Pausanias Analysis

Passage 3.21.1 Class: Historical

προελθόντι δὲ αὐτόθεν σταδίους εἴκοσι τοῦ Εὐρώτα τὸ ῥεῦμα ἐγγυτάτω τῆς ὁδοῦ γίνεται, καὶ Λάδα μνῆμά ἐστιν ὠκύτητι ὑπερβαλομένου ποδῶν τοὺς ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ· καὶ δὴ καὶ Ὀλυμπίασιν ἐστεφανοῦτο δολίχῳ κρατῶν, δοκεῖν δέ μοι κάμνων αὐτίκα μετὰ τὴν νίκην ἐκομίζετο, καὶ συμβάσης ἐνταῦθά οἱ τελευτῆς ὁ τάφος ἐστὶν ὑπὲρ τὴν λεωφόρον. τὸν δὲ ὁμώνυμον τούτῳ, νίκην καὶ αὐτὸν Ὀλυμπίασι, πλὴν οὐ δολίχου, σταδίου δὲ ἀνελόμενον, Ἀχαιὸν ἐξ Αἰγίου φησὶν εἶναι καὶ τὰ ἐς τοὺς Ὀλυμπιονίκας Ἠλείων γράμματα.

Proper Nouns:

Αἴγιον Εὐρώτας Λάδας Ἀχαιός Ἠλεῖοι Ὀλυμπία

After advancing from there about twenty stades, the current of the Eurotas approaches closest to the road, and there is the memorial of Ladas, who surpassed in swiftness of foot all rivals of his time. Indeed, he was crowned victor at Olympia in the dolichos race. My own view is that he fell ill immediately after his victory and was carried back, and his death occurring here, the tomb stands by the road. There is another Olympic victor with the same name, who won not in the dolichos but in the stadion; according to the records of the Eleans concerning Olympic victors, he was an Achaean from Aegium.

Passage 3.21.2 Class: Mythic

προϊόντι δὲ ὡς ἐπὶ τὴν Πελλάναν Χαράκωμά ἐστιν ὀνομαζόμενον καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο Πελλάνα πόλις τὸ ἀρχαῖον. Τυνδάρεων δὲ οἰκῆσαί φασιν ἐνταῦθα, ὅτε Ἱπποκόωντα καὶ τοὺς παῖδας ἔφευγεν ἐκ Σπάρτης. θέας δὲ ἄξια αὐτόθι ἰδὼν Ἀσκληπιοῦ τε οἶδα ἱερὸν καὶ τὴν πηγὴν Πελλανίδα. ἐς ταύτην λέγουσιν ὑδρευομένην ἐσπεσεῖν παρθένον, ἀφανισθείσης δὲ τὸ κάλυμμα ἀναφανῆναι τὸ ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἐν ἑτέρᾳ πηγῇ Λαγκίᾳ.

Proper Nouns:

Λαγκία Πέλλανα Πέλλανα Πελλανίς Σπάρτη Τυνδάρεως Χαράκωμα Ἀσκληπιός Ἱπποκόων

Proceeding towards Pellana, there is a place called Characoma, and after this lies Pellana, a city from ancient times. They say that Tyndareus lived here when he fled from Sparta because of Hippocoön and his sons. Among the notable sights that I know to be there are a sanctuary of Asclepius and the spring named Pellanis. They say that once a maiden, while drawing water, fell into this spring and disappeared; afterward, her veil was found appearing in another spring called Langia.

Passage 3.21.3 Class: Historical

Πελλάνας δὲ ἑκατὸν στάδια ἀπέχει Βελεμίνα καλουμένη· τῆς δὲ χώρας τῆς Λακωνικῆς ἡ Βελεμίνα μάλιστα ἄρδεσθαι πέφυκεν, ἥντινα διοδεύει μὲν τοῦ Εὐρώτα τὸ ὕδωρ, παρέχεται δὲ ἀφθόνους καὶ αὐτὴ πηγάς.

Proper Nouns:

Βελεμίνα Εὐρώτας Λακωνική Πελλάνα

One hundred stadia from Pellana lies Belemina. Of all the territory of Laconia, Belemina is naturally the most abundantly watered; for the waters of Eurotas pass through it, and the place itself also yields numerous springs.

Passage 3.21.4 Class: Historical

ἐπὶ θάλασσαν δὲ ἐς Γύθιον καταβαίνοντί ἐστι Λακεδαιμονίοις ἡ κώμη καλουμένη Κροκέαι καὶ λιθοτομία· μία μὲν πέτρα συνεχὴς οὐ διήκουσα, λίθοι δὲ ὀρύσσονται σχῆμα τοῖς ποταμίοις ἐοικότες, ἄλλως μὲν δυσεργεῖς, ἢν δὲ ἐπεργασθῶσιν, ἐπικοσμήσαιεν ἂν καὶ θεῶν ἱερά, κολυμβήθραις δὲ καὶ ὕδασι συντελοῦσι μάλιστα ἐς κάλλος. θεῶν δὲ αὐτόθι πρὸ μὲν τῆς κώμης Διὸς Κροκεάτα λίθου πεποιημένον ἄγαλμα ἕστηκε, Διόσκουροι δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ λιθοτομίᾳ χαλκοῖ.

