Images of Eternal Beauty in Verse Inscriptions of the Hellenistic and Greco-Roman Periods

259 Pages·2012·2.28 MB·English

by  Andrzej Wypustek

Images of Eternal Beauty in Funerary Verse Inscriptions
of the Hellenistic and Greco-Roman Periods
Mnemosyne
Supplements
Monographs on Greek and
Latin Language and Literature
EditorialBoard
G.J.Boter
A.Chaniotis
K.M.Coleman
I.J.F.deJong
T.Reinhardt
VOLUME352
Thetitlespublishedinthisseriesarelistedatbrill.com/mns
Images of Eternal Beauty in
Funerary Verse Inscriptions of the
Hellenistic and Greco-Roman
Periods
By
AndrzejWypustek
LEIDEN•BOSTON
2013
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Wypustek,Andrzej.
ImagesofeternalbeautyinfuneraryverseinscriptionsoftheHellenisticandGreco-Roman
periods/byAndrzejWypustek.
p.cm.–(Mnemosyne.Supplements,monographsonGreekandLatinlanguageandliterature;
v.352)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-90-04-23318-8(hardback:alk.paper)–ISBN978-90-04-23320-1(e-book)
1.Eschatology,Greco-Roman.2.Inscriptions,Greek.3.Sepulchralmonuments–Greece.4.
Epitaphs–Greece.I.Title.
CN373.W972013
929'.509495–dc23
2012035044
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coveringLatin,IPA,Greek,andCyrillic,thistypefaceisespeciallysuitableforuseinthehumanities.
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ISSN0169-8958
ISBN978-90-04-23318-8(hardback)
ISBN978-90-04-23320-1(e-book)
Copyright2013byKoninklijkeBrillNV,Leiden,TheNetherlands.
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgments...................................................... vii
ListofAbbreviations.................................................... ix
IllustrationsandCredits ................................................ xi
Introduction............................................................ 1
I. EschatologicalThemesinEpigrams................................ 5
AlternativePossibilitiesabouttheStatusofDead.................. 5
ScholarlyDebate ................................................... 7
ModesandMeansofProduction................................... 10
VarietiesofExperience,PluralitiesofPerspectives ................. 14
IndividualismandPolemic......................................... 17
BetweenUniformityandDiversity,towardsInterpretation ........ 23
II. TheDeadAsGods.................................................. 29
ApotheosisoftheDeadinVerse-Inscriptions ...................... 29
Gods,Heroes,andHumans......................................... 36
PrivateDeifications?................................................ 37
ApotheosisintheEther ............................................ 39
EpigraphicTestimonies ............................................ 42
UnderstandingtheBroadCirculation .............................. 44
AstralImmortality.................................................. 48
ApotheosisamongtheStarsinVerse-Inscriptions ................. 50
TheImpactofImperialIdeology ................................... 53
EliteandPopularAppeal........................................... 58
III. TheDeadAsHeroes................................................ 65
HeroicIconography:LimitsofTestimony .......................... 65
῞ΗρωςonTombsandinFuneraryFoundations..................... 68
HeroisationinFuneraryEpigrams.................................. 71
TheMeaningofἥρως ............................................... 74
ImmortalGratitude,withStyle..................................... 78
Heroes,Daemons,andtheDead ................................... 81
EpigramsandConsolations ........................................ 83
TheDivergingSemanticDimensions............................... 86
TheDeceasedPrivilegedAsHeroes ................................ 90
vi contents
IV. MarriageswiththeGods ........................................... 97
GodsAbductingMortals ........................................... 97
PersephoneandHadesinFuneraryEpigrams...................... 99
MysticWedding? ................................................... 102
OrphicHypothesis:EpigramforTheophile......................... 104
Persephone,Eleusinia,andtheUnderworld........................ 112
BridesandBridegroomsinTheirPrime ............................ 118
