Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.1.1 Class: Mythic

ἡ δὲ Κορινθία χώρα μοῖρα οὖσα τῆς Ἀργείας ἀπὸ Κορίνθου τὸ ὄνομα ἔσχηκε. Διὸς δὲ εἶναι Κόρινθον οὐδένα οἶδα εἰπόντα πω σπουδῇ πλὴν Κορινθίων τῶν πολλῶν· Εὔμηλος δὲ ὁ Ἀμφιλύτου τῶν Βακχιδῶν καλουμένων, ὃς καὶ τὰ ἔπη λέγεται ποιῆσαι, φησὶν ἐν τῇ Κορινθίᾳ συγγραφῇ---εἰ δὲ Εὐμήλου γε ἡ συγγραφή---Ἐφύραν Ὠκεανοῦ θυγατέρα οἰκῆσαι πρῶτον ἐν τῇ γῇ ταύτῃ, Μαραθῶνα δὲ ὕστερον τὸν Ἐπωπέως τοῦ Ἀλωέως τοῦ Ἡλίου φεύγοντα ἀνομίαν καὶ ὕβριν τοῦ πατρὸς ἐς τὰ παραθαλάσσια μετοικῆσαι τῆς Ἀττικῆς, ἀποθανόντος δὲ Ἐπωπέως ἀφικόμενον ἐς Πελοπόννησον καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν διανείμαντα τοῖς παισὶν αὐτὸν ἐς τὴν Ἀττικὴν αὖθις ἀναχωρῆσαι, καὶ ἀπὸ μὲν Σικυῶνος τὴν Ἀσωπίαν, ἀπὸ δὲ Κορίνθου τὴν Ἐφυραίαν μετονομασθῆναι.

Proper Nouns:

Βακχίδης Εὔμηλος Εὔμηλος Ζεύς Κορινθία Κορινθία Κόρινθιος Κόρινθος Κόρινθος Μαραθών Πελοπόννησος Σικυών Ἀλωεύς Ἀμφιλύτης Ἀργεία Ἀσωπία Ἀττική Ἐπωπεύς Ἐφυραία Ἐφύρα Ἥλιος Ὠκεανός

The land of Corinth was originally part of the Argive territory, and took its name from Corinth. That Corinth was a son of Zeus, I know of no one who has seriously asserted, except indeed the generality of the Corinthians themselves. Eumelus, however, the son of Amphilytus, one of the family called the Bacchiadae, who is said also to have composed epic poems, says in his Corinthian History (if indeed this work truly belongs to Eumelus), that Ephyra, daughter of Ocean, was first to dwell in this land, and that afterward Marathon, son of Epopeus, son of Aloeus, son of Helios, fleeing from his father’s lawlessness and insolence, migrated to the sea-coast of Attica; that upon the death of Epopeus he returned to the Peloponnese, divided the kingdom among his sons, and then again withdrew back to Attica. It was from his son Sicyon that the land called Asopia took its name; and from his son Corinth, the region previously known as Ephyraea was renamed.

Passage 2.1.2 Class: Historical

Κόρινθον δὲ οἰκοῦσι Κορινθίων μὲν οὐδεὶς ἔτι τῶν ἀρχαίων, ἔποικοι δὲ ἀποσταλέντες ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων. αἴτιον δὲ τὸ συνέδριον τὸ Ἀχαιῶν· συντελοῦντες γὰρ ἐς αὐτὸ καὶ οἱ Κορίνθιοι μετέσχον τοῦ πολέμου τοῦ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους, ὃν Κριτόλαος στρατηγεῖν Ἀχαιῶν ἀποδειχθεὶς παρεσκεύασε γενέσθαι τούς τε Ἀχαιοὺς ἀναπείσας ἀποστῆναι καὶ τῶν ἔξω Πελοποννήσου τοὺς πολλούς. Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ ὡς ἐκράτησαν τῷ πολέμῳ, παρείλοντο μὲν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων Ἑλλήνων τὰ ὅπλα καὶ τείχη περιεῖλον ὅσαι τετειχισμέναι πόλεις ἦσαν· Κόρινθον δὲ ἀνάστατον Μομμίου ποιήσαντος τοῦ τότε ἡγουμένου τῶν ἐπὶ στρατοπέδου Ῥωμαίων, ὕστερον λέγουσιν ἀνοικίσαι Καίσαρα, ὃς πολιτείαν ἐν Ῥώμῃ πρῶτος τὴν ἐφʼ ἡμῶν κατεστήσατο· ἀνοικίσαι δὲ καὶ Καρχηδόνα ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς τῆς αὐτοῦ.

