Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.14.1 Class: Mythic

Φενεατῶν δὲ τὸ πεδίον κεῖται μὲν ὑπὸ ταῖς Καρυαῖς, πλεονάσαντος δέ ποτε αὐτῷ τοῦ ὕδατος κατακλυσθῆναί φασι τὴν ἀρχαίαν Φενεόν, ὥστε καὶ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν σημεῖα ἐλείπετο ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρῶν ἐς ἃ ἐπαναβῆναι τὸ ὕδωρ λέγουσι. Καρυῶν δὲ στάδια πέντε ἀφέστηκεν ἥ τε Ὄρυξις καλουμένη καὶ ἕτερον ὄρος Σκίαθις· ὑφʼ ἑκατέρῳ δέ ἐστι τῷ ὄρει βάραθρον τὸ ὕδωρ καταδεχόμενον τὸ ἐκ τοῦ πεδίου.

Proper Nouns:

Καρυαί Καρυαί Σκίαθις Φενεαταί Φενεός Ὄρυξις

The plain of Pheneus lies below Caryae. They say that when its waters once became too abundant, the ancient city of Pheneus was flooded, so that even in our own days the marks could still be seen on the mountains to which, it is said, the water reached. About five stades from Caryae stands the mountain called Oryxis, and another mountain called Sciathis. At the foot of each mountain there is a chasm, into which the water from the plain flows down.

Passage 8.14.2 Class: Mythic

τὰ δὲ βάραθρα οἱ Φενεᾶται ταῦτά φασιν εἶναι χειροποίητα, ποιῆσαι δὲ αὐτὰ Ἡρακλέα τηνικαῦτα ἐν Φενεῷ παρὰ Λαονόμῃ τῇ Ἀμφιτρύωνος μητρὶ οἰκοῦντα· γενέσθαι γὰρ Ἀμφιτρύωνα ἐκ Λαονόμης Ἀλκαίῳ τῆς Γούνεω, γυναικὸς Φενεάτιδος, καὶ οὐκ ἐκ τῆς Πέλοπος Λυσιδίκης. εἰ δὲ Ἡρακλῆς ἀληθεῖ λόγῳ παρὰ τοὺς Φενεάτας μετῴκησε, πείθοιτο ἄν τις διωχθέντα ἐκ Τίρυνθος ὑπὸ Εὐρυσθέως αὐτὸν οὐκ αὐτίκα ἐς Θήβας, πρότερον δὲ ἐς Φενεὸν ἀφικέσθαι.

Proper Nouns:

Γούνεως Εὐρυσθεύς Θῆβαι Λαονόμη Λαονόμη Λυσιδίκη Πέλοψ Τίρυνς Φενεάτις Φενεός Φενεός Φενεᾱ́της Φενεᾱ́της Ἀλκαῖος Ἀμφιτρύων Ἀμφιτρύων Ἡρακλῆς

The pits, the Pheneatians say, were made by hand; they assert that Heracles constructed them during the time when he was living in Pheneus with Laonome, the mother of Amphitryon. For they state that Amphitryon was born to Alcaeus, son of Guneus, by Laonome, who was a woman of Pheneus, and not by Lysidice, who was the daughter of Pelops. Now if Heracles truly resided among the Pheneatians, one might reasonably suppose that after being driven out from Tiryns by Eurystheus he did not immediately go to Thebes, but came first to Pheneus.

Passage 8.14.3 Class: Mythic

διὰ μέσου δὲ ὤρυξεν Ἡρακλῆς τοῦ Φενεατῶν πεδίου ἔλυτρον , ῥεῦμα εἶναι τῷ ποταμῷ τῷ Ὀλβίῳ, ὅν τινα Ἀροάνιον Ἀρκάδων καλοῦσιν ἕτεροι καὶ οὐκ Ὄλβιον· μῆκος μὲν τοῦ ὀρύγματος στάδιοι πεντήκοντά εἰσι, βάθος δέ, ὅσον μὴ πεπτωκός ἐστιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐς τριάκοντα καθήκει πόδας. οὐ μὴν ταύτῃ γε ἔτι κάτεισιν ὁ ποταμός, ἀλλὰ ἐς τὸ ῥεῦμα ἀπεχώρησεν αὖθις τὸ ἀρχαῖον, καταλιπὼν ἔλυτρον τοῦ Ἡρακλέους τὸ ἔργον.

