§ i  Two large inscriptions, now in the Asklepieon site museum, from the 4th c. BCE, and one Roman-period inscription. Minor corrections by Brady Kiesling. The Hymn of Isyllos, inscribed on a wall of the temple of Asklepios, is a precious example of local poetic devotion from about 280 BCE, translation from Attalus.org

§ 1  Stele I
God and Good Fortune
Cures of Apollo and Asclepius.
Cleo was with child for five years. After she had been pregnant for five years she came as a suppliant to the god and slept in the Abaton. As soon as she left it and got outside the sanctuary she bore a son who, immediately after birth, washed himself at the fountain and walked about with his mother. In return for this favor she inscribed on her offering: "Admirable is not the size of the tablet, but the Divine, in that Cleo carried the burden in her womb for five years, until she slept in the sanctuary and He made her sound."

§ 2  A three-years' pregnancy. Ithmonice of Pellene came to the sanctuary for offspring. When she had fallen asleep she saw a vision. It seemed to her that she asked the god that she might get pregnant with a daughter and that Asclepius said that she would be pregnant and that if she asked for something else he would grant her that too, but that she answered she did not need anything else. When she had become pregnant she carried in her womb for three years, until she approached the god as a suppliant concerning the birth. When she had fallen asleep she saw a vision. It seemed to her that the god asked her if she had not obtained all she had asked for and was pregnant; about the birth she had added nothing, and that, although he had asked if she needed anything else, she should say so and he would grant her this too. But since now she had come for this as a suppliant to him, he said he would accord even it to her. After that, she hastened to leave the Abaton, and when she was outside the sacred precincts she gave birth to a girl.

§ 3  A man whose fingers, with the exception of one, were paralyzed, came as a suppliant to the god. While looking at the tablets in the sanctuary he expressed incredulity regarding the cures and scoffed at the inscriptions. But in his sleep he saw a vision. It seemed to him that, as he was playing at dice below the temple and was about to cast the dice, the god appeared, sprang upon his hand, and stretched out his [the patient’s] fingers. When the god had stepped aside it seemed to him [the patient] that he [the patient] bent his hand and stretched out all his fingers one by one. When he had straightened them all, the god asked him if he would still be incredulous of the inscriptions on the tablets in the sanctuary. He answered that he would not. "Since, then, formerly you were incredulous of the cures, though they were not incredible, for the future," he said, "your name shall be Incredulous." When day dawned he walked out sound.

§ 4  Ambrosia of Athens, blind of one eye. She came as a suppliant to the god. As she walked about in the sanctuary she laughed at some of the cures as incredible and impossible, that the lame and the blind should be healed by merely seeing a dream. In her sleep she had a vision. It seemed to her that the god stood by her and said that he would cure her, but that in payment he would ask her to dedicate to the sanctuary a silver pig as a memorial of her ignorance. After saying this, he cut the diseased eyeball and poured in some drug. When day came she walked out sound.

§ 5  A voiceless boy. He came as a suppliant to the sanctuary for his voice. When he had performed the preliminary sacrifices and fulfilled the usual rites, thereupon the temple servant who brings in the fire for the god, looking at the boy’s father, demanded he should promise to bring within a year the thank-offering for the cure if he obtained that for which he had come. But the boy suddenly said, "I promise." His father was startled at this and asked him to repeat it. The boy repeated the words and after that became well.

§ 6  Pandarus, a Thessalian, who had marks on his forehead. He saw a vision as he slept. It seemed to him that the god bound the marks round with a headband and enjoined him to remove the band when he left the Abaton and dedicate it as an offering to the temple. When day came he got up and took off the band and saw his face free of the marks; and he dedicated in the temple the band with the letters that had been on his forehead.

§ 7  Echedorus received the marks of Pandarus in addition to those which he already had. He had received money from Pandarus to offer to the god at Epidaurus in his name, but he failed to deliver it. In his sleep he saw a vision. It seemed to him that the god stood by him and asked if he had received any money from Pandarus to set up as an offering in the sanctuary. He answered that he had received no such thing from him, but if he [the god] would make him well he would have an image painted and offer it to him [the god]. Thereupon the god seemed to fasten the headband of Pandarus round his marks, and ordered him upon leaving the Abaton to take off the band and to wash his face at the fountain and to look at himself in the water. When day came he left the Abaton, took off the headband, on which the letters were no longer visible. But when he looked into the water he saw his face with his own marks and the letters of Pandarus in addition.

