Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.3.1 Class: Mythic

ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῖς Ἀφαρέως παισὶ πρὸς τοὺς Διοσκούρους ἐγένετο ἀνεψιοὺς ὄντας μάχη περὶ τῶν βοῶν καὶ τὸν μὲν Πολυδεύκης ἀπέκτεινεν, Ἴδαν δὲ ἐπέλαβε τὸ χρεὼν κεραυνωθέντα, ὁ μὲν Ἀφαρέως οἶκος γένους παντὸς ἠρήμωτο τοῦ ἄρρενος, ἐς δὲ Νέστορα τὸν τοῦ Νηλέως περιῆλθε Μεσσηνίων ἡ ἀρχὴ τῶν τε ἄλλων καὶ ὅσων πρότερον ἐβασίλευεν Ἴδας, πλὴν ὅσοι τοῖς Ἀσκληπιοῦ παισὶν αὐτῶν ὑπήκουον.

Proper Nouns:

Διόσκουροι Μεσσήνιοι Νέστωρ Νηλεύς Πολυδεύκης Ἀσκληπιός Ἀφαρεύς Ἴδας

But when a battle arose between the sons of Aphareus and their cousins, the Dioscuri, over cattle, Polydeuces slew one, while Idas met his destined fate, struck by a thunderbolt. With this event, the house of Aphareus was left entirely devoid of male descendants, and the rule over the Messenians passed to Nestor, son of Neleus, including all the territories once ruled by Idas, except those areas already subject to the sons of Asclepius.

Passage 4.3.2 Class: Mythic

καὶ γὰρ τοὺς Ἀσκληπιοῦ παῖδας στρατεῦσαί φασιν ἐπʼ Ἴλιον Μεσσηνίους ὄντας, Ἀρσινόης γὰρ Ἀσκληπιὸν τῆς Λευκίππου καὶ οὐ Κορωνίδος παῖδα εἶναι· καὶ Τρίκκαν τε καλοῦσιν ἔρημον ἐν τῇ Μεσσηνίᾳ χωρίον καὶ ἔπη τῶν Ὁμήρου καταλέγουσιν, ἐν οἷς τὸν Μαχάονα ὁ Νέστωρ τῷ ὀιστῷ βεβλημένον περιέπων ἐστὶν εὐνοϊκῶς· οὐκ ἂν οὖν αὐτὸν εἰ μὴ ἐς γείτονα καὶ ἀνθρώπων βασιλέα ὁμοφύλων προθυμίαν τοσήνδε γε ἐπιδείξασθαι. οἳ δὲ καὶ μάλιστα ἤδη βεβαιοῦνται τὸν ἐς τοὺς Ἀσκληπιάδας λόγον, ἀποφαίνοντες ἐν Γερηνίᾳ Μαχάονος μνῆμα καὶ τὸ ἐν Φαραῖς τῶν Μαχάονος παίδων ἱερόν.

Proper Nouns:

Γερηνία Κορωνίς Λεύκιππος Μαχάων Μεσσήνιος Μεσσηνία Νέστωρ Τρίκκα Φᾶραι Ἀρσινόη Ἀσκληπιάδαι Ἀσκληπιός Ἀσκληπιός Ἴλιος Ὅμηρος

For they say that even the sons of Asclepius joined the expedition against Ilium, being themselves Messenians. For, according to their account, Asclepius was the son of Arsinoe, daughter of Leucippus, rather than of Coronis. They also call 'Tricca' a deserted place in Messenia, and quote Homeric verses, wherein Nestor kindly tends Machaon when struck by an arrow. Indeed, he would never have shown such marked concern if Machaon had not been a neighbor and king among kindred peoples. Those who seek above all else to confirm this account about the Asclepiadae point to the tomb of Machaon at Gerenia and to the sanctuary of the sons of Machaon at Pharae.

Passage 4.3.3 Class: Mythic

διαπολεμηθέντος δὲ τοῦ πρὸς Ἴλιον πολέμου καὶ Νέστορος ὡς ἐπανῆλθεν οἴκαδε τελευτήσαντος, Δωριέων στόλος καὶ ἡ κάθοδος Ἡρακλειδῶν γενομένη δύο γενεαῖς ὕστερον ἐξέβαλε τοὺς Νηλέως ἀπογόνους ἐκ τῆς Μεσσηνίας. καί μοι ταῦτα ἐγένετο ἤδη τῷ λόγῳ προσθήκη τῷ ἐς Τισαμενόν· πλὴν τοσόνδε ἔτι δηλώσω. Τημένῳ τῶν Δωριέων Ἄργος ἐφέντων ἔχειν, Κρεσφόντης γῆν σφᾶς ᾔτει τὴν Μεσσηνίαν ἅτε καὶ αὐτὸς Ἀριστοδήμου πρεσβύτερος.

