81-86

On the "pigs" (Choiroi) of Edessa

Σκινδαλαμοί

• Μαρινάτος, Σπ.

Choiros, the man «buried» near Edessa, a kind of Gypsy in his life, customs and manners, has already mobilized a number of scholars. Three papers have been published in this periodical (II 1969, pp. 189-90 and pp. 422-429 ). In fact both the epigram and the stone (fig. 1) present peculiarities. It is necessary to examine them jointly.Grammatically and poetically the epigram is not a masterpiece and the sculptor was not more fortunate. Thefirst impression, of course, is that of a tombstone. In that case, however, certain difficulties arise. Choiros, whose story begins with himself, tells us that he wandered alone in the world. It should therefore be presumed that he survived his road accident long enough to arrange for his grave and dictate his funeral oration. In any case, the relief was made ad hoc by a cheap artist. It seems that the epigram was written away from the workshop. The poet was probably a plain modest teacher; he was unaware of the space available on the relief. Poor in grammatical knowledge but rich in words, he forced his collaborator in this work of art to insert letters wherever possible on the relief.Metrical observations. The intention of the poet was to compose dactylic hexameters. He takes the liberty of shortening the syllables before a double liquid consonant ( pp ) or a mute' consonant in front of a liquid one ( τρ ). He uses freely the conjunction « δέ» to fit his verses, and he is not especially afraid of hiatuses. Under these conditions verses 1 and 3 become tolerable. Verse 5 requires one more word, probably omitted, after «βίη» ( δμηθείς or πληγείς ). Verses 2 and 4 are faultless, and so would be verse 6, had a «τ’ » — probably also omitted — been inserted between the last two words ( φαλλοίο δέ θ’ αρμα ).The last verse remains totally incurable, for a reason which is characteristic. The poet, partly working according to the method of «κέντρωνες», has used a whole elegiac verse, common in other epigrams too. ( Verbatim Peek, Gr. Vers - Inschriften 370; cf. 402 etc. ). To alter it into a dactylic verse, he carelessly added the first two words ( ένθάδε νΰν ) thus creating first a repetition, and second the « ideal » hexameter, i.e. five dactyls with a penthemimeral caesura, all this only acoustically, however. The prosody along with the grammar were already fading. Actually the verse is unmetrical and tapering (μείουρος).Technical points. The stele ( of which unfortunately neither the dimensions nor the circumstances of find have yetbeen given ) has a narrow border on the side edges. There is nothing above. Was there a separate geison on top? Is there any other reason ? Had it been reworked ? On the lower side, in any case, there are some characteristic details. The border is wide and two oblique lines separate the middle which (alone ) has a purposely rough surface. The stele was apparently fixed on a metal or wooden body, forming a sort of handle. It would thus be possible to set it or remove it easily, if a base existed with a corresponding hole (fig. 2).However, this setting of the movable stele gives rise to further thoughts. In view of the unusual subject, the ambiguous dead man’s name, and the enigmatic nature of the epigram, one is led to the conclusion that this is not a real tombstone but a rhetorical and pedagogical exercise for school use. Is it a kind of old « test » ? Could the metrical errors have been intentional for exercizing the pupils? The preservation of the stele is also perfect, as if it had been kept under a roof. There is a large variety of similar epigrams which smell of the grammarian’s lamp and do not give the impression of actual funerary use.Interpretation. The details of the representation are indispensable for the understanding of the text. The animal, the pig, is a talking symbol. On the right, it is portrayed walking. It is the first period of Choiros as a walker. On the left however, it is portrayed recumbent on the ground, and compared to the lively posture of the walking animal, it is here obviously depict ed as sad and suffering. It apparently symbolized the second and unfortunate change in the habits of Choiros.In the centre is depicted a four- wheeled wagon. The mules ( or donkeys ) are fairly rigid, especially the legs. The forelegs are disproportionately long, so that the animals recall giraffes or at least hyenas. That the wagon is not depicted on the road, is perhaps only for space reasons because of the lying pig. The road, however, is shown as clearly sloping downwards, a fact justifying the exaggerated elongation of the forelegs of the pulling animals. The number of the legs does not correspond to that of the animals, which are four. Two pairs of raised forelegs indicate that at least two of the animals have bolted, taking advantage of the descending road. They are neighing or braying wildly, throwing back their ears, an unmistakable sign of wrath in hippoids. Choiros has lost his cold blood. His legs are tightened around his seat and his hands are extended in terror. The reins have escaped his grasp. The wagon, on which his tent is visible, has remained uncontrolled. The calamity that occurred is imparted in the text.Following the above, the enigmatic parts of the epigram become more understandable: « τετράπους νέος» (fourlegged youth ) evidently refers to the recent change in the habits of Choiros, who from a wandering walker has become the charioteer of a four-wheeled( four-legged ) wagon. « Νέος τετρα- πους » is slightly self-ironical in the way of «Νέος Ηρακλής» and the like. «Τροχοίο βίη» is the accident. Choiros fell off the wagon and the wheel ran over him. His character, like that of many other travellers, was kind and friendly ( Πασίφιλος is perhaps a more correct transcription). He began his journey from Dalmatia and ended up in Edessa ( « προσφέρεσθαι » is used equally for those arriving by land and by sea ), where he remained as a «gift» to the place. Why he says this last thing is not clear. Yet the meaning of the whole epigram is evident: I wandered walking over the whole world from Dalmatia to Apollonia, and very successfully, too. Unfortunately later I chose the aid of a wagon, thus becoming four-legged, but this was also my end.Both the representation and the epigram can certainly be considered as funerary. If one takes into consideration, however, what we know about the ancient school ( as known mostly from papyri ), one cannot avoid the temptation of regarding, at least some of these reliefs, as means of « teaching with organs » in the schools of the late antiquity ( concerning ancient schools, see my publication: The tenth Muse, Έ- πετηρίς τής Φιλοσοφ. Σχολής του Πα- νεπ.’Αθηνών, 1954-55 (dedicated to N. Exarchopoulos ), p. 113 ff., ibid. pp. 117-120).

• History and Archaeology

• Αρχαιολογία
• Επιγραφές
• Ιστορία, Αρχαία

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