Pausanias Analysis

Passage 10.1.1 Class: Mythic

γῆς δὲ τῆς Φωκίδος, ὅσον μὲν περὶ Τιθορέαν καὶ Δελφούς ἐστιν αὐτῆς, ἐκ παλαιοτάτου φανερὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο εἰληφυῖά ἐστιν ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς Κορινθίου Φώκου τοῦ Ὀρνυτίωνος· ἔτεσι δʼ ὕστερον οὐ πολλοῖς ἐξενίκησε καὶ ἁπάσῃ γενέσθαι τῇ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν καλουμένῃ Φωκίδι, Αἰγινητῶν ναυσὶν ἐς τὴν χώραν διαβάντων ὁμοῦ Φώκῳ τῷ Αἰακοῦ.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰακός Αἰγινήτης Δελφοί Κορίνθιος Τιθορέα Φωκίς Φωκίς Φῶκος Φῶκος Ὀρνύτιων

As for the land of Phocis, the part surrounding Tithorea and Delphi clearly received this name from the earliest times from Phocus, son of Ornytion, a Corinthian. Not many years later, however, the name prevailed to include the entire region now called Phocis, after the ships of the Aeginetans crossed over into this land bringing with them Phocus, son of Aeacus.

Passage 10.1.2 Class: Historical

τὰ μὲν δὴ ἀπαντικρὺ Πελοποννήσου καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ Βοιωτίας καθήκουσιν ἐπὶ θάλασσαν οἱ Φωκεῖς, τῇ μὲν ἐς Κίρραν τὸ ἐπίνειον Δελφῶν, τῇ δʼ ἐπὶ Ἀντίκυραν πόλιν· τὰ δὲ πρὸς τοῦ Λαμιακοῦ κόλπου Λοκροὶ σφᾶς παραθαλασσίους οἱ Ὑποκνημίδιοι κωλύουσιν εἶναι· οὗτοι γὰρ δή εἰσιν οἱ ταύτῃ τὴν Φωκίδα ὑπεροικοῦντες, Σκαρφεῖς μὲν τὰ ἐπέκεινα Ἐλατείας, ὑπὲρ δὲ Ὑάμπολιν καὶ Ἄβας οἱ πόλιν τε Ὀποῦντα καὶ Ὀπουντίων ἐπίνειον νεμόμενοι Κῦνον.

Proper Nouns:

Βοιωτία Δελφοί Κίρρα Κῦνος Λαμιακός Λοκροί Πελοπόννησος Σκάρφεια Φωκίς Φωκεῖς Ἀντίκυρα Ἄβαι Ἐλάτεια Ὀπούντιοι Ὀποῦς Ὑάμπολις Ὑποκνημίδιοι

The Phocians extend to the sea opposite the Peloponnese and along the Boeotian coast; on one side through Cirrha, the port-town of Delphi, and on the other by way of the city of Anticyra. But towards the Malian Gulf the Hypocnemidian Locrians prevent their being a maritime people; indeed, these Locrians occupy the territory lying above Phocis in that direction—Scarphea beyond Elateia, as well as Hyampolis and Abai—and they possess the city of Opus and its harbor Cynus.

Passage 10.1.3 Class: Historical

τὰ δὲ ἐπιφανέστατα Φωκεῦσίν ἐστιν ἐν κοινῷ· πολέμου γὰρ τοῦ πρὸς Ἰλίῳ μετεσχήκασι, καὶ Θεσσαλῶν ἐναντία ἐπολέμησαν πρότερον ἔτι ἢ ἐλάσαι τὸν Μῆδον ἐπὶ Ἕλληνας, ὅτε δὴ καὶ ἐπεδείξαντο οἱ Φωκεῖς ἔργα ἐς μνήμην. κατὰ γὰρ τὴν Ὑάμπολιν, ᾗ τοὺς Θεσσαλοὺς προσεδέχοντο ἐμβαλεῖν σφισιν ἐς τὴν χώραν, ὑδρίας κεράμου πεποιημένας κατορύξαντες καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτὰς γῆν ἐπιφορήσαντες ὑπέμενον τὴν ἵππον τῶν Θεσσαλῶν· οἱ δέ, ἅτε οὐ προπεπυσμένοι τῶν Φωκέων τὴν τέχνην, ἐπελάσαντες τοὺς ἵππους λανθάνουσιν ἐπὶ τὰς ὑδρίας. ἐνταῦθα ἀπεχωλοῦντο μὲν οἱ ἵπποι τῶν ποδῶν ἐσπιπτόντων σφίσιν ἐς τὰς ὑδρίας, ἐκτείνοντο δὲ καὶ ἀπέπιπτον οἱ ἄνδρες ἀπὸ τῶν ἵππων.

