Praises of Theon the GymnasiarchἘγκώμια Θεῶνος τοῦ Γυμνασιάρχου
Epic Work Anonymous Praises of Theon the Gymnasiarch PDF
The Praises of Theon the Gymnasiarch is an anonymous Greek encomiastic poem preserved as three epigrams in Book 16 of the Greek Anthology. This short work celebrates Theon, a gymnasiarch, for his virtues and benefactions related to his oversight of the gymnasium, a central civic institution. The poem opens with an invocation to Hermes, the patron god of the gymnasium, and proceeds to praise Theon's lifelong commitment to public service. It contrasts material gifts, which any wealthy man might provide, with the superior gifts of education and culture that Theon, as a man learned in the wisdom of the Muses, bestows upon the city's youth through his leadership. The work thus highlights the ideals of public benefaction and civic virtue, emphasizing the cultural importance of the gymnasium and the role of the generous, intellectually cultivated public official. The poem survives within the Byzantine compilation tradition of the Greek Anthology, specifically the Palatine Anthology manuscript. As a minor honorific epigram, it exemplifies a common sub-genre of poetry used to commemorate local officials in the Hellenistic and Roman East, providing a concise example of the social practice of public praise and the administrative and educational functions of the gymnasiarch.
| unit_1 | Αὐτός μοι τεὸν ἀεῖσαι ὑποφήτορα παῖδα, Ἑρμεία, σπεύσειας, ἀοιδοπόλῳ δ’ ἐπαρήγοις ἑπτάτονον χείρεσσι λύρην πολυηχέα κρούων, τὴν αὐτὸς τὰ πρῶτα κάμες παρὰ ποσσὶ τεκούσης ἄρτι πεσών, λύτρον δὲ βοῶν πόρες Ἀπόλλωνι· τούνεκα μουσοπόλον σε νέοι κλείουσι〈ν〉 ἀοιδοί, ἀγρονόμοι δὲ θεὸν νόμιον κλῄζουσι βοτῆρες, Ἑρμῆν δ’ ἐν σταδίοις ἐναγώνιον ἀθλητῆρες, γυμνασίων δὲ πόληες ἐπίσκοπον ἀείδουσιν. |
| unit_2 | ἔνθα σε καὶ παῖς οὗτος, ἄναξ, ἱερῷ ἐνὶ δήμῳ πίδακ’ ἐ[λ]αιόρυτον προχέων ἀστοῖσι γεραίρει. οὐ γάρ σε πρώτιστα, Θέων, μετὰ παισὶν ἑταίροις ἀρχεύοντα νέον γινώσκομεν, ἀλλ’ ἔτι τηλοῦ ἠμὲν ἐλαιοχύτοισιν ἀλειφόμενοι κοτύλῃσιν ἠδὲ καὶ αἰνύμενοι δώρων Δημήτερος ἁγνῆς. κεῖνα μὲν ἐσθλὰ φίλος δήμῳ πόρες, ἐσθλὰ δ’ ἐπ’ ἐσθλοῖς ἐνθάδε νῦν παίδεσσι διδοῖς καὶ ἀμείνονα ταῦτα· ἦτοι μὲν γὰρ κεῖνα καὶ ἀφνειὸς πόροι ἀνήρ, πλούτου γὰρ κενεοῖο πέλει κενεαυχέα δῶρα, ταῦτα δὲ Μουσάων σοφίης δεδαημένος ἀνήρ· τῷ ς’ ἐπὶ τοῖσι μάλιστα γεραίρομεν ἤ περ ἐκείνοις, |
| unit_3 | οὕνεκα κεῖνα πατήρ σε διδάξατο, ταῦτα δὲ Μοῦσαι. |