§ 8  Euphanes, a boy of Epidaurus. Suffering from stone he slept in the sanctuary. It seemed to him that the god stood by him and asked: "What will you give me if I cure you?" "Ten dice," he answered. The god laughed and said to him that he would cure him. When day came he walked out sound.

§ 9  A man came as a suppliant to the god. He was so blind that of one of his eyes he had only the eyelids left — within them was nothing, but they were entirely empty. Some of those in the sanctuary laughed at his silliness to think that he could recover his sight when one of his eyes had not even a trace of the ball, but only the socket. As he slept a vision appeared to him. It seemed to him that the god prepared some drug, then, opening his eyelids, poured it into them. When day came he departed with the sight of both eyes restored.

§ 10  The goblet. A porter, upon going up to the sanctuary, fell when he was near the ten-stadia stone. When he had gotten up he opened his bag and looked at the broken vessels. When he saw that the goblet from which his master was accustomed to drink was also broken, he was in great distress and sat down to try to fit the pieces together again. But a passer-by saw him and said: "Foolish fellow, why do you put the goblet together in vain? For this one not even Asclepius of Epidaurus could put to rights again." The boy, hearing this, put the pieces back in the bag and went on to the sanctuary. When he got there he opened the bag and brought the goblet out of it, and it was entirely whole; and he related to his master what had happened and had been said; when he [the master] heard that, he dedicated the goblet to the god.

§ 11  Aeschines, when the suppliants were already asleep, climbed up a tree and tried to see over into the Abaton. But he fell from the tree on to some fencing and his eyes were injured. In a pitiable state of blindness, he came as a suppliant to the god and slept in the sanctuary and was healed.

§ 12  Euhippus had had for six years the point of a spear in his jaw. As he was sleeping in the sanctuary the god extracted the spearhead and gave it to him into his hands. When day came Euhippus departed cured, and he held the spearhead in his hands.

§ 13  A man of Torone with leeches. In his sleep he saw a dream. It seemed to him that the god cut open his chest with a knife and took out the leeches, which he gave him into his hands, and then he stitched up his chest again. At daybreak he departed with the leeches in his hands and he had become well. He had swallowed them, having been tricked by his stepmother who had thrown them into a potion which he drank.

§ 14  A man with a stone in his membrum. He saw a dream. It seemed to him that he was lying with a fair boy and when he had a seminal discharge he ejected the stone and picked it up and walked out holding it in his hands.

§ 15  Hermodicus of Lampsacus was paralyzed in body. This one, when he slept in the sanctuary, the god healed and he ordered him upon coming out to bring to the sanctuary as large a stone as he could. The man brought the stone which now lies before the Abaton.

§ 16  Nicanor, a lame man. While he was sitting wide-awake, a boy snatched his crutch from him and ran away. But Nicanor got up, pursued him, and so became well.

§ 17  A man had his toe healed by a serpent. He, suffering dreadfully from a malignant sore in his toe, during the daytime was taken outside by the servants of the sanctuary and set upon a seat. When sleep came upon him, then a snake issued from the Abaton and healed the toe with its tongue, and thereafter went back again to the Abaton. When the patient woke up and was healed he said that he had seen a vision: it seemed to him that a youth with a beautiful appearance had put a drug upon his toe.

§ 18  Alcetas of Halieis. This blind man saw a dream. It seemed to him that the god came up to him and with his fingers opened his eyes, and that he first saw the trees in the sanctuary. At daybreak he walked out sound.

§ 19  Heraieus of Mytilene. He had no hair on his head, but an abundant growth on his chin. He was ashamed because he was laughed at by others. He slept in the sanctuary. The god, by anointing his head with some drug, made his hair grow thereon.

§ 20  Lyson of Hermione, a blind boy. While wide-awake he had his eyes cured by one of the dogs in the sanctuary and went away healed.

§ 21  [Stele II] Arata, a woman of Lacedaemon, dropsical. For her, while she remained in Lacedaemon, her mother slept in the sanctuary and sees a dream. It seemed to her that the god cut off her daughter’s head and hung up her body in such a way that her throat was turned downwards. Out of it came a huge quantity of fluid matter. Then he took down the body and fitted the head back on to the neck. After she had seen this dream she went back to Lacedaemon, where she found her daughter in good health; she had seen the same dream.

§ 22  Hermon of Thasos. His blindness was cured by Asclepius. But, since afterwards he did not bring the thank-offerings, the god made him blind again. When he came back and slept again in the sanctuary, he made him well.

