Inscriptions of Aphrodisias 2027

13.507. Funerary verse for a girl, Thea[ . . .(?)

Description: A white marble masonry block (w: 0.52 × h: 0.30 × d: 0.64) chipped at upper and right edges, but otherwise complete. There is a rough protrusion on the underside, which presumably fitted into masonry below.

Text: Inscribed on one face; the text must have continued on an adjacent block as part of a substantial monument. There are some gaps to avoid faults in the stone, which was not very carefully prepared to receive the inscription.

Letters: 0.01 (omicron) – 0.025; clear but irregular.

Date: Fourth-sixth century (content,metre).

Findspot: Aphrodisias: Necropolis, South-west area: built into a field wall some way south of the south-west stretch of the city wall

Original location: Unknown.

Last recorded location: Museum (1977)

Interpretive

ψ̣υ̣χὴ σῶμα λιποῦϲα τὸ̣ [πήλινον (- ⏖ -)?]
εὔλυτοϲ ἐϲ μακάρων ἱερὸν γε[]νοϲ[( - ⏖ - -)]
ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῳ τετρατο[ν][( ⏖ - ⏖ - -)]
πάντ᾿ἀπανηναμένη ἤθεα [(- ⏖ - -)]
5Ῥώμηϲ καὶ Φαρίηϲ ξύνον γένο[ϲ][( - ⏖ - -)]
καλήν, μιλιχίην, ἐρατήν, πινυ[τόφρονα][( - -)]
ἕρμα ϲαοφροϲύνηϲ κούρην κρ[ύφεν οὗτοϲ ὁ τύμβοϲ?]
ψυχὴ ἀθαν<ά>τοιϲιν ὁμέστιοϲ ου[ρανὸν ἥκει?]
ἐδομένη φορέειν βρότεον [δέμαϲ( - ⏖ - -)]
( vac. )

Diplomatic

..ΧΗΣΩΜΑΛΙΠΟΥϹΑΤ.[..........]
ΕΥΛΥΤΟϹΕϹΜΑΚΑΡΩΝΙΕΡΟΝΓΕ[]ΝΟϹ[....]
ΟΚΤΩΚΑΙΔΕΚΑΤΩΤΕΤΡΑΤΟ[......]
ΠΑΝΤ᾿ΑΠΑΝΗΝΑΜΕΝΗΗΘΕΑ[....]
5ΡΩΜΗϹΚΑΙΦΑΡΙΗϹΞΥΝΟΝΓΕΝΟ[.....]
ΚΑΛΗΝΜΙΛΙΧΙΗΝΕΡΑΤΗΝΠΙΝΥ[.........]
ΕΡΜΑϹΑΟΦΡΟϹΥΝΗϹΚΟΥΡΗΝΚΡ[................]
ΨΥΧΗΑΘΑΝΤΟΙϹΙΝΟΜΕΣΤΙΟϹΟΥ[.........]
ΕΔΟΜΕΝΗΦΟΡΕΕΙΝΒΡΟΤΕΟΝ[.........]
      

Apparatus

1: ΤΟ [---] IAph2007; τὸ [πήλινον Jones, 2013
2: ἱερὸν ΓΕ [---] IAph2007; ἱερὸν γέ[νος Jones, 2013
3: τετρατο[---] IAph2007; τετρατο[ν Jones, 2013
4: παντάπαν ἧν ἀμενη(ν)ὴ Θεα- IAph2007; πάντ᾿ ἀπανηναμένη ἤθεα Jones, 2013
6: πινυ[τὴν IAph2007; πινυ[τόφρονα, - - Jones, 2013
7: ΚΡ[---] IAph2007; κρ[ύφεν οὗτος ὁ τύμβος (e.g.)] Jones, 2013
8: ΟΥ[---] IAph2007; οὐ[ρανὸν ἥκει, (e.g.)] Jones, 2013
9: ἐδομένη for αἰδομένη Feissel, 1991; [δέμας] Jones, 2013

English translation

Translation source: Jones, 2013

The soul (of ---?), leaving her (earthly?) body, (went?) easily released to the holy race of the gods . . . eighteenth (year), fourth (month) . . . renouncing all ways (of mortals?). The joint stock of Rome and Pharia [Alexandria], a maiden beautiful, mild, lovely, wise-minded, --, a pillar of prudence, (this tomb) has (hidden?). Her soul (has gone) to heaven to consort with the immortals, ashamed to wear a mortal (body . . . )

English translation

Translation source: ALA 2004

(scil. The) soul, leaving the body [--- has gone], released from care, to the holy (i.e. place gathering) of the blessed ones [--- in the] eighteenth [year and?] fourth [month? ---]. Entirely fleeting was Thea-(?) (i.e. the glimpse we had of her) [---] (scil. Her) descent was from both Rome and Alexandria [---] Beautiful, gentle, loveable, discreet, [---] a bastion of prudence (scil. was) the girl whom [---] (scil. Her) soul is living with the immortals [---] being ashamed to bear a mortal [body].

Bibliography

Transcription: New York University expedition in 1972, 72.157

Publication: Roueché, ALA 154 and plate xxxv, whence Feissel, 1991 376 McCabe, PHI, 1996 738 , Merkelbach and Stauber, 1998 02/09/92 (partial), ALA 2004 154, IAph2007 13.507; Jones, 2013 172-4 and plate 2, whence SEG 63.859, AE 2013.1577, Chaniotis, EBGR 2017.69

Images

Fig. 1. Face and underside (Mehmet Ali Döğenci, 1972)

Fig. 2. Face (M. Roueché, 1977)

Fig. 3. Face (M. Roueché, 1977)