Proper Nouns:

Καρχηδών Καῖσαρ Κορίνθιος Κορίνθιος Κριτόλαος Κόρινθος Μόμμιος Πελοπόννησος Ἀχαιοί Ἕλληνες Ῥωμαῖοι Ῥωμαῖοι Ῥωμαῖοι Ῥώμη

No one of the ancient Corinthians still dwells in Corinth, but settlers who were sent there by the Romans. The cause of this lies in the Achaean League. For the Corinthians, as they were members of this federation, took part in the war against the Romans, a conflict prepared and incited by the Achaean general Critolaus, who convinced the Achaeans to revolt, along with many others outside the Peloponnese. When the Romans prevailed in this war, they confiscated the weapons from the other Greeks as well and destroyed the fortifications of the formerly walled cities; Corinth, however, was razed to the ground by Mummius, who at that time was the commander of the Roman army. Later, it is said, Corinth was re-founded by Caesar, the first who established the government prevailing in my own day at Rome; and during his rule he also restored Carthage.

Passage 2.1.3 Class: Mythic

τῆς δὲ Κορινθίας ἐστὶ γῆς καὶ ὁ καλούμενος Κρομυὼν ἀπὸ τοῦ Κρόμου τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος. ἐνταῦθα τραφῆναί φασι Φαιὰν , καὶ τῶν λεγομένων Θησέως καὶ τὸ ἐς τὴν ὗν ταύτην ἐστὶν ἔργον. προϊοῦσι δὲ ἡ πίτυς ἄχρι γε ἐμοῦ πεφύκει παρὰ τὸν αἰγιαλὸν καὶ Μελικέρτου βωμὸς ἦν. ἐς τοῦτον τὸν τόπον ἐκκομισθῆναι τὸν παῖδα ὑπὸ δελφῖνος λέγουσι· κειμένῳ δὲ ἐπιτυχόντα Σίσυφον θάψαι τε ἐν τῷ ἰσθμῷ καὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα ἐπʼ αὐτῷ ποιῆσαι τῶν Ἰσθμίων.

Proper Nouns:

Θησεύς Κορινθία Κρομυών Κρόμος Μελικέρτης Ποσειδών Σίσυφος Φαιά Ἰσθμία

Within Corinthian territory lies also the place called Cromyon, named after Cromus, the son of Poseidon. There, they say, the sow Phaea was nurtured, and among the notable deeds of Theseus is his encounter with this sow. Proceeding onward, a pine tree grew by the shore up until my day, and there was an altar of Melicertes. They recount that Melicertes was carried to this spot by a dolphin, and that Sisyphus, who found the boy lying here, buried him on the Isthmus and established the games of the Isthmia in his honor.

Passage 2.1.4 Class: Mythic

ἔστι δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἰσθμοῦ τῆς ἀρχῆς, ἔνθα ὁ λῃστὴς Σίνις λαμβανόμενος πιτύων ἦγεν ἐς τὸ κάτω σφᾶς· ὁπόσων δὲ μάχῃ κρατήσειεν, ἀπʼ αὐτῶν δήσας ἀφῆκεν ἂν τὰ δένδρα ἄνω φέρεσθαι· ἐνταῦθα ἑκατέρα τῶν πιτύων τὸν δεθέντα ἐφʼ αὑτὴν εἷλκε, καὶ τοῦ δεσμοῦ μηδετέρωσε εἴκοντος ἀλλʼ ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἐπʼ ἴσης βιαζομένου διεσπᾶτο ὁ δεδεμένος. τοιούτῳ διεφθάρη τρόπῳ καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπὸ Θησέως ὁ Σίνις· ἐκάθηρε γὰρ Θησεὺς τῶν κακούργων τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν ἐς Ἀθήνας ἐκ Τροιζῆνος, οὕς τε πρότερον κατηρίθμησα ἀνελὼν καὶ ἐν Ἐπιδαύρῳ τῇ ἱερᾷ Περιφήτην Ἡφαίστου νομιζόμενον, κορύνῃ χαλκῇ χρώμενον ἐς τὰς μάχας.

Proper Nouns:

Θησεύς Θησεύς Περιφήτης Σίνις Τροιζήν Ἀθῆναι Ἐπίδαυρος Ἥφαιστος Ἰσθμός

At the very entrance of the Isthmus is the spot where the robber Sinis used to bend down pine trees to the ground. Whenever he overcame any man in combat, Sinis would bind him between two pines, after which he released the trees, letting them spring upright. Both trees then violently pulled the tied man toward themselves, and since the bonds yielded neither way but exerted equal force from both sides, the captive was torn apart. In this same fashion Sinis himself was destroyed by Theseus, who cleared of such criminals the road from Troezen to Athens, having slain those whom I previously enumerated, and also Periphetes in sacred Epidaurus, considered the son of Hephaistos, who used a bronze club in battle.

