Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.24.1 Class: Mythic

τὴν δὲ ἀκρόπολιν Λάρισαν μὲν καλοῦσιν ἀπὸ τῆς Πελασγοῦ θυγατρός· ἀπὸ ταύτης δὲ καὶ δύο τῶν ἐν Θεσσαλίᾳ πόλεων, ἥ τε ἐπὶ θαλάσσῃ καὶ ἡ παρὰ τὸν Πηνειόν, ὠνομάσθησαν. ἀνιόντων δὲ ἐς τὴν ἀκρόπολιν ἔστι μὲν τῆς Ἀκραίας Ἥρας τὸ ἱερόν, ἔστι δὲ καὶ ναὸς Ἀπόλλωνος, ὃν Πυθαεὺς πρῶτος παραγενόμενος ἐκ Δελφῶν λέγεται ποιῆσαι. τὸ δὲ ἄγαλμα τὸ νῦν χαλκοῦν ἐστιν ὀρθόν, Δειραδιώτης Ἀπόλλων καλούμενος, ὅτι καὶ ὁ τόπος οὗτος καλεῖται Δειράς. ἡ δέ οἱ μαντικὴ---μαντεύεται γὰρ ἔτι καὶ ἐς ἡμᾶς--- καθέστηκε τρόπον τοῦτον. γυνὴ μὲν προφητεύουσά ἐστιν, ἀνδρὸς εὐνῆς εἰργομένη· θυομένης δὲ ἐν νυκτὶ ἀρνὸς κατὰ μῆνα ἕκαστον, γευσαμένη δὴ τοῦ αἵματος ἡ γυνὴ κάτοχος ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γίνεται.

Proper Nouns:

Δειράς Δελφοί Θεσσαλία Λάρισα Πέλασγος Πηνειός Πυθαεύς Ἀπόλλων Ἀπόλλων Δειραδιώτης Ἥρα Ἀκραία

The acropolis they call Larisa, named after the daughter of Pelasgus; from her also two cities in Thessaly have derived their name, one by the sea and another near the Peneius. As one ascends toward the acropolis, there is a sanctuary of Hera Akraia and also a temple of Apollo, said to have been first built by Pythaeus, who came from Delphi. The statue found there now is made of bronze and stands upright, called Apollo Deiradiotes, since this place too is named Deiras. The oracle there—for it continues even into our own day—is established thus: the prophetess is a woman kept apart from the bed of a man; on one night each month a lamb is sacrificed, and when she has tasted of the blood, she becomes possessed by the god.

Passage 2.24.2 Class: Mythic

τοῦ Δειραδιώτου δὲ Ἀπόλλωνος ἔχεται μὲν ἱερὸν Ἀθηνᾶς Ὀξυδερκοῦς καλουμένης, Διομήδους ἀνάθημα, ὅτι οἱ μαχομένῳ ποτὲ ἐν Ἰλίῳ τὴν ἀχλὺν ἀφεῖλεν ἡ θεὸς ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν· ἔχεται δὲ τὸ στάδιον, ἐν ᾧ τὸν ἀγῶνα τῷ Νεμείῳ Διὶ καὶ τὰ Ἡραῖα ἄγουσιν. ἐς δὲ τὴν ἀκρόπολιν ἰοῦσίν ἐστιν ἐν ἀριστερᾷ τῆς ὁδοῦ τῶν Αἰγύπτου παίδων καὶ ταύτῃ μνῆμα. χωρὶς μὲν γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν σωμάτων ἐνταῦθα αἱ κεφαλαί, χωρὶς δὲ ἐν Λέρνῃ σώματα τὰ λοιπά· ἐν Λέρνῃ γὰρ καὶ ὁ φόνος ἐξειργάσθη τῶν νεανίσκων, ἀποθανόντων δὲ ἀποτέμνουσιν αἱ γυναῖκες τὰς κεφαλὰς ἀπόδειξιν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ὧν ἐτόλμησαν.

Proper Nouns:

Αἴγυπτος Δειράδιος Διομήδης Λέρνα Νεμέα, Ζεύς Ἀθηνᾶ Ἀπόλλων Ἡραῖα Ἴλιος Ὀξυδερκής

Next to the sanctuary of Apollo Deiradiotes stands a shrine to Athena, called Oxyderkes ("Keen-sighted"), dedicated by Diomedes, because once, when he was fighting at Troy, the goddess removed the mist from his eyes. Near it lies the stadium, in which they celebrate both the contest held in honor of Zeus Nemeios and the Heraia festival. On the left of the road leading up to the Acropolis, there is also a grave of the children of Aigyptos. The heads alone lie buried here separate from the bodies, while the rest of the bodies are in Lerna. For it was in Lerna that the youths were murdered, and after their deaths, the women cut off the heads and brought them as proof to their father of the deeds they had dared to commit.

