴν <w lemma="δέ">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ἐν">ἐν</w> <space quantity="1" unit="character"/>
                     
<lb xml:id="line_42" n="42"/>τῶι <name type="structure"><w lemma="Διογένειον">Διο<unclear>γ</unclear>ενείωι</w></name>, τὴν <w lemma="δέ">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ἐν">ἐν</w> <name type="locality"><w lemma="Ἐλευσίς">Ἐ<unclear>λ</unclear>ευσεῖνι</w></name> <w lemma="ἐν">ἐν</w> τῶι <name type="structure"><w lemma="ἱερός">ἱερῶι</w></name> <w lemma="πρό">πρὸ</w>
         
<lb xml:id="line_43" n="43"/>τοῦ <name type="structure"><w lemma="βουλευτήριον">βου<supplied reason="lost">λ</supplied>ευτηρίου</w></name>.      
                     
                     
                </ab>
             
            </div>
            <div type="translation" xml:lang="eng">
                <head>Translation</head>
                 
<p>The people decided. Arabianos [was archon, ... was president], Eutychos was secretary, [... was supervisor], Dryantianos, archon [of the Eumolpidai proposed:] since we continue [celebrating] the Mysteries even now as also (5) throughout [times] past, and the ancestral customs command [the <foreign>genos</foreign>] of the Eumolpidai to see to it that the sacred objects are [carried in good order] both hither from Eleusis [and from] the city [back] to Eleusis, for good fortune [it was decided] by the people to command (10) the <foreign>kosmetes</foreign> of the [ephebes], according to the ancient customs, to lead the ephebes to Eleusis on the 13th of Boedromion with the accustomed dignity in a procession together with sacred objects, in order that on the 14th they may escort the sacred objects to the Eleusinion under the (15) Acropolis, so that there should be more good order and a larger escort for the sacred objects, since also the <foreign>phaidyntes</foreign> of the two Goddesses, according to the ancestral customs, reports to the priestess of Athena that the sacred objects and the escorting host [have come]; in the same way, (it was decided by the people) on the 19th of Boedromion to command (20) the <foreign>kosmetes</foreign> of the ephebes to lead back to Eleusis the ephebes escorting the sacred objects with the same dignity; (to command) the <foreign>kosmetes</foreign> to care for this every year, so that this should never be omitted nor should there ever be any lack of piety [towards the two Goddesses]. (25) [All] the ephebes should escort [with] a full armour, crowned with [a myrtle crown], walking in military formation. And since we command the ephebes to process such a great distance, they shall take part in sacrifices and libations and paeans on the way, (30) so that the sacred objects may be led with a [stronger (?)] guard and a larger procession and the ephebes, following closely the city’s service of the divine, may also become more pious men; and all the ephebes will take part in everything which (35) the archon of the <foreign>genos</foreign> provides to the Eumolpidai, especially the distribution; this decision should be notified to the council of the Areopagos and the council of Five Hundred and the hierophant and the <foreign>genos</foreign> of the Eumolpidai; and the treasurer of the <foreign>genos</foreign> of the Eumolpidai shall inscribe this decree (40) on three stelae and erect one in the Eleusinion under the (Acro)polis, another in the Diogeneion, and another at Eleusis in the sanctuary in front of the bouleuterion.</p>
            </div>
             
