Pausanias Analysis

Passage 10.31.1 Class: Mythic

εἰ δὲ ἀπίδοις πάλιν ἐς τὸ ἄνω τῆς γραφῆς, ἔστιν ἐφεξῆς τῷ Ἀκταίωνι Αἴας ὁ ἐκ Σαλαμῖνος, καὶ Παλαμήδης τε καὶ Θερσίτης κύβοις χρώμενοι παιδιᾷ, τοῦ Παλαμήδους τῷ εὑρήματι· Αἴας δὲ ὁ ἕτερος ἐς αὐτοὺς ὁρᾷ παίζοντας. τούτῳ τῷ Αἴαντι τὸ χρῶμά ἐστιν οἷον ἂν ἀνδρὶ ναυαγῷ γένοιτο ἐπανθούσης τῷ χρωτὶ ἔτι τῆς ἅλμης.

Proper Nouns:

Αἴας Θερσίτης Παλαμήδης Σαλαμῖς Ἀκταίων

If you look again toward the upper part of the painting, next to Actaeon stands Ajax of Salamis, and Palamedes together with Thersites play a game with dice—an invention of Palamedes. The other Ajax looks at them as they play. The complexion of this Ajax is such as a shipwrecked man might have, his flesh still bloomed with the brine.

Passage 10.31.2 Class: Mythic

ἐς δὲ τὸ αὐτὸ ἐπίτηδες τοῦ Ὀδυσσέως τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἤγαγεν ὁ Πολύγνωτος· ἀφίκετο δὲ ἐς Ὀδυσσέως δυσμένειαν ὁ τοῦ Ὀιλέως Αἴας, ὅτι τοῖς Ἕλλησιν Ὀδυσσεὺς παρῄνει καταλιθῶσαι τὸν Αἴαντα ἐπὶ τῷ ἐς Κασσάνδραν τολμήματι· Παλαμήδην δὲ ἀποπνιγῆναι προελθόντα ἐπὶ ἰχθύων θήραν, Διομήδην δὲ τὸν ἀποκτείναντα εἶναι καὶ Ὀδυσσέα ἐπιλεξάμενος ἐν ἔπεσιν οἶδα τοῖς Κυπρίοις.

Proper Nouns:

Αἴας Αἴας Διομήδης Κασσάνδρα Κύπριοι Οἰλεύς Παλαμήδης Πολύγνωτος Ἕλληνες Ὀδυσσεύς Ὀδυσσεύς Ὀδυσσεύς

Polygnotus intentionally brought together, in the same place, those who were enemies of Odysseus. Ajax, son of Oileus, incurred Odysseus' hostility because Odysseus had advised the Greeks to stone Ajax for his offense against Cassandra. As for Palamedes, I know from verses in the Cypria that he was drowned while fishing, and that Diomedes was named as his killer along with Odysseus.

Passage 10.31.3 Class: Mythic

Μελέαγρος δὲ ὁ Οἰνέως ἀνωτέρω μὲν ἢ ὁ τοῦ Ὀιλέως Αἴας ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ γραφῇ, ἔοικε δὲ ὁρῶντι ἐς τὸν Αἴαντα. τούτοις πλὴν τῷ Παλαμήδει γένειά ἐστι τοῖς ἄλλοις. ἐς δὲ τοῦ Μελεάγρου τὴν τελευτὴν Ὁμήρῳ μέν ἐστιν εἰρημένα ὡς Ἐρινὺς καταρῶν ἀκούσαι τῶν Ἀλθαίας καὶ ἀποθάνοι κατὰ ταύτην ὁ Μελέαγρος τὴν αἰτίαν, αἱ δὲ Ἠοῖαί τε καλούμεναι καὶ ἡ Μινυὰς ὡμολογήκασιν ἀλλήλαις· Ἀπόλλωνα γὰρ δὴ αὗταί φασιν αἱ ποιήσεις ἀμῦναι Κούρησιν ἐπὶ τοὺς Αἰτωλοὺς καὶ ἀποθανεῖν Μελέαγρον ὑπὸ Ἀπόλλωνος.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰτωλοί Αἴας Κούρητες Μελέαγρος Μελέαγρος Μινυὰς Οἰλεύς Οἰνεύς Παλαμήδης Ἀλθαία Ἀπόλλων Ἀπόλλων Ἐρινύς Ἠοῖαι Ὅμηρος