Passage 2.24.3 Class: Mythic

ἐπʼ ἄκρᾳ δέ ἐστι τῇ Λαρίσῃ Διὸς ἐπίκλησιν Λαρισαίου ναός, οὐκ ἔχων ὄροφον· τὸ δὲ ἄγαλμα ξύλου πεποιημένον οὐκέτι ἑστηκὸς ἦν ἐπὶ τῷ βάθρῳ. καὶ Ἀθηνᾶς δὲ ναός ἐστι θέας ἄξιος· ἐνταῦθα ἀναθήματα κεῖται καὶ ἄλλα καὶ Ζεὺς ξόανον, δύο μὲν ᾗ πεφύκαμεν ἔχον ὀφθαλμούς, τρίτον δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ μετώπου. τοῦτον τὸν Δία Πριάμῳ φασὶν εἶναι τῷ Λαομέδοντος πατρῷον ἐν ὑπαίθρῳ τῆς αὐλῆς ἱδρυμένον, καὶ ὅτε ἡλίσκετο ὑπὸ Ἑλλήνων Ἴλιον, ἐπὶ τούτου κατέφυγεν ὁ Πρίαμος τὸν βωμόν. ἐπεὶ δὲ τὰ λάφυρα ἐνέμοντο, λαμβάνει Σθένελος ὁ Καπανέως αὐτόν, καὶ ἀνάκειται μὲν διὰ τοῦτο ἐνταῦθα·

Proper Nouns:

Ζεύς Ζεύς Καπανεύς Λάρισα Λαομέδων Λαρισαῖος Πρίαμος Πρίαμος Σθένελος Ἀθηνᾶ Ἕλληνες Ἴλιον

On the summit of Larisa there is a temple dedicated to Zeus surnamed Larissaios; it has no roof, and the wooden cult statue no longer stood upon its pedestal. There stands also a temple of Athena worthy of notice: within it are various offerings, including notably a wooden image (xoanon) of Zeus, possessing two eyes in the natural place and a third upon the forehead. It is said that this Zeus originally belonged to Priam, son of Laomedon, set up in the open courtyard of his palace, and when Troy was captured by the Greeks, Priam took refuge upon this altar. Later, when the Greeks divided the spoils, Sthenelos, son of Kapaneus, took it for himself, and for this reason it is dedicated here.

Passage 2.24.4 Class: Mythic

τρεῖς δὲ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχειν ἐπὶ τῷδε ἄν τις τεκμαίροιτο αὐτόν. Δία γὰρ ἐν οὐρανῷ βασιλεύειν, οὗτος μὲν λόγος κοινὸς πάντων ἐστὶν ἀνθρώπων. ὃν δὲ ἄρχειν φασὶν ὑπὸ γῆς, ἔστιν ἔπος τῶν Ὁμήρου Δία ὀνομάζον καὶ τοῦτον· Ζεύς τε καταχθόνιος καὶ ἐπαινὴ Περσεφόνεια. Hom. ll. 9.457 Αἰσχύλος δὲ ὁ Εὐφορίωνος καλεῖ Δία καὶ τὸν ἐν θαλάσσῃ. τρισὶν οὖν ὁρῶντα ἐποίησεν ὀφθαλμοῖς ὅστις δὴ ἦν ὁ ποιήσας, ἅτε ἐν ταῖς τρισὶ ταῖς λεγομέναις λήξεσιν ἄρχοντα τὸν αὐτὸν τοῦτον θεόν.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰσχύλος Εὐφορίων Ζεύς Ζεύς Περσεφόνεια Ὅμηρος

One might conjecture that he was depicted with three eyes for the following reason. That Zeus reigns in heaven is belief commonly held by all mankind. A Homeric verse applies the name of Zeus also to him whom they say rules beneath the earth: "the underworld Zeus and dread Persephone" (Il. 9.457). Aeschylus, son of Euphorion, calls Zeus also lord of the sea. Therefore whoever fashioned this god gave him three eyes, because the same deity rules the three realms traditionally spoken of.

Passage 2.24.5 Class: Historical

ὁδοὶ δὲ ἐξ Ἄργους καὶ κατʼ ἄλλα εἰσὶ τῆς Πελοποννήσου καὶ πρὸς Ἀρκαδίας ἐπὶ Τεγέαν. ἐν δεξιᾷ δὲ ὄρος ἐστὶν ἡ Λυκώνη, δένδρα κυπαρίσσου μάλιστα ἔχουσα. ᾠκοδόμηται δὲ ἐπὶ κορυφῇ τοῦ ὄρους Ἀρτέμιδος Ὀρθίας ἱερόν, καὶ ἀγάλματα Ἀπόλλωνος καὶ Λητοῦς καὶ Ἀρτέμιδος πεποίηται λευκοῦ λίθου· Πολυκλείτου δέ φασιν εἶναι ἔργα. καταβάντων δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ὄρους αὖθίς ἐστιν ἐν ἀριστερᾷ τῆς λεωφόρου ναὸς Ἀρτέμιδος.