            <div type="translation" xml:lang="fre">
                <head>Traduction </head>
 
<p>Il a plu au peuple; Arabianos [était archonte; ... était président]; Eutychos était secrétaire [... était superviseur]; Dryantianos, archonte [des Eumolpides a fait la proposition :] puisque nous continuons [à célébrer] les Mystères aujourd’hui de la même façon que (5) du [temps] passé, et que les coutumes ancestrales ordonnent [au <foreign>genos</foreign>] des Eumolpides de veiller à ce que les <foreign>hiera</foreign> soient [transportés en bon ordre] jusqu’ici depuis Éleusis et [en sens inverse de la] ville à Éleusis, à la bonne fortune [il a plu au peuple] d’ordonner (10) au kosmète des [éphèbes], conformément aux anciennes coutumes, de conduire à Éleusis les éphèbes le 13 Boedromion avec la bienséance d’usage pour une procession comprenant des objets sacrés, afin que le 14 ils escortent les objets sacrés jusqu’à l’Éleusinion sous (15) l’Acropole, de manière à ce que les objets sacrés disposent de davantage d’ordre et d’une garde plus ample, puisqu’aussi le <foreign>phaidyntes</foreign> des Deux Déesses, conformément aux coutumes ancestrales, annonce à la prêtresse d’Athéna [l’arrivée] des objets sacrés et de la troupe qui les escorte; de la même manière, le 19 Boedromion, (il a plu au peuple) d’ordonner (20) au kosmète des éphèbes de conduire les éphèbes qui escortent les objets sacrés [en sens inverse] à Éleusis avec la même bienséance; (d’ordonner) au <foreign>kosmetes</foreign> d’y veiller chaque année, de manière de manière à ce que ce ne soit jamais abandonné et à ce qu’il n’y ait jamais de manquement en ce qui concerne la piété [envers les Deux Déesses]. (25) Que [tous] les éphèbes escortent [en portant] l’armure complète, coiffés d’une [couronne de myrte] et en marchant en formation militaire. Et puisque nous ordonnons aux éphèbes d’accomplir une si longue [procession], qu’ils participent à la fois aux sacrifices, aux libations et aux péans tout au long du chemin, (30) de manière à ce que les objets sacrés soient conduits avec une garde plus [forte (?)] et une procession plus longue et que les éphèbes, en suivant de près le soin de la cité envers le divin, deviennent des hommes plus pieux; les éphèbes participeront à tout ce que (35) fournit aux Eumolpides l’archonte du <foreign>genos</foreign>, en particulier la distribution; que cette motion soit portée à la connaissance à la fois du conseil de l’Aréopage, du conseil des Cinq Cents, du hiérophante et du <foreign>genos</foreign> des Eumolpides; que le trésorier du <foreign>genos</foreign> des Eumolpides inscrive ce décret (40) sur trois stèles, l’une dans l’Eleusinion sous l’Acropole, l’autre dans le Diogeneion et la dernière à Éleusis, dans le sanctuaire devant le bouleuterion.</p>
 
            </div>
             
            <div type="commentary">
                <head>Commentary</head>
                 
<p>This inscription from the 3rd century AD records one of the latest inscribed decrees passed by the Athenian assembly. It concerns the organisation of a procession which formed part of the celebration of the Eleusinian Mysteries, which at the time of this inscription remained one of the most important religious celebrations in the Greek world (see e.g. Paus. 5.10.1). On Eleusis, the Mysteries, and the Eumolpidai, see <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_8/">CGRN 8</ref> (concerning sacrifices at Eleusis), <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_31/">CGRN 31</ref> (the offering of first-fruits at Eleusis) and <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_94/">CGRN 94</ref> (sacrificial calendar of Eleusis). For the Great Mysteries, see also here <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_45/">CGRN 45</ref>, face B, fr. 4, and <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_56/">CGRN 56</ref> (Marathonian Tetrapolis), col. II, lines 5-6. On the City Eleusinion in Athens, see also here <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_7/">CGRN 7</ref>.</p>
                     
<p>The decree prescribes the organisation of the ephebes’ participation in the procession of <foreign>ta hiera</foreign>, "the sacred objects", from Athens to Eleusis, as part of the celebration of the Eleusinian Mysteries. The ephebes, led by their superintendent (the <foreign>kosmetes</foreign>), lead the procession in military formation and full armour and participate in paeans and sacrifices along the way to Eleusis. The decree emphasises continuity with the past and makes repeated reference to the authority of <foreign>archaia nomima</foreign> and <foreign>ta patria</foreign>, "ancestral customs and tradition", in the celebration of the Mysteries. Its emphasis on the maintenance of tradition has usually been understood as implying that these were sometimes neglected: the decree is intended to restore, and preserve for the future, an earlier arrangement, whether real or possibly imagined: see Chaniotis; <bibl type="abbr" n="AIUK 4.2">AIUK 4.2</bibl>, p. 134. Not only in content but also in form does the decree show archaising features: see Lambert forthc.</p>
                     
