Gortyn, Inscription with laws

[μεˉν] τὸν ἀνπαντὸν καὶ μὲˉ ἐ-
πάνανκον ἔˉμεˉν τέλλεν τ[ὰ τ]-
[ο͂ ἀν]παναμένοˉ καὶ τὰ κρέˉμα-
τ’ ἀναιλ<ε͂>θαι ἄτι κα κατα[λίπεˉ]-
[ι ὀ ἀ]ν̣πανάμενος· πλίυι δὲ τὸν̣
ἀνπαντὸμ μὲˉ ἐπικοˉρέν. vac. [αἰ δ’]
[ἀπο]θάνοι ὀ ἀνπαντὸς γν̣έˉσια
τέκνα μὲˉ καταλιπόˉν, πὰρ τὸ[νς τ]-
[ο͂ ἀν]παναμένοˉ ἐπιβάλλονταν-
ς ἀνκοˉρὲν τὰ κρέˉματα. αἰ δ[έ κα]
[λε͂ι] ὀ ἀνπανάμενος, ἀποϝειπ-
άθθοˉ κατ’ ἀγορὰν ἀπὸ το͂ λά[οˉ ὀ͂]
[ἀπα]γορεύοντι καταϝελμέν-
οˉν το͂ν πολιατᾶν· ἀνθέμεˉ̣[ν δὲ]
[δέκ]α̣ [σ]τατε͂ρανς ἐδ δικαστ-

… An adopted son will receive a proportional share. He will not be obliged to pay his adoptive father's debts and accept the property left by his adoptive father. The adopted son will not have more rights. And if the adopted person dies without leaving legal children, his property will pass to the adoptive father's closest relatives. If the adoptive father wants to, he can revoke the adoption on the agora from the stage in the presence of the city council. Then he will deposit ten staters in court.

ca. 500 BCE–ca. 450 BCE

IC IV 72 (Greek)

Jona Lendering

Paris, Louvre

CC0 1.0 Universal

Crete

Greece

Inscription