Meleager, the son of Oeneus, is depicted higher up in the painting than Ajax, son of Oileus, but resembles Ajax to one observing him. With the exception of Palamedes, all these figures are portrayed with beards. Regarding the fate of Meleager, Homer says that a Fury heard Althaea's curses, and thus Meleager died according to this reason. On the other hand, the poems called the "Ehoiai" and the "Minyas" agree with one another, asserting that Apollo fought for the Curetes against the Aetolians, and Meleager was slain by Apollo.

Passage 10.31.4 Class: Mythic

τὸν δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ δαλῷ λόγον, ὡς δοθείη μὲν ὑπὸ Μοιρῶν τῇ Ἀλθαίᾳ, Μελεάγρῳ δὲ οὐ πρότερον ἔδει τὴν τελευτὴν συμβῆναι πρὶν ἢ ὑπὸ πυρὸς ἀφανισθῆναι τὸν δαλὸν καὶ ὡς ὑπὸ τοῦ θυμοῦ καταπρήσειεν αὐτὸν ἡ Ἀλθαία, τοῦτον τὸν λόγον Φρύνιχος ὁ Πολυφράδμονος πρῶτος ἐν δράματι ἔδειξε Πλευρωνίαις· κρυερὸν γὰρ οὐκ ἤλυξεν μόρον, ὠκεῖα δέ νιν φλὸξ κατεδαίσατο, δαλοῦ περθομένου ματρὸς ὑπʼ αἰνᾶς κακομηχάνου. Polyphradmon, Pleuronian Women, unknown location. οὐ μὴν φαίνεταί γε ὁ Φρύνιχος προαγαγὼν τὸν λόγον ἐς πλέον ὡς εὕρημα ἄν τις οἰκεῖον, προσαψάμενος δὲ αὐτοῦ μόνον ἅτε ἐς ἅπαν ἤδη διαβεβοημένου τὸ Ἑλληνικόν.

Proper Nouns:

Μελέαγρος Μοῖραι Πλευρωνίαι Πολυφράδμων Φρύνιχος Ἀλθαία Ἀλθαία Ἑλληνικόν

As for the story concerning the torch, namely that it was given by the Fates to Althaea and that Meleager was fated not to meet his end until the torch had been consumed by fire, and that Althaea, driven by her anger, burned it up—Phrynichus, son of Polyphradmon, was the first to depict this story in his drama, the "Pleuronian Women": "For he did not escape his chilling fate, But swift flame consumed him, When the torch was destroyed by his wickedly scheming mother." Phrynichus, however, does not appear to have developed the narrative further as if originating as a personal invention; rather, he merely touched upon it, as it was already widely known throughout Greece at that time.

Passage 10.31.5 Class: Mythic

ἐν δὲ τοῖς κάτω τῆς γραφῆς μετὰ τὸν Θρᾷκά εἰσι Θάμυριν Ἕκτωρ μὲν καθεζόμενος---ἀμφοτέρας ἔχει τὰς χεῖρας περὶ τὸ ἀριστερὸν γόνυ, ἀνιωμένου σχῆμα ἐμφαίνων---, μετὰ δὲ αὐτὸν Μέμνων ἐστὶν ἐπὶ πέτρᾳ καθεζόμενος καὶ Σαρπηδὼν συνεχὴς τῷ Μέμνονι· ἐπικέκλιται δὲ τὸ πρόσωπον ἐπὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἀμφοτέρας ὁ Σαρπηδών, ἡ δὲ ἑτέρα τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ Μέμνονος ἐπὶ τῷ ὤμῳ τοῦ Σαρπηδόνος κεῖται.

