Pausanias Analysis

Passage 7.24.1 Class: Mythic

Αἰγιεῦσι δὲ ἔστι μὲν πρὸς τῇ ἀγορᾷ ναὸς Ἀπόλλωνι καὶ Ἀρτέμιδι ἐν κοινῷ, ἔστι δὲ ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ ἱερὸν Ἀρτέμιδος, τοξευούσῃ δὲ εἴκασται, καὶ Ταλθυβίου τοῦ κήρυκος τάφος· κέχωσται δὲ τῷ Ταλθυβίῳ καὶ ἄλλο μνῆμα ἐν Σπάρτῃ, καὶ αὐτῷ αἱ πόλεις ἐναγίζουσιν ἀμφότεραι.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰγῖες Σπάρτη Ταλθύβιος Ταλθύβιος Ἀπόλλων Ἀρτεμις Ἀρτεμις

The Aegians have beside their agora a sanctuary shared by Apollo and Artemis, and within the agora itself is a temple of Artemis, where she is represented as shooting an arrow. Also there is the tomb of the herald Talthybius; however, there is another burial place set up for Talthybius in Sparta, and both cities offer sacrifices in his honor.

Passage 7.24.2 Class: Mythic

πρὸς θαλάσσῃ δὲ Ἀφροδίτης ἱερὸν ἐν Αἰγίῳ καὶ μετʼ αὐτὸ Ποσειδῶνος, Κόρης τε πεποίηται τῆς Δήμητρος καὶ τέταρτον Ὁμαγυρίῳ Διί. ἐνταῦθα Διὸς καὶ Ἀφροδίτης ἐστὶ καὶ Ἀθηνᾶς ἀγάλματα· Ὁμαγύριος δὲ ἐγένετο τῷ Διὶ ἐπίκλησις, ὅτι Ἀγαμέμνων ἤθροισεν ἐς τοῦτο τὸ χωρίον τοὺς λόγου μάλιστα ἐν τῇ Ἑλλάδι ἀξίους, μεθέξοντας ἐν κοινῷ βουλῆς καθʼ ὅντινα χρὴ τρόπον ἐπὶ ἀρχὴν τὴν Πριάμου στρατεύεσθαι. Ἀγαμέμνονι δὲ καὶ ἄλλα ἐστὶν ἐς ἔπαινον καὶ ὅτι τοῖς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀκολουθήσασι καὶ οὐδεμιᾶς ἐπελθούσης ὕστερον στρατιᾶς τήν τε Ἴλιον ἐπόρθησε καὶ ὅσαι περίοικοι πόλεις ἦσαν.

Proper Nouns:

Αἴγιον Δήμητρα Ζεύς Ζεύς Κόρη Ποσειδῶν Πρίαμος Ἀγαμέμνων Ἀθηνᾶ Ἀφροδίτη Ἑλλάς Ἴλιον Ὁμαγύριος Ὁμαγύριος Ζεύς

By the seaside in Aigion there is a sanctuary of Aphrodite, and after it one of Poseidon; likewise one dedicated to Kore, the daughter of Demeter, and a fourth for Zeus Homagyrios. In this place there are statues of Zeus, Aphrodite, and Athena. Zeus acquired the surname Homagyrios ("Gatherer"), because it was here that Agamemnon assembled those who were deemed most esteemed in Greece, that they might jointly deliberate regarding the manner in which war should be waged against Priam's realm. Additional praise for Agamemnon includes that he conquered Troy, as well as all the neighboring cities, with only that army which accompanied him from the beginning, without any later reinforcements joining him.

Passage 7.24.3 Class: Mythic

ἐφεξῆς δὲ τῷ Ὁμαγυρίῳ Διὶ Παναχαιᾶς ἐστι Δήμητρος. παρέχεται δὲ ὁ αἰγιαλός, ἐν ᾧ καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ Αἰγιεῦσίν ἐστι τὰ εἰρημένα, ὕδωρ ἄφθονον θεάσασθαί τε καὶ πιεῖν ἐκ πηγῆς ἡδύ. ἔστι δέ σφισι καὶ Σωτηρίας ἱερόν. ἰδεῖν μὲν δὴ τὸ ἄγαλμα οὐδενὶ πλὴν τῶν ἱερωμένων ἔστι, δρῶσι δὲ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα· λαμβάνοντες παρὰ τῆς θεοῦ πέμματα ἐπιχώρια ἀφιᾶσιν ἐς θάλασσαν, πέμπειν δὲ τῇ ἐν Συρακούσαις Ἀρεθούσῃ φασὶν αὐτά.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰγιοί Δήμητρα Παναχαία Συρακοῦσαι Σωτηρία Ἀρέθουσα Ὁμαγύριος Ζεύς