Passage 2.1.5 Class: Historical

καθήκει δὲ ὁ τῶν Κορινθίων ἰσθμὸς τῇ μὲν ἐς τὴν ἐπὶ Κεγχρέαις, τῇ δὲ ἐς τὴν ἐπὶ Λεχαίῳ θάλασσαν· τοῦτο γὰρ ἤπειρον ποιεῖ τὴν ἐντὸς χώραν. ὃς δὲ ἐπεχείρησε Πελοπόννησον ἐργάσασθαι νῆσον, προαπέλιπε διορύσσων ἰσθμόν· καὶ ὅθεν μὲν διορύσσειν ἤρξαντο δῆλόν ἐστιν, ἐς δὲ τὸ πετρῶδες οὐ προεχώρησαν ἀρχήν· μένει δὲ ὡς πεφύκει καὶ νῦν ἤπειρος ὤν. Ἀλεξάνδρῳ τε τῷ Φιλίππου διασκάψαι Μίμαντα ἐθελήσαντι μόνον τοῦτο οὐ προεχώρησε τὸ ἔργον· Κνιδίους δὲ ἡ Πυθία τὸν ἰσθμὸν ὀρύσσοντας ἔπαυσεν. οὕτω χαλεπὸν ἀνθρώπῳ τὰ θεῖα βιάσασθαι.

Proper Nouns:

Κεγχρεαί Κνίδιοι Κορίνθιοι Λέχαιον Μίμας Πελοπόννησος Πυθία Φίλιππος Ἀλέξανδρος Ἰσθμός

The Isthmus of the Corinthians stretches on one side towards the sea near Cenchreae, and on the other towards the sea at Lechaeum; it is this that makes the inland region a part of the mainland. He who first attempted to turn the Peloponnese into an island abandoned his work of digging through the Isthmus before completion. The place where they began digging is clearly visible, but they failed entirely to proceed into the solid rock, so the region remains as nature formed it, continuing even now as part of the mainland. Even Alexander, the son of Philip, who wished to cut through Mount Mimas, found only in this endeavor that his efforts were unsuccessful. Likewise, the Pythian oracle stopped the Cnidians as they were digging through their isthmus. Thus difficult it is for man to force what the gods ordain.

Passage 2.1.6 Class: Mythic

τὸ δὲ οὐ Κορινθίοις μόνον περὶ τῆς χώρας ἐστὶν εἰρημένον, ἀλλὰ ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν Ἀθηναῖοι πρῶτοι περὶ τῆς Ἀττικῆς ἐσεμνολόγησαν· λέγουσι δὲ καὶ οἱ Κορίνθιοι Ποσειδῶνα ἐλθεῖν Ἡλίῳ περὶ τῆς γῆς ἐς ἀμφισβήτησιν, Βριάρεων δὲ διαλλακτὴν γενέσθαι σφίσιν, ἰσθμὸν μὲν καὶ ὅσα ταύτῃ δικάσαντα εἶναι Ποσειδῶνος, τὴν δὲ ἄκραν Ἡλίῳ δόντα τὴν ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως. ἀπὸ μὲν τούτου λέγουσιν εἶναι τὸν ἰσθμὸν Ποσειδῶνος·

Proper Nouns:

Βριάρεως Κορίνθιος Κορίνθιος Ποσειδῶν Ἀθηναῖοι Ἀττική Ἥλιος

This boastful claim concerning their land is not unique to the Corinthians; rather, it seems to me the Athenians were the first to extol Attica in such a manner. As for the Corinthians, they also say that Poseidon disputed with Helios over their territory, and that Briareos acted as arbitrator between them, assigning the Isthmus and the territory surrounding it to Poseidon, while granting to Helios the promontory that rises above the city. They say this is why the Isthmus belongs to Poseidon.

Passage 2.1.7 Class: Historical

θέας δὲ αὐτόθι ἄξια ἔστι μὲν θέατρον, ἔστι δὲ στάδιον λίθου λευκοῦ. ἐλθόντι δὲ ἐς τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦτο μὲν ἀθλητῶν νικησάντων· τὰ Ἴσθμια ἑστήκασιν εἰκόνες, τοῦτο δὲ πιτύων δένδρα ἐστὶ πεφυτευμένα ἐπὶ στοίχου, τὰ πολλὰ ἐς εὐθὺ αὐτῶν ἀνήκοντα. τῷ ναῷ δὲ ὄντι μέγεθος οὐ μείζονι ἐφεστήκασι Τρίτωνες χαλκοῖ. καὶ ἀγάλματά ἐστιν ἐν τῷ προνάῳ δύο μὲν Ποσειδῶνος, τρίτον δὲ Ἀμφιτρίτης, καὶ Θάλασσα καὶ αὕτη χαλκῆ. τὰ δὲ ἔνδον ἐφʼ ἡμῶν ἀνέθηκεν Ἡρώδης Ἀθηναῖος, ἵππους τέσσαρας ἐπιχρύσους πλὴν τῶν ὁπλῶν· ὁπλαὶ δέ σφισίν εἰσιν ἐλέφαντος.

