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Βοώνης · ox-buyer (β 384) · Suda

Letters

Α Β Γ Δ Ε Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ξ Ο Π Ρ Σ Τ Υ Φ Χ Ψ Ω

Near β384

β380ox-slayer, ox-sacrificer
β381ox's horn
β382ox-borne litter
β383let us call out to, let us proclaim, let us declare
β384ox-buyer
β385ox-eyed, cow-eyed
β386Bootes, Plowman
β387ox-buyer
β388arable lands

Suda/Β beta/β384

← Previous entry,β383 Next entry,β385 →

Βοώνης

ox-buyer

Translated by David Whitehead12 Oct 2000Vetting: high9 revisions

biography
constitution
definition
history
military affairs
politics
+3

2 notes · 40 words

Translation

This man used to be chosen from the city [sc. of Athens↗], to buy oxen for it for the sacrifices.¹ To become ox-buyer was [a matter of] celebrity, since they say that generals were very likely to be elected ox-buyers.²

Greek original · Adler’s text

Βοώνης· οὗτος παρὰ τῆς πόλεως ᾑρεῖτο, ἵνα βοῦς αὐτῇ πρίηται πρὸς τὰς θυσίας. ἦν δὲ λαμπρὸν τὸ βοώνην γενέσθαι, ἐπειδὴ στρατηγούς φασι βοώνας μάλιστα χειροτονεῖσθαι.

Betacode

*bow/nhs: ou(=tos para\ th=s po/lews h(|rei=to, i(/na bou=s au)th=| pri/htai pro\s ta\s qusi/as. h)=n de\ lampro\n to\ bow/nhn gene/sqai, e)peidh\ strathgou/s fasi bow/nas ma/lista xeirotonei=sqai.

Notes (2)

These Athenian 'ox-buyers' (again at beta 387), probably a board of ten per year, are attested in Demosthenes 21.171 (n. 1 below) and in epigraphical evidence from the same period (C4 BCE).
1Similarly in other lexica. The only known holder of this post is Meidias, the enemy of Demosthenes (see Demosthenes 21.171), who served as general (strategos) at least twice. [Meidias' generalships are not listed in R. Develin, Athenian Officials 684-321 BC (Cambridge 1989) no.1921, but see L.A. Tritle, "A Missing Athenian General: Meidias Kephisodorou Anagyrasios," Athenaeum 70.2 (1992) 487-494, who draws attention to evidence for a plurality of Meidias' 'generalships' (strategiai) at Demosthenes 21.148.] ↩
2The Greek here is ambiguous, as either strathgou/s or bow/nas may be the subject of the verb xeirotonei=sqai. The alternative reading, then, is: "since they say that ox-buyers were very likely to be elected generals."

Linked from1 entry

β387Βοώτηςox-buyerThe greatest offices amongst [the] Athenians used to be elected from these.

Neighbouring entries

β382Βοοσφόριονox-borne litter β383Βοῶμενlet us call out to, let us proclaim, let us declare β384Βοώνηςox-buyer β385Βοῶπιςox-eyed, cow-eyed β386ΒοώτηςBootes, Plowman

Revision history9 revisions · last 21 Feb 2016

21 Feb 2016expanded primary note — David Whitehead
21 Feb 2016cosmeticules — Catharine Roth
21 Sep 2015Revised — David Whitehead
29 Jun 2012cosmeticule — Catharine Roth
1 Jul 2011more keywords; tweaks — David Whitehead
4 Dec 2005more keywords — David Whitehead
14 Jun 2002added keywords; cosmetics — David Whitehead
12 Oct 2000added note — Debra Hamel
12 Oct 2000cosmetics; altered translation; altered note — Debra Hamel
12 Oct 2000Translated — David Whitehead

Cite this entry

Suda On Line, s.v. Βοώνης (Adler number beta 384), trans. David Whitehead, 12 Oct 2000. https://www.cs.uky.edu/~raphael/sol/sol-entries/beta/384

Translation by David Whitehead for Suda On Line, revised by David Whitehead, Catharine Roth, Debra Hamel, licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Shown unchanged, under the same licence, non-commercially. Original on SOL ↗