Pausanias Analysis

Another road leads from Eleusis toward Megara. As one follows this road there is a well called Anthion. Pamphos recorded that by this well Demeter sat, after her daughter's abduction, disguised in the form of an old woman. It was from this place, he says, that the daughters of Celeus brought her as though she were an Argive woman to their mother, and thus persuaded Metaneira to entrust to her the rearing of her child.

A short distance away from the well is a sanctuary of Metaneira, and beyond it are the tombs of those who marched against Thebes. For Creon, who at that time ruled in Thebes as guardian for Laodamas, the son of Eteocles, did not allow their relatives to recover the bodies and bury them. When Adrastus entreated Theseus for help, a battle took place between Athenians and Boeotians; after winning this battle, Theseus brought the bodies to Eleusis and buried them there. The Thebans, however, say that they willingly allowed the retrieval of the bodies and deny that any battle was fought.

After the tombs of the Argives is the memorial of Alope, who, it is said, bore Hippothoon to Poseidon, and died there at the hands of her father Cercyon. Cercyon is said also in other ways to have been unjust toward strangers, compelling them to wrestle even if they did not wish it. Thus, this place was called even in my time the wrestling-ground of Cercyon, which lies not far from Alope's tomb. It is said that Cercyon killed those who entered the wrestling-match with him, except Theseus, who overcame him chiefly by skill. Indeed, Theseus was the first to discover the art of wrestling, and from him arose afterward the teaching of wrestling; previously, men relied only upon their size and strength in contests. These things, in my judgment, were very well known to the Athenians, both through reports and their own observations. From the beginning of my narrative onward, however, my account set apart those points suitable for inclusion in my description.

Bordering close upon Eleusis is the region called Megaris. In earlier times this also belonged to the Athenians, for King Pylas relinquished it to Pandion. As evidence I point both to Pandion's tomb in that land and to Nisus himself, who yielded rule over Athens to Aegeus, the eldest of the whole family, but retained for himself Megara and the territory as far as Corinth, ruling as king. Indeed, even now the port Nisaea, which serves the Megarians, bears his name. Later, in the reign of Codrus, the Peloponnesians attacked Athens; and when they returned home without having achieved any notable success, they captured Megara from the Athenians and gave it to the Corinthians and other allies who wished to settle there.

The Megarians, having thus altered their customs and dialect, became Dorians; they say their city was named after Car, the son of Phoroneus, who once ruled in this land. At that time, they claim, rites of Demeter were first established by them, and at that same period, the inhabitants began to call their city Megara. Thus the Megarians themselves tell the story of their origins. The Boeotians, however, assert at Onchestus that Megareus, a son of Poseidon who lived there, came to Nisos with a Boeotian army to aid him in his war against Minos; Megareus fell in battle and was buried there, and from him the city, previously called Nisa, received the name Megara.

The Megarians say that twelve generations after Car, the son of Phoroneus, Lelex came from Egypt and became king, and that the people were named Leleges from him during his rule. Lelex had a son named Cleson, and from Cleson was born Pylas, and from Pylas, Sciron. This Sciron married the daughter of Pandion, and afterwards entered into a dispute with Nisus, son of Pandion, regarding the kingdom. Aeacus arbitrated between them, awarding the kingship to Nisus and his descendants, but assigning the military command to Sciron. Megareus, who married Iphinoë, the daughter of Nisus, succeeded him on the throne, according to tradition. However, the Megarians refuse to acknowledge the Cretan war and the capture of the city which took place during the reign of Nisus.