Proper Nouns:

Φενεαταί Ἀρκάδες Ἀροάνιος Ἡρακλῆς Ἡρακλῆς Ὄλβιος

Heracles dug a channel through the middle of the plain of Pheneus, to provide an outlet for the river Olbios—whom some of the Arcadians call Aroanios rather than Olbios. The length of this excavation is fifty stadia, and its depth, where it has not collapsed, reaches up to thirty feet. However, the river no longer flows through this channel, but has reverted again to its original course, leaving behind the channel as evidence of the labor of Heracles.

Passage 8.14.4 Class: Mythic

τῶν βαράθρων δὲ τῶν ἐν τοῖς εἰρημένοις πεποιημένων ὄρεσιν ἀπωτέρω πεντήκοντά που σταδίοις ἐστὶν ἡ πόλις· οἰκιστὴν δὲ οἱ Φενεᾶται λέγουσιν ἄνδρα αὐτόχθονα εἶναι Φενεόν. ἔστι δέ σφισιν ἀκρόπολις ἀπότομος πανταχόθεν, τὰ μὲν πολλὰ ἔχουσα οὕτως, ὀλίγα δὲ αὐτῆς καὶ ὠχυρώσαντο ὑπὲρ ἀσφαλείας. ἐνταῦθα ἐν τῇ ἀκροπόλει ναός ἐστιν Ἀθηνᾶς ἐπίκλησιν Τριτωνίας, ἐρείπια δὲ ἐλείπετο αὐτοῦ μόνα·

Proper Nouns:

Τριτωνία Φενεός Φενεᾶται Ἀθηνᾶ

About fifty stades away from the chasms formed in the mountains I have mentioned lies the city. According to the Pheneatians, their founder was an indigenous man named Pheneos. Their citadel stands steep on all sides; in most places, this natural steepness suffices as a defense, though in a few spots they have additionally fortified it for safety. Within the acropolis there is a temple of Athena, surnamed Tritonia, of which only ruins remained.

Passage 8.14.5 Class: Mythic

καὶ Ποσειδῶν χαλκοῦς ἕστηκεν ἐπωνυμίαν Ἵππιος, ἀναθεῖναι δὲ τὸ ἄγαλμα τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος Ὀδυσσέα ἔφασαν· ἀπολέσθαι γὰρ ἵππους τῷ Ὀδυσσεῖ, καὶ αὐτὸν γῆν τὴν Ἑλλάδα κατὰ ζήτησιν ἐπιόντα τῶν ἵππων ἱδρύσασθαι μὲν ἱερὸν ἐνταῦθα Ἀρτέμιδος καὶ Εὑρίππαν ὀνομάσαι τὴν θεόν, ἔνθα τῆς Φενεατικῆς χώρας εὗρε τὰς ἵππους, ἀναθεῖναι δὲ καὶ τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος τὸ ἄγαλμα τοῦ Ἱππίου.

Proper Nouns:

Εὑρίππη Ποσειδῶν Ποσειδῶν Φενεατική Ἄρτεμις Ἑλλάς Ἵππιος Ὀδυσσεύς Ὀδυσσεύς

There is also a bronze statue of Poseidon, surnamed Hippios ("Horse God"). They say that Odysseus dedicated this image of Poseidon. For it happened that Odysseus lost his horses, and as he proceeded throughout Greece in search of them, he founded there a sanctuary to Artemis, naming the goddess Eurippa ("Finder of Horses"), because it was in that part of Pheneatian territory he found them. He also set up the statue of Poseidon Hippios.

