Pausanias Analysis

Current sentence-level mythic, historical, and other tags

Chapter 9.28

PassageSentenceBucketConfidenceGreekEnglishRationale
9.28.1 1 other high ὁ δὲ Ἑλικὼν ὀρῶν τῶν ἐν τῇ Ἑλλάδι ἐν τοῖς μάλιστά ἐστιν εὔγεως καὶ δένδρων ἡμέρων ἀνάπλεως· Mount Helicon is among the mountains of Greece most esteemed for excellence of its soil and the abundance of cultivated trees. Purely geographical/descriptive statement about Mount Helicon’s soil and trees.
9.28.1 2 other high καὶ οἱ τῆς ἀνδράχνου θάμνοι παρέχονται τῶν πανταχοῦ καρπὸν αἰξὶν ἥδιστον. Its shrubs of strawberry-tree especially yield fruit sweeter for goats than those of any other region. Purely descriptive about the local trees and their fruit; no mythic or historical event.
9.28.1 3 other high λέγουσι δὲ οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἑλικῶνα οἰκοῦντες καὶ ἁπάσας ἐν τῷ ὄρει τὰς πόας καὶ τὰς ῥίζας ἥκιστα ἐπὶ ἀνθρώπου θανάτῳ φύεσθαι. The inhabitants around Helicon also report that none of the grasses and roots growing on this mountain are likely to cause human death. Descriptive report about local plants on Helicon and their properties; no mythic or historical event.
9.28.1 4 other high καὶ δὴ καὶ τοῖς ὄφεσι τὸν ἰὸν ποιοῦσιν ἐνταῦθα ἀσθενέστερον αἱ νομαί, ὥστε καὶ διαφεύγουσι τὰ πολλὰ οἱ δηχθέντες, ἢν ἀνδρὶ Λίβυι γένους τοῦ Ψύλλων ἢ καὶ ἄλλως προσφόροις ἐπιτύχωσι τοῖς φαρμάκοις. Moreover, even the pasture grounds here render the venom of serpents more feeble, so that those who have been bitten usually survive if they receive treatment from a Libyan of the Psylli race or other suitable remedies. Describes local pasture and medicinal effects on snake venom, a geographical/natural observation rather than mythic or historical event.
9.28.2 1 other high ἔστι μὲν δὴ ὁ ἰὸς τοῖς ἀγριωτάτοις τῶν ὄφεων καὶ ἄλλως ὀλέθριος ἔς τε ἀνθρώπους καὶ ζῷα ὁμοίως τὰ πάντα, Indeed, the venom of the fiercest snakes is destructive in all respects alike to both humans and all living creatures. General zoological observation about snake venom; neither mythic nor historical.
9.28.2 2 other high συντελοῦσι δὲ οὐχ ἥκιστα ἐς ἰσχύν σφισι τοῦ ἰοῦ καὶ αἱ νομαί, ἐπεί τοι καὶ ἀνδρὸς ἀκούσας οἶδα Φοίνικος ὡς ἐν τῇ ὀρεινῇ τῇ Φοινίκης ἀγριωτέρους τοὺς ἔχεις ποιοῦσιν αἱ ῥίζαι. Their feeding-grounds especially contribute greatly to the potency of their venom; indeed, I have even heard from a Phoenician man that roots growing in the mountains of Phoenicia render vipers there more savage. Geographical/natural description of vipers and their habitat, not a mythic or historical event.
9.28.2 3 other high ἔφη δὲ ἄνθρωπον ἰδεῖν αὐτὸς ἀποφεύγοντα ὁρμὴν ἔχεως, καὶ τὸν μὲν ἐπί τι ἀναδραμεῖν δένδρον, τὸν δὲ ἔχιν, ὡς ἦλθεν ὕστερος, ἀποπνεῦσαι πρὸς τὸ δένδρον τοῦ ἰοῦ καὶ οὐ ζῆν ἔτι τὸν ἄνθρωπον. He related that he himself had seen a man fleeing from the attack of a viper; this man climbed up into a tree to escape, and when afterward the viper came to the tree, it discharged venom toward it, and consequently the man no longer survived. A reported natural anecdote about a man, a viper, and poison; descriptive rather than mythic or historical.
