Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.34.1 Class: Historical

τὴν δὲ γῆν τὴν Ὠρωπίαν μεταξὺ τῆς Ἀττικῆς καὶ Ταναγρικῆς, Βοιωτίαν τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς οὖσαν, ἔχουσιν ἐφʼ ἡμῶν Ἀθηναῖοι, πολεμήσαντες μὲν τὸν πάντα ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς χρόνον, κτησάμενοι δὲ οὐ πρότερον βεβαίως πρὶν ἢ Φίλιππος Θήβας ἑλὼν ἔδωκέ σφισιν. ἡ μὲν οὖν πόλις ἐστὶν ἐπὶ θαλάσσης μέγα οὐδὲν ἐς συγγραφὴν παρεχομένη· ἀπέχει δὲ δώδεκα τῆς πόλεως σταδίους μάλιστα ἱερὸν τοῦ Ἀμφιαράου.

Proper Nouns:

Βοιωτία Θῆβαι Ταναγρα Φίλιππος Ἀθηναῖος Ἀμφιαράος Ἀττική Ὠρωπία

The Oropian territory that lies between Attica and Tanagra, originally belonging to Boeotia, is occupied in our time by the Athenians. They continually fought for it, but did not firmly obtain possession until Philip conquered Thebes and granted it to them. The city itself lies by the sea and offers nothing noteworthy for recording; but about twelve stades distant from the city is a sanctuary of Amphiaraus.

Passage 1.34.2 Class: Mythic

λέγεται δὲ Ἀμφιαράῳ φεύγοντι ἐκ Θηβῶν διαστῆναι τὴν γῆν καὶ ὡς αὐτὸν ὁμοῦ καὶ τὸ ἅρμα ὑπεδέξατο· πλὴν οὐ ταύτῃ συμβῆναί φασιν, ἀλλά ἐστιν ἐκ Θηβῶν ἰοῦσιν ἐς Χαλκίδα Ἅρμα καλούμενον. θεὸν δὲ Ἀμφιάραον πρώτοις Ὠρωπίοις κατέστη νομίζειν, ὕστερον δὲ καὶ οἱ πάντες Ἕλληνες ἥγηνται. καταλέξαι δὲ καὶ ἄλλους ἔχω γενομένους τότε ἀνθρώπους, οἳ θεῶν παρʼ Ἕλλησι τιμὰς ἔχουσι, τοῖς δὲ καὶ ἀνάκεινται πόλεις, Ἐλεοῦς ἐν Χερρονήσῳ Πρωτεσιλάῳ, Λεβάδεια Βοιωτῶν Τροφωνίῳ· καὶ Ὠρωπίοις ναός τέ ἐστιν Ἀμφιαράου καὶ ἄγαλμα λευκοῦ λίθου.

Proper Nouns:

Βοιωτοί Θῆβαι Λεβάδεια Πρωτεσίλαος Τροφώνιος Χαλκίς Χερρόνησος Ἀμφιάραος Ἀμφιάραος Ἅρμα Ἐλεοῦς Ἕλληνες Ὠρωποῖοι

They say that when Amphiaraus was fleeing from Thebes, the earth opened up and received both him and his chariot; yet they affirm that this event occurred not at this spot, but at a place called Harma ("Chariot") on the road leading from Thebes to Chalcis. It was the Oropians who first established the worship of Amphiaraus as a god, but afterwards all the Greeks respected him as divine. I could also list other men of past times who have received divine honors among the Greeks and even have cities dedicated to them—for instance, Protesilaus at Elaeus in the Chersonese and Trophonius at Lebadeia in Boeotia. Likewise, the Oropians have a temple for Amphiaraus and a statue of him made from white stone.

Passage 1.34.3 Class: Mythic

παρέχεται δὲ ὁ βωμὸς μέρη· τὸ μὲν Ἡρακλέους καὶ Διὸς καὶ Ἀπόλλωνός ἐστι Παιῶνος, τὸ δὲ ἥρωσι καὶ ἡρώων ἀνεῖται γυναιξί, τρίτον δὲ Ἑστίας καὶ Ἑρμοῦ καὶ Ἀμφιαράου καὶ τῶν παίδων Ἀμφιλόχου· Ἀλκμαίων δὲ διὰ τὸ ἐς Ἐριφύλην ἔργον οὔτε ἐν Ἀμφιαράου τινά, οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ παρὰ τῷ Ἀμφιλόχῳ τιμὴν ἔχει. τετάρτη δέ ἐστι τοῦ βωμοῦ μοῖρα Ἀφροδίτης καὶ Πανακείας, ἔτι δὲ Ἰασοῦς καὶ Ὑγείας καὶ Ἀθηνᾶς Παιωνίας· πέμπτη δὲ πεποίηται νύμφαις καὶ Πανὶ καὶ ποταμοῖς Ἀχελῴῳ καὶ Κηφισῷ. τῷ δὲ Ἀμφιλόχῳ καὶ παρʼ Ἀθηναίοις ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ πόλει βωμὸς καὶ Κιλικίας ἐν Μαλλῷ μαντεῖον ἀψευδέστατον τῶν ἐπʼ ἐμοῦ.