§ 23  Aristagora of Troezen. She had a tapeworm in her belly, and she slept in the sanctuary of Asclepius at Troezen and saw a dream. It seemed to her that the sons of the god, while he was not present but away in Epidaurus, cut off her head, but, being unable to put it back again, they sent a messenger to Asclepius asking him to come. Meanwhile day breaks and the priest clearly sees her head cut off from the body. When night approached, Aristagora saw a vision. It seemed to her the god had come from Epidaurus and fastened her head on to her neck. Then he cut open her belly, took the tapeworm out, and stitched her up again. And after that she became well.

§ 24  Aristocritus, a boy of Halieis, under a rock. He, after having dived and swum away into the sea, came then to a dry hiding place which was surrounded by rocks, and he could not find any way out. Thereafter his father, since he did not find him anywhere on his search, came to Asclepius and slept in the Abaton on behalf of his son and saw a dream. It seemed to him that the god led him to a certain place and showed him that there was his son. When he came out of the Abaton and quarried through the cliffs he found his son after seven days.

§ 25  Sostrata, a woman of Pherae, was pregnant with worms. Being in a very bad way, she was carried into the sanctuary and slept there. But when she saw no distinct dream she let herself be carried back home. Then, however, near a place called Kornoi, a man of fine appearance seemed to come upon her and her companions. When he had learned from them about their bad luck, he asked them to set down on the ground the litter in which they were carrying Sostrata. Then he cut open her abdomen and took out a great quantity of worms—-two washbasins full. After having stitched her belly up again and made the woman well, Asclepius revealed to her his presence and enjoined her to send thank-offerings for her treatment to Epidaurus.

§ 26  A dog cured a boy from Aegina. He had a growth on the neck. When he had come to the god, one of the sacred dogs healed him—while he was awake—with its tongue and made him well.

§ 27  A man with an abscess within his abdomen. When asleep in the sanctuary he saw a dream. It seemed to him that the god ordered the servants who accompanied him to grip him and hold him tightly so that he could cut open his abdomen. The man tried to get away, but they gripped him and bound him to a door knocker. Thereupon Asclepius cut his belly open, removed the abscess, and, after having stitched him up again, released him from his bonds. Whereupon he walked out sound, but the floor of the Abaton was covered with blood.

§ 28  Cleinatas of Thebes with lice. He came with a great number of lice on his body, slept in the sanctuary, and sees a vision. It seems to him that the god stripped him and made him stand upright, naked, and with a broom brushed the lice off his body. When day came he left the sanctuary well.

§ 29  Hagestratus with headaches. He suffered from insomnia on account of headaches. When he came to the Abaton he fell asleep and saw a dream. It seemed to him that the god cured him of his headaches and, making him stand up naked, taught him the lunge used in the pancratium. When day came he departed well, and not long afterwards he won in the pancratium at the Nemean games.4

§ 30  Gorgias of Heracleia with pus. In a battle he had been wounded by an arrow in the lung and for a year and a half had suppurated so badly that he filled sixty-seven basins with pus. While sleeping in the sanctuary he saw a vision. It seemed to him the god extracted the arrow point from his lung. When day came he walked out well, holding the point of the arrow in his hands.

§ 31  Andromache of Epeirus, for offspring. She slept in the sanctuary and saw a dream. It seemed to her that a handsome boy uncovered her, after that the god touched her with his hand, whereupon a son was born to Andromache from Arybbas.

§ 32  Anticrates of Cnidos, eyes. In a battle he had been hit by a spear in both eyes and had become blind; and the spear point he carried with him, sticking in his face. While sleeping he saw a vision. It seemed to him that the god pulled out the missile and then fitted into his eyelids again the so-called pupils. When day came he walked out sound.

§ 33  Thersandrus of Halieis with consumption. He, when in his sanctuary sleep he saw no vision, was carried back to Halieis on a wagon; one of the sacred serpents, however, was sitting on the wagon and remained for the greater part of the journey coiled around the axle. When they came to Halieis and Thersandrus was resting on his bed at home, the serpent descended from the wagon and cured Thersandrus. When the city of Halieis made an inquiry as to what had happened and was at a loss regarding the serpent, whether to return it to Epidaurus or to leave it in their territory, the city resolved to send to Delphi for an oracle as to what they should do. The god decided they should leave the serpent there and put up a sanctuary of Asclepius, make an image of him, and set it up in the sanctuary. When the oracle was announced the city of Halieis erected the sanctuary of Asclepius and followed the rest of the god’s commands.

§ 34  ... of Troezen for offspring. She slept in the sanctuary and saw a dream. The god seemed to say to her she would have offspring and to ask whether she wanted a male or a female, and that she answered she wanted a male. Whereupon within a year a son was born to her.

