Pausanias Analysis

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Chapter 8.38

PassageSentenceBucketConfidenceGreekEnglishRationale
8.38.1 1 other high ἀνωτέρω δὲ ὀλίγον τείχους τε περίβολος τῆς Λυκοσούρας ἐστὶ καὶ οἰκήτορες ἔνεισιν οὐ πολλοί. A little higher up is the enclosure of the wall of Lykosoura, where there dwell but few inhabitants. Purely topographical description of the enclosure and small population; no mythic or historical event.
8.38.1 2 mythic high πόλεων δέ, ὁπόσας ἐπὶ τῇ ἠπείρῳ ἔδειξε γῆ καὶ ἐν νήσοις, Λυκόσουρά ἐστι πρεσβυτάτη, καὶ ταύτην εἶδεν ὁ ἥλιος πρώτην· Of all the cities the earth has shown upon the mainland and on islands, Lykosoura is the oldest; this city was the first that the sun saw. Describes a mythic claim about Lykosoura being the first city seen by the sun.
8.38.1 3 other high ἀπὸ ταύτης δὲ οἱ λοιποὶ ποιεῖσθαι πόλεις μεμαθήκασιν ἄνθρωποι. And from it humans learned how to establish the remaining cities. General antiquarian statement about humans learning to found cities; not a specific mythic or post-500 BC historical event.
8.38.2 1 other high ἐν ἀριστερᾷ δὲ τοῦ ἱεροῦ τῆς Δεσποίνης τὸ ὄρος ἐστὶ τὸ Λύκαιον· καλοῦσι δὲ αὐτὸ καὶ Ὄλυμπον καὶ Ἱεράν γε ἕτεροι τῶν Ἀρκάδων κορυφήν. To the left of the sanctuary of Despoina is Mount Lykaion; some Arcadians call this peak also Olympus, and others name it the Holy Peak. Purely geographical description of the sanctuary’s location and local mountain names.
8.38.2 2 mythic high τραφῆναι δὲ τὸν Δία φασὶν ἐν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ· καὶ χώρα τέ ἐστιν ἐν τῷ Λυκαίῳ Κρητέα καλουμένη---αὕτη δὲ ἡ Κρητέα ἐστὶν ἐξ ἀριστερᾶς Ἀπόλλωνος ἄλσους ἐπίκλησιν Παρρασίου--- They say that Zeus was nurtured on this mountain, and there is a region on Lykaion called Cretea—this Cretea lies to the left of the grove sacred to Apollo, surnamed Parrhasios. Zeus being nurtured on Mount Lykaion is a mythic event, and the place-name explanation follows from that myth.
8.38.2 3 mythic high καὶ τὴν Κρήτην, ἔνθα ὁ Κρητῶν ἔχει λόγος τραφῆναι Δία, τὸ χωρίον τοῦτο εἶναι καὶ οὐ διὰ τὴν νῆσον ἀμφισβητοῦσιν οἱ Ἀρκάδες. The Arcadians maintain that it is this place called Cretea, rather than the island of Crete, which is referred to in the Cretan tradition as the place where Zeus was nurtured, and accordingly they dispute the island’s claim. Refers to the mythic tradition of Zeus being nurtured in Crete/Cretea.
8.38.3 1 mythic high ταῖς Νύμφαις δὲ ὀνόματα, ὑφʼ ὧν τὸν Δία τραφῆναι λέγουσι, τίθενται Θεισόαν καὶ Νέδαν καὶ Ἁγνώ· The names given to the Nymphs, who are said to have nurtured Zeus, are Thesoa, Neda, and Hagno. The sentence identifies the Nymphs who are said to have nurtured Zeus, a mythic figure and event.
8.38.3 2 other high καὶ ἀπὸ μὲν τῆς Θεισόας πόλις ᾠκεῖτο ἐν τῇ Παρρασίᾳ, τὰ δὲ ἐπʼ ἐμοῦ μοίρας τῆς Μεγαλοπολίτιδός ἐστιν ἡ Θεισόα κώμη· From Thesoa a city was founded in Parrhasia; in my day Thesoa is a village belonging to the territory of Megalopolis. Administrative and descriptive note about Thesoa's status and location, not a mythic or historical event.