Proper Nouns:

Ζεύς Κηφισός Κιλικία Μαλλός Πάν Παιών Πανακεία Ἀθηναῖοι Ἀθηνᾶ Παιωνία Ἀλκμαίων Ἀμφίλοχος Ἀμφίλοχος Ἀμφιάραος Ἀπόλλων Ἀφροδίτη Ἀχελῷος Ἐριφύλη Ἑρμῆς Ἑστία Ἡρακλῆς Ἰασώ Ὑγεία

The altar is divided into sections: one portion belongs to Heracles, Zeus, and Apollo Paeon; another is consecrated to heroes and to the wives of heroes; a third portion is for Hestia, Hermes, Amphiaraus, and the children of Amphiaraus. Alcmaeon, however, on account of his deed against Eriphyle, receives no honors either with Amphiaraus himself or with Amphilochus. A fourth part of the altar is dedicated to Aphrodite and Panacea, and also to Iaso, Hygieia and Athena Paeonia. The fifth portion is assigned to the Nymphs, Pan, and the rivers Achelous and Cephisus. Amphilochus, moreover, has an altar among the Athenians in their city, and at Mallus in Cilicia an oracle, which in my day was the most truthful of all.

Passage 1.34.4 Class: Mythic

ἔστι δὲ Ὠρωπίοις πηγὴ πλησίον τοῦ ναοῦ, ἣν Ἀμφιαράου καλοῦσιν, οὔτε θύοντες οὐδὲν ἐς αὐτὴν οὔτʼ ἐπὶ καθαρσίοις ἢ χέρνιβι χρῆσθαι νομίζοντες· νόσου δὲ ἀκεσθείσης ἀνδρὶ μαντεύματος γενομένου καθέστηκεν ἄργυρον ἀφεῖναι καὶ χρυσὸν ἐπίσημον ἐς τὴν πηγήν, ταύτῃ γὰρ ἀνελθεῖν τὸν Ἀμφιάραον λέγουσιν ἤδη θεόν. Ἰοφῶν δὲ Κνώσσιος τῶν ἐξηγητῶν χρησμοὺς ἐν ἑξαμέτρῳ παρείχετο, Ἀμφιάραον χρῆσαι φάμενος τοῖς ἐς Θήβας σταλεῖσιν Ἀργείων. ταῦτα τὰ ἔπη τὸ ἐς τοὺς πολλοὺς ἐπαγωγὸν ἀκρατῶς εἶχε· χωρὶς δὲ πλὴν ὅσους ἐξ Ἀπόλλωνος μανῆναι λέγουσι τὸ ἀρχαῖον, μάντεών γʼ οὐδεὶς χρησμολόγος ἦν, ἀγαθοὶ δὲ ὀνείρατα ἐξηγήσασθαι καὶ διαγνῶναι πτήσεις ὀρνίθων καὶ σπλάγχνα ἱερείων.

Proper Nouns:

Θῆβαι Κνῶσσος Ἀμφιάραος Ἀμφιάραος Ἀπόλλων Ἀργεῖοι Ἰοφῶν Ὠρωποί

Near the temple, the Oropians have a spring they call the Spring of Amphiaraus. They neither cast any sacrifices into it nor deem it proper to use its water for purification or cleansing purposes. When someone has been cured of a sickness in accordance with an oracle, it is customary for him to throw silver coins and stamped gold into the spring; for tradition says that here Amphiaraus ascended from the earth and became a god. Iophon of Knossos, one of the interpreters, delivered oracles in hexameter verses, claiming that Amphiaraus had prophesied to the Argives who marched upon Thebes. These verses possessed an extraordinary attraction for the crowds. Apart from certain legendary persons said to have been inspired by Apollo himself in ancient times, none of the seers composed oracles; rather, they excelled at interpreting dreams, understanding the flight of birds, and examining the entrails of sacrificial animals.

Passage 1.34.5 Class: Mythic

δοκῶ δὲ Ἀμφιάραον ὀνειράτων διακρίσει μάλιστα προ ς κεῖσθαι· δῆλος δέ, ἡνίκα ἐνομίσθη θεός, διʼ ὀνειράτων μαντικὴν καταστησάμενος. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν καθήρασθαι νομίζουσιν ὅστις ἦλθεν Ἀμφιαράῳ χρησόμενος· ἔστι δὲ καθάρσιον τῷ θεῷ θύειν, θύουσι δὲ καὶ αὐτῷ καὶ πᾶσιν ὅσοις ἐστὶν ἐπὶ τῷ βωμῷ τὰ ὀνόματα· προεξειργασμένων δὲ τούτων κριὸν θύσαντες καὶ τὸ δέρμα ὑποστρωσάμενοι καθεύδουσιν ἀναμένοντες δήλωσιν ὀνείρατος.

Proper Nouns:

Ἀμφιάραος Ἀμφιάραος

I think Amphiaraus is especially skilled in interpreting dreams; clearly so, since the belief in his divinity was established largely through divination by dreams. The people hold that whoever comes to Amphiaraus seeking an oracle must first undergo purification. It is customary for purification rites to sacrifice to the god, offering not only to Amphiaraus himself but also to all the deities whose names appear on the altar. After these preliminary rites, they sacrifice a ram, spread out its skin, and lie down upon it, sleeping there in expectation of a prophetic dream.

Legend:

Chapter 1.34