Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.31.1 Class: Historical

ὀλίγον δὲ ἀπωτέρω Φαρῶν Ἀπόλλωνος ἄλσος ἐστὶ Καρνείου καὶ ὕδατος ἐν αὐτῷ πηγή· θαλάσσης δὲ ἕξ που στάδια ἀπέχουσιν αἱ Φαραί. ἐντεῦθεν πρὸς μεσόγαιαν τῆς Μεσσηνίας σταδίους προελθόντι ὀγδοήκοντα, ἔστιν ἡ Θουριατῶν πόλις, Ἄνθειαν δὲ αὐτὴν ἐν τοῖς ἔπεσιν ὠνομάσθαι τοῖς Ὁμήρου λέγουσι· Λακεδαιμονίοις δὲ ἔχειν τοῖς ἐν Σπάρτῃ τὴν Θουρίαν ἔδωκεν Αὔγουστος. Αὐγούστῳ γὰρ βασιλεύοντι Ῥωμαίων ἐπολέμησεν Ἀντώνιος, γένει καὶ οὗτος Ῥωμαῖος· καί οἱ τῶν ἐν τῇ Ἑλλάδι ἄλλοι τε καὶ οἱ Μεσσήνιοι προσέθεντο, ὅτι ἐφρόνουν Λακεδαιμόνιοι τὰ Αὐγούστου.

Proper Nouns:

Αὔγουστος Αὔγουστος Θουριά Θουριά Κάρνειος Λακεδαιμόνιοι Λακεδαιμόνιοι Μεσσήνιοι Μεσσηνία Σπάρτη Φᾶραι Φᾶραι Ἀντώνιος Ἀπόλλων Ἄνθεια Ἑλλάς Ὅμηρος Ῥωμαῖοι

A little beyond Pharae is a grove sacred to Apollo Carneius, containing a spring of water. Pharae itself lies approximately six stades distant from the sea. Proceeding inland from here toward the interior of Messenia for about eighty stades, there is the city of the Thuriatae, which, they say, Homer called Antheia in his verses. Augustus granted Thuria to the Lacedaemonians of Sparta. For Antonius, also of Roman descent, had waged war against Augustus, who was Emperor of the Romans; and the Messenians, along with other Greeks, sided with Antonius, while the Lacedaemonians favored Augustus.

Passage 4.31.2 Class: Historical

καὶ ὁ μὲν τούτων ἕνεκα Μεσσηνίοις καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ἀντιταξαμένων τοῖς μὲν αὐτῶν ἔλαττον, τοῖς δὲ καὶ ἐς πλέον ἐπεξῆλθε· Θουριᾶται δὲ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἐν μετεώρῳ τὸ ἀρχαῖον οἰκουμένης ἐς τὸ πεδίον κατελθόντες οἰκοῦσιν. οὐ μὴν παντάπασί γε οὐδὲ τὴν ἄνω πόλιν ἐκλελοίπασιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τείχους ἐρείπια καὶ ἱερόν ἐστιν αὐτόθι ὀνομαζόμενον θεοῦ Συρίας· τὴν δὲ ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ πόλιν ποταμὸς καλούμενος Ἄρις παρέξεισιν.

Proper Nouns:

Θουριᾶται Μεσσήνιοι Συρία Ἄρις

For these reasons, he dealt harshly with the Messenians, and with the others who had opposed him, some less severely, others even more so. As for the people of Thouria, having descended from their ancient settlement located on high ground, they now dwell in the plain; yet they have not completely abandoned the upper city. Still remaining there are ruins of a wall, and a sanctuary dedicated to the goddess named the Syrian Goddess. Near the city in the plain flows a river named Aris.

Passage 4.31.3 Class: Mythic

ἔστι δὲ ἐν τῇ μεσογαίῳ κώμη Καλάμαι καὶ Λίμναι χωρίον· ἐν δὲ αὐτῷ Λιμνάτιδος ἱερόν ἐστιν Ἀρτέμιδος, ἔνθα Τηλέκλῳ βασιλεύοντι ἐν Σπάρτῃ τὴν τελευτὴν συμβῆναι λέγουσιν.

