eul_wid: ibg-aa
Carneiscus the Epicurean Philistas, Book II in Greek
_Philistas_ is a philosophical treatise by the Epicurean philosopher Carneiscus, preserved only in fragmentary form within the charred Herculaneum papyrus known as PHerc. 1027. The work is a consolatory text addressed to a woman named Philistas, employing core Epicurean doctrines to alleviate grief and the fear of death. The surviving fragments indicate the treatise argues for the mortality of the soul, aiming to demonstrate that death, understood as the complete cessation of sensation, is nothing to be feared. Its primary themes are consolation for personal loss through philosophical argument, the nature of the soul and mortality based on Epicurean physics, the elimination of anxiety surrounding death, and the value of friendship and the philosophical response to its loss.
The text survives solely in the carbonized papyrus scrolls from Herculaneum, which were buried during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. It has been recovered through modern imaging techniques and has no attestation in any medieval manuscript tradition. While it had no known historical influence due to its limited preservation, _Philistas_ holds significant value for modern scholarship. It provides a concrete example of the practical, therapeutic application of Epicurean ethics to personal bereavement, thereby extending our understanding of the school’s activities beyond the works of its foundational figures.
| 1 1 | ΔΕΤΗΝ . Π[ . ]ΤΗΜΗΝ [ . ]Ω̣[ .... ]Ω̣Ι . Ο̣ΙΝ ΗΚΑ [ . ] . ΒΡΑ[ .. ] παντελῶς [ . ]ΔΕΠ̣[ .. ]πρὸς τὴν τῶν [ἀν]αγ̣κ[α]ί̣ων συλλο[γὴ]ν [ .. ]Π̣ΟΥ . [ . ] . ΟϹ ἀνὴρ βού[λε]ται [ ... ] . ΝΤΑΤΟΙ [— — —] . ΑΡ [— — —]ΝΟ̣[ . ]Π̣ΑΡΑ [— — — ἑ]ώρακεν [— — —]Ω[ . ] αὐταρκε . [— — —]Δ̣ΩϹ̣ ὅ τι εὑρήσει [— — —]Τ̣Α̣Ι̣ τὰ ΧΟ[ . ] . Γ̣Η [— — —]ΕΚ[ . ] .. [ . ]Ω̣Ν [— — —]ΑΡ . ΤΟ̣[ . ] .. [— — —]Υ[ . ]ΕΧΟΥϹΑΠ̣ΑϹ [— — —]ΕΝΤΕ̣ . [ . ]ΕΝ [— — —] ...... [ . ] .. Ϲ̣Ω[— — —]Ν [— — —] . ΛΕΙ .. ΑΝΤΟ ΚΑ[ . |