8.38.3 3 mythic medium τῆς Νέδας δὲ ὁ ποταμὸς τὸ ὄνομα ἔσχηκε· From Neda the river has taken its name; Explains a river's name by reference to a mythic figure, a landscape etymology tied to myth.
8.38.3 4 other high τῆς δὲ Ἁγνοῦς, ἣ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ Λυκαίῳ πηγὴ κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ ποταμῷ τῷ Ἴστρῳ πέφυκεν ἴσον παρέχεσθαι τὸ ὕδωρ ἐν χειμῶνι ὁμοίως καὶ ἐν ὥρᾳ θέρους. and from Hagno comes a spring on Mount Lycaeus whose waters flow like the river Ister, maintaining the same volume in winter as in the summer season. Describes a spring's geographic feature and seasonal flow, not a mythic or historical event.
8.38.4 1 other high ἢν δὲ αὐχμὸς χρόνον ἐπέχῃ πολὺν καὶ ἤδη σφίσι τὰ σπέρματα ἐν τῇ γῇ καὶ τὰ δένδρα αὐαίνηται, τηνικαῦτα ὁ ἱερεὺς τοῦ Λυκαίου Διὸς προσευξάμενος ἐς τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ θύσας ὁπόσα ἐστὶν αὐτῷ νόμος, καθίησι δρυὸς κλάδον ἐπιπολῆς καὶ οὐκ ἐς βάθος τῆς πηγῆς· If drought persists for a long time, when their crops and trees begin already to wither in the ground, the priest of Zeus Lycaeus prays to the water, performs the sacrifices appointed by custom, and then lowers an oak branch upon the surface—not into the depths—of the spring. Describes a ritual practice and local custom during drought, not a mythic or post-500 BC historical event.
8.38.4 2 other high ἀνακινηθέντος δὲ τοῦ ὕδατος ἄνεισιν ἀχλὺς ἐοικυῖα ὁμίχλῃ, διαλιποῦσα δὲ ὀλίγον γίνεται νέφος ἡ ἀχλὺς καὶ ἐς αὑτὴν ἄλλα ἐπαγομένη τῶν νεφῶν ὑετὸν τοῖς Ἀρκάσιν ἐς τὴν γῆν κατιέναι ποιεῖ. Once the water has been stirred, a vapor resembling a mist rises up; after lingering a short while, this mist becomes a cloud and, drawing other clouds toward itself, causes rain to fall upon the land of the Arcadians. Describes a natural phenomenon at a spring and its effect on local weather, not a mythic or historical event.
8.38.5 1 other high ἔστι δὲ ἐν τῷ Λυκαίῳ Πανός τε ἱερὸν καὶ περὶ αὐτὸ ἄλσος δένδρων καὶ ἱππόδρομός τε καὶ πρὸ αὐτοῦ στάδιον· On Mount Lykaion, there is a sanctuary of Pan with a grove of trees surrounding it, a hippodrome, and in front of it a stadium. Purely topographical and descriptive: a sanctuary, grove, hippodrome, and stadium are listed without narrative event.
8.38.5 2 historical medium τὸ δὲ ἀρχαῖον τῶν Λυκαίων ἦγον τὸν ἀγῶνα ἐνταῦθα. In ancient times, the Lycaean Games were held here. Refers to an ancient athletic festival held at a place, an antiquarian/historical notice rather than a mythic event.
8.38.5 3 other high ἔστι δὲ αὐτόθι καὶ ἀνδριάντων βάθρα, οὐκ ἐπόντων ἔτι ἀνδριάντων· There are also here pedestals for statues, although the statues themselves no longer exist. Describes remaining statue pedestals at a site; purely descriptive/antiquarian, not mythic or historical event.