Proper Nouns:

Καλάμαι Λίμναι Λιμνάτις Σπάρτη Τηλεκλῆς Ἄρτεμις

In the inland area there is a village called Kalamae and a place named Limnae. At Limnae is a sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis, where, it is said, king Teleclus met his death during his reign at Sparta.

Passage 4.31.4 Class: Mythic

ἰόντι δὲ ἐκ Θουρίας ὡς ἐπὶ Ἀρκαδίας εἰσὶν αἱ πηγαὶ τοῦ Παμίσου· καὶ ἐπʼ αὐταῖς παισὶ μικροῖς ἀκέσματα γίνεται. ἰοῦσι δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν πηγῶν ἐν ἀριστερᾷ καὶ προελθόντι ὡς τεσσαράκοντα στάδια, ἔστι Μεσσηνίοις ἡ ὑπὸ τῇ Ἰθώμῃ πόλις· περιέχεται δὲ οὐ τῇ Ἰθώμῃ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν Πάμισον τὰ τετραμμένα ὑπὸ τῆς Εὔας· τὸ δὲ ὄνομα γενέσθαι τῷ ὄρει φασὶ Βακχικόν τι ἐπίφθεγμα εὐοῖ Διονύσου πρῶτον ἐνταῦθα αὐτοῦ τε εἰπόντος καὶ τῶν ὁμοῦ τῷ Διονύσῳ γυναικῶν.

Proper Nouns:

Διόνυσος Διόνυσος Εὔα Θουρία Μεσσήνιοι Πάμισος Πάμισος Ἀρκαδία Ἰθώμη

On the way from Thouria towards Arcadia are the springs of the river Pamisos; and at these springs cures are performed for young children. Proceeding from the springs, after advancing about forty stadia, you come to the city of the Messenians beneath Ithome. The city is encompassed not only by Mount Ithome itself, but also by an area facing toward the Pamisos beneath Mount Eva. They say this mountain (Eva) received its name from the Bacchic cry "evoi," first uttered here by Dionysus himself and the women who accompanied him.

Passage 4.31.5 Class: Historical

περὶ δὲ τὴν Μεσσήνην τεῖχος, κύκλος μὲν πᾶς λίθου πεποίηται, πύργοι δὲ καὶ ἐπάλξεις εἰσὶν ἐνῳκοδομημένοι. τὰ μὲν οὖν Βαβυλωνίων ἢ τὰ Μεμνόνεια τὰ ἐν Σούσοις τείχη τοῖς Περσικοῖς οὔτε εἶδον οὔτε ἄλλων περὶ αὐτῶν ἤκουσα αὐτοπτούντων· τὰ δὲ ἐν Ἀμβρός ς ῳ τῇ Φωκικῇ ἔν τε Βυζαντίῳ καὶ Ῥόδῳ---ταῦτα γὰρ δὴ τετείχισται τὰ χωρία ἄριστα---τούτων Μεσσηνίοις ἐστὶν ἐχυρώτερον.

Proper Nouns:

Βαβυλών Βυζάντιον Μεμνόνευμα/Μεμνόνεια Μεσσήνη Μεσσηνιοί Πέρσαι Σοῦσα Φωκίς Ἄμβροσιος (likely Ἄμβροσον or Ἄμβρος τοῦ Φωκικοῦ) Ῥόδος

Around Messene there is a surrounding wall built entirely of stone, with towers and battlements integrated into it. Now as for the walls of the Babylonians and those called Memnonian at Susa in Persia, I have neither seen them myself nor heard others who were eyewitnesses speak about them; but I have observed the walls at Ambrossos in Phocis, and those at Byzantium and Rhodes—places indeed fortified in the most excellent manner—and the Messenian walls are stronger than these.