Proper Nouns:

Δωριεῖς Κρεσφόντης Μεσσηνία Μεσσηνία Νέστωρ Νηλεύς Τήμενος Τισαμενός Ἀριστόδημος Ἄργος Ἡρακλεῖδαι Ἴλιον

After the completion of the war against Ilium, and after Nestor had returned home and died, the expedition of the Dorians and the return of the Heracleidae, occurring two generations later, expelled the descendants of Neleus from Messenia. These events already came up as an addition in my discussion of Tisamenus, but I will still clarify this point further. When Temenus and the Dorians allotted Argos to themselves, Cresphontes requested for his people the land of Messenia, especially as he himself was older than Aristodemus.

Passage 4.3.4 Class: Mythic

Ἀριστόδημος μὲν οὖν ἐτύγχανεν ἤδη τεθνεώς, Θήρας δὲ ὁ Αὐτεσίωνος τῷ Κρεσφόντῃ μάλιστα ἠναντιοῦτο, τὸ μὲν ἀνέκαθεν Θηβαῖός τε καὶ ἀπόγονος πέμπτος Πολυνείκους τοῦ Οἰδίποδος, τότε δὲ ἐπετρόπευεν Ἀριστοδήμου τοὺς παῖδας θεῖος ὢν πρὸς μητρός· Αὐτεσίωνος γὰρ θυγατέρα Ἀριστόδημος ἔγημεν ὄνομα Ἀργείαν. Κρεσφόντης δὲ--- γενέσθαι γάρ οἱ ἤθελε τὴν Μεσσηνίαν πάντως μοῖραν--- Τημένου δεῖται, παρεσκευασμένος δὲ τοῦτον τῷ κλήρῳ δῆθεν ἐφίησι.

Proper Nouns:

Αὐτεσίων Θήρας Θηβαῖος Κρεσφόντης Κρεσφόντης Μεσσηνία Οἰδίπους Πολυνείκης Τήμενος Ἀργεία Ἀριστόδημος Ἀριστόδημος

Now Aristodemus was already dead, and Theras, the son of Autesion, particularly opposed Cresphontes. Theras was originally from Thebes, a fifth-generation descendant of Polyneices, son of Oedipus, and at that time, being Aristodemus' maternal uncle, he was guardian to Aristodemus' children. Aristodemus had married the daughter of Autesion, whose name was Argeia. Cresphontes—who was eager by any means to obtain Messenia as his portion—requested Temenus' assistance, and having secured his help beforehand, he pretended to leave the matter to be determined by lot.

Passage 4.3.5 Class: Mythic

Τήμενος δὲ ἐς ὑδρίαν, ἐνόντος ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ ὕδατος, καθίησι τῶν Ἀριστοδήμου παίδων καὶ Κρεσφόντου τοὺς πάλους ἐπὶ διῃρημένοις, μοῖραν ἀναιρεῖσθαι τῆς χώρας προτέρους ὁποτέρων ἂν πάλος ἀνέλθῃ πρότερον. τοὺς μὲν δὴ πάλους γῆς ὁ Τήμενος ἐπεποίητο ἀμφοτέρους, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μὲν Ἀριστοδήμου παισὶ ξηρᾶς ὑπὸ ἡλίου, Κρεσφόντῃ δὲ ὀπτῆς πυρί· ὅ τε δὴ τῶν Ἀριστοδήμου παίδων πάλος κατετέτηκτο καὶ ὁ Κρεσφόντης οὕτω λαχὼν γῆν αἱρεῖται τὴν Μεσσηνίαν.

Proper Nouns:

Κρεσφόντης Κρεσφόντης Μεσσηνία Τήμενος Ἀριστοδήμος

Temenus placed in a water-jar, already containing water, the lots belonging separately to the sons of Aristodemus and to Cresphontes. It had been decided that whichever side’s lot rose first to the surface of the water should have the first choice of land. Now Temenus himself had made both lots of clay, but the clay for Aristodemus' sons had been dried by the sun alone, while Cresphontes' lot had been baked in fire. Consequently, the lot of Aristodemus' sons dissolved, and thus Cresphontes gained the right to choose first and selected Messenia.