Proper Nouns:

Θάλασσα Ποσειδῶν Τρίτων Ἀθηναῖος Ἀμφιτρίτη Ἡρώδης Ἴσθμια

Noteworthy sights at this place include a theater and a stadium made of white stone. On the approach to the sanctuary of the god, there are statues of athletes who have won victories at the Isthmian games. There is also a row of pine trees planted in a straight line, most of them standing upright. Near the temple itself, which is of moderate size, stand bronze Tritons. In the pronaos are statues: two of Poseidon and a third of Amphitrite, and also a representation in bronze of the sea (Thalassa). The inner decorations were dedicated in my time by Herodes the Athenian; these include four horses overlaid with gold except for their hooves, which are made of ivory.

Passage 2.1.8 Class: Mythic

καὶ Τρίτωνες δύο παρὰ τοὺς ἵππους εἰσὶ χρυσοῖ, τὰ μετʼ ἰξὺν ἐλέφαντος καὶ οὗτοι· τῷ δὲ ἅρματι Ἀμφιτρίτη καὶ Ποσειδῶν ἐφεστήκασι, καὶ παῖς ὀρθός ἐστιν ἐπὶ δελφῖνος ὁ Παλαίμων· ἐλέφαντος δὲ καὶ χρυσοῦ καὶ οὗτοι πεποίηνται. τῷ βάθρῳ δὲ ἐφʼ οὗ τὸ ἅρμα μέση μὲν ἐπείργασται Θάλασσα ἀνέχουσα Ἀφροδίτην παῖδα, ἑκατέρωθεν δέ εἰσιν αἱ Νηρηίδες καλούμεναι. ταύταις καὶ ἑτέρωθι τῆς Ἑλλάδος βωμοὺς οἶδα ὄντας, τοὺς δὲ καὶ τεμένη σφίσιν ἀναθέντας † ποιμαίνισιν , ἔνθα καὶ Ἀχιλλεῖ τιμαί· Δωτοῦς δὲ ἐν Γαβάλοις ἱερόν ἐστιν ἅγιον, ἔνθα πέπλος ἔτι ἐλείπετο, ὃν Ἕλληνες Ἐριφύλην λέγουσιν ἐπὶ τῷ παιδὶ λαβεῖν Ἀλκμαίωνι.

Proper Nouns:

Γάβαλοι Δωτώ Θάλασσα Νηρηίς Παλαίμων Ποσειδῶν Τρίτων Ἀλκμαίων Ἀμφιτρίτη Ἀφροδίτη Ἀχιλλεύς Ἐριφύλη Ἑλλάς Ἕλλην

Beside the horses there are two golden Tritons, with ivory used in parts of them also. Poseidon and Amphitrite stand upon the chariot, and Palaemon stands upright upon a dolphin; these figures likewise are fashioned from ivory and gold. On the pedestal bearing the chariot a figure of Thalassa ("the Sea") is wrought in the centre, holding up her daughter Aphrodite. On either side are the figures known as the Nereids. I know of altars dedicated to them also elsewhere in Greece, and there are precincts that communities established for them especially near the seashore, where honours are also paid to Achilles. At Gabala in Doton there is a sanctuary held in reverence, wherein was preserved the robe which, according to the Greek tradition, Eriphyle received as payment for betraying her son Alcmaeon.

Passage 2.1.9 Class: Mythic

τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος δέ εἰσιν ἐπειργασμένοι τῷ βάθρῳ καὶ οἱ Τυνδάρεω παῖδες, ὅτι δὴ σωτῆρες καὶ οὗτοι νεῶν καὶ ἀνθρώπων εἰσὶ ναυτιλλομένων. τὰ δὲ ἄλλα ἀνάκειται Γαλήνης ἄγαλμα καὶ Θαλάσσης καὶ ἵππος εἰκασμένος κήτει τὰ μετὰ τὸ στέρνον, Ἰνώ τε καὶ Βελλεροφόντης καὶ ὁ ἵππος ὁ Πήγασος.

Proper Nouns:

Βελλεροφόντης Γαλήνη Θάλασσα Πήγασος Ποσειδῶν Τυνδάρεως Ἰνώ

Upon Poseidon's pedestal there are also carved the sons of Tyndareus, since they too are saviors of ships and of men at sea. In addition, dedicated here are statues of Galene ("Calm") and Thalassa ("Sea"), and a horse depicted with the hind parts resembling a sea-monster, as well as Ino, Bellerophon, and the horse Pegasus.

Legend:

Chapter 2.1