§ 35  ... of Epidaurus, lame. He came as a suppliant to the sanctuary on a stretcher. In his sleep he saw a vision. It seemed to him that the god broke his crutch and ordered him to go and get a ladder and to climb as high as possible up to the top of the temple. The man tried it at first, then, however, lost his courage and rested up on the cornice; finally he gave up and climbed down the ladder little by little. Asclepius at first was angry about the deed, then he laughed at him because he was such a coward. He dared to carry it out after it had become daytime and walked out unhurt.

§ 36  Cephisias . . . with the foot. He laughed at the cures of Asclepius and said: "If the god says he has healed lame people he is lying; for, if he had the power to do so, why has he not healed Hephaestus?" But the god did not conceal that he was inflicting penalty for the insolence. For Cephisias, when riding, was stricken by his bullheaded horse which had been tickled in the seat, so that instantly his foot was crippled and on a stretcher he was carried into the sanctuary. Later on, after he had entreated him earnestly, the god made him well.

§ 37  Cleimenes of Argos, paralyzed in body. He came to the Abaton and slept there and saw a vision. It seemed to him that the god wound a red woolen fillet around his body and led him for a bath a short distance away from the sanctuary to a lake of which the water was exceedingly cold. When he behaved in a cowardly way Asclepius said he would not heal those people who were too cowardly for that, but those who came to him into his sanctuary, full of hope that he would do no harm to such a man, but would send him away well. When he woke up he took a bath and walked out unhurt.

§ 38  Diaetus of Cirrha. He happened to be paralyzed in his knees. While sleeping in the sanctuary he saw a dream. It seemed to him that the god ordered his servants to lift him up and to carry him outside the Adyton and to lay him down in front of the temple. After they had carried him outside, the god yoked his horses to a chariot and drove three times around him in a circle and trampled on him with his horses and he got control over his knees instantly. When day came he walked out sound.

§ 39  Agameda of Ceos. She slept in the sanctuary for offspring and saw a dream. It seemed to her in her sleep that a serpent lay on her belly. And thereupon five children were born to her.

§ 40  Timon . . . wounded by a spear under his eye. While sleeping in the sanctuary he saw a dream. It seemed to him that the god rubbed down an herb and poured it into his eye. And he became well.

§ 41  Erasippe of Caphyiae with worms. She had her stomach swollen and was burning all over [ ?] and could not keep anything inside. While sleeping in the sanctuary she saw a dream. It seemed to her that the god massaged her stomach and kissed her and then gave her a vessel which contained a drug and ordered her to drink it and then ordered her to vomit; when she had vomited, her dress was full with it. When day came she saw that her whole dress was full with the evil matter which she had vomited, and thereupon she became well.

§ 42  Nicasibula of Messene for offspring slept in the sanctuary and saw a dream. It seemed to her that the god approached her with a snake which was creeping behind him; and with that snake she had intercourse. Within a year she had two sons.

§ 43  ... of Cios with gout. While awake he was walking towards a goose who bit his feet and by making him bleed made him well.

§ 44  (IG IV²,1 126) In the priesthood of Poplius Aelius Antiochus, I, Marcus Julius Apellas, an Idrian from Mylasa, was sent for by the god, for I was often falling into sickness and was suffering from dyspepsia. In the course of my journey, in Aegina, the god told me not to be so irritable. When I arrived at the sanctuary, he told me for two days to keep my head covered, and for these two days it rained; to eat cheese and bread, celery with lettuce, to wash myself without help, to practise running, to take lemonpeels, to soak them in water, near the (spot of the) akoai in the bath to press against the wall, to take a walk in the upper portico, to take some passive exercise, to sprinkle myself with sand, to walk around barefoot, in the bathroom, before plunging into the hot water, to pour wine over myself, to bathe without help and to give an Attic drachma to the bath attendant, to sacrifice in common to Asclepius, Epione and the Eleusinian goddesses, to take milk with honey. When one day I had drunk milk alone he said, "Put honey in the milk so that it can get through." When I asked of the god to relieve me more quickly I thought I walked out of the abaton near the (spot of the) akoai being anointed all over with mustard and salt, while a small boy was leading me holding a smoking censer, and the priest said: "You are cured but you must pay up the thank-offerings." And I did what I had seen, and when I anointed myself with the salts and the moistened mustard I felt pains, but when I bathed I had no pain. That happened within nine days after I had come. He touched my right hand and also my breast. The following day as I was offering sacrifice the flame leapt up and scorched my hand, so that blisters appeared. Yet after a little the hand got well. As I stayed on he said I should use dill along with olive oil against my headaches. I usually did not suffer from headaches. But it happened that after I had studied, my head was congested. After I used the olive oil I got rid of the headache. To gargle with a cold gargle for the uvula — since about that too I had consulted the god — and the same also for the tonsils. He bade me also inscribe this. Full of gratitude I departed well.