Proper Nouns:

Θάμυρις Θρᾷξ Μέμνων Μέμνων Σαρπηδών Σαρπηδών Ἕκτωρ

In the lower part of the picture, after the Thracian Thamyris, sits Hector. He is seated with both hands clasped about his left knee, clearly exhibiting an attitude of grief. Next to him is Memnon seated upon a rock, and Sarpedon sits beside Memnon. Sarpedon is leaning forward, with his face resting upon both his hands, while one of Memnon's hands rests upon Sarpedon's shoulder.

Passage 10.31.6 Class: Mythic

γένεια μὲν πᾶσίν ἐστιν αὐτοῖς, ἐν δὲ τοῦ Μέμνονος τῇ χλαμύδι καὶ ὄρνιθές εἰσιν ἐπειργασμέναι· Μεμνονίδες ταῖς ὄρνισίν ἐστιν ὄνομα, κατὰ δὲ ἔτος οἱ Ἑλλησπόντιοί φασιν αὐτὰς ἐν εἰρημέναις ἡμέραις ἰέναι τε ἐπὶ τοῦ Μέμνονος τὸν τάφον, καὶ ὁπόσον τοῦ μνήματος δένδρων ἐστὶν ἢ πόας ψιλόν, τοῦτο καὶ σαίρουσιν αἱ ὄρνιθες καὶ ὑγροῖς τοῖς πτεροῖς τοῦ Αἰσήπου τῷ ὕδατι ῥαίνουσι.

Proper Nouns:

Αἴσηπος Μέμνων Μεμνονίδες Ἑλλησπόντιοι

All of these figures have beards, but on the cloak of Memnon there are also birds worked in relief; these birds are called Memnonides. The people around the Hellespont say that every year, on certain appointed days, these birds come to Memnon's tomb, and whatever portion of his tomb is bare of trees or grass, the birds sweep clean, and then sprinkle it with water from the river Aesepus, carrying it in their wet wings.

Passage 10.31.7 Class: Mythic

παρὰ δὲ τῷ Μέμνονι καὶ παῖς Αἰθίοψ πεποίηται γυμνός, ὅτι ὁ Μέμνων βασιλεὺς ἦν τοῦ Αἰθιόπων γένους. ἀφίκετο μέντοι ἐς Ἴλιον οὐκ ἀπʼ Αἰθιοπίας ἀλλὰ ἐκ Σούσων τῶν Περσικῶν καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Χοάσπου ποταμοῦ, τὰ ἔθνη πάντα ὅσα ᾤκει μεταξὺ ὑποχείρια πεποιημένος· Φρύγες δὲ καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν ἔτι ἀποφαίνουσι διʼ ἧς τὴν στρατιὰν ἤγαγε τὰ ἐπίτομα ἐκλεγόμενος τῆς χώρας· τέτμηται δὲ διὰ τῶν μονῶν ἡ ὁδός.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰθίοπες Αἰθίοψ Αἰθιοπία Μέμνων Μέμνων Περσικαί Σοῦσοι Φρύγες Χοάσπης Ἴλιον

Next to Memnon, too, a figure of a naked Ethiopian boy has been sculpted, since Memnon was king of the Ethiopian race. He came to Troy, however, not from Ethiopia but from Susa in Persia and from the river Choaspes, having subdued all the peoples inhabiting the lands in between. Indeed, the Phrygians even still point out the road along which he led his army, selecting the shortest routes through the countryside; the road itself is cut through the isolated regions.

Passage 10.31.8 Class: Mythic

ὑπὲρ δὲ τὸν Σαρπηδόνα τε καὶ Μέμνονα, ἔστιν ὑπὲρ αὐτοὺς ὁ Πάρις οὐκ ἔχων πω γένεια· κροτεῖ δὲ ταῖς χερσίν, οἷος ἂν γένοιτο ἀνδρὸς ἀγροίκου κρότος· ἐοικέναι τὸν Πάριν φήσεις τῷ ψόφῳ τῶν χειρῶν Πενθεσίλειαν παρʼ αὑτὸν καλοῦντι. ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἡ Πενθεσίλεια ὁρῶσα ἐς τὸν Πάριν, τοῦ προσώπου δὲ ἔοικε τῷ νεύματι ὑπερορᾶν τε αὐτὸν καὶ ἐν οὐδενὸς τίθεσθαι λόγῳ· τὸ δὲ σχῆμά ἐστι τῇ Πενθεσιλείᾳ παρθένος τόξον ἔχουσα τοῖς Σκυθικοῖς ἐμφερὲς καὶ παρδάλεως δέρμα ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων.

