Pausanias Analysis

The Greeks say various things, among them that there arose seven wise men. Of these they also mention the Lesbian tyrant and Periander, son of Cypselus. And yet Peisistratus and his son Hippias were more humane than Periander and wiser both in military matters and in whatever related to the good order of their citizens, until, because of Hipparchus' death, Hippias gave way to rage in various ways, including against the woman named Leaena.

For after Hipparchus had been killed, Hippias—so it is said in a story not previously recorded, but nevertheless believed by the majority of Athenians—held this woman under torture until she died, because he knew she was Aristogeiton's mistress and assumed she must have had knowledge of the conspiracy. In recognition of these events, when the sons of Peisistratus had been expelled from their tyranny, the Athenians dedicated a bronze statue of a lioness in memory of this woman, and beside it stands a statue of Aphrodite, which is said to have been both a dedication by Callias and the work of Calamis.

Nearby is a bronze statue of Diitrephes, pierced through with arrows. This Diitrephes performed several notable deeds, according to the Athenians, and among them was his handling of the Thracian mercenaries who arrived too late—after Demosthenes had already sailed away towards Syracuse. Being thus delayed, Diitrephes led these Thracians back again, and on their way he reached the Euripus in Chalcidice, near the inland Boeotian city Mycalessus. Landing there from the sea, Diitrephes captured the city. The Thracians, attacking Mycalessus, killed not only the fighting men but also the women and the children. I have evidence of this, since among the Boeotian towns destroyed by the Thebans, only those cities still inhabited in my day were ones whose people survived despite the destruction. Had the foreigners not killed all of the Mycalessians as they advanced through the town, those who remained alive would later have recovered their city.

What especially surprised me about the image of Diitrephes was that he had been pierced by arrows, because among Greeks, except for the Cretans, archery was not customary. For though we know that the Opuntian Locrians already fought as heavy infantry in the Persian Wars, Homer depicted them as having come to Troy equipped with bows and slings. Nor did archery continue to be practiced among the Malians; indeed, I think they had been unfamiliar with the bow until Philoctetes, and not long afterward they ceased from its use. Near the statue of Diitrephes—I prefer not to describe the more obscure sculptures—stand images of gods, including Hygieia, said to be the daughter of Asclepius, and Athena, bearing the surname Hygieia as well.

There is a stone, not large indeed, but just large enough for a small man to sit upon; on this stone, they say, Silenus rested when Dionysus came into the land. For those among the Satyrs who are older in age are given the name Sileni. Concerning the Satyrs, who they really are, I have spoken at greater length elsewhere, wishing to know more about them precisely for these reasons. Euphemus, a Carian man, reported that while sailing towards Italy he was driven off course by winds, and carried out into the open sea, into waters where people no longer travel. He stated that there were many islands lying desolate, but that on others savage men dwell.

The sailors are unwilling to put ashore on these islands, as previously, when they landed there lacking knowledge of the inhabitants, they had been violently attacked. Even on this occasion they had trouble. These islands the sailors call the Satyrides, and their inhabitants are tawny-haired, having tails at their hips not much smaller than those of horses. On perceiving the ship, these creatures ran down to it, making no vocal sound, and started laying hands on the women who were aboard. Finally, in their fear, the sailors turned loose on the island a foreign woman, upon whom the satyrs then outraged not only as is natural, but indeed upon her whole body indiscriminately.

I have also seen other things on the Acropolis of the Athenians: the bronze figure of a boy by Lycius, son of Myron, holding the basin for ritual purification, and Perseus by Myron, a work crafted in reference to Medusa. There is also a sanctuary of Artemis Brauronia, and the statue is by Praxiteles; the goddess takes her name from the deme of Brauron, and the ancient wooden image is at Brauron, where, as they say, Artemis is worshipped as she is in Tauris.

There is a bronze horse there called the Trojan Horse. That this contrivance of Epeius was built for the purpose of breaching the city's walls no one doubts, unless he attributes complete folly to the Phrygians. It is told regarding this horse how the best warriors of the Greeks lay hidden inside, and the bronze work itself reflects this very arrangement. Menestheus and Teucer are depicted peering out of it, as well as the sons of Theseus.

Of the statues which stand beyond the horse, Kritias fashioned the likeness of Epicharinos, who had trained himself in the race of heavy-armed men. There is also a noteworthy deed of Oinobios concerning Thucydides, the son of Oloros: for Oinobios carried a decree that allowed Thucydides to return to Athens, and having been treacherously killed as he was returning, Thucydides has a tomb situated not far from the Melitid gate.

I pass over what others have already written concerning Hermolykos the pancratiast and Phormio the son of Asopichos; however, I have more to record regarding Phormio. This Phormio, though equal in nobility to the most distinguished Athenians and descended from ancestors of notable reputation, happened nevertheless to be burdened by debt. Thus, withdrawing to the deme of Paiania, he lived there in retirement. When the Athenians elected him admiral, he declared he would not set sail, asserting he owed debts and that, until he had repaid them, he could not maintain proper authority among his troops. The Athenians, who by all means wished Phormio to command, accordingly settled for him all the debts he owed.