DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4266#0049
16 ATHENIAN SEPULCHRAL MARBLES.
ruins of Citium, by Pococke, Niebuhr, and Akerblad, appear from recent investigation a to confirm
tliat fact. The individual to whom this memorial was raised, probably was engaged in commercial
pursuits at Athens, and, from the style of the ornament, lived previous to the age of Alexander.
The extreme rarity of monuments of the Phoenician language has given a great interest to the present
marble ; for although it solely bears the same name both in Greek and Phoenician, yet from the one the
corresponding value of several undefined oriental characters in the other language has been more cor-
rectly ascertained. That accomplished antiquary and profound oriental linguist, the late M. Akerblad,
having received from Sir W. Gell a transcript of this inscription, proceeded to explain the Phoe-
nician characters; recurring to whose excellent letter on this marble, from which we have selected the
following remarks, is as agreeable as to recollect his communicative affability. " At present" he ob-
serves, " let us ascertain how the name of Numenius and that of his country, Citium, are rendered
in Phoenician, for there is no doubt that one and the other inscription have been intended to transmit
the same sense in the two idioms. After the pleasantries which the learned Eckhel has indulged in
towards those who think of explaining Phoenician inscriptions, perhaps you will find that I undertake
this task with too much assurance ; but you will perceive that the thing is not so difficult as M. Eckhel
lias thought, and that these inscriptions (provided we are furnished with copies somewhat exactb) may
be explained with facility."
The Greek inscription simply says—•
NUMENIUS
A CITIAN
but the Phoenician, according to M. Akerblad, and since corrected0 from a more perfect transcript,
records the marble to be inscribed—
" To Ben-Chodesch, [Numenius,] son of Abd-Melcarth, [Heraclius,] son of
Abd-Schemesch, [Heliodorus,] son of Tagginez, [Stebhanus,]
a Citian Man."
To pursue the observations of the learned Swede,—" The name Benchodesch in the Phoeni-
cian language answers perfectly to that of Numenius in Greek, which is derived from Nov^via, of
the same signification as Chodesch,—' new moon.' This name may have been given to those who
bore it, because they were born on the day of the new moon. It is thus that in many countries they
yet give the names of Pascal and of Noel to children who are born at Easter or Christmas."
" Numenius, in the Greek inscription, is solely designated by his country, no mention being
made of his father or his ancestors ; in the Phoenician inscription, on the contrary, we find his gene-
alogy even to his great-grandfather inclusively: such Oriental pomp of ancestry is known to us from
other monuments.""
This elegant and valuable marble was found near the Academy of Plato : it was delineated by
the author at Athens when in the possession of the French consul, who has since transmitted it to
the Royal Museum of Paris e.
>
a V. Miscellanea Phoenicia, H. A. Hamaker, Lug. Bat. 1828. ties connoissances humaines ; mais gardons nous des longues com-
b So great was the mistrust of M. Akerblad in the correct- mentaires, qui ne font qu'entraver le vrai savoir."
ness of the copies from which he had already published this in- c Gesenius, a distinguished Hebraist, of the University of Halle,
scription, that he requested the author of these pages, on his from a transcript carefully made at Paris, which on inspection
departure from Rome to Athens, to procure for him a cast in dispelled the difficulties attached to Mr. Akerblad's translation,
plaster of the Phoenician writing, which M. Fauvel was kind has written a short commentary on this inscription for the great
enough to afford him; but before it could arrive in Italy, to the work of the learned Boeckh, by which we have here profited,
regret of the learned, the artists, and of general society at Rome, Corpus Inscriptionum Greecarum, V. I. p. 523.
that great scholar was no more. The frank and generous cha- ;i Lettre de M. Akerblad a M. le Chevalier Italinski. Annales
racter of this superior man, who combined a literary and prac- Encyc, Art. Inscription bilingue Phenicienne, Annee 1817?
tical knowledge of the principal languages of the world, may be T. II. pp. 193-214.
estimated by the following passage, apologetic with regard to the e About the period that the above Phoenician Inscription was
comparative conciseness of his dissertation on this inscription: communicated to the Litterati of Europe, the important Discovery
" Toute Decouverte nouvelle, quelque petite qu'elle soit, a sans was made by Lieut. Col. J. E. Humbert, a subject of his majesty
Joute son prix, et merite d'etre deposee dans l'immense archive the King of the Netherlands, of four inscribed Punic Gravestones
ruins of Citium, by Pococke, Niebuhr, and Akerblad, appear from recent investigation a to confirm
tliat fact. The individual to whom this memorial was raised, probably was engaged in commercial
pursuits at Athens, and, from the style of the ornament, lived previous to the age of Alexander.
