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Διὰ τί τῶν ἱερῶν ἀγώνων ἄλλος ἄλλον ἔχει στέφανον, τὸν δὲ φοίνικα πάντες· ἐν ᾧ καὶ διὰ τί τοὺς μεγάλους¹ φοινικοβαλάνους Νικολάους καλοῦσιν.

[1] 15 20 Ἰσθμίων ἀγομένων ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ τῶν Σώσπιδος ἀγωνοθεσιῶν τὰς μὲν ἄλλας ἑστιάσεις διεφύγομεν, ἑστιῶντος αὐτοῦ πολλοὺς μὲν ἅμα ξένους, πάντας δὲ πολλάκις τοὺς πολίτας· ἅπαξ δὲ τοὺς μάλιστα φίλους καὶ φιλολόγους οἴκοι δεχομένου, 723b καὶ αὐτοὶ παρῆμεν². ἀπηρμένων δὲ τῶν πρώτων τραπεζῶν, ἧκέ τις Ἡρώδῃ τῷ ῥήτορι παρὰ γνωρίμου 5 νενικηκότος ἐγκωμίῳ φοίνικα καὶ στέφανόν τινα τῶν πλεκτῶν κομίζων. ὁ δὲ ταῦτα μὲν δεξιωσάμενος ἀπέπεμψε πάλιν, ἔφη δʼ ἀπορεῖν, τί δήποτε τῶν ἀγώνων στέφανον ἄλλος ἄλλον ἔχει, τὸν δὲ φοίνικα κοινῇ πάντες. οὐ γὰρ ἐμὲ γοῦν ἔφη³ πείθουσιν 10 οἱ τὴν ἰσότητα τῶν φύλλων, οἷον ἀντανισταμένων ἀεὶ καὶ συνεκτρεχόντων, ἀγῶνι καὶ ἁμίλλῃ παραπλήσιόν τι ποιεῖν φάσκοντες, αὐτήν τε τὴν νίκην παρὰ τὸ μὴ εἶκον ὠνομάσθαι· καὶ γὰρ ἄλλα 723c πάμπολλα μονονοὺ μέτροις τισὶ καὶ σταθμοῖς⁴ ἀκριβῶς 15 τὴν τροφὴν διανέμοντα τοῖς ἀντιζύγοις πετάλοις ἰσότητα θαυμαστὴν καὶ τάξιν ἀποδίδωσιν ἔτι δʼ ἀπιθανώτεροι⁵ τούτων εἰσὶν οἱ τὸ κάλλος καὶ τὴν εὐφυΐαν ἀγαπῆσαι τοὺς παλαιούς, ὡς Ὅμηρον⁶ ἔρνεϊ φοίνικος ἀπεικάσαντα τὴν ὥραν τῆς Φαιακίδος, 20 ὑπονοοῦντες. οὐ γὰρ ἀγνοεῖτε δήπουθεν, ὅτι καὶ ῥόδοις καὶ λυχνίσιν⁷, ἔνιοι δὲ καὶ μήλοις καὶ ῥοιαῖς⁸ ἔβαλλον ὡς καλοῖς· γεραίροντες ἀεὶ⁹ τοὺς νικηφόρους. ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν οὕτως ἐπιφανῶς ἐκπρεπέστερον ἔχει τῶν ἄλλων ὁ φοῖνιξ, ἅτε μηδὲ καρπὸν. ἐν τῇ Ἑλλάδι φέρων 25 723d ἐδώδιμον ἀλλʼ ἀτελῆ καὶ ἄπεπτον. εἰ γάρ, ὥσπερ ἐν Συρίᾳ καὶ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, παρεῖχε τὴν βάλανον, ὄψει τε θεαμάτων καὶ γλυκύτητι¹⁰ τραγημάτων πάντων ἥδιστον, οὐκ ἂν ἦν ἕτερον αὐτῷ παραβαλεῖν¹¹. ὁ γοῦν βασιλεύς, ὥς φασιν, ἀγαπήσας διαφερόντως 5 τὸν Περιπατητικὸν φιλόσοφον Νικόλαον, γλυκὺν ὄντα τῷ ἤθει ῥαδινὸν δὲ τῷ μήκει τοῦ σώματος διάπλεων δὲ τὸ πρόσωπον ἐπιφοινίσσοντος ἐρυθήματος, τὰς μεγίστας καὶ καλλίστας τῶν φοινικοβαλάνων Νικολάους ὠνόμαζε, καὶ μέχρι νῦν 10 οὕτως ὀνομάζονται.