8.38.5 4 other high ἐλεγεῖον δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν βάθρων ἑνὶ Ἀστυάνακτός φησιν εἶναι τὴν εἰκόνα, τὸν δὲ Ἀστυάνακτα εἶναι γένος τῶν ἀπὸ Ἀρκάδος. An elegiac inscription on one of these pedestals states that the statue was of Astyanax, and that this Astyanax was descended from the lineage of Arkas. An inscription identifying a statue and its lineage is antiquarian/descriptive, not a mythic event or post-500 BC historical event.
8.38.6 1 other high τὸ δὲ ὄρος παρέχεται τὸ Λύκαιον καὶ ἄλλα ἐς θαῦμα καὶ μάλιστα τόδε. Mount Lykaion also provides other wonders, and especially the following. Describes Mount Lykaion in general and introduces wonders; it is geographical/descriptive rather than mythic or historical.
8.38.6 2 mythic high τέμενός ἐστιν ἐν αὐτῷ Λυκαίου Διός, ἔσοδος δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐς αὐτὸ ἀνθρώποις· There is a sanctuary there dedicated to Zeus Lykaeus, into which no human being is permitted to enter. Zeus Lykaeus is a cult of a mythic deity, and the prohibition on entering the sanctuary reflects sacred mythic-religious tradition rather than later history.
8.38.6 3 other high ὑπεριδόντα δὲ τοῦ νόμου καὶ ἐσελθόντα ἀνάγκη πᾶσα αὐτὸν ἐνιαυτοῦ πρόσω μὴ βιῶναι. If someone disregards this prohibition and enters, he inevitably cannot live beyond a year. A prohibition and its consequence are descriptive/antiquarian, not a mythic or historical event.
8.38.6 4 other high καὶ τάδε ἔτι ἐλέγετο, τὰ ἐντὸς τοῦ τεμένους γενόμενα ὁμοίως πάντα καὶ θηρία καὶ ἀνθρώπους οὐ παρέχεσθαι σκιάν· Yet another marvel is said concerning this sacred precinct: everything within it—both animals and people alike—is said to cast no shadow. Descriptive marvel about a sacred precinct’s property (no shadows), not a mythic event or historical occurrence.
8.38.6 5 mythic high καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐς τὸ τέμενος θηρίου καταφεύγοντος οὐκ ἐθέλει οἱ συνεσπίπτειν ὁ κυνηγέτης, ἀλλὰ ὑπομένων ἐκτὸς καὶ ὁρῶν τὸ θηρίον οὐδεμίαν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ θεᾶται σκιάν. For this reason, if an animal flees into the precinct, the hunter does not dare to pursue it there, but standing outside the boundary and watching the animal, he notices that it casts no shadow at all. The sentence explains a sacred precinct with a supernatural sign: animals inside cast no shadow, indicating a mythic/divine landscape effect.
8.38.6 6 other high χρόνον μὲν δὴ τὸν ἴσον ἔπεισί τε ὁ ἥλιος τὸν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καρκίνον καὶ ἐν Συήνῃ τῇ πρὸ Αἰθιοπίας οὔτε ἀπὸ δένδρων οὔτε ἀπὸ τῶν ζῴων γενέσθαι σκιὰν ἔστι· During the period when the sun passes through Cancer in the heavens, at Syene, which lies south of Egypt toward Ethiopia, neither tree nor creature casts a shadow. Geographical/astronomical description of Syene and shadow behavior, with no mythic or historical event.
8.38.6 7 other high τὸ δὲ ἐν τῷ Λυκαίῳ τέμενος τὸ αὐτὸ ἐς τὰς σκιὰς ἀεί τε καὶ ἐπὶ πασῶν πέπονθε τῶν ὡρῶν. But the sanctuary on Mount Lykaion experiences this phenomenon continuously and in all seasons. Describes a physical phenomenon at a sanctuary on Mount Lykaion, not a mythic or historical event.