<p>Line 1: The decree is made by the assembly. Lines 36-38 imply that the council of 500, as well as the Areopagus, were simply notified of the decision, rather than the council being involved in the decision-making process as a probeuleutic body, as was usually the case in Athens. Clinton assumes this was because the matter was a Eumolpid affair and thus did not require prior attention from the council. Lambert, however,  suggests the council probably did have a probouleutic function here, but the proposal was then reformulated in the assembly (see <bibl type="abbr" n="AIUK 4.2">AIUK 4.2</bibl>, p. 132-133).</p>
                     
<p>Line 3: The proposer of the decree is Dryantianos, archon of the <foreign>genos</foreign> of the Eumolpidai. He can be identified as Flavius Dryantianos, son of Kallaischros of Marathon, attested as an ephebic liturgist in 215/6 AD (<bibl type="abbr" n="IG II²">IG II²</bibl> 2208, line 8; <bibl type="abbr" n="IG II²">IG II²</bibl> 3763, line 3). Not much is known about the position of archon of the Eumolpidai: one might compare it to the annual archon of the Salaminoi (cf. Lambert 1997: 98). Our inscription demonstrates the significant role played by the <foreign>genos</foreign> of the Eumolpidai in the decreeing of these regulations: as well as being proposed by the leader of the <foreign>genos</foreign> itself, the decree is also to be reported to the Eumolpidai and their leading priest, the hierophant (line 48). The text further implies that the cost for the three copies of the inscription is also taken up by the Eumolpidai (lines 39-43). Thus, we see here a measure for which the Eumolpidai take the lead, while the city itself appears to have withdrawn from funding its own inscriptions, relying instead on wealthy groups or individuals directly involved in the content of the decree to provide the funds. On the changing relationship between the polis and such groups, see Lambert, <bibl type="abbr" n="AIUK 4.2">AIUK 4.2</bibl>, p. 137.</p> 
                     
<p>Line 6: As Clinton points out, the decree does not refer to existing laws which regulated these rituals (for example <bibl type="abbr" n="I.Eleusis">I.Eleusis</bibl> 250) but instead refers to the vaguer authority of <foreign>ta patria</foreign>, "ancestral traditions", and <foreign>archaia nomima</foreign>, "ancient customs" (line 10). Taken together with the decree’s reference to the traditional exclamation made by the <foreign>phaidyntes</foreign> (lines 16-17), we see here a focus on oral sources of authority, part of the archaising element of the decree (Lambert forthc.).</p>
                     
<p>Line 7: What exactly the sacred objects were is unknown. Perhaps they were objects to be displayed to the initiates during the celebration of the Mysteries (Parker, p. 346).</p>
                     
<p>Line 10:  The <foreign>kosmetes</foreign> is the official responsible for the training of the ephebes. The position is known from the 4th century BC and was probably introduced during the reorganisation of the ephebeia in the 330s: see <foreign>Ath. Pol.</foreign> 42.2.</p>
                     
