(Page 116)
The reconstruction, translation, and dating of the decree are those of Wade-Gery and Meritt (Hesperia, XXVI [1957], 163–197). See also ATL, II, 61, III, 89, and 281. The Greek text is restored on p. 164 of the Hesperia article. The decree reads as follows:
Περικέλονς γνώμη[ν] εἰς
[γὰ Παναθἠναια γῆι ’Αθἠναι] τὰ ἐν δημοσί[ωι] ἀποκενα τάλαν[ταἃπερ συνηγμένα παρὰ τῶν πόλεων ἦν πε]ντακισχείλια κατὰ τὴν ’Αριστεί[δοντάξιν και ἄλλα τρισχείλια ἀναϕέρ]ειν εἰς τὴν πόλιν μετ’ ἐκεῖνο γινο[μένων τῶν τῶν ἔργων θαλάσσης δ’ ὅπως ἄν κρατ[ῶσι, τὴν βονλὴν τῶν παλαιῶν τριή[ρων ἐπιμελεῖσθαι ὥστε ὑγιεῖς παραδι;]δόναι, καινὰς δ’ ἐπιναυπηγεῖν ἑκάσ[τον ἐνιαντοῦ πρὸς ταῖς ὑπαρχούσαις δ]έκα.
It is important to understand that many crucial restorations are far from certain. Gomme (Historia, III [1954–5], 337), who had not seen the restoration cited here, but the earlier one given in ATL II, 61, had serious doubts about parts of it. The latest version, nevertheless, seems to be very persuasive. Wade-Gery and Meritt have this to say about their restoration of the commentator’s version of the decree of Pericles: “We do not hold that we have recovered word for word the language which he used in making his summary, but we do claim that the structure of this section begins now to be clear and that we may take our stand on the preserved portions of the papyrus with confidence in our interpretation, no matter what the precise restorations may be” (p. 188). This seems to me a fair estimate of the situation.