Passage 8.14.6 Class: Mythic

τῷ δὲ Ὀδυσσεῖ λέγουσιν εὑρόντι τὰς ἵππους γενέσθαι οἱ κατὰ γνώμην ἐν χώρᾳ τῇ Φενεατῶν ἔχειν ἵππους, καθάπερ γε καὶ τὰς βοῦς ἐν τῇ ἠπείρῳ τῆς Ἰθάκης ἀπαντικρὺ τρέφειν αὐτόν· καί μοι καὶ γράμματα οἱ Φενεᾶται παρείχοντο ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀγάλματος γεγραμμένα τῷ βάθρῳ, τοῦ Ὀδυσσέως δή τι πρόσταγμα τοῖς ποιμαίνουσι τὰς ἵππους.

Proper Nouns:

Φενεάται Φενεάται Ἰθάκη Ὀδυσσεύς Ὀδυσσεύς

They say that when Odysseus discovered the mares, he decided it would be best to keep them in the territory of the Pheneatians, just as he pastured his cattle on the mainland opposite Ithaca. The Pheneatians even showed me an inscription upon the base of the statue, which was a certain injunction from Odysseus himself, addressed to those tending the horses.

Passage 8.14.7 Class: Mythic

τὰ μὲν δὴ ἄλλα ἑπομένοις ἡμῖν τῷ Φενεατῶν λόγῳ εἰκὸς προσέσται, τὸ δὲ ἄγαλμα Ὀδυσσέα ἀναθεῖναι τὸ χαλκοῦν οὐκ ἔχω πείθεσθαί σφισιν· οὐ γάρ πω τότε τοῦ χαλκοῦ τὰ ἀγάλματα διὰ παντὸς ἠπίσταντο ἐργάσασθαι καθάπερ ἐσθῆτα ἐξυφαίνοντες. τρόπον δὲ ὅστις ἦν αὐτοῖς ἐς τὰ χαλκᾶ ἐργασίας, ἔδειξεν ἤδη μοι τοῦ ἐς Σπαρτιάτας λόγου τὰ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀγάλματος τοῦ Ὑπάτου Διός.

Proper Nouns:

Σπαρτιάται Φενεαταί Ὀδυσσεύς Ὑπατος Ζεύς

Now all the rest of the account provided by the people of Pheneus is likely believable to those who follow my narrative; but I cannot accept their assertion about the dedication of a bronze statue by Odysseus. For at that time they did not yet possess comprehensive skill in making statues of bronze, as one might weave clothing. The method of bronze-work available to them at that period I have already pointed out in my discussion of Sparta concerning the statue of Zeus Hypatos.

Passage 8.14.8 Class: Historical

διέχεαν δὲ χαλκὸν πρῶτοι καὶ ἀγάλματα ἐχωνεύσαντο Ῥοῖκός τε Φιλαίου καὶ Θεόδωρος Τηλεκλέους Σάμιοι. Θεοδώρου δὲ ἔργον ἦν καὶ ἡ ἐπὶ τοῦ λίθου τῆς σμαράγδου σφραγίς, ἣν Πολυκράτης ὁ Σάμου τυραννήσας ἐφόρει τε τὰ μάλιστα καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτῇ περισσῶς δή τι ἠγάλλετο.

Proper Nouns:

Θεόδωρος Θεόδωρος Πολυκράτης Σάμος Σάμος Τηλεκλέης Φιλαῖος Ῥοῖκός

The Samians Rhoecus, son of Philaeus, and Theodorus, son of Telecles, were the first to cast bronze and to pour statues. The work of Theodorus also was the engraved emerald seal set in gold which Polycrates, who ruled as tyrant of Samos, customarily wore and upon which he took particularly great pride.