| 1 2 | ..... ] . Ξ . [ .. ] . ἱ̣κανῶς̣ [ἠ]λ̣[ατ]τῶσθαι φίλου τελευ[τ]ήσαντος δι[ὰ τ]ὸ μὴ δύνασθαι παραπ[λ]ησί[ω]ς ἐν̣ τοῖς κατ’ ἀν̣[άγκ]ην ἐνεργεῖν κα[ὶ μό]λ̣ις τισὶν θεωρήμ[α]σ[ι βοηθεῖν] . τῇ μὲν . [ .. ] [— — —]Λ̣ . Ο[— — —] ΚΑ . [ .. ] φάσ̣κων Τ[— — —] Χ̣[ ... ] . [ . ] .. ΚΕ[ . ]Α̣[ ... ] . Τ̣[— — —]Ι̣ . Ε̣ γὰρ[— — —] . ΚΕΝ μαθη[— — —] ΘΑ[— — —]ϹΕΠ . [ .. ] [— — —] .. [ .. ]Ο̣Ι̣ [— — —] . |
| 1 3 | Α . ΕΙ̣ .. Α[ ... ]ΙϹΜΟΙ̣ .. Α̣ϹΤΗϹ Ι̣ΧΗ[ ....... ]Ϲ̣ καὶ Π[ . ] ΙΛΑϹΤ̣[ .... ]ΑϹΕΝΤΟΥ ΟΙϹϹ̣Υ̣[ ...... ]ΕΝΕ̣ΡΓ̣Ω ΕΝ .. [ ...... ]Υ̣ΝΤ̣[ . ] .. Α̣[ ....... ] . [ .... ] Ο̣ . Α[— — —] .. [— — —] .. [— — —] . Α .. [— — —] . ΜΕΝ[— — —] [ . ] .. Π[— — —] [— — —] .. ϹΔΙ[— — —] [ .. ] . Ω .. [ .. ] .. ΑϹ . Α[— — —] [— — —] ... [— — —] [— — —] . [— — —] [— — —]Ω . |
| 1 4 (3) | [— — —] [— — —]Η̣Τ̣[— — —] [— — —]ΡΩ[— — —] [— — —]ΑΡΚ[— — —] [— — —]ΑΚ[— — —] [— — —] α̣[ἵ]ρεσιν[ . |
| 1 5 (3) | ... ] [— — —]ΕΡΕΝΟ . [ .. ] [— — —]ΚΑΤΑΛ̣[ . ] . .. c̣ΙΑΝ· κ[α]ὶ κατὰ λό[γο]ν τῆς εἰς ταὐτὰ συνεργεία[ς], εἰ ΑΙ[ . ] .. Ε̣ . [ .... ]Ω̣ Λ̣Ε̣ΜΜΗ[ . ] . [ . ]Τ .. τέλο̣[ς] Κ . [— — —]Ν . ϹΥΡ .... . [ ..... ]Ο .. [ ... ]ΔΙΑΒ[ . ] . [— — —] .. Δ̣ ... [— — —]ΦΗϹ . [ ... ]Δ̣Η [— — —]Φ̣Α . [— — —] . Α . ΔΙΕΧΩ ἐλάτ̣[τω]σιν ἔφη περ̣ὶ α[ὑ]τὸν [γε]γονέν[αι τ]ε̣ λευτήσαντος τοῦ φί[λου] π̣ρὸ̣ς τ̣[ὰ]ς ἄλλας ἃς ΔΗ[ . |
| 1 6 (2) | .. ] . ΕΘΕΩ̣[ ... ] καὶ τὰς . [ ... ] ..... [ .. ] . [ . ]ΝϹΙΓ[ .... ] . Α̣ ... [ .. ] . Ε̣ΤΟ . [ .... ] ... ΟΝΥ[ ... ]ΑΥ̣Τ̣[ ..... ] .. ΔΕ̣ΙΞ̣ . [ . ] .. Θ . [ ..... ] [— — —]ΑΔΡ̣ . |
| 1 7 (3) | [— — —] [— — —] . ΛΕ[— — —] [— — —] .. Ο̣ . [— — —] [— — —]ΝΟ[ .. ]Α[— — —] [— — —] . ΥΤ . [ . ]ΤΑΙ̣Ϲ [— — —]ϹΟΥΤΟ .. Ε [— — —] .. Υ[— — —] [— — —] .. Ε[— — —] ΔΙΨ . |
| 1 8 (4) | . [ . ]ΥΕϹΠΑ . [— — —] [ . ] . Α[ ... ]ΑΝΔ . [— — —] [— — —] . ΡΟ̣Ϲ̣Τ̣[— — —] [— — —]ΕΙϹ δι[ὰ τ]ὸ̣ ἰσχ̣υ . |
| 1 9 | [— — —]ΗΘΟϹΙΝ καὶ Τ[ .. ] [— — —]Ι̣ΗΠΤΕΝΑ . ΑϹ [— — —]ϹΩ̣ μικρὸν ΕΜ [— — —]ΕΝ[ . ] .. Η̣ϹΟ̣Η̣Ν [— — —] . Υ . ΩΝ ἐμφαι[ν— — —] .. ἐνόμιζε̣ν Α[— — —] [— — —]Π̣ΩϹ̣ καὶ ΑΤ̣[ ... ]Η̣Ϲ [— — —]Τ . ΑΝΑ ... [ . ]Ν [— — —]ΑΠ̣ .... [— — —] [— — —μ]ε̣τὰ φί̣λ̣[ων— — —] [— — —] . ΕΧ . [— — —] [— — —]ΤΑ . ΗΝ[— — —] [— — —]Ο̣ΤΗΝΔ[— — —] [— — —]Α[— — —] [— — —]ΧΕΙ[— — —] ΚΕΙΝ[ . |