Next to Zeus Homagyrios is a temple of Panachaean Demeter. The seashore, on which stand the sanctuaries already mentioned that belong to the people of Aegium, provides abundant fresh water from a spring, pleasant both to see and to drink. They have also a sanctuary of Soteria (“Salvation”). The image there may be viewed by no one except the priests, and they observe other customs of this kind as well: when they receive from the goddess local cakes, they cast them into the sea, claiming that these are sent to Arethusa in Syracuse.

Passage 7.24.4 Class: Historical

ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλα Αἰγιεῦσιν ἀγάλματα χαλκοῦ πεποιημένα, Ζεύς τε ἡλικίαν παῖς καὶ Ἡρακλῆς, οὐδὲ οὗτος ἔχων πω γένεια, Ἀγελάδα τέχνη τοῦ Ἀργείου. τούτοις κατὰ ἔτος ἱερεῖς αἱρετοὶ γίνονται, καὶ ἑκάτερα τῶν ἀγαλμάτων ἐπὶ ταῖς οἰκίαις μένει τοῦ ἱερωμένου. τὰ δὲ ἔτι παλαιότερα προεκέκριτο ἐκ τῶν παίδων ἱερᾶσθαι τῷ Διὶ ὁ νικῶν κάλλει· ἀρχομένων δὲ αὐτῷ γενείων ἐς ἄλλον παῖδα ἡ ἐπὶ τῷ κάλλει μετῄει τιμή. ταῦτα μὲν οὕτως ἐνομίζετο· ἐς δὲ Αἴγιον καὶ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν ἔτι συνέδριον τὸ Ἀχαιῶν ἀθροίζεται, καθότι ἐς Θερμοπύλας τε καὶ ἐς Δελφοὺς οἱ Ἀμφικτύονες.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰγιεῖς Αἴγιον Δελφοί Ζεύς Ζεύς Θερμοπύλαι Ἀγελάδας Ἀμφικτύονες Ἀργεῖος Ἀχαιοί Ἡρακλῆς

The people of Aigion also have other bronze statues: Zeus as a child in age, and Herakles, who also does not yet have a beard; both are works of Ageladas of Argos. Each year priests are chosen for these statues, and each image remains in the house of its respective priest during his term of priesthood. In even older times, it was customary to appoint the boy most distinguished for his beauty as priest of Zeus. When he began to grow a beard, this honor of beauty passed on to another boy. These customs, then, were observed thus. Even in our own time, the council of the Achaians still meets at Aigion, just as the Amphictyons gather at Thermopylai and at Delphi.

Passage 7.24.5 Class: Historical

ἰόντι δὲ ἐς τὸ πρόσω Σελινοῦς τε ποταμὸς καὶ ἀπωτέρω τεσσαράκοντα Αἰγίου σταδίοις ἐπὶ θαλάσσῃ χωρίον ἐστὶν Ἑλίκη. ἐνταῦθα ᾤκητο Ἑλίκη πόλις καὶ Ἴωσιν ἱερὸν ἁγιώτατον Ποσειδῶνος ἦν Ἑλικωνίου. διαμεμένηκε δέ σφισι, καὶ ὡς ὑπὸ Ἀχαιῶν ἐκπεσόντες ἐς Ἀθήνας καὶ ὕστερον ἐξ Ἀθηνῶν ἐς τὰ παραθαλάσσια ἀφίκοντο τῆς Ἀσίας, σέβεσθαι Ποσειδῶνα Ἑλικώνιον· καὶ Μιλησίοις τε ἰόντι ἐπὶ τὴν πηγὴν τὴν Βιβλίδα Ποσειδῶνος πρὸ τῆς πόλεώς ἐστιν Ἑλικωνίου βωμὸς καὶ ὡσαύτως ἐν Τέῳ περίβολός τε καὶ βωμός ἐστι τῷ Ἑλικωνίῳ θέας ἄξιος.