Passage 8.14.9 Class: Mythic

Φενεατῶν δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἀκροπόλεως καταβαίνοντι ἔστι μὲν στάδιον, ἔστι δὲ ἐπὶ λόφου μνῆμα Ἰφικλέους ἀδελφοῦ τε Ἡρακλέους καὶ Ἰολάου πατρός. Ἰόλαον μὲν δὴ τὰ πολλὰ Ἡρακλεῖ συγκάμνειν λέγουσιν Ἕλληνες· Ἰφικλῆς δὲ ὁ Ἰολάου πατήρ, ἡνίκα ἐμαχέσατο Ἡρακλῆς πρὸς Ἠλείους τε καὶ Αὐγέαν τὴν προτέραν μάχην, τότε ὑπὸ τῶν παίδων ἐτρώθη τῶν Ἄκτορος, καλουμένων δὲ ἀπὸ Μολίνης τῆς μητρός. καὶ ἤδη κάμνοντα κομίζουσιν οἱ προσήκοντες ἐς Φενεόν· ἐνταῦθα ἀνὴρ Φενεάτης αὐτὸν Βουφάγος καὶ ἡ τοῦ Βουφάγου γυνὴ Πρώμνη περιεῖπόν τε εὖ καὶ ἀποθανόντα ἐκ τοῦ τραύματος ἔθαψαν.

Proper Nouns:

Αὐγείας Βουφάγος Μολίνα Πρώμνη Φενεάτης Φενεός Φενεός Ἅκτωρ Ἕλληνες Ἠλεῖοι Ἡρακλῆς Ἡρακλῆς Ἡρακλῆς Ἰφικλῆς Ἰφικλῆς Ἰόλαος Ἰόλαος

As one descends from the acropolis of the Pheneatians, there is a stadium, and upon a hill is the tomb of Iphikles, brother of Herakles and father of Iolaos. All Greeks indeed agree that, for the most part, Iolaos shared in the labors of Herakles. But Iphikles, father of Iolaos, when Herakles fought his earlier battle against the Eleans and Augeas, was then wounded by the sons of Aktor, who were called after their mother Molione. When he lay wounded, his relatives carried him to Pheneos. There a man of Pheneos named Bouphagos, along with Bouphagos' wife, Promne, tended him kindly, and when he died from his wound, they buried him.

Passage 8.14.10 Class: Mythic

Ἰφικλεῖ μὲν δὴ καὶ ἐς τόδε ἔτι ἐναγίζουσιν ὡς ἥρωι, θεῶν δὲ τιμῶσιν Ἑρμῆν Φενεᾶται μάλιστα καὶ ἀγῶνα ἄγουσιν Ἕρμαια, καὶ ναός ἐστιν Ἑρμοῦ σφισι καὶ ἄγαλμα λίθου· τοῦτο ἐποίησεν ἀνὴρ Ἀθηναῖος Εὔχειρ Εὐβουλίδου. ὄπισθεν δέ ἐστι τοῦ ναοῦ τάφος Μυρτίλου. τοῦτον Ἑρμοῦ παῖδα εἶναι τὸν Μυρτίλον λέγουσιν Ἕλληνες, ἡνιοχεῖν δὲ αὐτὸν Οἰνομάῳ· καὶ ὁπότε ἀφίκοιτό τις μνώμενος τοῦ Οἰνομάου τὴν θυγατέρα, ὁ μὲν ἠπείγετο ὁ Μυρτίλος σὺν τέχνῃ τοῦ Οἰνομάου τὰς ἵππους, ὁ δὲ ἐν τῷ δρόμῳ τὸν μνηστῆρα, ὁπότε ἐγγὺς γένοιτο, κατηκόντιζεν.

Proper Nouns:

Εὔχειρ Εὐβουλίδης Μυρτίλος Μυρτίλος Οἰνόμαος Οἰνόμαος Φενεάτης θεοί ναός Ἀθηναῖος Ἑρμῆς Ἑρμῆς Ἕλληνες Ἕρμαια Ἰφικλῆς

Even now they continue offering sacrifices to Iphicles as to a hero. Among the gods, the Pheneatians honor Hermes most especially, and they celebrate a contest called the Hermaia. There is a temple of Hermes among them, and a stone statue made by an Athenian named Eucheir, son of Euboulides. Behind this temple is the tomb of Myrtilus. The Greeks say that Myrtilus was the son of Hermes and served as charioteer to Oenomaus. Whenever someone arrived seeking marriage to the daughter of Oenomaus, Myrtilus would cunningly delay the horses of Oenomaus, and during the course of the race, Oenomaus would hurl his spear against the suitor whenever he drew near.