The extreme rarity of monuments of the Phoenician language has given a great interest to the present
marble ; for although it solely bears the same name both in Greek and Phoenician, yet from the one the
corresponding value of several undefined oriental characters in the other language has been more cor-
rectly ascertained. That accomplished antiquary and profound oriental linguist, the late M. Akerblad,
having received from Sir W. Gell a transcript of this inscription, proceeded to explain the Phoe-
nician characters; recurring to whose excellent letter on this marble, from which we have selected the
following remarks, is as agreeable as to recollect his communicative affability. " At present" he ob-
serves, " let us ascertain how the name of Numenius and that of his country, Citium, are rendered
in Phoenician, for there is no doubt that one and the other inscription have been intended to transmit
the same sense in the two idioms. After the pleasantries which the learned Eckhel has indulged in
towards those who think of explaining Phoenician inscriptions, perhaps you will find that I undertake
this task with too much assurance ; but you will perceive that the thing is not so difficult as M. Eckhel
lias thought, and that these inscriptions (provided we are furnished with copies somewhat exactb) may
be explained with facility."
The Greek inscription simply says—•
NUMENIUS
A CITIAN
but the Phoenician, according to M. Akerblad, and since corrected0 from a more perfect transcript,
records the marble to be inscribed—
" To Ben-Chodesch, [Numenius,] son of Abd-Melcarth, [Heraclius,] son of
Abd-Schemesch, [Heliodorus,] son of Tagginez, [Stebhanus,]
a Citian Man."
To pursue the observations of the learned Swede,—" The name Benchodesch in the Phoeni-
cian language answers perfectly to that of Numenius in Greek, which is derived from Nov^via, of
the same signification as Chodesch,—' new moon.' This name may have been given to those who
bore it, because they were born on the day of the new moon. It is thus that in many countries they
yet give the names of Pascal and of Noel to children who are born at Easter or Christmas."
" Numenius, in the Greek inscription, is solely designated by his country, no mention being
made of his father or his ancestors ; in the Phoenician inscription, on the contrary, we find his gene-
alogy even to his great-grandfather inclusively: such Oriental pomp of ancestry is known to us from
other monuments.""
This elegant and valuable marble was found near the Academy of Plato : it was delineated by
the author at Athens when in the possession of the French consul, who has since transmitted it to
the Royal Museum of Paris e.
>
a V. Miscellanea Phoenicia, H. A. Hamaker, Lug. Bat. 1828. ties connoissances humaines ; mais gardons nous des longues com-
b So great was the mistrust of M. Akerblad in the correct- mentaires, qui ne font qu'entraver le vrai savoir."
ness of the copies from which he had already published this in- c Gesenius, a distinguished Hebraist, of the University of Halle,
scription, that he requested the author of these pages, on his from a transcript carefully made at Paris, which on inspection
departure from Rome to Athens, to procure for him a cast in dispelled the difficulties attached to Mr. Akerblad's translation,
plaster of the Phoenician writing, which M. Fauvel was kind has written a short commentary on this inscription for the great
enough to afford him; but before it could arrive in Italy, to the work of the learned Boeckh, by which we have here profited,
regret of the learned, the artists, and of general society at Rome, Corpus Inscriptionum Greecarum, V. I. p. 523.
that great scholar was no more. The frank and generous cha- ;i Lettre de M. Akerblad a M. le Chevalier Italinski. Annales
racter of this superior man, who combined a literary and prac- Encyc, Art. Inscription bilingue Phenicienne, Annee 1817?
tical knowledge of the principal languages of the world, may be T. II. pp. 193-214.
estimated by the following passage, apologetic with regard to the e About the period that the above Phoenician Inscription was
comparative conciseness of his dissertation on this inscription: communicated to the Litterati of Europe, the important Discovery
" Toute Decouverte nouvelle, quelque petite qu'elle soit, a sans was made by Lieut. Col. J. E. Humbert, a subject of his majesty
Joute son prix, et merite d'etre deposee dans l'immense archive the King of the Netherlands, of four inscribed Punic Gravestones