AbductionofYoung,HandsomeAdonis............................ 121
V. TheDeceasedAstheChosenOnesandtheLoversofDeities ...... 125
‘ThoseChosenbyDeitiesDieYoung’............................... 125
EpigraphicTestimonies ............................................ 127
PeculiarDevelopment:GanymedeinVerse-Inscriptions........... 130
GanymedeinFuneraryArt ......................................... 134
SpiritualityorCarnalityoftheMyth,orBoth....................... 137
Zeus,HisThunderbolt,andtheDead .............................. 144
DeathCausedbyLightning......................................... 149
BetweenMiracles,Allegories,andFables........................... 152
VI. TheDeceasedAstheChargesofDeities............................ 157
Isidora,HylasandtheNymphs..................................... 157
TheDeceasedandNymphsinEpigrams ........................... 162
Meaning:Eschatological,notSoteriological........................ 166
ΚουροτρόφοιintheAfterlife......................................... 171
VII.OverviewandConclusions ......................................... 177
MythologicalFrameofReference .................................. 177
TheLessonsofSarcophagi.......................................... 178
EschatologyandMythopoeia....................................... 182
TheBeautyandYouthoftheDeadinVerse-Inscriptions........... 185
PolyfunctionalandPolysemanticBeauty........................... 190
TheMeaningofTrueBeauty,theSenseofDivineAbduction ...... 191
Celebrationof(After)Life .......................................... 196
Bibliography ............................................................ 201
IndexofAncientNames ................................................ 237
IndexofSubjects ....................................................... 243
IndexofNotableGreekTerms .......................................... 246
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Itismyhonourandpleasure,aswellasduty,toexpressmygratitudeand
thankthepersonswhohavehelpedmeinnumerouswaysinpreparingthis
study.Withoutthem,mygoodfriendsalloverthisworldandinthebetter
world,thisbookwouldneverseethelightofday:FrederickE.Brenk,Alain
Bresson, Charles S.F. Burnett, Christopher A. Faraone, Markham J. Geller,
David R. Jordan, Tadeusz Kotula, Stanisław Longosz, Adam Łukaszewicz,
AriadnaMasłowska-Nowak,TomaszMojsik,CharlotteScheffer,EwaSkwara,
MarekStarowieyski,FrankTrombley,EwaWipszycka,MateuszZ˙mudzin´ski.
I owe much to several institutions and to their leaders: the directors of
my home institute, the Institute of History of the University of Wrocław,
Ros´cisław Z˙erelik and Przemysław Wiszewski; the former chair of the
Ancient History Section, Wiesław Suder, and its current chair, Krzysztof
Nawotka,towhomIamindebtedforthesupportandadviceIhavereceived
from the outset of this project. Also, sincere gratitude is extended to the
anonymous Brill’s reviewer for his insightful comments. I am immensely
grateful to Angelos Chaniotis for his invaluable corrections and vital im-
provementsfollowinghisreadingofthemanuscriptofthepresentvolume,
and for the generously and copiously given outstanding translations that
I have incorporated into this work. Marek Winiarczyk provided me with
insightfulcommentsandsuggestionsthatprovedvitallyhelpfulinimprov-
ingthisbook.IwouldliketothankWitoldZbirohowski-Kos´ciafortransla-
tion from Polish, Caroline van Erp and Laurie Meijers for their assistance
andeditorialcontribution,andReedFaganforhishelpwithproofreading.
Iwishfurthertoexpressmyappreciationtotheinstitutionswhichgen-
erously funded my project and provided me with the facilities to under-
take it: Fundacja Janineum, Fundacja im. Stefana Batorego, Fundacja im.
Lanckoron´skich z Brzezia, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Ministerstwo
NaukiiSzkolnictwaWyz˙szegoRP,Polsko-Amerykan´skaKomisjaFulbrighta
andStiftelsenförinternationaliseringavhögreutbildningochforskning.
And finally, my deepest appreciation goes to my life-partner and love,
AniaKoryciak,whohasalwaysbeenthereforme.Thisbookonbeautyis
dedicatedtoher.

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