Inscriptions: Double epitaph for the doctor Melanthius

Identification

Reference as:	MPL00969
Title	Double epitaph for the doctor Melanthius
Trismegistos-No.	856506

Object

Provenance and Location

Find Place	Halicarnassus
Find Context	Found by Sir Charles Thomas Newton south of the spot marked as "ancient terrace" in the plan of the site of Halicarnassus, Plate I of his publication (Newton and Pullan 1862).
Latitude	0.0
Longitude	0.0
Current Location	London, British Museum
Inventory number	1859,1129.65
Current Location Details	Department: Greek and Roman
Vicinity	[{"coords": [37.0404, 27.4221], "id": 969, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/969", "long_id": "MPL00969", "place": "Halicarnassus", "text": "\u039c\u03b5\u03bb\u03b1\u03bd\u03b8\u1f77\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u0394\u03b7\u03bc\u03b7\u03c4\u03c1\u1f77\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u039c\u03b5\u03bb\u03b1\u03bd\u03b8\u1f77\u03bf\u03c5 \u1f30\u03b1\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03c4\u1f78 \u03bc\u03bd\u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://media.britishmuseum.org/media/Repository/Documents/2015_11/24_16/b8503bcb_34d8_4c33_9309_a55a0115ad2e/mid_915.jpg", "title": "Double epitaph for the doctor Melanthius "}, {"coords": [38.4172, 27.1414], "id": 389, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/389", "long_id": "MPL00389", "place": "Smyrna", "text": "[\u039c\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c1]\u03b1 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u0395\u1f30\u03bb\u03b5\u03af\u03b8\u03c5\u03b9\u03b1 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f60\u03b4\u1fd6\u0323-[\u03bd]\u03b5\u03c2 \u03c4\u1f78 \u03c0\u03b5\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c3\u1f78\u03bd \u039c\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph of Herais"}, {"coords": [38.4172, 27.1414], "id": 396, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/396", "long_id": "MPL00396", "place": "Smyrna", "text": "Left column \u03b4\u03bc\u03c9\u1f70\u03bd \u0394\u03c9\u03c1\u03bf\u03b8\u03ad-\u03b1\u03c2 \u03bc\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03c7\u03b5\u03af\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03b9 \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u1f41\u03bc\u03cc\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Funerary inscription for Kopria"}, {"coords": [38.4172, 27.1414], "id": 757, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/757", "long_id": "MPL00757", "place": "Smyrna", "text": "\u1f30\u03b7\u03c4\u1f74\u03c1 \u03bc\u03b5\u03b8\u1f79\u03b4\u03bf\u03c5, \u1f08\u03c3\u03b9\u03b1\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u1f73, \u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03c3\u03c4\u1f71\u03c4\u03b1, \u03c7\u03b1\u1fd6\u03c1\u03b5 \u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u03bb\u1f70 \u03bc\u1f72\u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://medaillesetantiques.bnf.fr/ws/catalogue/app/file/download/inv.57.5-03.jpg?key=D8C918lymi3wzZ4dbjydoqSvj9NC5ajoI\u0026thumbw=500\u0026thumbh=600", "title": "Epitaph for the Methodic doctor Marcus Modius Asiaticus "}, {"coords": [38.7602, 26.9383], "id": 404, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/404", "long_id": "MPL00404", "place": "Cyme (Aeolis)", "text": "\u0394\u03b1\u03bc\u03bf\u03b4\u03af\u03ba\u03b1 \u039a\u03c1[\u03ac\u03c4\u03b7\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2, \u03b3\u03c5\u03bd]\u1f74 \u03b4\u1f72 \u1f19\u03c1\u03bc\u03bf\u03b3\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c4[\u03bf]\u1fe6 \u1f08\u03c3[\u03ba\u03bb\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Stele for Damodika"}, {"coords": [38.6122, 28.8034], "id": 407, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/407", "long_id": "MPL00407", "place": "Tabala", "text": "Text A \u03c4\u03ae\u03bd\u03b4\u03b5 \u03bb\u03b9\u03c0\u03bf\u1fe6\u03c3\u03b1 \u03c0\u03ac\u03c4\u03c1\u03b7\u03bd \u039a\u03bf\u03c5\u03b1\u03c1\u03c9\u03bd \u03c4\u1f78 \u03c0\u03c1\u1f76\u03bd \u03bf\u1f56\u03b8\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Stele for Paiplous"}, {"coords": [36.2618, 29.3145], "id": 2245, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/2245", "long_id": "MPL02245", "place": "Patara", "text": "Hic situs est Graiis de-flendus saepe Camenis\u0323. Se\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph of the freedman of Placidus"}, {"coords": [37.3137, 28.0618], "id": 1107, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/1107", "long_id": "MPL01107", "place": "Stratonikeia", "text": "\u039a\u03c5\u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03b3\u1f73\u03bd\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2 \u03a0\u03b1\u03c6\u1f77\u03b7\u03c2 \u1f41 \u1f10\u03c0\u1f7d\u03bd\u03c5-\u03bc\u03bf\u03c2 \u1f10\u03bd\u03b8\u1f71\u03b4\u03b5 \u03ba\u03b5\u1fd6\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9, \u1f20\u1fd3\u03b8\u03b5\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph for the doctor Epaphroditus"}]

