SOL Search

[Epiphanios] and Euprepios were both Alexandrian in origin and very expert in the rites accepted by the Alexandrians. Euprepios presided over the rites called Persian, but Epiphanios over those concerning Osiris; not only so, but also of the rites of the god celebrated as Aion. Though I could say who this god is, nevertheless I am not writing it in accordance with my present purpose. Epiphanios had a leadership role in these rites also. These men were not born into the time-honored style of life,[1] but overlapped with and met those who were; assisted by them, they then became sources of many blessings for their contemporaries, eloquent heralds especially of the ancient stories. Damascius [wrote this].

*)epifa/nios kai\ *eu)pre/pios e)gene/sqhn *)alecandrei=s to\ ge/nos a)mfo/teroi kai\ tw=n para\ *)alecandreu=si teletw=n nomizome/nwn dahmone/statoi, tw=n me\n *persikw=n kaloume/nwn o( *eu)pre/pios e)ca/rxwn, tw=n de\ a)mfi\ to\n *)/osirin o( *)epifa/nios. ou) mo/non de/, a)lla\ kai\ tw=n tou= *ai)w=nos u(mnoume/nou qeoi=: o(\n e)/xwn ei)pei=n o(/stis e)sti/n, o(/mws ou) gra/fw kata/ ge th\n parou=san tau/thn o(rmh/n. o( de\ *)epifa/nios e)chgei=to kai\ tw=nde tw=n i(erw=n. ou(=toi me/ntoi oi( a)/ndres ou)k e)ge/nonto me\n e)pi\ th=s a)rxaioprepou=s politei/as, toi=s de\ genome/nois e)pibebh/kasi kai\ e)ne/tuxon, kai\ par' e)kei/nwn w)felhqe/ntes, e)/peita toi=s kaq' e(autou\s e)ge/nonto pollw=n a)gaqw=n h(gemo/nes, tw=n te a)/llwn kai\ palaiw=n dihgma/twn polu/fwnoi kh/rukes. *dama/skios.

Damascius, Life of Isidore fr. 100 Zintzen (51 Asmus, 41 Athanassiadi) cf. delta 10, epsilon 2233.
Athanassiadi rejects Zintzen's identification of this Epiphanios with the sophist of Petra (epsilon 2741); she says that this one was an Alexandrian astronomer, a pupil of Theon, the mathematician and father of Hypatia (upsilon 166).
[1] This suggests that they were born into Christian families, but later were converted to paganism.

David Whitehead (augmented note; cosmetics) on 18 February 2004@03:21:52.
Catharine Roth (modified translation on the basis of Athanassiadi's version, added note) on 20 February 2004@23:56:58.
Catharine Roth (augmented note) on 21 February 2004@22:28:38.
Catharine Roth (added keyword) on 11 October 2005@20:46:41.
David Whitehead on 22 October 2012@07:07:24.
Catharine Roth (another keyword) on 9 November 2017@01:13:44.

Suda On Line Search