[2] ταῦτʼ εἰπὼν ὁ Ἡρώδης οὐκ ἀτερπέστερον ἐμβάλλειν ἔδοξε τοῦ ζητουμένου τὸ¹² περὶ τοῦ Νικολάου. 723e διὸ καὶ μᾶλλον ἔφη ὁ Σῶσπις¹³ προθυμητέον, ὡς ἕκαστος αὑτόν τις ἔπεισε, συνεισενεγκεῖν¹⁴ 15 εἰς τὸ ζητούμενον. ἐγὼ δʼ εἰσφέρω πρῶτος, ὅτι δεῖ τὴν τῶν νικηφόρων δόξαν ἄφθιτον, ὡς ἀνυστὸν ἐστι, καὶ ἀγήρων¹⁵ διαμένειν· ὁ δὲ φοῖνιξ μακρόβιον μέν ἐστιν ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα τῶν φυτῶν, ὥς που καὶ τὰ Ὀρφικὰ¹⁶ ταῦτα μεμαρτύρηκε 20

ζῶον δʼ ἴσον ἀκροκόμοισιν

φοινίκων ἔρνεσσιν,

¹⁷ μόνῳ δʼ αὐτῷ σχεδὸν ὑπάρχει τὸ κατὰ πολλῶν ὡς ἀληθῶς¹⁸ λεγόμενον· τί δὲ τοῦτʼ ἔστι; τὸ ἐμπεδόφυλλον εἶναι καὶ ἀείφυλλον· οὔτε γὰρ δάφνην οὔτʼ 723f ἐλαίαν οὔτε μυρσίνην οὔτʼ ἄλλο τι τῶν μὴ φυλλορροεῖν λεγομένων ὁρῶμεν ἀεὶ ταὐτὰ φύλλα διατηροῦν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς πρώτοις ἀπορρέουσιν ἑτέρων ἐπιβλαστανόντων, 5 ὥσπερ πόλεις¹⁹, ἕκαστον ἀείζωον²⁰ διαμένει καὶ ἀμείλικτον²¹ ὁ δὲ φοῖνιξ οὐθὲν ἀποβάλλων ἀφʼ αὑτοῦ τῶν φυομένων, βεβαίως ἀείφυλλός ἐστι· καὶ τοῦτο δὴ τὸ κράτος αὐτοῦ μάλιστα τῆς νίκης τῷ ἰσχυρῷ συνοικειοῦσι.

[3] 10 παυσαμένου δὲ τοῦ Σώσπιδος, Πρωτογένης ὁ γραμματικός, ὀνόματι καλέσας Πραξιτέλην τὸν 724a περιηγητὴν οὕτω δὴ τούτους ἔφη τοὺς ῥήτορας ἐάσομεν περαίνειν τὸ οἰκεῖον, ἐξ εἰκότων καὶ πιθανῶν ἐπιχειροῦντας· αὐτοὶ δʼ ἀφʼ ἱστορίας οὐδὲν ἂν 15 ἔχοιμεν τῷ λόγῳ συμβάλλεσθαι; καίτοι δοκῶ μοι μνημονεύειν ἐν τοῖς Ἀττικοῖς ἀνεγνωκὼς ἔναγχος, ὅτι πρῶτος ἐν Δήλῳ Θησεὺς ἀγῶνα ποιῶν ἀπέσπασε κλάδον τοῦ ἱεροῦ φοίνικος καὶ σπάδιξ ὠνομάσθη.

