Wednesday, 18 February 2015

A helpful (anonymous) Boeotian

The epitaph printed as GVI 1106 (Boeotian Thebes, 279 BC) is followed by these words:

[Νέω(?)]ν Δαμώνιος Εὐ[αν]ορίδαν
[ἀνέθ]εικε τοῖς θεοῖς καὶ ταῖς θεαῖς.
[— —]νικος Εἱροδότι[ο]ς ἐπόεισε.

The dedicator has a patronymic adjective in -ιος (Δᾱμώνιος), as does the craftsman, whose name has been lost: Εἱροδότι[ο]ς. The latter also shows <ει> for <η> (cf. Herodotos), as in [ἀνέθ]εικε and ἐπόεισε.

Several Boeotians with the name Εἰρόδοτος are known (e.g. IG VII 3179.40-43:

Ὁμολώϊχος Τίμωνος, [Κ]αλλίας Καλλικράτιος,
Θιογίτων Ἀθανίππω, Σαμίας Θίωνος,
Εἱρόδοτος Ἀρχίππω, Δαμάτριος
Ἀπολλοδώρω, Ἀρίσταρχος Φίλωνος.

In which note the fluctuation between patronymic adjectives and the father's name in the genitive: e.g. Ἀρχίππω.

Note too: the formation Ὁμολώ-ϊχος and Θιο/ω- for Θεο/ω-).

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