Passage 4.3.6 Class: Mythic

Μεσσηνίων δὲ τῶν ἀρχαίων οὐκ ἐγένετο ὑπὸ τῶν Δωριέων ὁ δῆμος ἀνάστατος, ἀλλὰ βασιλεύεσθαί τε συγχωροῦσιν ὑπὸ Κρεσφόντου καὶ ἀναδάσασθαι πρὸς τοὺς Δωριέας τὴν γῆν· ταῦτα δέ σφισιν εἴκειν παρίστατο ὑποψίᾳ πρὸς τοὺς βασιλεύοντας, ὅτι ἦσαν ἐξ Ἰωλκοῦ τὸ ἀνέκαθεν οἱ Νηλεῖδαι. γυναῖκα δὲ ἔσχε Κρεσφόντης Μερόπην τὴν Κυψέλου, βασιλεύοντος τότε Ἀρκάδων, ἀφʼ ἧς ἄλλοι τε δὴ παῖδες ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ καὶ νεώτατος Αἴπυτος·

Proper Nouns:

Αἴπυτος Δωριεῖς Κρεσφόντης Κύψελος Μερόπη Μεσσήνιοι Νηλεῖδαι Ἀρκάδες Ἰωλκός

The common people of the ancient Messenians were not driven out by the Dorians, but they agreed to be ruled by Cresphontes and to share the land with the Dorians. They consented to these terms under suspicion of their own kings, since the Neleidae had originally come from Iolcus. Cresphontes married Merope, daughter of Cypselus, who at that time was king of the Arcadians. By her he had several sons, among whom the youngest was Aepytus.

Passage 4.3.7 Class: Mythic

τὰ δὲ βασίλεια, ἔνθα αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ παῖδες ἔμελλον οἰκήσειν, ᾠκοδομήσατο ἐν Στενυκλήρῳ. τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀρχαῖον οἱ βασιλεῖς οἵ τε ἄλλοι καὶ ὁ Περιήρης ᾤκουν ἐν Ἀνδανίᾳ, κτίσαντος δὲ Ἀφαρέως Ἀρήνην αὖθις Ἀφαρεὺς καὶ οἱ παῖδες ἐνταῦθα ᾤκησαν· ἐπὶ δὲ Νέστορος καὶ τῶν ἀπογόνων ἐν Πύλῳ τὰ βασίλεια ἦν· Κρεσφόντης δὲ ἐν Στενυκλήρῳ τὸν βασιλέα οἰκεῖν κατεστήσατο. διοικούμενον δὲ αὐτὸν τὰ πολλὰ ἐς χάριν τοῦ δήμου μᾶλλον οἱ τὰ χρήματα ἔχοντες αὐτόν τε Κρεσφόντην ἐπαναστάντες καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς ἀποκτείνουσι τοὺς λοιπούς, ὁ δὲ Αἴπυτος---παῖδα

Proper Nouns:

Αἴπυτος Κρεσφόντης Νέστωρ Περιήρης Πύλος Στενυκλήριον Ἀνδανία Ἀρήνη Ἀφαρεύς Ἀφαρεύς

He built his royal palace at Stenyclarus, where he himself and his sons intended to dwell. In earlier times, the kings, including Perieres, had resided at Andania; afterwards, when Aphareus founded Arene, Aphareus and his sons lived there. During the time of Nestor and his descendants, the royal palace was situated at Pylos; Cresphontes, however, established the residence of the king at Stenyclarus. Since Cresphontes generally administered affairs more to gain the favor of the people, those who possessed wealth rose against him, killing both Cresphontes himself and all his surviving sons, except Aepytus—a son....

Passage 4.3.8 Class: Mythic

γὰρ ἔτι ὄντα ἔτρεφεν αὐτὸν ὁ Κύψελος--- περιγίνεται μόνος τοῦ οἴκου, καὶ ὡς ἀνὴρ ἐγένετο, οἱ Ἀρκάδες κατάγουσιν αὐτὸν ἐς Μεσσήνην· συγκατήγαγον δὲ καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ βασιλεῖς τῶν Δωριέων, οἵ τε Ἀριστοδήμου παῖδες καὶ Ἴσθμιος ὁ Τημένου. Αἴπυτος δὲ ὡς ἐβασίλευσεν, ἐτιμωρήσατο μὲν τοῦ πατρὸς τοὺς φονέας, ἐτιμωρήσατο δὲ καὶ ὅσοι τοῦ φόνου παραίτιοι καθεστήκεσαν· προσαγόμενος δὲ τοὺς μὲν ἐν τέλει τῶν Μεσσηνίων θεραπείαις, ὅσοι δὲ ἦσαν τοῦ δήμου, δωρεαῖς, ἐς τοσοῦτο προέβη τιμῆς ὡς καὶ τοὺς ἀπογόνους Αἰπυτίδας ἀντὶ Ἡρακλειδῶν κληθῆναι.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰπυτίδαι Αἴπυτος Δωριεῖς Κύψελος Μεσσήνη Μεσσήνιοι Τήμενος Ἀριστοδήμος Ἀρκάδες Ἡρακλεῖδαι Ἴσθμιος