Proper Nouns:

Λητώ Λυκώνη Πελοπόννησος Πολύκλειτος Τεγέα Ἀπόλλων Ἀρκαδία Ἀρτεμις Ὀρθία Ἄργος Ἄρτεμις

Roads from Argos extend both towards other parts of the Peloponnesus and toward Arcadia, leading to Tegea. On the right is a mountain called Lycone, especially rich in cypress trees. On its summit stands a sanctuary dedicated to Artemis Orthia, with statues of Apollo, Leto, and Artemis crafted from white stone, said to be works of Polycleitus. Upon descending from the mountain, again on the left side of the road, there is a temple of Artemis.

Passage 2.24.6 Class: Historical

ὀλίγον δὲ ἀπωτέρω ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς ὁδοῦ Χάον ἐστὶν ὄρος ὀνομαζόμενον, ὑπὸ δὲ αὐτῷ δένδρα πέφυκεν ἥμερα καὶ ἄνεισι τοῦ Ἐρασίνου φανερὸν ἐνταῦθα δὴ τὸ ὕδωρ· τέως δὲ ἐκ Στυμφάλου ῥεῖ τῆς Ἀρκάδων ὥσπερ ἐξ Εὐρίπου κατὰ Ἐλευσῖνα καὶ τὴν ταύτῃ θάλασσαν οἱ Ῥειτοί. πρὸς δὲ τοῦ Ἐρασίνου ταῖς κατὰ τὸ ὄρος ἐκβολαῖς Διονύσῳ καὶ Πανὶ θύουσι, τῷ Διονύσῳ δὲ καὶ ἑορτὴν ἄγουσι καλουμένην Τύρβην.

Proper Nouns:

Διόνυσος Εὔριπος Πάν Στύμφαλος Τύρβη Χάος Ἀρκάδες Ἐλευσῖς Ἐρασῖνος Ῥειτοί

A short distance further, on the right-hand side of the road, there is a mountain named Chaon. At the foot of this mountain grow cultivated trees, and the water of the Erasinus river rises to view clearly there. Until that point, the river flows underground from Stymphalus in Arcadia, just as the streams called Rheitoi flow from the Euripus and emerge near Eleusis into the sea located there. Near where the Erasinus emerges from the mountain, the people sacrifice to Dionysus and Pan, and they conduct a festival for Dionysus as well, called Tyrbe.

Passage 2.24.7 Class: Historical

ἐπανελθοῦσι δὲ ἐς τὴν ἐπὶ Τεγέας ὁδόν ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ ὀνομαζομένου Τρόχου Κεγχρεαί. τὸ δὲ ὄνομα ἐφʼ ὅτῳ τῷ χωρίῳ γέγονεν, οὐ λέγουσι, πλὴν εἰ μὴ καὶ τοῦτο ἄρα ὠνομάσθη διὰ τὸν Πειρήνης παῖδα Κεγχρίαν. καὶ πολυάνδρια ἐνταῦθά ἐστιν Ἀργείων νικησάντων μάχῃ Λακεδαιμονίους περὶ Ὑσιάς. τὸν δὲ ἀγῶνα τοῦτον συμβάντα εὕρισκον Ἀθηναίοις ἄρχοντος Πεισιστράτου, τετάρτῳ δὲ ἔτει τῆς ἑβδόμης καὶ εἰκοστῆς Ὀλυμπιάδος ἣν Εὐρύβοτος Ἀθηναῖος ἐνίκα στάδιον. καταβάντος δὲ ἐς τὸ χθαμαλώτερον ἐρείπια Ὑσιῶν ἐστι πόλεώς ποτε ἐν τῇ Ἀργολίδι, καὶ τὸ πταῖσμα Λακεδαιμονίοις ἐνταῦθα γενέσθαι λέγουσιν.

Proper Nouns:

Εὐρύβοτος Κεγχρίας Κεγχρεαί Λακεδαιμόνιοι Λακεδαιμόνιοι Πειρήνη Πεισίστρατος Τεγέα Τροχός Ἀθηναῖοι Ἀθηναῖος Ἀργεῖοι Ἀργολίς Ὀλυμπιάς Ὑσιαί Ὑσιαί

Returning again to the road leading to Tegea, on the right hand side is a place called Kenchreai near Trochos. They do not explain from where the place received its name, unless perhaps it was also named after Kenchrias, the son of Peirene. Here stand burial mounds of Argives who defeated the Spartans in battle at Hysiai. I discovered that this encounter occurred when Peisistratos was archon of the Athenians, in the fourth year of the twenty-seventh Olympiad, during which Olympiad Eurybotus of Athens won the stadion race. Descending further into lower ground, there are the ruins of Hysiai, once a city within Argolis, and the local tradition is that it was here that the Spartans suffered the defeat.

Legend:

Chapter 2.24