Proper Nouns:

Μέμνων Πάρις Πάρις Πενθεσίλεια Πενθεσίλεια Πενθεσίλεια Σαρπηδών Σκύθαι

Above Sarpedon and Memnon stands Paris, depicted still beardless. He is clapping his hands, producing a sound like that which might be made by a rustic fellow; from the clapping noise of his hands, you might suppose that Paris is summoning Penthesileia, who is portrayed beside him. Penthesileia herself is also present, gazing toward Paris, but from her facial expression she appears contemptuous in manner, disregarding him and paying him no heed. Penthesileia is represented as a maiden; she holds a bow like those of Scythian type and wears the skin of a leopard across her shoulders.

Passage 10.31.9 Class: Mythic

αἱ δὲ ὑπὲρ τὴν Πενθεσίλειαν φέρουσαι μέν εἰσιν ὕδωρ ἐν κατεαγόσιν ὀστράκοις, πεποίηται δὲ ἡ μὲν ἔτι ὡραία τὸ εἶδος, ἡ δὲ ἤδη τῆς ἡλικίας προήκουσα· ἰδίᾳ μὲν δὴ οὐδὲν ἐπίγραμμα ἐπὶ ἑκατέρᾳ τῶν γυναικῶν, ἐν κοινῷ δέ ἐστιν ἐπὶ ἀμφοτέραις εἶναι σφᾶς τῶν οὐ μεμυημένων γυναικῶν.

Proper Nouns:

Πενθεσίλεια

The women depicted above Penthesileia are carrying water in broken pots; one is represented as still youthful in appearance, while the other is already advanced in age. There is no specific inscription individually identifying either woman, but there is one common to both, which states that they belong to the women who have not been initiated.

Passage 10.31.10 Class: Mythic

ἀνωτέρω τούτων ἐστὶν ἡ Λυκάονος Καλλιστὼ καὶ Νομία τε καὶ ἡ Νηλέως Πηρώ· ταύτης ἕδνα τῶν γάμων βοῦς ὁ Νηλεὺς ᾔτει τὰς Ἰφίκλου. τῇ Καλλιστοῖ δὲ ἀντὶ μὲν στρωμνῆς ἐστιν αὐτῇ δέρμα ἄρκτου, τοὺς πόδας δὲ ἐν τοῖς Νομίας γόνασιν ἔχει κειμένους. ἐδήλωσε δέ μοι τὰ πρότερα τοῦ λόγου φάναι τοὺς Ἀρκάδας Νομίαν εἶναι φασὶν ἐπιχώριον νύμφην· τὰς νύμφας δὲ εἶναι πολὺν μέν τινα ἀριθμὸν βιούσας ἐτῶν, οὐ μέντοι παράπαν γε ἀπηλλαγμένας θανάτου, ποιητῶν ἐστιν ἐς αὐτὰς λόγος. μετὰ δὲ τὴν Καλλιστὼ καὶ ὅσαι σὺν ἐκείνῃ γυναῖκες, κρημνοῦ τε σχῆμά ἐστι καὶ ὁ Αἰόλου Σίσυφος ἀνῶσαι πρὸς τὸν κρημνὸν βιαζόμενος τὴν πέτραν.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰόλος Καλλιστώ Καλλιστώ Λυκάων Νηλεύς Νηλεύς Νομία Νομία Νομία Πηρώ Σίσυφος Ἀρκάδες Ἰφικλῆς

Higher up from these stands Callisto, daughter of Lycaon, along with Nomia and Pero, the daughter of Neleus—whose cattle, belonging to Iphiclus, Neleus had demanded as a bridal gift when he married her. Callisto herself lies upon a bearskin in place of a couch, and her feet rest upon Nomia's knees. Regarding Nomia, my previous account made it clear that the Arcadians affirm she is a local nymph; as for the nymphs generally, the poets speak of them as beings who, while living an exceedingly long time, are nevertheless not wholly exempt from death. Beyond Callisto and the women depicted with her there appears a cliff, and there also is Sisyphus, son of Aeolus, forcing a stone uphill against this cliff.