Proper Nouns:

Θεσσαλοί Θεσσαλοί Μῆδος Φωκεῖς Φωκεῖς Φωκεῖς Ἕλληνες Ἰλιον Ὑάμπολις

The Phocians' most notable deeds belong to the community as a whole. They took part in the war against Ilium and also fought against the Thessalians even before the invasion of Greece by the Mede, displaying on this occasion exploits worthy of remembrance. For at Hyampolis, where they expected the Thessalians to invade their territory, the Phocians buried jars of clay in the ground, covered them over with earth, and awaited the Thessalian cavalry. The Thessalians, unaware of this device of the Phocians due to no prior warning, drove their horses unwittingly onto these hidden jars. Thereupon, as the horses' feet plunged into the jars, the animals became lame, and their riders fell off and were thrown down from their mounts.

Passage 10.1.4 Class: Historical

ὡς δὲ οἱ Θεσσαλοὶ μείζονι ἢ τὰ πρότερα ἐς τοὺς Φωκέας χρώμενοι τῇ ὀργῇ συνελέχθησαν ἀπὸ τῶν πόλεων πασῶν καὶ ἐς τὴν Φωκίδα ἐστρατεύοντο, ἐνταῦθα οἱ Φωκεῖς ἐν οὐ μικρῷ ποιούμενοι δείματι τήν τε ἄλλην τῶν Θεσσαλῶν ἐς τὸν πόλεμον παρασκευὴν καὶ οὐχ ἥκιστα τῆς ἵππου τὸ πλῆθος καὶ ὁμοῦ τῷ ἀριθμῷ τὴν ἐς τοὺς ἀγῶνας τῶν τε ἵππων καὶ αὐτῶν μελέτην τῶν ἱππέων, ἀποστέλλουσιν ἐς Δελφοὺς αἰτοῦντες τὸν θεὸν ἐκφυγεῖν τὸν ἐπιόντα κίνδυνον· καὶ αὐτοῖς ἀφίκετο μάντευμα· συμβαλέω θνητόν τε καὶ ἀθάνατον μαχέσασθαι, νίκην δʼ ἀμφοτέροις δώσω, θνητῷ δέ νυ μᾶλλον.

Proper Nouns:

Δελφοί Θεσσαλοί Θεσσαλοί Φωκίς Φωκεύς Φωκεῖς

When the Thessalians, acting with rage greater than ever before against the Phocians, had gathered their forces from all their cities and were advancing into Phocis, the Phocians were seized with no small fear at both the Thessalians' overall preparations for war and above all at the great number of their cavalry, as well as the skill of horses and horsemen alike in battle. Thus they sent envoys to Delphi to seek from the god deliverance from the impending danger. An oracle reached them, saying: "I shall bring mortal and immortal together in battle, and I shall grant victory to both, though to mortals somewhat more."

Passage 10.1.5 Class: Historical

ταῦτα ὡς ἐπύθοντο οἱ Φωκεῖς, λογάδας τριακοσίους καὶ Γέλωνα ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς ἄρχοντα ἀποστέλλουσιν ἐς τοὺς πολεμίους ἄρτι ἀρχομένης νυκτός, προστάξαντές σφισι κατοπτεῦσαί τε τὰ τῶν Θεσσαλῶν ὅντινα ἀφανέστατον δύναιντο τρόπον καὶ αὖθις ἐς τὸ στράτευμα ἐπανήκειν κατὰ τῶν ὁδῶν τὴν μάλιστα ἄγνωστον, μηδὲ ἑκόντας μάχης ἄρχειν. οὗτοι ὑπὸ τῶν Θεσσαλῶν οἱ λογάδες ἀπώλοντο ἀθρόοι καὶ αὐτοὶ καὶ ὁ ἡγούμενός σφισι Γέλων, συμπατούμενοί τε ὑπὸ τῶν ἵππων καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνδρῶν φονευόμενοι.

Proper Nouns:

Γέλων Θεσσαλοί Φωκεῖς

When the Phocians learned this, they dispatched three hundred picked men, under the command of Gelon, against the enemy just as night was beginning. Their orders were to secretly observe the Thessalians' arrangements as discreetly as possible, and then return to their camp by the least known roads, making sure they did not willingly initiate combat. These chosen men, including their leader Gelon himself, were wholly destroyed by the Thessalians, trampled beneath their horses' hooves and slain by their soldiers.

