Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.39.1 Class: Historical

παρὰ δὲ τὴν Λυκόσουραν ὡς ἐπὶ ἡλίου δυσμὰς ποταμὸς Πλατανιστὼν παρέξεισιν· ἀνδρὶ δὲ ἰόντι ἐς Φιγαλίαν ἀνάγκη πᾶσα διαβῆναι τὸν Πλατανιστῶνα, μετὰ δὲ αὐτόν ἐστιν ἄνοδος ὅσον τε σταδίους τριάκοντα ἢ πλείους τῶν τριάκοντα οὐ πολλῷ.

Proper Nouns:

Λυκόσουρα Πλατανιστών Πλατανιστών Φιγαλία

Near Lykosoura, towards the west, flows the river Plataniston. A traveler heading to Phigalia must necessarily cross the Plataniston, and beyond it the ascent is approximately thirty stadia, or slightly more.

Passage 8.39.2 Class: Mythic

τὰ δὲ ἐς τὸν Λυκάονος Φίγαλον---οὗτος γὰρ δὴ τῇ πόλει τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐγένετο οἰκιστής---καὶ ὡς μετέβαλεν ἀνὰ χρόνον ἀπὸ Φιάλου Βουκολίωνος τὸ ὄνομα ἡ πόλις καὶ αὖθις τε ἀνεσώσατο τὸ ἀρχαῖον, τόδε μὲν καὶ πρότερον ἔτι ἐσήμαινεν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος· λέγεται δὲ καὶ ἄλλα οὐκ ἀξιόχρεα ἐς πίστιν, ἄνδρα αὐτόχθονα εἶναι τὸν Φίγαλον καὶ οὐ Λυκάονος παῖδα· τοῖς δὲ εἰρημένον ἐστὶν ὡς ἡ Φιγαλία νύμφη τῶν καλουμένων εἴη Δρυάδων.

Proper Nouns:

Βουκολίων Δρυάδες Λυκάων Φίαλος Φίγαλος Φιγαλία

Regarding Phigalos, son of Lykaon—for indeed this man was the original founder of the city—and how in the course of time the city changed its name from Phigalia to Boukolion, after Phialos son of Boukolos, and later recovered its former name, I have already mentioned this previously. However, other stories are also told about him which are not reliable enough to believe, such as that Phigalos was earth-born, and not a son of Lykaon, and some further say that Phigalia was one of the so-called Dryad nymphs.

Passage 8.39.3 Class: Historical

Λακεδαιμόνιοι δὲ ἡνίκα Ἀρκάσιν ἐπεχείρησαν καὶ ἐσέβαλον ἐς τὴν Φιγαλίαν στρατιᾷ, μάχῃ τε νικῶσι τοὺς ἐπιχωρίους καὶ ἐπολιόρκουν προσκαθεζόμενοι· κινδυνεύοντος δὲ ἁλῶναι τοῦ τείχους ἐκδιδράσκουσιν οἱ Φιγαλεῖς, ἢ καὶ οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι σφᾶς ἀφιᾶσιν ἐξελθεῖν ὑποσπόνδους. ἐγένετο δὲ ἡ τῆς Φιγαλίας ἅλωσις καὶ Φιγαλέων ἡ ἐξ αὐτῆς φυγὴ Μιλτιάδου μὲν Ἀθήνῃσιν ἄρχοντος, δευτέρῳ δὲ ἔτει τῆς τριακοστῆς Ὀλυμπιάδος, ἣν Χίονις Λάκων ἐνίκα τὸ τρίτον.

Proper Nouns:

Λάκων Λακεδαιμόνιοι Μιλτιάδης Φιγαλία Φιγαλεῖς Χίων Ἀθῆναι Ἀρκάδες Ὀλυμπιάς

When the Lacedaemonians undertook an expedition against the Arcadians and invaded Phigalia with an army, they defeated the inhabitants in battle and placed the city under siege by encamping around it. As the walls were about to fall, the Phigalians either fled secretly, or else the Lacedaemonians allowed them to depart under agreed terms. This capture of Phigalia and the resulting exile of the Phigalians occurred when Miltiades was archon in Athens, in the second year of the thirtieth Olympiad, at which Chionis of Lacedaemon gained his third victory.