Object Details

Object Type	base
Material	marble
State of Preservation	fragmentary
Dimensions	width: 60.96 cm height: 82.55 cm depth: 59.69 cm
Letter Size in cm (min)	0.0
Letter Size in cm (max)	0.0
Execution Technique	chiselled
Religion

Decoration

Decoration and Iconography	Elegant mouldings above and below. This statue base contains two funerary inscriptions in verses dedicated to the doctor Μελάνθιος. On the top there is a socket for a term in the middle and one on to the left of it.
Decoration Tags	Architecture / Moulding

Verse Layouts

Prose Verse Presence	Prose + Verse + Prose + Verse
Prose Verse Distinction	Yes, by bigger lettering in prose Yes, by vacat
Layout Types (Prose)	Centered
Scriptio Continua in verse part	no
Abbreviations in verse part	no
Verse Line Correspondence	Yes
Graphic Signs and Spaces for Easier Carmen Reading	To mark a pentameter in an elegiac couplet (indentation)

Text

Function	funerary inscription
Language(s)	Greek
Verse Type(s)	Elegiac couplet
Rhythmisation	Quantitative scheme

Inscription & Translations

Diplomatic Interpretative Verse Visualisation

ΜΕΛΑΝΘΙΟΥΤΟΥΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥΤΟΥ
ΜΕΛΑΝΘΙΟΥΙΑΤΡΟΥΤΟΜΝΗΜΑ
vacat

ΕΥΔΕΙΣΩΦΙΛΟΤΕΚΝΕΜΕΛΑΝΘΙΕΚΑΙΒΑΘΥΝΥΠΝΟΝ
ΕΥΔΕΙΣΙΑΤΡΩΝΩΠΟΛΥΠΕΙΡΟΤΑΤΕ
5ΑΛΛΑΙΔΑΣΖΩΟΙΣΙΝΕΝΑΝΤΙΟΣΟΣΤΟΝΑΡΩΓΟΝ
ΝΟΥΣΩΝΕΙΣΜΕΡΟΠΩΝΟΥΚΕΦΥΛΑΞΕΝΑΚΗ

ΕΙΣΕΑΥΤΟΝ

ΤΟΝΤΕΧΝΗΛΑΜΨΑΝΤΑΜΕΛΑΝΘΙΟΝΙΗΤΗΡΑ vacat
ΧΘΩ[].ΔΕΚΡΥΠΤΕΙΠΡΕΣΒΥΝΑΛΥΠΟΤΑΤΟΝ

Μελανθίου τοῦ Δημητρίου τοῦ
Μελανθίου ἰατροῦ τὸ μνῆμα.
( vac. )

εὕδεις ὦ φιλότεκνε Μελάνθιε καὶ βαθὺν ὕπνον
εὕδεις ἰατρῶν ὦ πολυπειρότατε,
5ἀλλ’ Ἀΐδας ζώοισιν ἐναντίος, ὃς τὸν ἀρωγὸν
νούσων εἰς μερόπων οὐκ ἐφύλαξεν ἄκη.

( vac. ) εἰς ἑαυτόν ( vac. )

τὸν τέχνῃ λάμψαντα Μελάνθιον ἰητῆρα ( vac. )
χθὼ[ν] ἥ̣δε κρύπτει πρέσβυν ἀλυπότατον.