Passage 4.31.6 Class: Historical

Μεσσηνίοις δὲ ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ Διός ἐστιν ἄγαλμα Σωτῆρος καὶ Ἀρσινόη κρήνη· τὸ μὲν δὴ ὄνομα ἀπὸ τῆς Λευκίππου θυγατρὸς εἴληφεν, ὑπορρεῖ δὲ ἐς αὐτὴν ὕδωρ ἐκ πηγῆς καλουμένης Κλεψύδρας. θεῶν δὲ ἱερὰ Ποσειδῶνος, τὸ δὲ Ἀφροδίτης ἐστί· καὶ οὗ μάλιστα ἄξιον ποιήσασθαι μνήμην, ἄγαλμα Μητρὸς θεῶν λίθου Παρίου, Δαμοφῶντος δὲ ἔργον, ὃς καὶ τὸν Δία ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ διεστηκότος ἤδη τοῦ ἐλέφαντος συνήρμοσεν ἐς τὸ ἀκριβέστατον· καί οἱ δεδομέναι τιμαὶ παρὰ Ἠλείων εἰσί.

Proper Nouns:

Δαμοφῶν Ζεύς Κλεψύδρα Λεύκιππος Μήτηρ θεῶν Μεσσήνη Πάριος Ποσειδῶν Σωτήρ Ἀρσινόη Ἀφροδίτη Ἠλεῖοι Ὀλυμπία

In the marketplace of the Messenians there is a statue of Zeus Soter ("Zeus the Savior") and a spring called Arsinoe. It took its name from the daughter of Leucippus, and water runs into it from a spring called Clepsydra. There are also sanctuaries of gods: one of Poseidon, and another of Aphrodite; and most deserving of mention is a statue of the Mother of the Gods carved from Parian marble, the work of Damophon, who also restored the ivory of the statue of Zeus at Olympia when it had come apart, connecting it again with the greatest precision. Honors were accordingly given to him by the Eleans.

Passage 4.31.7 Class: Historical

Δαμοφῶντος δέ ἐστι τούτου καὶ ἡ Λαφρία καλουμένη παρὰ Μεσσηνίοις· σέβεσθαι δέ σφισιν ἀπὸ τοιοῦδε αὐτὴν καθέστηκε. Καλυδωνίοις ἡ Ἄρτεμις---ταύτην γὰρ θεῶν μάλιστα ἔσεβον--- ἐπίκλησιν εἶχε Λαφρία· Μεσσηνίων δὲ οἱ λαβόντες Ναύπακτον παρὰ Ἀθηναίων---τηνικαῦτα γὰρ Αἰτωλίας ἐγγύτατα ᾤκουν---παρὰ Καλυδωνίων ἔλαβον. τὸ σχῆμα ἑτέρωθι δηλώσω. τὸ μὲν δὴ τῆς Λαφρίας ἀφίκετο ὄνομα ἔς τε Μεσσηνίους καὶ ἐς Πατρεῖς Ἀχαιῶν μόνους, Ἐφεσίαν δὲ Ἄρτεμιν πόλεις τε νομίζουσιν αἱ

Proper Nouns:

Αἰτωλία Δαμοφῶν Καλυδώνιοι Καλυδώνιοι Λαφρία Λαφρία Μεσσήνιοι Μεσσήνιοι Μεσσήνιοι Ναύπακτος Πατρεῖς Ἀθηναῖοι Ἀχαιοί Ἄρτεμις Ἄρτεμις Ἐφεσία

By the same Damophon is also the so-called Laphria among the Messenians; their veneration of her has come to pass from the following cause. Among the Calydonians, Artemis—since they honored this goddess above all others—had the surname Laphria. Now, the Messenians who received Naupactus from the Athenians—for at that time they were dwelling very near Aetolia—acquired her from the Calydonians. Her appearance I shall describe elsewhere. Thus, the name Laphria came alone among the Messenians and the Patreans of the Achaeans; but as for Artemis Ephesia, many cities worship her.

Passage 4.31.8 Class: Mythic

πᾶσαι καὶ ἄνδρες ἰδίᾳ θεῶν μάλιστα ἄγουσιν ἐν τιμῇ· τὰ δὲ αἴτια ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν ἐστὶν Ἀμαζόνων τε κλέος, αἳ φήμην τὸ ἄγαλμα ἔχουσιν ἱδρύσασθαι, καὶ ὅτι ἐκ παλαιοτάτου τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦτο ἐποιήθη. τρία δὲ ἄλλα ἐπὶ τούτοις συνετέλεσεν ἐς δόξαν, μέγεθός τε τοῦ ναοῦ τὰ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις κατασκευάσματα ὑπερηρκότος καὶ Ἐφεσίων τῆς πόλεως ἡ ἀκμὴ καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τὸ ἐπιφανὲς τῆς θεοῦ.

