Pausanias Analysis

Near the Platanistas there is also a hero-shrine of Cynisca, daughter of Archidamus, king of the Spartans. She was the first woman to breed horses and the first woman to win a chariot victory at Olympia. Behind the colonnade built beside the Platanistas stand hero-shrines: one for Alcimus, another for Enarsphorus, not far away one for Dorceus, and next to this, one for Sebrus. These figures, they say, were sons of Hippocoon.

From Dorceus comes the fountain nearby called Dorceia, close to his hero-shrine; and the place is called Sebrium after Sebrus. On the right-hand side of Sebrium is the tomb of Alcman, whose songs the Laconian tongue, least suited to harmonious expression, in no way impaired in their pleasantness.

There are sanctuaries of Helen and of Heracles: the former is near the tomb of Alcman, and the latter very close to the city wall; inside it stands a statue of Heracles armed for battle. They say the particular posture of the statue commemorates the fight against Hippocoön and his sons. They also say Heracles harbored hostility toward the household of Hippocoön, because when he came to Sparta to be purified after the death of Iphitus, they refused him purification.

Another event occurred that also sparked the beginning of the war. Oionos, still a youth in age and cousin to Herakles—for he was the son of Likymnios, the brother of Alkmene—had come to Sparta accompanying Herakles. While wandering around and examining the town, he happened to come to the house of Hippokoön, where a watchdog ran out at him. Oionos immediately threw a stone and killed the dog. Then Hippokoön's sons rushed forth and, striking him with clubs, caused Oionos' death.

This especially inflamed Heracles against Hippocoön and his sons, and immediately, in his anger, he moved to fight against them. On that occasion he was wounded, and secretly withdrew. Later, however, when he marched upon Sparta with an army, he succeeded in avenging himself upon Hippocoön, and also avenged the death of Oeonus's sons. The tomb of Oeonus was erected near the sanctuary of Heracles.

As one goes from the Dromos toward the rising sun, there is, on the right-hand side, a footpath and a sanctuary of Athena named Axiopoinos ("She who exacts just retribution"). For they say when Herakles avenged himself justly upon Hippokoön and his sons for their past wrongdoing, he established a sanctuary dedicated to Athena, giving her the epithet 'Axiopoinos,' since in ancient times people referred to acts of vengeance as 'poinai.' There is yet another sanctuary of Athena along a different route from the Dromos. It is said that Theras, son of Autesion, son of Tisamenos, son of Thersandros, founded it when he sent forth a colony to that island which derived its present name, Thera, from him, though its original name was Kalliste.

Nearby is a temple dedicated to Hipposthenes, who achieved many victories in wrestling. They honor Hipposthenes according to an oracle, granting him reverence similar to that given to Poseidon. Directly opposite this temple stands an ancient statue of Enyalius bound in chains. The Spartans hold the same belief about this statue that the Athenians do about the figure they call Wingless Victory: the Spartans think that, because Enyalius is bound, he can never flee from them, while the Athenians believe their Victory will remain forever since she has no wings. In such manner and with such purpose have these cities set up these statues.

In Sparta there is a place called the Painted Lounge (Lesche Poikile), and beside it are the hero-shrines of Cadmus son of Agenor and his descendants—Oeolycus son of Theras and Aegeus son of Oeolycus. They say these shrines were made by Maisis, Laias, and Europas, who were sons of Hyraeus son of Aegeus. They also built the hero-shrine to Amphilochus, because their ancestor Tisamenus was the son of Demonassa, Amphilochus' sister.

The Lacedaemonians alone among the Greeks have established the custom of calling Hera "Aigophagos" (Goat-eater) and of sacrificing goats to the goddess. They say that Heracles founded her sanctuary and was the first to sacrifice goats, because when he fought against Hippocoön and his sons, Hera put no obstacle in his way, although on other occasions he believed the goddess was opposed to him. They say he offered goats because he found no other sacrificial animals at hand.

Not far from the theater is the temple of Poseidon Genethlios ("the Birth-giver"), and nearby are the heroic shrines of Cleodaeus, son of Hyllus, and of Oebalus. Of the sanctuaries dedicated to Asclepius, the most notable is situated in the area called Booneta. On the left is the heroön of Teleclus—I shall return again later to speak of him in my description of Messenia. Proceeding a short distance further, there is a modest-sized hill, upon which stands an ancient temple and a wooden image of armed Aphrodite. Of all the temples known to me, only this one has a second storey built above, a sanctuary dedicated to Morpho.

The surname of Aphrodite is Morpho; she is seated, holding a veil and having fetters around her feet. They say Tyndareus placed these fetters upon her, symbolizing through bonds the steadfastness which wives should observe toward their husbands. But as for the other account, that Tyndareus punished the goddess with chains out of resentment, supposing Aphrodite had caused disgrace to his daughters, I cannot accept this version at all. Indeed, it would be utterly foolish to create a wooden image, name it Aphrodite, and then believe oneself thereby to be taking vengeance upon the goddess.