Passage 10.1.6 Class: Historical

καὶ ἡ συμφορὰ σφῶν κατάπληξιν τοῖς ἐπὶ τοῦ στρατοπέδου τῶν Φωκέων τηλικαύτην ἐνεποίησεν, ὥστε καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ παῖδας καὶ ὅσα τῶν κτημάτων ἄγειν ἦν σφίσιν ἢ φέρειν, ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἐσθῆτα καὶ χρυσόν τε καὶ ἄργυρον καὶ τὰ ἀγάλματα τῶν θεῶν ἐς ταὐτὸ συλλέξαντες πυρὰν ὡς μεγίστην ἐποίησαν, καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς ἀριθμὸν τριάκοντα ἄνδρας ἀπολείπουσι·

Proper Nouns:

Φωκεύς θεός

Their disaster struck such terror into those in the Phocian army's camp that they gathered their women and children, along with whatever property they could carry or convey, as well as garments, gold, silver, and even the images of the gods, heaping them all together in one place. Then they constructed as great a pyre as possible, and left behind thirty men to guard it.

Passage 10.1.7 Class: Historical

προσετέτακτο δὲ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν, εἰ ἡττᾶσθαι τοὺς Φωκέας συμβαίνοι τῇ μάχῃ, τότε δὴ προαποσφάξαι μὲν τὰς γυναῖκάς τε καὶ παῖδας καὶ ὡς ἱερεῖα ἀναθέντας ταῦτά τε καὶ τὰ χρήματα ἐπὶ τὴν πυρὰν καὶ ἐνέντας πῦρ οὕτως ἤδη διαφθαρῆναι καὶ αὐτοὺς ἤτοι ὑπʼ ἀλλήλων ἢ ἐς τὴν ἵππον τῶν Θεσσαλῶν ἐσπίπτοντας. ἀντὶ τούτου μὲν ἅπαντα τὰ ἀνάλγητα βουλεύματα ἀπόνοια ὑπὸ Ἑλλήνων ὀνομάζεται Φωκική, τότε δὲ οἱ Φωκεῖς ἐποιοῦντο αὐτίκα ἐπὶ τοὺς Θεσσαλοὺς ἔξοδον·

Proper Nouns:

Θεσσαλοί Θεσσαλοί Φωκεύς Φωκεύς Φωκική Ἕλληνες

It had been commanded to the men that, if it should happen the Phocians were defeated in battle, then first they must slaughter their women and children, and after dedicating them as sacrificial offerings, place them together with their possessions upon a pyre, set fire to it, and finally themselves perish, either killing each other or charging into the cavalry of the Thessalians. Because of this, the Greeks have termed all desperate plans "Phocian madness." At that time, however, the Phocians made immediately a sally against the Thessalians.

Passage 10.1.8 Class: Historical

στρατηγοὶ δὲ ἦσάν σφισι Ῥοῖός τε Ἀμβροσσεὺς καὶ Ὑαμπολίτης Δαϊφάντης, οὗτος μὲν δὴ ἐπὶ τῇ ἵππῳ, δυνάμεως δὲ τῆς πεζῆς ὁ Ἀμβροσσεύς. ὁ δὲ χώραν ἐν τοῖς ἄρχουσιν ἔχων τὴν μεγίστην μάντις ἦν Τελλίας ὁ Ἠλεῖος, καὶ ἐς τὸν Τελλίαν τοῖς Φωκεῦσι τῆς σωτηρίας ἀπέκειντο αἱ ἐλπίδες.

Proper Nouns:

Τελλίας Φωκεῖς Ἀμβροσσεύς Ἀμβροσσεύς Ἠλεῖος Ὑαμπολίτης Δαϊφάντης Ῥοῖος

Their generals were Rhoius from Ambrossus and Daïphantus from Hyampolis; the latter commanded the cavalry, and the former the infantry forces. Among their leaders, the one who held the highest authority was Tellias, an Elean, who was a seer, and on Tellias the Phocians placed their hopes for salvation.

Passage 10.1.9 Class: Historical

ὡς δὲ ἐς χεῖρας συνῄεσαν, ἐνταῦθα τοῖς Φωκεῦσιν ἐγίνετο ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς τὰ ἐς τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ ἐς τὰ τέκνα δόξαντα, τήν τε σωτηρίαν οὐκ ἐν βεβαίῳ σφίσιν ἑώρων σαλεύουσαν καὶ τούτων ἕνεκα ἐς παντοῖα ἀφικνοῦντο τολμήματα· προσγενομένου δὲ καὶ τοῦ ἐκ θεῶν εὐμενοῦς νίκην τῶν τότε ἀνείλοντο ἐπιφανεστάτην.