§ 128.1  ISYLLUS: PAEAN TO ASCLEPIUS (IG IV2,1 128)
Isyllus the Epidaurian, the son of Socrates, dedicated this to Apollo Maleatian and to Asclepius.
If the city properly educates men for aristocracy, it becomes itself mightier, for it is raised up by manly virtue. But if one who is properly educated sets his course back, falling again into baseness, then the city will be safer in chastising him. This opinion I held before and I pronounced it and I pronounce it now. I vowed to inscribe it in stone if our law which I introduced would confirm that opinion. This came about not without the help of the gods.

§ 128.10  This law, sacred by divine Fate, Isyllus composed, an imperishable, everlasting gift to the immortal gods; and all the people, lifting their hands to the wide heaven, to the blessed gods, set it up as a binding rule of our fatherland: to select and to summon by tribes whichever men may be best in this city of Epidaurus, those who have in their hearts virtue and reverence that safeguard the city; to summon them and to have them lead a procession to lord Phoebus and to his son Asclepius, the physician, dressed in white raiment and with flowing hair; to lead a solemn procession to Apollo bearing garlands of laurel 20 and then to the Asklepeion bearing branches of tender olive shoots; to pray them to grant forever to all citizens and to their children fair health and to grant that the noble character of the men of Epidaurus always prevail, together with good order and peace and blameless wealth from season to season so long as they reverence this law. So may Zeus the far-seeing spare us.

§ 128.27  Malus first built the altar of Apollo Maleatian and made the precinct splendid with sacrifices. Not even in Thessalian Tricca would you attempt [30] to go down into the adyton of Asclepius unless you first sacrifice on the holy altar of Apollo Maleatian.

§ 128.32  Isyllus bade Astylaïdas consult the oracle in Delphi for him concerning the paean which he composed in honour of Apollo and Asclepius, whether it would be better for him to inscribe the paean on stone. The oracle replied: "It would be better for him to inscribe it on stone both for the present time and for days to come."

§ 128.37  O people, praise the god to whom "Hail, Paean" is sung, you who dwell in this sacred Epidaurus. For thus the message came to the ears of our forefathers, O Phoebus Apollo. 40 Zeus the Father is said to have given the Muse Erato to Malus as his bride in holy wedlock. Then Phlegyas, who dealt in Epidaurus, his fatherland, married the daughter of Malus whom Erato, her mother, bore, and her name was Cleophema. By Phlegyas then a child was begotten, and she was named Aegle; this was her name, but because of her beauty she was also called Coronis. Then Phoebus of the golden bow, beholding her in the house of Malus, ended her maidenhood. You went into her lovely bed, O golden-haired son of Leto. I revere you. Then in the perfumed temenos Aegle bore a child, and the son of Zeus, 50 together with the Fates and Lachesis, the noble midwife, eased her birth pains. Apollo named him Asclepius from his mother’s name, Aegle the reliever of illness, the granter of health, great boon to mankind. Hail Paean, hail Paean. Asclepius, increase your maternal city of Epidaurus, send bright health to our hearts and bodies, hail Paean, hail Paean

§ 128.57  And of your aretē, Asclepius, you gave this example in the days when Philip, wishing to destroy the royal authority, led his army against Sparta. 60 To them from Epidaurus Asclepius came as a helper, honouring the race of Heracles, which consequently Zeus spared. He came at the time when the sick boy came from Bosporus. Shining in your golden armour, Asclepius, you met him as he approached; and when the boy beheld you, he drew near to you, stretching forth his hand and entreated you in suppliant words: "I have no share in your gifts, Asclepius Paean; have pity on me." Then you addressed these words to me clearly : "Take heart, for I shall come to you in due time - just wait here - after I have rescued the Lacedaemonians from grievous doom 70 because they justly guard the precepts of Apollo which Lycurgus ordained for the city, after he had consulted the oracle."

§ 128.72  And so he went to Sparta. But my thoughts stirred me to announce the divinity's advent to the Lacedaemonians, everything in exact order. They listened to me as I spoke the message of safety, Asclepius, and you saved them. And they called upon all to welcome you with honours due a guest, proclaiming you the Saviour of spacious Lacedaemon. These words, O far the best of all the gods, Isyllus set up for you, honouring your aretē, O Lord, as is just.