Valerius Harpokration, Lexicon in Decem Oratores Atticos s.v. Ἀρκτεῦσαι (A235 Keaney): female participants of the rites in Mounychia and Brauron

Valerius Harpokration, Lexicon in Decem Oratores Atticos s.v. Ἀρκτεῦσαι (A235 Keaney): female participants of the rites in Mounychia and Brauron

1st/2nd century CE (?)

Lexicon

Literary source

On this ritual, see Christopher A. Faraone, “Playing the Bear and Fawn for Artemis: Female Initiation or Substitute Sacrifice?” in David B. Dodd/Christopher A. Faraone (eds.), Initiation in Ancient Greek Rituals and Narratives: New Critical Perspectives, London 2003, 43-68.

“To serve as bear”: Lysias, in the speech for Phrynichos’ daughter, if it is genuine, (describes) the consecration of the unmarried girls to Artemis in Mounychia or in Brauron (with this word). And things pertaining to this are mentioned by others as well as by Krateros in his (work on) Decrees. That the maidens “serving as bear” were called bears is shown in Eurpides’ Hypsipyle and in Aristophanes’ Lemnian women and Lysistrata.

translation by Alexander Meeus for the Cynisca project

Ἀρκτεῦσαι· Λυσίας ἐν τῷ Ὑπὲρ Φρυνίχου θυγατρός, εἰ γνήσιος, τὸ καθιερωθῆναι πρὸ γάμων τὰς παρθένους τῇ Ἀρτέμιδι τῇ Μουνυχίᾳ ἢ τῇ Βραυρωνίᾳ. τὰ δὲ συντείνοντα εἰς τὸ προκείμενον εἴρηται παρά τε ἄλλοις καὶ Κρατερῷ ἐν τοῖς Ψηφίσμασιν. ὅτι δὲ αἱ ἀρκτευόμεναι παρθένοι ἄρκτοι καλοῦνται, Εὐριπίδης Ὑψιπύλῃ, Ἀριστοφάνης Λημνίαις καὶ Λυσιστράτῃ.

Wilhelm Dindorf (ed.), Harpocrationis Lexicon in decem oratores Atticos, Oxford 1853.