Proper Nouns:

Φωκεῖς θεοί

But when they came to close combat, the Phocians had vividly before their eyes what they anticipated would befall their women and children, and perceiving that their own safety stood uncertain and wavering, for these reasons resorted to all manner of daring acts; moreover, aided by the favor of the gods, they won a most remarkable victory on that occasion.

Passage 10.1.10 Class: Historical

τό τε λόγιον τὸ γεγενημένον τοῖς Φωκεῦσι παρὰ τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος καὶ τοῖς πᾶσιν Ἕλλησιν ἐγνώσθη· τὸ γὰρ σύνθημα κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ ὑπὸ τῶν στρατηγούντων ἐδίδοτο ἐν ταῖς μάχαις Θεσσαλοῖς μὲν Ἀθηνᾶς Ἰτωνίας, τοῖς δὲ ὁ ἐπώνυμος Φῶκος. ἀπὸ τούτου δὲ τοῦ ἔργου καὶ ἀναθήματα οἱ Φωκεῖς ἀπέστειλαν ἐς Δελφοὺς Ἀπόλλωνα καὶ Τελλίαν τότε τὸν μάντιν καὶ ὅσοι μαχομένοις ἄλλοι σφίσιν ἐστρατήγησαν, σὺν δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἥρωας τῶν ἐπιχωρίων· ἔργα δὲ αἱ εἰκόνες Ἀριστομέδοντός εἰσιν Ἀργείου.

Proper Nouns:

Δελφοί Θεσσαλοί Τελλίας Φωκεῖς Φωκεῖς Φῶκος Ἀθηνᾶ Ἰτωνία Ἀπόλλων Ἀπόλλων Ἀργεῖος Ἀριστομέδων Ἕλληνες

The oracle that had been given to the Phocians from Apollo became known to all the Greeks; for in battles, the commanders gave passwords accordingly: the Thessalians used "Athena Itonia," and the Phocians theirs after their ancestor, "Phocus." Due to this deed, the Phocians sent offerings to Delphi, including statues of Apollo, of the seer Tellias who was then their prophet, and of those who had served as generals during their battles, as well as statues of local heroes along with them. These sculptures are works by Aristomedon of Argos.

Passage 10.1.11 Class: Historical

εὑρέθη δὲ καὶ ὕστερον τοῖς Φωκεῦσιν οὐκ ἀποδέον σοφίᾳ τῶν προτέρων. ὡς γὰρ δὴ τὰ στρατόπεδα ἀντεκάθητο περὶ τὴν ἐς τὴν Φωκίδα ἐσβολήν, λογάδες Φωκέων πεντακόσιοι φυλάσσοντες πλήρη τὸν κύκλον τῆς σελήνης ἐπιχειροῦσιν ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ τοῖς Θεσσαλοῖς, αὐτοί τε ἀληλιμμένοι γύψῳ καὶ ἐνδεδυκότες ὅπλα λευκὰ ἐπὶ τῇ γύψῳ. ἐνταῦθα ἐξεργασθῆναι φόνον τῶν Θεσσαλῶν λέγεται πλεῖστον, θειότερόν τι ἡγουμένων ἢ κατὰ ἔφοδον πολεμίων τὸ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ συμβαῖνον. ὁ δὲ Ἠλεῖος ἦν Τελλίας ὃς καὶ ταῦτα τοῖς Φωκεῦσιν ἐμηχανήσατο ἐς τοὺς Θεσσαλούς.

Proper Nouns:

Θεσσαλοί Θεσσαλοί Τελλίας Φωκίς Φωκεῖς Φωκεῖς σελήνη Ἠλεῖος

Later the Phocians devised a stratagem no less ingenious than their forebears. When the opposing armies were encamped facing each other near the entrance to Phocis, five hundred select Phocian troops, waiting until the night of the full moon, made a sudden attack upon the Thessalians during the darkness. They had covered their own bodies with gypsum and wore white armor over this coating. It is said that the Thessalians suffered a very great slaughter, for they imagined that what befell them in the darkness was due rather to some divine visitation than to a human attack by enemies. This stratagem used by the Phocians against the Thessalians was devised by Tellias the Elean.

Legend:

Chapter 10.1