[4] καὶ ὁ Πραξιτέλης ταῦτʼ εἶπεν ἄδηλα²², καὶ 20 τοῦ Θησέως αὐτοῦ πυνθάνεσθαι²³ φήσουσιν, ᾧτινι λόγῳ φοίνικος, οὐ δάφνης οὐδʼ ἐλαίας, κλάδον ἀπέσπασεν ἀγωνοθετῶν. σκόπει δή, μὴ Πυθικόν ἐστι 724b τὸ νικητήριον, ὡς· Ἀμφικτύονος²⁴· κἀκεῖ πρῶτον²⁵ ἐπὶ τιμῇ τοῦ θεοῦ δάφνῃ καὶ²⁶ φοίνικι τοὺς νικῶντας 25 ἐκόσμησαν, ἅτε δὴ καὶ τῷ θεῷ μὴ δάφνας μηδʼ ἐλαίας ἀλλὰ φοίνικας ἀνατιθέντες²⁷, ὡς ἐν Δήλῳ Νικίας χορηγήσας Ἀθηναίων καὶ ἐν Δελφοῖς Ἀθηναῖοι καὶ Κύψελος πρότερον Κορίνθιος ἐπεὶ καὶ φίλαθλος ἄλλως καὶ²⁸ φιλόνικος²⁹ ἡμῖν ὁ θεός, αὐτὸς 5 ἐν κιθαρίσει καὶ ᾠδῇ καὶ βολαῖς δίσκων, ὡς δʼ ἔνιοί φασι, καὶ πυγμῇ ἁμιλλώμενος³⁰· ἀνθρώποις δὲ προσαμύνων ἀγωνιζομένοις, ὡς Ὅμηρος ἐμαρτύρησε, τὸν μὲν Ἀχιλλέα λέγοντα ποιήσας

ἄνδρε δύω περὶ τῶνδε κελεύομεν, ὥπερ ἀρίστω³¹, 10

πὺξ μάλʼ ἀνασχομένω³² πεπληγέμεν ᾧ δέ κ̓ Ἀπόλλων

δώῃ καμμονίην ³³

724c τῶν δὲ τοξοτῶν τὸν μὲν εὐξάμενον τῷ θεῷ κατορθῶσαι καὶ λαβεῖν τὰ πρωτεῖα· τὸν δὲ γαῦρον ἀστοχῆσαι τοῦ σκοποῦ, μὴ εὐξάμενον. καὶ μὴν οὐδʼ 15 Ἀθηναίους εἰκός ἐστιν Ἀπόλλωνι καθιερῶσαι, τὸ γυμνάσιον ἀλόγως καὶ αὐτομάτως· ἀλλὰ παρʼ οὗ τὴν ὑγίειαν ἔχομεν θεοῦ, τοῦτον εὐεξίαν τε διδόναι καὶ ῥώμην ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀγῶνας ᾤοντο. κούφων δὲ καὶ βαρέων ἀγωνισμάτων ὄντων, πύκτῃ μὲν 20 Ἀπόλλωνι Δελφούς, δρομαίῳ δὲ Κρῆτας ἱστοροῦσι 724d θύειν καὶ Λακεδαιμονίους. σκύλων³⁴ δὲ Πυθοῖ καὶ ἀκροθινίων καὶ τροπαίων³⁵ ἀναθέσεις ἆρʼ³⁶, οὐ συμμαρτυροῦσιν ὅτι τῆς εἰς τὸ νικᾶν καὶ κρατεῖν δυνάμεως τῷ θεῷ τούτῳ πλεῖστον μέτεστιν;