| 1 10 | .. ]Ο[ .. ] . Θ .. Α . [π]αχύν τινα κα̣[ὶ ἔ]νεστιν ἀπολαβε̣[ῖν] τὴν διὰ τοῦ πίνειν ἱκανωτέραν ἡδον[ὴ]ν καὶ ταῦτ’ οὐ καθ’ ὅλην̣ [τ]ὴ̣ν φύσ[ιν, ἀλ]λὰ κατὰ τρόπο̣[ν] Κ . [ ...... ] .. Ν̣ΚΕ .. Ε [— — —] . ΟΤ̣Ι̣ΠΑ . φυσε[— — —] . ΙΕ [ . |
| 1 11 (2) | ]ΕΙΑ̣[— — —] ΤΑΥ . [— — —] Γ̣ΟΝ[— — —] .. [— — —] ΜΟ[— — —] [δυ] ν̣άμεθα καὶ . |
| 1 12 | [— — —] Τ̣ΟϹ αὐτο̣ῦ̣ Μ̣[— — —] ΓΑ ἐκ .. Ι̣ΝΕΙΝ . [— — —] Α̣Ι διαγωγῆι Π . [— — —] [ . ] . Ι .. ΟΝΕ ΠΡ[— — —] Γ̣ ΙΑ . [— — —] ΖΗΙΤ̣[— — —] ΕΝΠΟ̣[— — —] [ ὥσπ]ερ [καὶ] Πρα[ξ]ιφάνη[ς,] [οὗ ἀγ]ασ[τ]έον, ε[ἰ] οὕτως [ . |
| 2 13 | . τ]ῶν [ἐ]μ μέσωι κα[θεστώ]των ἀσύνοπτόν [τι θε]ωροῦντας, ὅτι οὐ[ .... ] . ΥΝ ἄνθρωπος [ .... ] . ΦΕ . Ο πρὸς τὰς Π̣ΑΝ [ .... ἧτ]τ̣ον ἐχόμενος [τῶν πα]θῶν καὶ τῶν λοι[πῶν διαθέσεων, ὥσ]περ αἱ[— — —] . ΝΕΙΝ[— — —]ΩΙΦ . Ω . |
| 2 14 (2) | καὶ ὑπὸ το[ύτ]ου μ[οι] δοκεῖ πλανᾶσθα[ι] π̣λέ[ον] δὲ τοῦ μὴ πά[ντοτ]ε θεωρεῖσθαι περὶ τῶν̣ ἐμπ̣[ρ]ο[εκ]κειμένων γινομένας ψευδεῖς ὑπολήψεις καθ’ ὃν ἐξέθηκα [τ]ρόπον· ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ ἐ[π]ε[ίγ]ε̣ι πρὸς τὸ νομίζειν [ .... ] ὅλως γίνεσθαι διὰ ψεύ[δ]η ἐν [το]ῖ̣[ς] τοιούτοις, ἃ μᾶλ[λο]ν̣ μὲν δύσκολ[όν ἐστι] [ .... ]ΤΑ διειλ[η]μμ[ ... ] [ ..... ]ΥΤΟ[— — —] τού[τω]ν δὲ τε̣[τη]ρημένων, Ζ̣ώπυρε, νομ̣ίζω φανερὸν γεγ[ο]νέναι, διότι μακρὰν ἀπεῖχε Πραξιφάνης τοῦ τῶν δεόντων τι λελογίσθαι περὶ φιλίας καὶ τὴν πρ̣ο̣σήκουσαν ἔχειν κ̣ατάστασιν ἐμφίλω̣ν τελευταῖς καὶ ὡς πολλῆς ἀσυμφωνίας ἔγεμεν ὁ λόγος, ὃν ἐποιήσατο περὶ τούτων καὶ [— — —]ΡΩϹ [ . |
| 3 16 | .. ]Ο̣Υ . , ἀλλὰ γόη̣[τες πάν‐] τε[ς ε]ὑρίσκοντα̣[ι] κατὰ τ̣ὸν ὑφηγημένον τρό[πον] ἀποθεω[ρο]ύ[μ]ε̣νοι̣, μακρὰν ἀ[πέ]χοντες τοῦ τῶν δεόντων λέγειν περὶ φιλίας ἢ τῶν λοιπῶν ὅσα̣ σ̣υντεί[ν]ει πρὸς τὸ β̣ ιῶσαι μακαρίως . ὅθεν δὴ καὶ Φιλίσταν καλῶς ἐκ μειρακίου κατακοσμηθέν̣θ’ ὑπὸ τοιούτου [ε]ἶ[δον λό]γ̣[ο]υ μέχρι τε[λευτῆς, ὥσπερ] καὶ δ[εό]ν[τως τὸν οὐ]δεμίαν πω [κακίαν λ]αβόντα Κ̣Α [καὶ ἀεὶ μεμνημένον, κα] θ’ ὃν ἔζ̣η χρόνον, τοῦ φυσικοῦ τ̣έλους καὶ οὐθὲν ἐλλιπόντα τοῦ ἀρίστου βίου παρὰ τὸ μὴ τυχεῖ̣[ν] τῶ[ν] π̣αρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖ̣[ς] περιβλέπτων, ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ παρ̣όντος οὐθὲν ἔχοντα δυσχερὲς οὐδ’ ε[ἰ]ς τὸν λοιπὸν αἰῶνα ς χ [ή]σοντα· καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐπινοοῦντας, ὅτι μετέχομεν φ[ί]λ̣ου . |