Proper Nouns:

Γύθειον Διόσκουροι Ζεύς Κροκεάτης Κροκεαί Λακεδαιμόνιοι

Descending to the sea toward Gythium, the Spartans have a village called Krokeai and a stone quarry. The rock itself is not one continuous mass reaching uninterrupted; instead, stones are excavated resembling river pebbles in shape, typically difficult to work, but when properly crafted, capable of adorning even sanctuaries of the gods, being especially beautiful in baths and fountains. Regarding the gods, outside the village stands an image of Zeus, made from Krokean stone, while at the quarry itself are bronze statues of the Dioscuri.

Passage 3.21.5 Class: Mythic

μετὰ δὲ Κροκέας ἀποτραπεῖσιν ἐς δεξιὰν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐς Γύθιον εὐθείας ἐπὶ πόλισμα ἥξεις Αἰγίας· Ὅμηρον δὲ ἐν τοῖς ἔπεσι τὸ πόλισμα τοῦτο ὀνομάζειν λέγουσιν Αὐγειάς. ἐνταῦθα ἔστι μὲν λίμνη καλουμένη Ποσειδῶνος, ἔστι δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ λίμνῃ ναὸς καὶ ἄγαλμα τοῦ θεοῦ. τοὺς δὲ ἰχθῦς δεδοίκασιν ἐξαιρεῖν, τὸν θηρεύσαντα ἁλιέα γενέσθαι λέγοντες ἐξ ἀνθρώπου.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰγίαι Αὐγειαί Γύθειον Κροκέαι Ποσειδῶν Ὅμηρος

After Krokeai, turning off to the right from the straight road that leads to Gytheion, you will arrive at a small town called Aigiai. People say that Homer mentions this place in his poems, calling it Augeiai. Here there is a lake named the Lake of Poseidon, and beside the lake stands a temple with an image of the god. They fear to catch the fish there, saying that whoever does so and fishes them out will turn from a human into a fisherman.

Passage 3.21.6 Class: Historical

Γύθιον δὲ ἀπέχει μὲν σταδίους τριάκοντα Αἰγιῶν, ἐπὶ θαλάσσῃ δὲ ᾠκισμένον ἔστιν ἤδη τῶν Ἐλευθερολακώνων, οὓς βασιλεὺς Αὔγουστος δουλείας ἀφῆκε Λακεδαιμονίων τῶν ἐν Σπάρτῃ κατηκόους ὄντας. θαλάσσῃ μὲν δὴ πλὴν τοῦ Κορινθίων ἰσθμοῦ περιέχεται πᾶσα ἡ Πελοπόννησος· κόχλους δὲ ἐς βαφὴν πορφύρας παρέχεται τὰ ἐπιθαλάσσια τῆς Λακωνικῆς ἐπιτηδειοτάτας μετά γε τὴν Φοινίκων θάλασσαν.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰγίαι Αὔγουστος Γύθειον Κορινθίων ἰσθμός Λακεδαιμόνιοι Λακωνική Πελοπόννησος Σπάρτη Φοίνικες Ἐλευθερολάκωνες

Gythium is thirty stades distant from Aegiae. Situated on the sea, it now belongs to the Eleutherolakones, whom the emperor Augustus freed from their subjection to the Lacedaemonians who dwelt at Sparta. The whole of the Peloponnese is surrounded by sea except for the Corinthian Isthmus; and the coastal areas of Laconia supply the best shellfish for producing purple dye, second only to those from the sea of Phoenicia.

Passage 3.21.7 Class: Historical

ἀριθμὸς δὲ τῶν Ἐλευθερολακώνων ὀκτὼ πόλεις καὶ δέκα εἰσί, πρώτη μὲν καταβᾶσιν ἐξ Αἰγιῶν ἐπὶ θάλασσαν Γύθιον, μετὰ δὲ αὐτὴν Τευθρώνη τε καὶ Λᾶς καὶ Πύρριχος, ἐπὶ Ταινάρῳ δὲ Καινήπολις Οἴτυλός τε καὶ Λεῦκτρα καὶ Θαλάμαι, πρὸς δὲ Ἀλαγονία τε καὶ Γερηνία· τὰ δὲ ἐπέκεινα Γυθίου πρὸς θαλάσσῃ Ἀσωπὸς Ἀκριαὶ Βοιαὶ Ζάραξ Ἐπίδαυρος ἡ Λιμηρὰ Βρασιαὶ Γερόνθραι Μαριός. αὗται μὲν οὖν εἰσιν αἱ λοιπαὶ τῶν Ἐλευθερολακώνων ἀπὸ τεσσάρων ποτὲ καὶ εἴκοσι πόλεων· τὰς δὲ ἄλλας, ἐφʼ ἃς ἂν καὶ αὐτὰς ὁ λόγος ἐπέλθῃ δή μοι, συντελούσας ἴστω τις ἐς Σπάρτην καὶ οὐχ ὁμοίως τοῖς προλεχθεῖσιν αὐτονόμους.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰγίον Βοιαί Βρασιαί Γερηνία Γερόνθραι Γύθιον Γύθιον Ζάραξ Θαλάμαι Καινήπολις Λεῦκτρα Λᾶς Μαριός Οἴτυλος Πύρριχος Σπάρτη Ταίναρον Τευθρώνη Ἀκριαί Ἀλαγονία Ἀσωπός Ἐλευθερολάκων Ἐπίδαυρος Λιμηρά