9.28.3 1 other high τούτου μὲν τοιαῦτα ἤκουσα· Such things I have heard about this matter. A report of hearsay about the matter; no mythic or historical event is described.
9.28.3 2 other high ἐν δὲ τῇ χώρᾳ τῇ Ἀράβων ὅσοι τῶν ἔχεων περὶ τὰ δένδρα τὰ πάλσαμα οἰκοῦσι, τοιάδε ἄλλα ἐς αὐτοὺς συμβαίνοντα οἶδα. As for the land of the Arabs, I know the following additional facts concerning the snakes that dwell around the balsam-trees there. Geographical and descriptive notice about the Arabs and snakes around balsam-trees.
9.28.3 3 other high μέγεθος μὲν κατὰ μυρσίνης θάμνον τὰ πάλσαμά ἐστι, φύλλα δὲ αὐτοῖς κατὰ τὴν πόαν τὸ σάμψουχον· The balsam-trees are about the size of a myrtle bush, and their leaves resemble the herb called sampsuchon. Botanical description of balsam-trees and their leaves; purely descriptive/geographical.
9.28.3 4 other high ἔχεων δὲ τῶν ἐν τῇ Ἀραβίᾳ κατὰ ποσοὺς καὶ πλείονες καὶ ἐλάσσονες ὑπὸ ἕκαστον αὐλίζονται δένδρον· τροφὴ γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὁ τῶν παλσάμων ἐστὶν ὀπὸς ἡδίστη, καὶ ἔτι καὶ ἄλλως τῇ σκιᾷ τῶν φυτῶν χαίρουσιν. Beneath each tree in Arabia dwell snakes, sometimes fewer and sometimes greater in number, for their most delightful nourishment is the sap of the balsam-trees, and they also find pleasure in resting in their shade. Descriptive natural history about snakes in Arabia and balsam trees, not a mythic or historical event.
9.28.4 1 other high ἐπὰν οὖν συλλέγειν τοῦ παλσάμου τὸν ὀπὸν ἀφίκηται τοῖς Ἄραψιν ὥρα, ξύλων δύο ἕκαστος σκυτάλας ἐπὶ τοὺς ἔχεις ἐσφέρει, κροτοῦντες δὲ τὰ ξύλα ἀπελαύνουσι τοὺς ἔχεις· ἀποκτείνειν δὲ αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἐθέλουσιν ἱεροὺς τῶν παλσάμων νομίζοντες. When the time has come for the Arabs to gather the juice of balsam, each man brings two wooden sticks against the snakes, striking these sticks together to drive the snakes away; yet they refuse to kill them, considering the snakes sacred to the balsam. Descriptive account of balsam harvesting and local custom, not a mythic or post-500 BC historical event.
9.28.4 2 other high ἢν δὲ καὶ ὑπὸ ἔχεων δηχθῆναί τῳ συμβῇ, τὸ μὲν τραῦμά ἐστιν ὁποῖον καὶ ὑπὸ σιδήρου, δεῖμα δὲ ἄπεστι τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἰοῦ· And if it ever happens that someone is bitten by these snakes, the wound resembles one inflicted by iron, but the venom carries no danger. Describes a snakebite and its effects in a naturalistic, descriptive way, not a mythic or historical event.
9.28.4 3 other high ἅτε γὰρ σιτουμένοις τοῖς ἔχεσι μύρων τὸ εὐοσμότατον, μετακεράννυταί σφισιν ἐκ τοῦ θανατώδους ἐς τὸ ἠπιώτερον ὁ ἰός. For since the snakes feed upon this most fragrant of aromatic substances, their venom is tempered from a deadly poison to something milder. Describes a naturalistic explanation about snakes and aromatic substances, not a mythic or historical event.