[5] 25 ἔτι δʼ αὐτοῦ λέγοντος, ὑπολαβὼν Κάφισος ὁ Θέωνος υἱός ἀλλὰ ταῦτὰ γʼ εἶπεν οὐχ·χ ἱστορίας οὐδὲ³⁷ περιηγητικῶν ὄδωδε³⁸ βιβλίων, ἀλλʼ ἐκ μέσων ἀνεσπασμένα τῶν Περιπατητικῶν τόπων εἰς τὸ πιθανὸν ἐπικεχείρηται, καὶ προσέτι τραγικῶς μηχανὴν 5 ἄραντες, ὦ φίλοι³⁹, δεδίττεσθε⁴⁰ τῷ θεῷ τοὺς ἀντιλέγοντας. ὁ μὲν οὖν θεός, ὥσπερ προσήκει, πᾶσιν ἴσος ἐστὶ μετʼ εὐμενείας· ἡμεῖς δʼ ἑπόμενοι Σώσπιδι 724e καλῶς γὰρ ὑφηγεῖται πάλιν ἐχώμεθα τοῦ φοίνικος; ἀμφιλαφεῖς τῷ λόγῳ λαβὰς διδόντος. Βαβυλώνιοι 10 μὲν γὰρ ὑμνοῦσι καὶ ᾄδουσιν ὡς ἑξήκοντα καὶ τριακόσια χρειῶν γένη παρέχον αὐτοῖς τὸ δένδρον· ἡμῖν δὲ τοῖς Ἕλλησιν ἣκιστα μέν ἐστι χρειώδης, ἀθλητικῆς δὲ φιλοσοφίας⁴¹ καὶ τὸ ἄκαρπον ἂν εἴη· κάλλιστος γὰρ ὢν καὶ μέγιστος ὑπʼ εὐταξίας οὐ 15 γόνιμός ἐστι παρʼ ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ τὴν τροφὴν ὥσπερ ἀθλητοῦ περὶ τὸ σῶμα τῆς εὐταξίας⁴² ἀναλισκούσης, σμικρὸν αὐτῷ καὶ φαῦλον εἰς σπέρμα περίεστιν. ἴδιον δὲ παρὰ ταῦτα πάντα καὶ μηδενὶ συμβεβηκὸς ἑτέρῳ τὸ μέλλον λέγεσθαι· φοίνικος γὰρ ξύλον 20 ἂν ἄνωθεν ἐπιθεὶς βάρη πιέζῃς, οὐ κάτω θλιβόμενον ἐνδίδωσιν, ἀλλὰ κυρτοῦται πρὸς τοὐναντίον 724f ὥσπερ ἀνθιστάμενον τῷ βιαζομένῳ. τοῦτο δὴ καὶ περὶ τοὺς ἀθλητικοὺς ἀγῶνάς ἐστι· τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ὑπʼ ἀσθενείας καὶ μαλακίας εἴκοντας αὐτοῖς πιέζουσι κάμπτοντες, οἱ δʼ ἐρρωμένως ὑπομένοντες⁴³ τὴν ἄσκησιν οὐ μόνον τοῖς σώμασιν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς 5 φρονήμασιν ἐπαίρονται καὶ αὐξοῦνται.

Quaestiones Convivales. Plutarch. ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs. Leipzig. 1892.

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Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Συμποσιακῶν προβλημάτων βιβλία (Greek) (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol. IV. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1892.)

Translations (1)

Symposiacs Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. III. Goodwin, William W., editor; Creech, Thomas, translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.) — 8.4 focus

Question IV
WHY, WHEN IN THE SACRED GAMES ONE SORT OF GARLAND WAS GIVEN IN ONE, AND ANOTHER IN ANOTHER, THE PALM, WAS COMMON TO ALL. AND WHY THEY CALL THE GREAT DATES Νικόλαοι.
SOSPIS, HERODES, PROTOGENES, PRAXITELES, CAPHISUS.

[1] THE Isthmian games being celebrated, when Sospis was the second time director of the solemnity, we avoided other entertainments,—he treating a great many strangers, and often all his fellow-citizens,—but once, when he entertained his nearest and most learned friends at his own house, I was one of the company. After the first course, one coming to Herodes the rhetorician brought a palm and a wreathed crown, which one of his acquaintance, who had won the prize for an encomiastic exercise, sent him. This Herodes received very kindly, and sent it back again, but added that he could not tell the reason why, since each of the games gave a particular garland, yet all of them bestowed the palm. For those do not satisfy me (said he) who say that the equality of the leaves is the reason, which growing out one against another seem to resemble some striving for the prize, and that victory is called νίκη from μὴ εἴκειν, not to yield. For a great many other trees, which almost by measure and weight divide the nourishment to their leaves growing opposite to one another, show a decent order and wonderful equality. They seem to speak more probably who say the ancients were pleased with the beauty and figure of the tree. Thus Homer compares Nausicaa to a palm-branch. For you all know very well, that some threw roses at the victors, and some pomegranates and apples, to honor and reward them. But now the palm hath nothing evidently more taking than many other things, since here in Greece it bears no fruit that is good to eat, it not ripening and growing mature enough. But if, as in Syria and Egypt, it bore a fruit that is the most pleasant to the eyes of any thing in the world, and the sweetest to the taste, then I must confess nothing could compare with it, And the Persian monarch (as the story goes), being extremely taken with Nicolaus the Peripatetic philosopher, who was a very sweet-humored man, tall and slender, and of a ruddy complexion, called the greatest and fairest dates Nicolai.

[2] This discourse of Herodes seemed to give occasion for a query about Nicolaus, which would be as pleasant as the former. Therefore, said Sospis, let every one carefully give his sentiments of the matter in hand. I begin, and think that, as far as possible, the honor of the victor should remain fresh and immortal. Now a palm-tree is the longest lived of any, as this line of Orpheus testifies:

They lived like branches of a leafy palm.

