Pausanias Analysis

Such, then, are the memorials they possess. From Chaeronea it is twenty stades to Panopeus, a city of the Phocians—if indeed one may call them a city who have neither government buildings nor gymnasium, neither theater nor marketplace, nor even running water leading into a fountain. Rather, inhabitants dwell there in huts like mountain cabins, hollowed out dwellings that stand beside a ravine. Nevertheless, they have established territory borders with their neighbors, and even these people send representatives to the assembly of the Phocian confederacy. They say the city's name derives from Panopeus, the father of Epeius, and that originally they themselves were not Phocians, but Phlegyans, who fled from Orchomenian territory and took refuge in Phocis.

Observing the ancient enclosure of Panopeus, we estimated its circuit to be about seven stades. We recalled Homer's verses concerning Tityos, in which he named the city of the people of Panopeus "famed for dancing," as well as how in the battle over the body of Patroclus he described Schedios, the son of Iphitos, king of the Phocians, who was slain by Hector, as dwelling in Panopeus. This fact indeed seemed reasonable to us, as the king would have resided in Panopeus and used it as a fortress, out of fear of the Boeotians—for at this very spot the easiest route from Boeotia into Phocis lies.

The second point I was previously unable to interpret was why Homer called Panopeus "beautiful-for-dancing" (Kallichoros), until I was instructed by those women whom the Athenians call the Thyiades. These Thyiades are women from Attica who travel every second year to Parnassus, and together with the Delphic women, celebrate the rituals in honor of Dionysus. It is customary for these Thyiades, as they journey from Athens, to perform dances along their route in various places, among them the city of Panopeus. And indeed, Homer’s epithet concerning Panopeus seems to allude to this very dance of the Thyiades.

At Panopeus there is by the roadside a small building made of unbaked bricks, and in it a statue carved from Pentelic marble. Some say it represents Asclepius, others Prometheus. Those who claim Prometheus bring forward evidence to support their story. Near the ravine lie stones, each large enough to make a full cartload. Their colour is that of clay, not of ordinary earth but rather like that found in ravines or sandy torrent-beds, and they give forth a scent closely resembling human skin. They say these stones are remnants of the clay from which Prometheus formed the entire race of mankind.

Here by the gorge is also the tomb of Tityos; the circumference of the mound measures approximately one-third of a stade. The line from the Odyssey is inscribed on it: "And he lay stretched over nine plethra." They say, however, that the reference is not intended to describe Tityos' actual size, but rather that the place where Tityos was buried is called "Nine Plethra."

Cleon, a man from Magnesia, whose people dwell near the Hermus, asserted that men refuse to believe wondrous tales exceeding their own experiences unless they themselves encounter remarkable spectacles beyond their ordinary lives. Yet he himself claimed that he had come to believe in the existence of Tityos and other such figures whose fame was widespread: for, being once at Gadeira, and having sailed out of the island himself and along with all the other populace following a command from Heracles, upon returning afterwards to Gadeira he found a man from the sea washed ashore; this being measured about five plethra in length, and had been struck by a thunderbolt of the god and was ablaze.

This, indeed, is what he said; Daulis is about twenty-seven stades distant from Panopeus. The people of Daulis are not numerous, but even in my day they were esteemed among the Phocians for their stature and valor. They say the name of the city comes from the nymph Daulis, who was reputedly a daughter of Cephisus. Others, however, claim that the place where the city was founded was once thickly wooded, and that in ancient times dense forests were called "daula." It was on this account that Aeschylus also described the beard of Glaucus from Anthedon as "daulon," meaning thickly wooded.

Here in Daulis the women are said to have served up to Tereus his own son, and among men this was the beginning of banquets defiled by such atrocities. The hoopoe—the bird into which story says Tereus was transformed—is slightly larger than a quail, and on its head feathers stand up in the form of a crest.

It is worthy of wonder that in this land swallows neither lay eggs nor hatch them, nor would a swallow ever begin to build its nest upon the roof of a house. The Phocians say this is because Philomela, having become a bird, was so terrified of Tereus that she thus abandoned his homeland. At Daulis there is an ancient sanctuary and image of Athena; and the even older wooden statue, they say, was brought from Athens by Procne herself.

In the territory of Daulis there is a district called Tronis. Here a hero-shrine has been made for the hero Archegetes. Some identify this hero as Xanthippos, renowned for his deeds in war, but others say he is Phokos, son of Ornytion, son of Sisyphos. At any rate, he receives daily honors. When the Phokians offer sacrifices, they pour the blood through an opening directly into the tomb, while consuming the meat themselves on the spot.