8.38.7 1 other high ἔστι δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ ἄκρᾳ τῇ ἀνωτάτω τοῦ ὄρους γῆς χῶμα, Διὸς τοῦ Λυκαίου βωμός, καὶ ἡ Πελοπόννησος τὰ πολλά ἐστιν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ σύνοπτος· On the highest peak of the mountain there is a mound of earth, the altar of Zeus Lycaeus, from where most of the Peloponnese can be seen. Topographical description of a mountain peak and altar with a view; no event is narrated.
8.38.7 2 other high πρὸ δὲ τοῦ βωμοῦ κίονες δύο ὡς ἐπὶ ἀνίσχοντα ἑστήκασιν ἥλιον, ἀετοὶ δὲ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς ἐπίχρυσοι τά γε ἔτι παλαιότερα ἐπεποίηντο. In front of the altar stand two columns, positioned toward the rising sun; upon these were originally placed gilded eagles, made in even earlier times. Purely architectural description of altar setting and earlier-made gilded eagles; no mythic or historical event.
8.38.7 3 mythic high ἐπὶ τούτου τοῦ βωμοῦ τῷ Λυκαίῳ Διὶ θύουσιν ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ· Upon this altar they sacrifice offerings to Zeus Lycaeus in secret. Secret sacrifice to Zeus Lycaeus at his altar concerns cult of a mythic deity.
8.38.7 4 other high πολυπραγμονῆσαι δὲ οὔ μοι τὰ ἐς τὴν θυσίαν ἡδὺ ἦν, ἐχέτω δὲ ὡς ἔχει καὶ ὡς ἔσχεν ἐξ ἀρχῆς. It was not pleasing to me to inquire closely about the details of this sacrifice; let it remain as it is, and as it was from the beginning. Metatextual comment on not investigating sacrifice details; no mythic or historical event is being narrated.
8.38.8 1 other high ἔστι δὲ ἐν τοῖς πρὸς ἀνατολὰς τοῦ ὄρους Ἀπόλλωνος ἱερὸν ἐπίκλησιν Παρρασίου· τίθενται δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ Πύθιον ὄνομα. On the eastern slopes of the mountain there is a temple of Apollo surnamed Parrhasios; they also give him the title Pythios. A temple location and epithets are descriptive/religious topography, not a mythic event or historical event.
8.38.8 2 other high ἄγοντες δὲ τῷ θεῷ κατὰ ἔτος ἑορτὴν θύουσι μὲν ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ κάπρον τῷ Ἀπόλλωνι τῷ Ἐπικουρίῳ, θύσαντες δὲ ἐνταῦθα αὐτίκα τὸ ἱερεῖον κομίζουσιν ἐς τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος τοῦ Παρρασίου σὺν αὐλῷ τε καὶ πομπῇ, Each year they hold a festival in the god's honor, at which they sacrifice a boar in the agora to Apollo Epikourios; after performing this sacrifice, they immediately carry the victim to the temple of Apollo Parrhasios, accompanied by a flute-player and a solemn procession. Describes a yearly festival, sacrifice, and procession—cultic and descriptive rather than mythic or historical.
8.38.8 3 other high καὶ τά τε μηρία ἐκτεμόντες καίουσι καὶ δὴ καὶ ἀναλίσκουσιν αὐτόθι τοῦ ἱερείου τὰ κρέα. There they cut out the thigh-bones and burn them, and there too they consume the meat of the sacrificial animal. Describes a sacrificial ritual procedure and consumption of meat, which is descriptive/antiquarian rather than mythic or historical.
8.38.9 1 other high ταῦτα μὲν οὕτω ποιεῖν νομίζουσι, They hold these customs thus. Describes local customs and practice, not a mythic or historical event.
8.38.9 2 other high τοῦ Λυκαίου δὲ τὰ πρὸς τῆς ἄρκτου γῆ ἐστιν ἡ Θεισοαία· οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποι μάλιστα οἱ ταύτῃ νύμφην τὴν Θεισόαν ἄγουσιν ἐν τιμῇ. North of Mount Lycaeus lies the territory of Theisoa, and the inhabitants there especially honor the nymph Theisoa. Purely geographical description of territory and local cult practice; no mythic event or post-500 BC historical event is narrated.
