Associations in the Greco-Roman World (AGRW)

An expanding collection of inscriptions, papyri, and other sources in translation (run by Philip A. Harland)

[65] Sibylline Oracle Concerning a Dionysiac Company (II CE) Perinthos-Herakleia - Thrace


Perinthos-Herakleia (Thrace, Danube and Black Sea areas — Pleiades map), II CE (?)
AGRW 65 = GRA I 88 = IPerinthos 57 = Jaccottet 2003, vol. 2, no. 36 = PHI 167268 = AGRW ID# 2606
Copenhagen Inventory info: 720


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Seen by Cyriacus in 1444 CE on the right side of the altar in the church of the Virgin Mary. The Greek text of the Sibyl’s utterance is partially corrupted and the translation in AGRW is just one option. Devotees of the god Dionysos used the cry “euoi!” or “euai!” in rituals.

Greetings! Oracle of the Sibyl: “Whenever the bacchant who cries ‘euoi’ will be struck (with terror) (?), then blood and fire and dust will be mixed.”

This was set up by Spellios Euethis, the head cowherd (archiboukolos); Herakleides son of Alexandros, the head of the initiates (archimystēs); Alexandros, the leader of the company (speirarchos); Arrianos son of Agathias; Heroxenos son of Magnus; Soterichos son of Dadas; and, Menophilos son of Menophilos.

Translation by: Ascough



[εὐτυχεῖτε] | χρησμὸς Σιβύλλης· ἐπὰν δ’ ὁ Βάκ|χος εὐάσας πλη<γή>σ<ε>τα<ι>, <τ>ό<τε> αἷμα | καὶ πῦρ καὶ κόνις μιγήσεται. || Σπέλλιος Εὐήθις | ἀρχιβούκολος | Ἡρακλείδου Ἀλεξάνδρου | ἀρχιμυστοῦντος | Ἀλέξανδρος σπείραρχος || Ἀρριανὸς Ἀγαθία | Ἡρόξενος Μάγνου | Σωτήριχος Δαδα | Μηνόφιλος βʹ.

Item added: August 12, 2012
Item modified: September 26, 2020
ID number: 2606
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=2606

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