Proper Nouns:

Αἴγιον Βιβλίς Μιλήσιοι Ποσειδῶν Ποσειδῶν Σελινοῦς Τέως Ἀθῆναι Ἀθῆναι Ἀσία Ἀχαιοί Ἑλίκη Ἑλίκωνιος Ἑλίκωνιος Ἴωνες

As one proceeds forward, one reaches the river Selinous, and forty stadia further from Aigion along the seashore is the place Helike. Here was situated the city Helike, and the most sacred sanctuary of Poseidon Helikonios revered by the Ionians. They maintained this worship even when, having been expelled by the Achaeans into Athens, they afterward moved from Athens to the coastal region of Asia; and Poseidon Helikonios continued to be honored among them. Thus, among the Milesians as one goes toward the spring called Biblis, there is an altar of Poseidon Helikonios in front of the city; likewise at Teos there is a precinct and an altar dedicated to Helikonios, which is worthy of viewing.

Passage 7.24.6 Class: Mythic

ἔστι δὲ καὶ Ὁμήρῳ πεποιημένα ἐς Ἑλίκην καὶ τὸν Ἑλικώνιον Ποσειδῶνα. χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον Ἀχαιοῖς τοῖς ἐνταῦθα, ἱκέτας ἄνδρας ἀποστήσασιν ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ ἀποκτείνασιν, οὐκ ἐμέλλησε τὸ μήνιμα ἐκ τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος, ἀλλὰ σεισμὸς ἐς τὴν χώραν σφίσιν αὐτίκα κατασκήψας τῶν τε οἰκοδομημάτων τὴν κατασκευὴν καὶ ὁμοῦ τῇ κατασκευῇ καὶ αὐτὸ τῆς πόλεως τὸ ἔδαφος ἀφανὲς ἐς τοὺς ἔπειτα ἐποίησε.

Proper Nouns:

Ποσειδῶν Ἀχαιοί Ἑλίκη Ἑλικώνιος Ποσειδῶν Ὅμηρος

Homer also makes references to Helice and to Poseidon Heliconius. Later, the Achaeans living there drove some suppliants out from the sanctuary and slew them; the vengeance from Poseidon did not delay—immediately afterwards, an earthquake struck their land, destroying the buildings, and along with the structures, causing even the very ground of the city to disappear from the sight of future generations.

Passage 7.24.7 Class: Historical

τὰ μὲν οὖν ἄλλα ἐπὶ τοῖς σεισμοῖς, ὅσοι μεγέθει τε ὑπερήρκασι καὶ ἐπὶ μήκιστον διικνοῦνται τῆς γῆς, προσημαίνειν ὁ θεὸς κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ ὡς τὸ ἐπίπαν εἴωθεν---ἢ γὰρ ἐπομβρίαι συνεχεῖς ἢ αὐχμοὶ πρὸ τῶν σεισμῶν συμβαίνουσιν ἐπὶ χρόνον πλείονα, καὶ ὁ ἀὴρ παρὰ τὴν ἑκάστοτε τοῦ ἔτους ὥραν χειμῶνός τε γίνεται καυματωδέστερος καὶ ἐν θέρει μετὰ ἀχλύος μᾶλλον ὁ κύκλος παρέχεται τοῦ ἡλίου τὴν χρόαν παρὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς ἤτοι ἐς τὸ ἐρυθρότερον ἢ καὶ ἡσυχῇ ῥέπουσαν ἐς τὸ μελάντερον·

Proper Nouns:

γῆ θεός ἥλιος

In general, therefore, when great earthquakes are about to occur—those that surpass others in their magnitude and extend over a very large portion of the world—the god commonly gives warning in ways he most often employs: either continuous rains or droughts occur for a considerable time beforehand, and the atmosphere, according to the particular season of the year, becomes hotter in winter, while in summer the disk of the sun is usually seen dimly through mist, changing its accustomed color either toward red or quietly inclining toward darkness.

Passage 7.24.8 Class: Historical

τῶν τε ὑδάτων ὡς τὸ πολὺ ἐπιλείπουσιν αἱ πηγαί, καὶ ἀνέμων ἔστιν οἷς ἐνέπεσον ἐς τὴν χώραν ἐμβολαὶ περιτρέπουσαι τὰ δένδρα, καί που καὶ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ διαδρομαὶ σὺν πολλῇ τῇ φλογί, τὰ δὲ καὶ ἀστέρων ὤφθη σχήματα οὔτε ἐγνωσμένα ὑπὸ τῶν πρότερον καὶ μεγάλην τοῖς ὁρῶσιν ἐμποιοῦντα ἔκπληξιν, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τῆς γῆς κάτω πνευμάτων ὑπήχησις ἰσχυρά, ἄλλα τε πολλὰ ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ τοῖς βιαίοις τῶν σεισμῶν ἐθέλει προενδείκνυσθαι·

Proper Nouns:

θεός

For springs of water largely fail, and some winds, sweeping through the land, overturn the trees. Even sometimes fiery trails are seen in the sky, and also shapes of stars have appeared unknown to former generations, causing great astonishment to those who behold them. Moreover, there is an intense subterranean roaring of winds beneath the earth, and many other signs which the god customarily manifests as preliminary warnings of violent earthquakes.