Passage 10.31.11 Class: Mythic

ἔστι δὲ καὶ πίθος ἐν τῇ γραφῇ, πρεσβύτης δὲ ἄνθρωπος, ὁ δὲ ἔτι παῖς, καὶ γυναῖκες, νέα μὲν ὑπὸ τῇ πέτρᾳ, παρὰ δὲ τὸν πρεσβύτην ἐοικυῖα ἐκείνῳ τὴν ἡλικίαν· οἱ μὲν δὴ ἄλλοι φέρουσιν ὕδωρ, τῇ δὲ γραῒ κατεᾶχθαι τὴν ὑδρίαν εἰκάσεις· ὅσον δὲ ἐν τῷ ὀστράκῳ λοιπόν ἦν τοῦ ὕδατος, ἐκχέουσά ἐστιν αὖθις ἐς τὸν πίθον. ἐτεκμαιρόμεθα δʼ εἶναι καὶ τούτους τῶν τὰ δρώμενα Ἐλευσῖνι ἐν οὐδενὶ θεμένων λόγῳ· οἱ γὰρ ἀρχαιότεροι τῶν Ἑλλήνων τελετὴν τὴν Ἐλευσινίαν πάντων ὁπόσα ἐς εὐσέβειαν ἥκει τοσούτῳ ἦγον ἐντιμότερον ὅσῳ καὶ θεοὺς ἐπίπροσθεν ἡρώων.

Proper Nouns:

θεοί Ἐλευσίνια Ἐλευσίς Ἕλληνες ἥρωες

There is also a jar visible in the painting, along with an old man, a boy still quite young, and two women—one young, standing under the rock, and another beside the elderly man, appearing close to his age. The others are carrying water, but it looks as if the old woman’s pitcher has broken, and you might suppose that she is pouring back into the jar whatever water remains in the broken vessel. We conjectured that these figures also represent people who paid no heed at all to the rituals performed at Eleusis. For the most ancient of the Greeks esteemed the Eleusinian Mysteries above all other forms of religious devotion, just as they esteemed gods more highly than heroes.

Passage 10.31.12 Class: Mythic

ὑπὸ τούτῳ δὲ τῷ πίθῳ Τάνταλος καὶ ἄλλα ἔχων ἐστὶν ἀλγεινὰ ὁπόσα Ὅμηρος ἐπʼ αὐτῷ πεποίηκεν, ἐπὶ δὲ αὐτοῖς πρόσεστίν οἱ καὶ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ ἐπηρτημένου λίθου δεῖμα. Πολύγνωτος μὲν δῆλός ἐστιν ἐπακολουθήσας τῷ Ἀρχιλόχου λόγῳ· Ἀρχίλοχος δὲ οὐκ οἶδα εἴτε ἐδιδάχθη παρὰ ἄλλων τὰ ἐς τὸν λίθον εἴτε καὶ αὐτὸς ἐς τὴν ποίησιν ἐσηνέγκατο. τοσαύτη μὲν πλῆθος καὶ εὐπρεπείας ἐς τοσοῦτόν ἐστιν ἥκουσα ἡ τοῦ Θασίου γραφή·

Proper Nouns:

Θάσιος Πολύγνωτος Τάνταλος Ἀρχίλοχος Ὅμηρος

Beneath this jar stands Tantalus, enduring all the grievous punishments that Homer attributed to him; and in addition to these sufferings, there is upon him also the terror of the suspended stone. Polygnotus evidently followed here the tradition of Archilochus; but whether Archilochus learned from others the story of the stone, or introduced it himself into his poetry, I cannot say. Such is the scale and beauty to which the painting of the Thasian has attained.

Legend:

Chapter 10.31