8.38.9 3 other high διὰ δὲ τῆς χώρας τῆς Θεισοαίας ῥέοντες ἐμβάλλουσιν ἐς τὸν Ἀλφειὸν Μυλάων, Through the country of Theisoa flows the river Mylaon, which empties into the Alpheios. Purely geographical description of a river course and confluence; no mythic or historical event.
8.38.9 4 other high ἐπὶ δὲ αὐτῷ Νοῦς καὶ Ἀχελῷος καὶ Κέλαδός τε καὶ Νάλιφος. Tributaries of Mylaon are the Nous, the Acheloüs, the Celadus and the Naliphus. Purely geographical description of tributaries; no mythic or historical event.
8.38.9 5 other high Ἀχελῴω δὲ τῷ Ἀρκάδι εἰσιν ἄλλοι δύο ὁμώνυμοί τε αὐτῷ ποταμοὶ καὶ τὰ ἐς δόξαν φανερώτεροι· Besides this Acheloüs in Arcadia, there are two other rivers of the same name, both better known and more frequently mentioned. Identifies and distinguishes rivers by name; purely geographical/antiquarian.
8.38.10 1 mythic high τὸν μέν γε ἐπὶ τὰς Ἐχινάδας κατιόντα Ἀχελῷον διὰ τῆς Ἀκαρνάνων καὶ διʼ Αἰτωλίας ἔφησεν ἐν Ἰλιάδι Ὅμηρος ποταμῶν τῶν πάντων ἄρχοντα εἶναι, ἕτερον δὲ Ἀχελῷον ῥέοντα ἐκ Σιπύλου τοῦ ὄρους ἐποιήσατο αὐτόν τε τὸν ποταμὸν καὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸν Σίπυλον τοῦ λόγου προσθήκην τοῦ ἐς Νιόβην· Indeed, Homer in the Iliad said that the Achelous river, flowing toward the Echinades islands through Acarnania and Aetolia, is leader over all rivers; however, he created another Achelous, flowing from Mount Sipylus, and both this river and Mount Sipylus were added to the account of Niobe. Refers to Homeric myth and Niobe, including mythic rivers and landscape.
8.38.10 2 other high τρίτῳ δʼ οὖν καὶ τῷ περὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ Λύκαιόν ἐστιν ὄνομα Ἀχελῷος. There is also yet a third river called by the name Achelous around Mount Lycaeus. Simple geographical identification of a river near Mount Lycaeus; no mythic or historical event.
8.38.11 1 mythic high τῆς Λυκοσούρας δέ ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ Νόμια ὄρη καλούμενα, καὶ Πανός τε ἱερὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐστι Νομίου καὶ τὸ χωρίον ὀνομάζουσι Μέλπειαν, τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς σύριγγος μέλος ἐνταῦθα Πανὸς εὑρεθῆναι λέγοντες. To the right of Lykosoura are mountains called Nomia, and there is a sanctuary there dedicated to Pan Nomios; the place itself they name Melpeia, for they say it was there that the melody of Pan's pipe was first discovered. The sentence explains a place-name by reference to Pan’s discovery of pipe music, a mythic aetiology affecting the landscape.
8.38.11 2 mythic medium κληθῆναι δὲ τὰ ὄρη Νόμια προχειρότατον μέν ἐστιν εἰκάζειν ἐπὶ τοῦ Πανὸς ταῖς νομαῖς, αὐτοὶ δὲ οἱ Ἀρκάδες νύμφης εἶναί φασιν ὄνομα. That the mountains were named Nomia after Pan's pasturings is indeed the simplest conjecture, but the Arcadians themselves assert that the name comes from a nymph. Explains a place-name by reference to Pan and a nymph, which are mythic etiologies rather than historical events.