Passage 7.24.9 Class: Historical

---τῆς δὲ κινήσεως αὐτῆς καθέστηκεν οὐχ εἷς τρόπος, ἀλλʼ οἱ φροντίσαντες τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ οἱ παρʼ ἐκείνων διδαχθέντες ἰδέας καταμαθεῖν ἐδυνήθησαν τοσάσδε ἐπὶ τοῖς σεισμοῖς. ἠπιώτατος μέν ἐστιν αὐτῶν, ἢν δὴ ἐν κακῷ γε τοσούτῳ ῥᾳστώνην ἐνεῖναί τινα ἡγησώμεθα, ἐπειδὰν ὁμοῦ τῇ κινήσει τῇ ἀρξαμένῃ τὸ πρῶτον καὶ τῇ ἐς τὸ ἔδαφος τροπῇ τῶν οἰκοδομημάτων ἀντιστᾶσα ἐναντία κίνησις ἐξεγείρῃ τὰ ἤδη τραπέντα, ---καὶ ἐν τῇ τοιᾷδε ἰδέᾳ

Proper Nouns:

Ἀρχή

As regards the earthquake itself, its movement does not follow a single pattern; rather, those who have examined such phenomena from the beginning, as well as those instructed by them, have been able to discern several distinct forms of earthquakes. The mildest among them—if indeed we can consider any relief possible amid so great a calamity—is when, simultaneously with the first onset of the earthquake and the initial tilting downwards of buildings, a contrary motion, opposing the fall, arises and sets upright again those structures already tipped. Of this kind is the motion described above.

Passage 7.24.10 Class: Historical

τοῦ σεισμοῦ κίονας ὁρᾶν ἔστιν ἀνορθουμένους οἳ ὀλίγου ἐδέησαν ἐς ἅπαν ἐκριφῆναι, καὶ ὁπόσα διέστη τοίχων συνερχόμενα ἐς τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς· δοκοὶ δέ, ὅσας ἐκτὸς ὀλισθεῖν ἐποίησεν ἡ κίνησις, ἐπανίασιν αὖθις ἐς τὰς ἕδρας· ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ὀχετῶν κατασκευῆς καὶ εἰ δή τι ἄλλο ἐπὶ ὕδατος ῥοαῖς προάγει, καὶ τούτων συνδεῖ τὰ διεσπασμένα μᾶλλον ἢ ἀνθρώπων τεκτόνων· ---ὁ δὲ δὴ δεύτερος τῶν σεισμῶν ἀπώλειάν τε τῶν ἑτοιμοτέρων φέρει καί, ἐφʼ ὅ τι ἂν βάλῃ τὴν ὁρμήν, ἀνέκλινεν αὐτίκα τοῖς ἐς πολιορκίαν μηχανήμασιν ὁμοίως.

It is possible to see columns being straightened up after the earthquake, columns which had nearly fallen down entirely; likewise, walls that had separated, returning again into their original positions. Furthermore, beams displaced outward by the shocks move back again into their proper places. Similarly, this same force reconnects disrupted channels for water and any other construction established to guide flowing currents, bringing their severed parts together more effectively than human craftsmen. But the second of the earthquakes brought outright destruction to structures already weakened; wherever it directed its force, it instantly overturned them, just as siege-engines would do.

