Der etwas paradoxe Eindruck eines Grabepigramms, das die Bestattung des Toten verbietet, verliert sich in der Erzählung des Agathias (hist. 2, 31), wo die Worte aus dem Munde einer Trauerscheinung kommen, nachdem die Athener Akademiker, die sich auf der Rückreise vom persischen Hof befinden, unwissenderweise jenen Verworfenen bestattet haben.

31, 5 The story goes that on their return journey they had an extraordinarily impressive and memorable experience. 6 Stopping to rest in a field in Persia they descried the body of a man not long dead, flung down unceremoniously without any attempt at burial. Moved to compassion by the sight of such outrageous barbarity and thinking it sinful to remain the passive spectators of an unnatural crime they made their servants lay out the body as best they could, cover it with earth and bury it. 7 That night when they were all asleep one of their number (I cannot be more specific because I do not know his name) dreamed that he saw an old man who, though his face was unfamiliar and his identity could not even be surmised, had an air of dignity and decorum about him and resembled a philosopher in the style of his dress and in the fact that he had a long, flowing beard. Apparently by way of exhortation and advice, he recited the following verses to him in a loud voice:

"Bury not the man whom now you see,
the man whom buried not you found.
Mother earth will not receive
the mother-ravisher till he be
by dogs devoured on the ground".

8 Waking up in sudden terror he related his dream to the others. There and then they were at a loss what to make of it, but towards morning, when they got up and set off on their way, they were obliged by the lie of the land to pass by the spot where the improvised burial had been arranged and once more found the dead man lying uncovered on the ground. It was as though the earth had of its own accord cast him up into the open and refused to protect him from being devoured. 9 Astonished at the extraordinary sight they continued their journey without thereafter observing any of their customary rites towards the dead man. A careful consideration of the dream had in fact led them to the same conclusion — namely that the Persians reserved the fate of remaining unburied and being torn to pieces by dogs as the just punishment of those who vent their foul lusts upon their mothers. (Übers. J. D. Frendo)

Traumerscheinung