Passage 8.14.11 Class: Mythic

Ἱπποδαμείας δὲ ἤρα μὲν καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Μυρτίλος, ἐς δὲ τὸν ἀγῶνα ἀτόλμως ἔχων ὑπεῖκε καὶ ἡνιόχει τῷ Οἰνομάῳ. τέλος δὲ καὶ ἀναφανῆναι τοῦ Οἰνομάου προδότην φασὶν αὐτὸν ὑπαχθέντα ὅρκοις, ὥς οἱ νύκτα ὁ Πέλοψ μίαν Ἱπποδαμείᾳ συγγενέσθαι παρήσει. ἀναμιμνήσκοντα οὖν τῶν ὅρκων ὁ Πέλοψ ἐξέβαλεν ἐκ τῆς νεώς· Φενεᾶται δὲ τοῦ Μυρτίλου τὸν νεκρὸν ἐκβληθέντα ὑπὸ τοῦ κλύδωνος λέγουσιν ἀνελόμενοι θάψαι, καὶ νύκτωρ κατὰ ἔτος ἐναγίζουσιν αὐτῷ.

Proper Nouns:

Μυρτίλος Οἰνόμαος Πέλοψ Φενεᾶται Ἱπποδάμεια

Myrtilus himself was in love with Hippodameia, yet feeling hesitant about entering the contest, he yielded and served as charioteer to Oenomaus. Ultimately, they say, he was persuaded by vows to betray Oenomaus, for Pelops pledged to allow him to lie with Hippodameia for one night. However, reminding Pelops thereafter of the promised oath, he was cast from the ship by him. The Pheneatians say his body, after being washed ashore by the waves, was recovered and buried by them; and every year they offer nocturnal sacrifices to his spirit.

Passage 8.14.12 Class: Mythic

ἔστι δὲ ὁ Πέλοψ δῆλος οὐ πολλήν τινα παραπλεύσας θάλασσαν, ἀλλὰ ὅσον ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀλφειοῦ τῶν ἐκβολῶν ἐς τὸ ἐπίνειον τὸ Ἠλείων. οὐκ ἂν οὖν τό γε πέλαγος τὸ Μυρτῷον ἀπὸ Μυρτίλου τοῦ Ἑρμοῦ φαίνοιτο κεκλημένον, ἀρχόμενόν τε ἀπὸ Εὐβοίας καὶ παρʼ Ἑλένην ἔρημον νῆσον καθῆκον ἐς τὸ Αἰγαῖον· ἀλλά μοι δοκοῦσιν Εὐβοέων οἱ τὰ ἀρχαῖα μνημονεύοντες εἰκότα εἰρηκέναι, λέγοντες ἀπὸ γυναικὸς Μυρτοῦς τῷ πελάγει γεγονέναι τὸ ὄνομα τῷ Μυρτῴῳ.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰγαῖον Εὐβοεύς Εὔβοια Μυρτίλος Μυρτώ Μυρτῶον Μυρτῶον Πέλοψ Ἀλφειός Ἑλένη Ἑρμῆς Ἠλεῖοι

Pelops is plainly known to have crossed not a very great stretch of sea, but only such distance as lies from the mouth of the Alpheius to the harbor serving the Eleans. Thus, the Myrtoan Sea could not reasonably be said to take its name from Myrtilus, son of Hermes, since it begins from Euboea and extends past the desert isle of Helene into the Aegean. Instead, it seems to me that those Euboeans who have preserved ancient traditions speak plausibly in asserting that the name "Myrtoan" was given to the sea from a woman named Myrto.

Legend:

Chapter 8.14