Proper Nouns:

θεός ναός πόλις Ἀμαζόνες Ἐφέσιοι

All cities, indeed individuals too, honor this goddess above all other deities. The reasons for this, in my judgment, are firstly the renown of the Amazons, who according to tradition established the image, and secondly the great antiquity of the sanctuary's foundation. Three additional reasons further contributed to its fame: the temple's size, surpassing all man-made constructions; the wealth and prosperity of the city of the Ephesians; and finally, the great prominence of the goddess herself within it.

Passage 4.31.9 Class: Mythic

πεποίηται δὲ καὶ Εἰλειθυίας Μεσσηνίοις ναὸς καὶ ἄγαλμα λίθου, πλησίον δὲ Κουρήτων μέγαρον, ἔνθα ζῷα τὰ πάντα ὁμοίως καθαγίζουσιν· ἀρξάμενοι γὰρ ἀπὸ βοῶν τε καὶ αἰγῶν καταβαίνουσιν ἐς τοὺς ὄρνιθας ἀφιέντες ἐς τὴν φλόγα. καὶ Δήμητρος ἱερὸν Μεσσηνίοις ἐστὶν ἅγιον καὶ Διοσκούρων ἀγάλματα φέροντες τὰς Λευκίππου· καί μοι καὶ ταῦτα ἐν τοῖς προτέροις ἐστὶν ἤδη δεδηλωμένα, ὡς οἱ Μεσσήνιοι τοὺς Τυνδάρεω παῖδας ἀμφισβητοῦσιν αὑτοῖς καὶ οὐ Λακεδαιμονίοις προσήκειν.

Proper Nouns:

Δήμητρα Διόσκουροι Εἰλείθυια Κουρῆτες Λακεδαιμόνιοι Λεύκιππος Μεσσήνιοι Μεσσήνιοι Τυνδάρεως

The Messenians have also constructed a temple of Eileithyia and a stone statue of the goddess. Nearby stands the hall of the Curetes, where all kinds of animals alike are offered in sacrifice; indeed, beginning with cattle and goats, they proceed down to birds, casting them into the flames. The Messenians also possess a sacred sanctuary dedicated to Demeter, and statues of the Dioscuri, carrying away the daughters of Leucippus. Previously I have already recounted that the Messenians contest the claim of Sparta to the sons of Tyndareus, insisting instead that the Dioscuri belong rightly to them.

Passage 4.31.10 Class: Historical

πλεῖστα δέ σφισι καὶ θέας μάλιστα ἀγάλματα ἄξια τοῦ Ἀσκληπιοῦ παρέχεται τὸ ἱερόν· χωρὶς μὲν γὰρ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τῶν παίδων ἐστὶν ἀγάλματα, χωρὶς δὲ Ἀπόλλωνος καὶ Μουσῶν καὶ Ἡρακλέους· πόλις τε ἡ Θηβαίων καὶ Ἐπαμινώνδας ὁ Κλεόμμιδος Τύχη τε καὶ Ἄρτεμις Φωσφόρος, τὰ μὲν δὴ τοῦ λίθου Δαμοφῶν αὐτοῖς εἰργάσατο---Μεσσήνιον δὲ ὅτι μὴ τοῦτον ἄλλον γε οὐδένα λόγου ποιήσαντα ἀξίως οἶδα ἀγάλματα---, ἡ δὲ εἰκὼν τοῦ Ἐπαμινώνδου ἐκ σιδήρου τέ ἐστι καὶ ἔργον ἄλλου, οὐ τούτου.