For while he was yet alive, Cypselus brought him up. Being the only survivor of his household, when he had grown to manhood, the Arcadians restored him to Messene. The other kings of the Dorians helped in this restoration, including the sons of Aristodemus and Isthmius, son of Temenus. When Aepytus had become king, he avenged the murderers of his father, and also exacted vengeance upon all who had shared guilt in the crime. He then sought the favor of the leading men of the Messenians by honors, and of the common people by gifts, and raised himself in esteem to such a degree that his descendants were called Aepytidae instead of Heracleidae.

Passage 4.3.9 Class: Mythic

Γλαύκῳ δὲ τῷ Αἰπύτου βασιλεύσαντι μετὰ Αἴπυτον τὰ μὲν ἄλλα ἐξήρκεσε μιμήσασθαι τὸν πατέρα ἔν τε τοῖς κοινοῖς καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἰδιώτας, εὐσεβείας δὲ ἐς πλέον προέβη. καὶ γὰρ τοῦ Διὸς τὸ ἐπὶ τῇ κορυφῇ τῆς Ἰθώμης τέμενος, ἀνέντων Πολυκάονος καὶ Μεσσήνης, οὐκ ἔχον παρὰ τοῖς Δωριεῦσι πω τιμάς, Γλαῦκος ἦν ὁ καὶ τούτοις σέβειν καταστησάμενος· καὶ Μαχάονι τῷ Ἀσκληπιοῦ πρῶτος ἔθυσεν ἐν Γερηνίᾳ, γέρα δὲ ἀπένειμε Μεσσήνῃ τῇ Τριόπα τὰ νομιζόμενα ἥρωσιν.

Proper Nouns:

Αἴπυτος Γερηνία Γλαῦκος Γλαῦκος Δωριεῖς Ζεύς Μαχάων Μεσσήνη Μεσσήνη Πολυκάων Τριόπας Ἀσκληπιός Ἰθώμη

Glaucus, the son of Aepytus, who succeeded Aepytus as king, was in other respects content to imitate his father's conduct both in public affairs and in dealings with private individuals; but in matters of piety he went even further. The precinct of Zeus on the summit of Ithome, which Polycaoon and Messene had established but which had not yet received proper honors from the Dorians, was first placed by Glaucus under their care for worship. He was also the first to sacrifice to Machaon, son of Asclepius, at Gerenia, and he assigned to Messene, the daughter of Triopas, the honors traditionally given to heroes.

Passage 4.3.10 Class: Historical

Ἴσθμιος δὲ ὁ Γλαύκου καὶ ἱερὸν τῷ Γοργάσῳ καὶ Νικομάχῳ τὸ ἐν Φαραῖς ἐποίησεν· Ἰσθμίου δὲ γίνεται Δωτάδας, ὃς ἐπίνεια καὶ ἄλλα τῆς Μεσσηνίας παρεχομένης τὸ ἐν Μοθώνῃ κατεσκευάσατο. Συβότας δὲ ὁ Δωτάδα τῷ τε ποταμῷ κατεστήσατο τῷ Παμίσῳ κατὰ ἔτος ἕκαστον θύειν τὸν βασιλεύοντα καὶ Εὐρύτῳ τῷ Μελανέως ἐναγίζειν ἐν Οἰχαλίᾳ πρὸ τῆς τελετῆς τῶν Μεγάλων θεῶν ἀγομένης ἔτι ἐν Ἀνδανίᾳ.

Proper Nouns:

Γλαῦκος Γοργάσος Δωτάδας Εὔρυτος Μεγάλοι θεοί Μελάνεως Μεσσηνία Μοθώνη Νικόμαχος Οἰχαλία Πάμισος Σύβοτας Φαραί Ἀνδανία Ἴσθμιος

Isthmios, the son of Glaukos, also built the sanctuary at Pharai dedicated to Gorgasos and Nikomachos. Dotadas, the son of Isthmios, established the harbor at Mothone after the Messenians had gained access to this and other coastal sites. Sybotas, son of Dotadas, ordained that each year the reigning king should make sacrifice to the river Pamisos, and should also offer rites in honor of Eurytos, son of Melaneus, at Oichalia, before the festival of the Great Gods that was still then held at Andania.

Legend:

Chapter 4.3