And this almost alone enjoys the privilege (though it is said to belong to many beside) of having always fresh and the same leaves. For neither the laurel nor the olive nor the myrtle, nor any other of those trees called evergreen, is always seen with the very same leaves; but as the old fall, new ones grow. So cities continue the same, where new parts succeed those that decay. But the palm, never shedding a leaf, is continually adorned with the same green. And this power of the tree, I believe, men think agreeable to, and fit to represent, the strength of victory.

[3] When Sospis had done, Protogenes the grammarian, calling Praxiteles the commentator by his name, said: What then, shall we suffer those rhetoricians to be thought to have hit the mark, when they bring arguments only from probabilities and conjectures? And can we produce nothing from history to club to this discourse? Lately, I remember, reading in the Attic annals, I found that The seus first instituted games in Delos, and tore off a branch from the sacred palm-tree, which was called spadix (from σπάω, to tear.)

[4] And Praxiteles said: This is uncertain; but perhaps some will demand of Theseus himself, upon what account, when he instituted the game, he broke off a branch of palm rather than of laurel or of olive. But consider whether this be not a prize proper to the Pythian games, as belonging to Amphictyon. For there they first, in honor of the God, crowned the victors with laurel and palm, as consecrating to the God, not the laurel or olive, but the palm. So Nicias did, who defrayed the charges of the solemnity in the name of the Athenians at Delos; the Athenians themselves at Delphi; and before these, Cypselus the Corinthian. For this God is a lover of games, and delights in contending for the prize at harping, singing, and throwing the bar, and, as some say, at cuffing; and assists men when contending, as Homer witnesseth, by making Achilles speak thus,

Let two come forth in cuffing stout, and try

To which Apollo gives the victory.

And amongst the archers, he that made his address to Apollo made the best shot, and he that forgot to pray to him missed the mark. And beside, it is not likely that the Athenians would rashly, and upon no grounds, dedicate their place of exercise to Apollo. But they thought that the God which bestows health gives likewise a vigorous constitution, and strength for the encounter. And since some of the encounters are light and easy, others laborious and difficult, the Delphians offered sacrifices to Apollo the cuffer; the Cretans and Spartans to Apollo the racer; and the dedication of spoils taken in the wars and trophies to Apollo Pythias show that he is of great power to give victory in war.

[5] Whilst he was speaking, Caphisus, Theon’s son, interrupted him, and said: This discourse smells neither of history nor comment, but is taken out of the common topics of the Peripatetics, and endeavors to persuade; besides, you should, like the tragedians, raise your machine, and fright all that contradict you with the God. But the God, as indeed it is requisite he should be, is equally benevolent to all. Now let us, following Sospis (for he fairly leads the way), keep close to our subject, the palm-tree, which affords us sufficient scope for our discourse. The Babylonians celebrate this tree, as being useful to them three hundred and sixty several ways. But to us Greeks it is of very little use, but its want of fruit makes it proper for contenders in the games. For being the fairest, greatest, and best proportioned of all sorts of trees, it bears no fruit amongst us; but by reason of its strong constitution it spends all its nourishment (like an athlete) upon its body, and so has very little, and that very bad, remaining for seed. Beside all this, it hath something peculiar, which cannot be attributed to any other tree. The branch of a palm, if you put a weight upon it, doth not yield and bend downwards, but turns the contrary way, as if it resisted the pressing force. The like is to be observed in these exercises. For those who, through weakness or cowardice, yield to them, their adversaries oppress; but those who stoutly endure the encounter have not only their bodies, but their minds too, strengthened and increased.

Notes on the current edition

Συμποσιακῶν προβλημάτων βιβλία

1. malim τὰς μεγάλας

2. καὶ αὐτοῖς παρ’ ἡμῖν mei

3. X: ἔφην

4. στάσθμαις R. cf. Symb. p. 49

5. ἔτι δ’ ἀπιθανώτεροι Doehnerus: ἐπεὶ πιθανώτεροι

6. Ὁμηρον] ζ 163

7. λύχνισιν mei

8. ib. malim ῥόαις

9. ἀεὶ] δὴ W

10. γλυκύτητα mei

11. Duebnerus: παραλαβεῖν

12. τὸ M

13. ὁ Σῶσπις Leonicus

14. ib. ὡς ἕκαστος - συνεισενεγκεῖν W: ὡς ἕκαστον αὐτῷ τις συνέπεισεν ἐνεγκεῖν ( ἐγκεῖν Vd)