Proper Nouns:

Δαμοφῶν Θήβαι Κλεόμμιδας Μεσσήνιος Μοῦσαι Τύχη Ἀπόλλων Ἀσκληπιός Ἄρτεμις Φωσφόρος Ἐπαμινώνδας Ἐπαμινώνδας Ἡρακλῆς

The sanctuary provides numerous statues, particularly worthy of viewing, dedicated to Asclepius. There are statues of the god himself and of his children; besides these, there are separate statues of Apollo, the Muses, and Heracles. There is also a representation of the city of Thebes, and statues of Epaminondas, son of Cleommides, of Tyche (Fortune), and of Artemis Phosphoros. The figures made of stone were fashioned for them by Damophon, a Messenian—I know of no other Messenian sculptor, besides him, who produced statues worthy of note. The statue of Epaminondas, however, is of iron, and is the work of another artist, not Damophon.

Passage 4.31.11 Class: Mythic

ἔστι δὲ καὶ Μεσσήνης τῆς Τριόπα ναὸς καὶ ἄγαλμα χρυσοῦ καὶ λίθου Παρίου· γραφαὶ δὲ κατὰ τοῦ ναοῦ τὸ ὄπισθεν αἱ βασιλεύσαντές εἰσι Μεσσήνης, πρὶν μὲν ἢ στόλον ἀφικέσθαι τὸν Δωριέων ἐς Πελοπόννησον Ἀφαρεὺς καὶ οἱ παῖδες, κατελθόντων δὲ Ἡρακλειδῶν Κρεσφόντης ἐστίν, ἡγεμὼν καὶ οὗτος τοῦ Δωρικοῦ, τῶν δὲ οἰκησάντων ἐν Πύλῳ Νέστωρ καὶ Θρασυμήδης καὶ Ἀντίλοχος, προτετιμημένοι παίδων τῶν Νέστορος ἡλικίᾳ καὶ ἐπὶ Τροίαν μετεσχηκότες τῆς στρατείας.

Proper Nouns:

Δωριεῖς Δωρικός Θρασυμήδης Κρεσφόντης Μεσσήνη Νέστωρ Νέστωρ Πάριος Πελοπόννησος Πύλος Τρίοψ Τροία Ἀντίλοχος Ἀφαρεύς Ἡρακλεῖδαι

There is also a temple and a statue of Messene, daughter of Triopas, made of gold and Parian marble. On the back wall of the temple are paintings depicting rulers of Messene: Aphareus and his sons, who ruled before the expedition of the Dorians into the Peloponnese; Cresphontes, leader of the Dorian migration when the Heracleidae arrived; and among those who dwelt at Pylos, Nestor, Thrasymedes, and Antilochus, Nestor's sons especially honored for their youth and their participation in the expedition against Troy.

Passage 4.31.12 Class: Mythic

Λεύκιππός τε Ἀφαρέως ἀδελφὸς καὶ Ἱλάειρά ἐστι καὶ Φοίβη, σὺν δέ σφισιν Ἀρσινόη. γέγραπται δὲ καὶ Ἀσκληπιός, Ἀρσινόης ὢν λόγῳ τῷ Μεσσηνίων, καὶ Μαχάων καὶ Ποδαλείριος, ὅτι ἔργου τοῦ πρὸς Ἰλίῳ καὶ τούτοις μέτεστι. ταύτας τὰς γραφὰς ἔγραψεν Ὀμφαλίων , Νικίου τοῦ Νικομήδους μαθητής· οἱ δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ δουλεῦσαι παρὰ τῷ Νικίᾳ καὶ παιδικὰ γενέσθαι φασὶν αὐτοῦ.

Proper Nouns:

Λεύκιππος Μαχάων Μεσσήνιοι Νίκιος Νικίας Νικομήδης Ποδαλείριος Φοίβη Ἀρσινόη Ἀσκληπιός Ἀφαρεύς Ἱλάειρα Ἴλιον Ὀμφαλίων

Depicted are Leukippos, the brother of Aphareus, along with Hilaeira and Phoibe, and Arsinoe is with them as well. Also painted is Asklepios, who according to the Messenians' tradition was the son of Arsinoe, and Machaon and Podaleirios, since these two also shared in the expedition against Ilium. These pictures were painted by Omphalion, a pupil of Nikias, son of Nikomedes. Some say Omphalion was also enslaved by Nikias and was his beloved boy.

Legend:

Chapter 4.31