Μελανθίου τοῦ Δημητρίου τοῦ Μελανθίου ἰατροῦ τὸ μνῆμα. ( vac. )

εὕδεις ὦ φιλότεκνε Μελάνθιε καὶ βαθὺν ὕπνον
εὕδεις ἰατρῶν ὦ πολυπειρότατε,
ἀλλ’ Ἀΐδας ζώοισιν ἐναντίος, ὃς τὸν ἀρωγὸν
νούσων εἰς μερόπων οὐκ ἐφύλαξεν ἄκη.

( vac. ) εἰς ἑαυτόν ( vac. )

τὸν τέχνῃ λάμψαντα Μελάνθιον ἰητῆρα ( vac. )
χθὼ[ν] ἥ̣δε κρύπτει πρέσβυν ἀλυπότατον.

Apparatus

Text follows SGO 01/12/19

Main Translation

Translation
Citation

Other Translations

Monument du médecin Mélanthios, fils de Démetrios, petit-fils de Mélanthios.
Tu dors, Mélanthios qui aimais tes enfants, tu dors d'un sommeil profond, toi le plus expérimenté des médecins, mais Hadès est un ennemi pur les vivants, lui qui n'a pas protégé celui qui combattati les maladies pour la guérison des mortels.
Pour lui-même.
Mélanthios, le médecin qui brillait par son art, cette terre le renferme lui, vieillard tout á fait exempt de peines (French , Samama 2003)
Dises Grabmal ist das des Arztes Melanthios, Sohnes des Demetrios, des Sohnes des Melanthios.
Du schläfst, kinderliebender Melanthios, un einen tiefen Schlaf schläfst du, Erfahrenster der Ärzte. Aber Hades ist der Feind der Lebendigen, er, der den Helfer gegen die Krankenheiten nicht zu Heilung der Sterblichen bewahren wollte.
(Epigramm des Melanthios) auf sich selbst
Dieser Grund verbrigt den Arzt Melanthios, der sich in seiner Kunst auszeichnete, den Alten, der niemandem Kummer bereitete. (German, Merkelbach and Stauber, SGO, 01/12/19)

Prosopographical Information

Name Μελάνθιος
Gender Male
Profession Other profession
Role Dedicatee

Name	Μελάνθιος
Gender	Male
Profession	Other profession
Role	Dedicatee

Further Information

Comment

Squeeze

Have Squeeze?	no

Dating

Date (From)	1 AD
Date (To)	100 AD
Date (Criteria)

Bibliography

G. Kaibel, Epigrammata Graeca ex lapidibus conlecta, Berolini 1878, no. 202 🔗 link
GVI 01921
GIMB 04-01, 00915
W. Peek, Griechische Grabgedichte. Griechisch und Deutsch, Berlin 1960, no. 446 🔗 link
SGO 01/12/19, 59 (German translation)
C. Newton, R. Pullan, A History of Discoveries at Halicarnassus, Cnidus and Branchidae. Plates, London 1862, 5, no. I. 🔗 link
C. Newton, R. Popplewell, A History of Discoveries at Halicarnassus, Cnidus and Branchidae, Cambridge 1863, 706, no. 64. 🔗 link
É. Samama, Les médecins dans le monde grec. Sources épigraphiques sur la naissance d’un corps médical, Genève 2003, no. 00271 (French translation). 🔗 link
PHI258119 🔗 link
The British Museum 🔗 link

Images

Double epitaph for the doctor Melanthius
Photo: The British Museum

Editing History

Created	2026-08-10, by Anna Martelli
Work Status	Complete
Import Notice

Revisions

by Unknown
at 2024-07-11 12:15
by Anna Pokorny
at 2024-07-30 19:40
by Anna Pokorny
at 2024-07-30 19:40
by Chiara Cenati
at 2025-01-16 13:40
by Chiara Cenati
at 2025-03-17 13:42
by Chiara Cenati
at 2025-03-18 19:42
by Chiara Cenati
at 2026-07-31 08:41
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-03 08:57
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-03 09:16
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-03 09:36
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-03 09:47
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-03 09:48
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-03 10:20
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-03 10:38
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-03 11:52
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-03 11:59
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-03 12:10
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-03 12:22
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-06 11:58
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-06 12:06
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-06 12:15
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-06 12:17
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-06 12:18
by Chiara Cenati
at 2026-08-06 13:16
by Chiara Cenati
at 2026-08-06 13:16
by Chiara Cenati
at 2026-08-06 13:25
by Chiara Cenati
at 2026-08-06 13:25
by Anna Martelli
at 2026-08-10 11:21

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