Passage 7.24.11 Class: Historical

τὸν δὲ αὐτῶν ὀλεθριώτατον τοιῷδέ τινι ἐθέλουσιν εἰκάζειν, τὸ ἐντὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου πνεῦμα εἰ συνεχεῖ πυρετῷ πυκνότερόν τε καὶ ὑπὸ πολλῆς ἄνω τῆς βίας ὠθοῖτο · τοῦτο δὲ ἀλλαχοῦ τε τοῦ σώματος ἐπισημαίνει καὶ ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ὑπὸ ἑκάτερον μάλιστα τὸν καρπόν. κατὰ ταὐτὰ οὖν καὶ τὸν σεισμὸν εἴτʼ εὐθὺ ὑποδύεσθαι τῶν οἰκοδομημάτων καὶ θεμέλια ἀναπάλλειν φασὶν αὐτόν, καθότι καὶ τὰ ἔργα τῶν σφαλάκων ἐκ μυχοῦ τῆς γῆς ἀναπέμπεται· μόνη τε ἡ τοιαύτη κίνησις οὐδὲ τοῦ οἰκισθῆναί ποτε ὑπολείπει σημεῖα ἐν τῇ γῇ.

Proper Nouns:

γῆ

They desire to characterize the most destructive type of earthquake by a certain analogy, as being like breath within a person which, if forced by continual feverish heat, becomes denser and is driven violently upwards due to excessive internal pressure. Such a condition leaves marks in various parts of the body, particularly noticeable in the wrists beneath each hand. Likewise, they assert that this type of earthquake directly enters beneath buildings and jolts their foundations upward, similar to the manner in which moles cause disturbance from deep in the earth. Indeed, this sort of seismic movement alone leaves behind no indication in the ground that it ever took place.

Passage 7.24.12 Class: Historical

τότε δὲ ἰδέαν μὲν ταύτην ἐπὶ τῇ Ἑλίκῃ τοῦ σεισμοῦ τὴν ἐς τὸ ἔδαφος ἀνακινοῦσαν, σὺν δὲ αὐτῇ καὶ ἄλλο πῆμα τοιόνδε οἱ ἐπιγενέσθαι φασὶν ὥρᾳ χειμῶνος. ἐπῆλθε γάρ σφισιν ἐπὶ πολὺ τῆς χώρας ἡ θάλασσα καὶ τὴν Ἑλίκην περιέλαβεν ἐν κύκλῳ πᾶσαν· καὶ δὴ καὶ τὸ ἄλσος τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ἐπέσχεν ὁ κλύδων ὡς τὰ ἄκρα τῶν δένδρων σύνοπτα εἶναι μόνον. σείσαντος δὲ ἐξαίφνης τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ὁμοῦ τῷ σεισμῷ τῆς θαλάσσης ἀναδραμούσης, καθείλκυσεν αὔτανδρον τὸ κῦμα τὴν Ἑλίκην.

Proper Nouns:

Ποσειδῶν Ἑλίκη Ἑλίκη

Then at Helice the earthquake took this form, stirring the ground beneath them, and together with it another disaster befell the people, they say, during the season of winter. For the sea advanced far inland over their territory and encircled the whole of Helice; and indeed the grove of Poseidon was inundated to such a degree by the wave that only the tops of the trees remained visible. When suddenly the god caused an earthquake, and simultaneously the sea rushed back, the wave dragged down Helice with all of its inhabitants.

Passage 7.24.13 Class: Historical

τοιοῦτό γε δὴ κατέλαβεν, καὶ ἕτερον τὴν ἰδέαν, ἐν Σιπύλῳ πόλιν ἐς χάσμα ἀφανισθῆναι· ἐξ ὅτου δὲ ἡ ἰδέα κατεάγη τοῦ ὄρους, ὕδωρ αὐτόθεν ἐρρύη, καὶ λίμνη τε ὀνομαζομένη Σαλόη τὸ χάσμα ἐγένετο καὶ ἐρείπια πόλεως δῆλα ἦν ἐν τῇ λίμνῃ, πρὶν ἢ τὸ ὕδωρ ἀπέκρυψεν αὐτὰ τοῦ χειμάρρου. σύνοπτα δὲ καὶ Ἑλίκης ἐστὶ τὰ ἐρείπια, οὐ μὴν ἔτι γε ὁμοίως, ἅτε ὑπὸ τῆς ἅλμης λελυμασμένα.

Proper Nouns:

Σίπυλος Σαλόη Ἑλίκη

Indeed, such a disaster befell them, and another of a similar nature happened, the disappearance of a city on Mount Sipylus into a chasm. From the moment that the mountainside broke away, waters flowed forth at that spot, and the chasm became a lake called Saloe. The ruins of the city were clearly visible in the lake until the water rising from the torrent concealed them. The ruins of Helice are also still visible, although no longer to the same extent, since they have been corroded by seawater.

Legend:

Chapter 7.24