15. *: ἀγήρω

16. Ὀρφικὰ] Mullach. 1 p. 183

17. ζῶν δ’ ἴσον φοινίκων ἔρνεσιν ἀκροκ. W. Aliter Mullachius

18. ὡς ἀληθῶς] collocat post ὑπάρχει Herwerdenus; melius fuisset post σχεδὸν

19. πόλις R

20. ib. em. Madvigius: ἀεὶ ζῶον

21. ἀμείλικτον] ἀνέκλειπτον R

22. ἄδηλα W: ἀλλὰ

23. πυνθάνεσθαι] add. δεῖν W. Malim post φήσουσιν

24. ib. *: ἀμφικτυόνος

25. ὡς οἱ Ἀμφικτύονες ἐκεῖ πρῶτον Madvigius cum Amyoto

26. δάφνῃ καὶ] del. Herwerdenus

27. ἀνατιθέντας mei

28. ἄλλως καὶ] ἀλλ’ ὡς mei

29. W: φιλόνεικος

30. διαμιλλώμενος?

31. ᾧπερ ἀρίστῳ mei. vid. Hom. Ψ 159

32. πυγμάλ’ ἀνασχομένῳ iidem

33. puncta add. Duebnerus

34. κύλων iidem

35. τρόπων iidem

36. ἄρα iidem

37. οὐδὲ *: οὔτε

38. ὁδῶ δὲ mei

39. ὦ φίλοι Duebnerus: ὀφείλετε

40. R: δεδίττεσθαι

41. *: ἀθλητικῆ δὲ φιλοσοφία libri. ἀθλητικὴν autem φιλοσοφίαν rationalem esse athletarum vivendi morem ex longo usu probatum, quo ut corpus firmius redderent fortiore vescerentur sagma atque voluptatibus venereis sese abstinere iuberentur, rectissime monuit Doehnerus

42. εὐταξίας] εὐεξίας W. εὐαυξίας (ab εὐαυξής)?

43. ὑψοῦνται Herwerdenus; malim ἀνυψοῦνται sed cf. p. 795b

Plutarch Quaestiones Convivales 8.4

ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs

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Διὰ τί τῶν ἱερῶν ἀγώνων ἄλλος ἄλλον ἔχει στέφανον, τὸν δὲ φοίνικα πάντες· ἐν ᾧ καὶ διὰ τί τοὺς μεγάλους¹ φοινικοβαλάνους Νικολάους καλοῦσιν.

Current edition Perseus

Question IV
WHY, WHEN IN THE SACRED GAMES ONE SORT OF GARLAND WAS GIVEN IN ONE, AND ANOTHER IN ANOTHER, THE PALM, WAS COMMON TO ALL. AND WHY THEY CALL THE GREAT DATES Νικόλαοι.
SOSPIS, HERODES, PROTOGENES, PRAXITELES, CAPHISUS.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Διὰ τί τῶν ἱερῶν ἀγώνων ἄλλος ἄλλον ἔχει στέφανον, τὸν δὲ φοίνικα πάντες· ἐν ᾧ καὶ διὰ τί τοὺς μεγάλους 1 φοινικοβαλάνους Νικολάους καλοῦσιν.

Current edition Perseus

Question IV WHY, WHEN IN THE SACRED GAMES ONE SORT OF GARLAND WAS GIVEN IN ONE, AND ANOTHER IN ANOTHER, THE PALM, WAS COMMON TO ALL. AND WHY THEY CALL THE GREAT DATES Νικόλαοι. SOSPIS, HERODES, PROTOGENES, PRAXITELES, CAPHISUS.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Διὰ τί τῶν ἱερῶν ἀγώνων ἄλλος ἄλλον ἔχει στέφανον, τὸν δὲ φοίνικα πάντες· ἐν ᾧ καὶ διὰ τί τοὺς μεγάλους¹ φοινικοβαλάνους Νικολάους καλοῦσιν.

Question IV
WHY, WHEN IN THE SACRED GAMES ONE SORT OF GARLAND WAS GIVEN IN ONE, AND ANOTHER IN ANOTHER, THE PALM, WAS COMMON TO ALL. AND WHY THEY CALL THE GREAT DATES Νικόλαοι.
SOSPIS, HERODES, PROTOGENES, PRAXITELES, CAPHISUS.