Description: A rock-cut
tomb cut into a natural cave.
Text: Painted beside several of the figures. 1: At the left of the entrance, figures of Perseus, Bellerephon and the Chimaera ;
2. On the back wall, between the two arcosoli, Achilles, in a chariot, and the fallen Hector: the captions are for the two
heroes, and (iii) for the two
horses of Achilles; 3. In the corner of the same wall, Odysseus and the Sirens: there are some traces of the caption for Odysseues.
The central figure of the three sirens holds a scroll with the text of ii; 4. On the right wall, Pyrrus in the act of sacrificing
Polyxena.
Letters: No measurements; 0.025; lunate sigma, cursive omega.
Date: Late fourth century CE
Findspot: Gebel Akhdar: West of Cyrene:
Zawiet Asgafa el Abiar; found in 1924,
photographed in 1939, again in 1992.
Original location: Findspot
Last recorded location:
Findspot
English translation
Translation by: Charlotte Roueché
(1.i): Bellerophon; (ii): Chimera
(2.i): Hector; (ii): Achilles; (iii): Xanthos, Balios
(3.i): Sirens; (ii): Approach and listen, Odysseus. This is the sound of the loud sirens; who, having heard the song has sailed past the meadow?
(4): Scylla;
(1.i): Pyrrhus; (ii): Polyxena
Commentary
2.iii: The horses of Achilles, Iliad 16.149, 19.400
3.ii: A close reference to Homer, ἠδ’ ὡς Σειρήνων ἁδινάων φθόγγον ἄκουσεν, Odyssey 23.326. For the meadow of the Sirens see Odyssey 12.43
Bibliography: Illustrated description at Bacchielli-Falivene, 1995, with discussion of 3 at 100-102, and further description at Bacchielli, 1996; captions presented in Bacchielli, 1997, 25-26, whence SEG 45.2150; discussed Cinalli, 2016, 192-193.
Text constituted from: From previous publications (Roueché).
Images
None available (2020).