| 3 17 | .. ΥΜ [ ..... ]ΟΝ κατὰ [τ]ὰ [αὐ]τὰ [ ...... ]Υ̣Χ̣Α ... Ε[ ... ] [ ...... ]ΑΤΑΞΙ .. ΤΟ[ ... ] [ ... ]ΜΗ ἐπὶ μὲν Τ[ .... ] [ .... ]ϹΚΑΝΟΙ[ ...... ] [γ]έ̣γονεν ἤπερ ἐ[π]ὶ τῶι τὸ στερέμνιον ἦ[ρ]θαι τὸ λυπούμενον. |
| 4 18 (3) | ὡς ὁ μὴ το[ι]οῦτος γινόμενος ἐ̣[π’ ἄλ]λων [σπ]ουδαίων [ .... ]Τ̣ΗΙ ἀλλοῖον ἑαυτὸν εἰσάγει ο̣ὖ̣ν ἐν τῶι σ̣[υ]γ̣γράμματι Πραξιφάνης· κακὸν μὲν ἐξάγ[ει] τὸν ἴδιον [βί]ον, μ̣ο̣χθ[ηρ]ῶς δὲ φίλοις συ[ν]α̣ν̣αστραφήσεται ΟΥ[ . ] ... Λ̣ΟΥΝ γν̣η[σ]ίως Τ[ . ] Α δὲ [κ]αὶ παντ[ ...... ] [ . ] . [ .. ]ΕΡ . Α̣Υ[ ........ ] [ . ] .... ΑΓΕΙΠ[ ........ ] [ ..... ]ΑΡ[ ... ]Α[ ...... ] [— — —]ΕΠΑΝ[— — —] [— — —] . ΛΛΑ . [— — —] ΓΕ[ . |
| 4 19 | . ] ... Τ̣ΟΙϹ ... Μ̣ . [ . ] .. Ϲ̣ δεῖν, προσκόπτοντ̣ας̣ δ’ οὐκ ὀλίγοις τῶν κατὰ φύσιν ὑπ’ αὐτῶν γινομένων καὶ ἀσυνεργήτοις οὖσι πρὸς τὸ κατεπεῖγον τῶν χρειῶν διὰ τὴν ὑποκαθημένην ἀο̣ριστίαν κατά τε τὰς ἐπιθυμ[ί]ας καὶ τοὺς φόβους καὶ τὴν ἐν πολλο[ῖς ... ] . [ . ] . ΙΑΜ̣[ ... ] ΚΕ[ ..... ] . ΙΑ̣ΝΠ . [ ... ] . [ ....... ]ΥΜΕ . [ .... ] [ ........ ]ΕΝΟΥ̣[ .... ] [— — —] . ΑΝΩ[ .... ] [— — —]Ϲ̣ΤΗ . [ .... ] ὃν ὁρῶμεν εὑρηκέ[ναι περὶ τ]ῶν [κ]υρι̣ωτάτων δι[αλ]όγισμα γνήσ[ι]ον π̣αρ̣’ αὐτῆι, λελυκότ[α] πᾶν τὸ ματαίως ἡμᾶς παρενοχλοῦν καὶ εὐχαριστοῦντα τῶι περιγεγονότι κουφισμῶι διὰ τὸ μέγαν εἶναι καὶ . |
| 4 20 | .. [ .. ] ΠΟΝ οἰκεῖον πᾶν ΟΝ . ΟΥ ΦΟ[ . ]Ο[ . ] ποιοῦντα .... ΘΑΙ χωρὶς τοῦ καὶ τὸ μ[ὴ] πι̣[σ]τεῦο̣ν̣ Λ̣ .. Η̣Μ̣[ .. ] . Π̣Α[ ....... ] . [ ..... ] [τὸ σύγγραμμα τὸ κα‐] τ̣ὰ κ[ακ]ὰς δ[όξ]ας γινό[με‐] νον καὶ δεῖγμα καθ[ε]σ̣τηκὸς τῆς καθ’ ὅλον τὸν βίον φαύλης διαγωγῆς καὶ φίλοις οὐ τῆς ἀρίστης συ ναναστροφῆς· ΚΕΙΝΟΝ ΤΕΠΟ̣ . |
| 4 21 | .. ΟΥΝΤΑϹ ὡς καλῶς ἐν ταῖς φίλων τελευταῖ[ς ἀ]νεστρέφετο καὶ οὔτ’ ἄφιλον οὔτ’ ἀνήμερ̣ο̣[ν ἔπρ]αξ̣έν τι [κ]ατὰ [τὸν τοι]οῦτον κα[νό‐] [να οὐδὲ μ]αταίως ἑα[υτ]ὸν [ἠνώχλησ]εν· ΕΥΦ . [ . ] .. [— — —]ΩϹ .. [] [Idiosyncratic Papyrological Character] ΚΑΡΝΕΙϹΚΟΥ [Idiosyncratic Papyrological Character] ΦΙΛΙϹΤΑ Β [Idiosyncratic Papyrological Character] ΑΡΙΘ ΧΧΧΗΗΔΔΔΠΙΙΙ |