The number of the Free Laconians amounts to eighteen cities. The first you encounter descending from Aigiai to the sea is Gythion; after this come Teuthrone, Las, and Pyrrhichos. On Taenarum are Kainépolis, Oitylos, Leuktra, and Thalamai; near these are Alagonia and Gerenia. Beyond Gythion towards the sea lie Asopos, Acriae, Boiai, Zarax, Epidaurus Limera, Brasiai, Geronthrai, and Marios. These are the remaining cities out of the original twenty-four Free Laconian settlements. As to the rest, which I may discuss in turn later, it should be understood that they were incorporated into Sparta and were not autonomous like those previously named.

Passage 3.21.8 Class: Mythic

Γυθεᾶται δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἀνθρώπων μὲν οὐδένα οἰκιστὴν γενέσθαι λέγουσιν, Ἡρακλέα δὲ καὶ Ἀπόλλωνα ὑπὲρ τοῦ τρίποδος ἐς ἀγῶνα ἐλθόντας, ὡς διηλλάγησαν, μετὰ τὴν ἔριν οἰκίσαι κοινῇ τὴν πόλιν· καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ σφισιν Ἀπόλλωνος καὶ Ἡρακλέους ἐστὶν ἀγάλματα, πλησίον δὲ αὐτῶν Διόνυσος. ἑτέρωθι δὲ Ἀπόλλων Κάρνειος καὶ ἱερὸν Ἄμμωνος καὶ Ἀσκληπιοῦ χαλκοῦν ἄγαλμά ἐστιν, οὐκ ἐπόντος ὀρόφου τῷ ναῷ, καὶ πηγὴ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ Δήμητρος ἱερὸν ἅγιον καὶ Ποσειδῶνος ἄγαλμα Γαιαόχου.

Proper Nouns:

Γαιήοχος Γυθεᾶται Δήμητρα Διόνυσος Κάρνειος Ποσειδῶν Ἀπόλλων Ἀπόλλων Ἀπόλλων Ἀσκληπιός Ἄμμων Ἡρακλῆς Ἡρακλῆς

The inhabitants of Gythium say that the city had no human founder, but that instead, after Heracles and Apollo had contended for the tripod, once reconciliation had occurred following their dispute, they founded the city jointly. In the marketplace there are statues of Apollo and Heracles, and near them, one of Dionysus. Elsewhere are Apollo Carneius, a sanctuary of Ammon, a bronze statue of Asclepius in a temple that has no roof, a sacred spring of that god, a holy sanctuary of Demeter, and a statue of Poseidon, Holder of the Earth.

Passage 3.21.9 Class: Mythic

ὃν δὲ ὀνομάζουσι Γυθεᾶται Γέροντα, οἰκεῖν ἐν θαλάσσῃ φάμενοι, Νηρέα ὄντα εὕρισκον· καί σφισι τοῦ ὀνόματος τούτου παρέσχεν ἀρχὴν Ὅμηρος ἐν Ἰλιάδι ἐν Θέτιδος λόγοις· ὑμεῖς μὲν νῦν δῦτε θαλάσσης εὐρέα κόλπον, ὀψόμεναί τε γέρονθʼ ἅλιον καὶ δώματα πατρός. Hom. Il. 18.140-141 καλοῦνται δὲ ἐνταῦθα καὶ πύλαι Καστορίδες, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀκροπόλει ναὸς καὶ ἄγαλμα Ἀθηνᾶς πεποίηται.

Proper Nouns:

Γέρων Γυθεᾶται Θέτις Καστορίδες Νηρέας Ἀθηνᾶ Ἰλιάς Ὅμηρος

The one whom the inhabitants of Gythium call the "Old Man," whom they claim dwells in the sea, I found to be Nereus. Homer gave them the source of this name in the Iliad, in the words of Thetis: "But you now descend into the broad bosom of the sea, to behold the aged man of the sea and the dwellings of our father." Here also are gates named Castorides, and on the acropolis there is built a temple and statue of Athena.

Legend:

Chapter 3.21