<p>Lines 11-22: On the 13th of Boedromion, the ephebes proceeded to Eleusis, so that they could escort the sacred objects from Eleusis to the Eleusinion in Athens on the 14th of Boedromion. On the 19th of Boedromion, they then escorted the sacred objects back from the Eleusinion in Athens to Eleusis along the Sacred Way. Other epigraphic evidence demonstrates the importance of this procession: a decree from 214/3 BC specifies that the sacred objects were conveyed on a cart (<bibl type="abbr" n="IG II³">IG II³</bibl> 1, 1164, lines 17-19), while bridges were built at Rheitoi (<bibl type="abbr" n="IG I³">IG I³</bibl> 79, 422/1 BC) and over the Kephisos (<bibl type="abbr" n="IG II²">IG II²</bibl> 1191, 321/0 BC?) to ensure safe passage of the sacred objects and their accompaniment. Ancient sources indicate there were several stops along the procession, at various times (Parker, p. 346-347). However, these sources date from different time periods and include contradictory elements, which make a complete reconstruction of the details and timing of the procession difficult. The procession back to Eleusis is noted in this inscription as taking place on the 19th of Boedromion, but Plutarch indicates the 20th of Boedromion (Plut. <foreign>Phoc.</foreign> 28.2). A procession of the god Iacchos, presumably in the form of a statue, to Eleusis was an integral part of the Mysteries (e.g. Plut. <foreign>Alc.</foreign> 34.4; <foreign>Phoc.</foreign> 28.2), though there is no mention of this element of the procession in our inscription. For an attempt at reconciling all the evidence, see Robertson, who suggests there were two processions, one on the 19th of Boedromion with the <foreign>hiera</foreign>, one on the 20th consisting of the initiates and the statue of Iacchos. However, this interpretation makes use of this inscription from ca. 220 AD to reconstruct the procession as it took place in the Classical period, which disregards the potential ritual changes (see also Patera). Lambert (<bibl type="abbr" n="AIUK 4.2">AIUK 4.2</bibl>, p. 135-136) examining the sources Plutarch might have used and misunderstood, suggests that he was mistaken and thus places the procession on the 19th of Boedromion.</p>
                     
<p>Lines 16-17: The <foreign>phaidyntes</foreign> was one of the minor sacred officials of the Eleusinian Mysteries, probably drawn from the Eumolpidai (Clinton 1974, p. 95). He is mentioned already in the late 5th century (<bibl type="abbr" n="I.Eleusis">I.Eleusis</bibl> 7, line 14). Not much is known of the specific duties of this official aside from what is recorded in this inscription here, where the <foreign>phaidyntes</foreign> is responsible for reporting the arrival in Athens of the sacred objects to the priestess of Athena.</p>
                     
<p>Lines 22-25: Not only does the decree aim to (re)establish earlier traditions, it also makes explicit its concern for the maintenance of these rituals in the future, ordering future superintendents (<foreign>kosmetai</foreign>) of the ephebes to continue carrying out their duties “so that there should never be any omission or reduction in the piety shown towards the two Goddesses”. On this explicit reference to <foreign>eusebeia</foreign>, compare <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_145/">CGRN 145</ref> (Kos), line 23.</p>
                     
<p>Lines 25-27 : As Chaniotis has pointed out, the participating ephebes would have made an impressive performance, marching in full armour and wearing myrtle garlands. For armoured processions of ephebes, see also here <ref target="CGRN_167">CGRN 167</ref> (Kos), lines 37-38. On the religiosity of civic elites in the Roman East, of which this inscription can serve as an example, see Chaniotis, p. 189-190.</p>
                     
<p>Lines 31-33: The inscription also confers an educational aspect on the procession: it decrees that through their participation in the city’s cultivation of the divine, the ephebes also should become more pious men. On the increased importance of education in the post-Classical ephebeia, see Perrin-Saminadayar. Use of the generic θεῖον to refer to the divine is relatively rare in the present collection: see <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_148/">CGRN 148</ref> (Kos), line 14 (restoration), <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_200/">CGRN 200</ref> (Magnesia-on-the-Maiander), line 16, and <ref target="http://cgrn.ulg.ac.be/CGRN_222/">CGRN 222</ref> (Andania), line 40.</p>
                     
<p>Lines 40-44: Three copies of the decree were made. This inscription is one of two copies from Athens, either from the City Eleusinion or the Diogeneion. The second possibility may be the most likely, since several other inscriptions found in the church of Agios Demetrios Katephores appear to be linked with a gymnasion, almost certainly the Diogeneion (cf. Lambert, <bibl type="abbr" n="AIUK 4.2">AIUK 4.2</bibl>, p. 3, n. 19-20). However, this location is also not far from the City Eleusinion and a second copy of the inscription, found in this area of Athens, is known from Fourmont’s transcription (<bibl type="abbr" n="IG II²">IG II²</bibl> 1079).</p>
                     
            </div>
        </body>
    </text>
</TEI>