Passage 8.39.4 Class: Historical

Φιγαλέων δὲ τοῖς διαπεφευγόσιν ἔδοξεν ἀφικομένοις ἐς Δελφοὺς ἐρωτᾶν ὑπὲρ καθόδου τὸν θεόν· καί σφισιν ἡ Πυθία καθʼ αὑτοὺς μὲν πειρωμένοις ἐς Φιγαλίαν κατελθεῖν οὐχ ὁρᾶν ἔφη κάθοδον, εἰ δὲ λογάδας ἑκατὸν ἐξ Ὀρεσθασίου προσλάβοιεν, τοὺς μὲν ἀποθανεῖσθαι παρὰ τὴν μάχην, Φιγαλεῦσι δὲ ἔσεσθαι διʼ αὐτῶν κάθοδον. Ὀρεσθάσιοι δὲ ὡς τὴν γενομένην τοῖς Φιγαλεῦσιν ἐπύθοντο μαντείαν, ἄλλος ἔφθανεν ἄλλον σπουδῇ λογάδων τε τῶν ἑκατὸν αὐτὸς ἕκαστος γενέσθαι καὶ ἐξόδου τῆς ἐς Φιγαλίαν μετασχεῖν.

Proper Nouns:

Δελφοί Πυθία Φιγαλία Φιγαλεῖς Φιγαλεῖς Ὀρεστάσιοι Ὀρεστάσιον

The Phigaleians who had survived decided to come to Delphi and ask the god about their return home. The Pythia responded that if they attempted by themselves to return to Phigaleia, she saw no way down for them; but if they should take as allies one hundred chosen men from Oresthasion, some of these men would die in battle, yet through them the Phigaleians would have their path home. When the Oresthasians heard the oracle delivered to the Phigaleians, each man eagerly strove to be among these hundred chosen warriors, surpassing one another in zeal to participate in the expedition to Phigaleia.

Passage 8.39.5 Class: Historical

παρελθόντες δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν Λακεδαιμονίων φρουρὰν ἄγουσιν ἐς πάντα ἐπὶ τέλος τὸν χρησμόν· καὶ γὰρ αὐτοῖς λόγου μαχεσαμένοις ἀξίως ἐπεγένετο ἡ τελευτὴ καὶ ἐξελάσαντες τοὺς Σπαρτιάτας παρέσχον Φιγαλεῦσιν ἀπολαβεῖν τὴν πατρίδα. κεῖται δὲ ἡ Φιγαλία ἐπὶ μετεώρου μὲν καὶ ἀποτόμου τὰ πλέονα, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κρημνῶν ᾠκοδομημένα ἐστὶ τείχη σφίσιν· ἀνελθόντι δὲ ὁμαλής ἐστιν ὁ λόφος ἤδη καὶ ἐπίπεδος. ἔστι δὲ Σωτείρας τε ἱερὸν ἐνταῦθα Ἀρτέμιδος καὶ ἄγαλμα ὀρθὸν λίθου· ἐκ τούτου δὲ τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ τὰς πομπάς σφισι πέμπειν κατέστη.

Proper Nouns:

Λακεδαιμόνιοι Σπαρτιάτης Σωτείρα Φιγαλία Φιγαλία Ἄρτεμις

Having advanced against the Spartan garrison, they carried the oracle to complete fulfillment: for after they had fought bravely in battle according to prophecy, the end turned out fittingly for them; driving out the Spartans, they enabled the Phigalians to reclaim their homeland. Phigalia itself lies mostly upon a high and precipitous site, and the city's walls are constructed on the cliffs. Once one has ascended, however, the hill at the top is flat and level. There is here a sanctuary dedicated to Artemis Soteira (the Savior) with an upright stone statue; it is from this sanctuary that they established the sending forth of their processions.

Passage 8.39.6 Class: Historical

ἐν δὲ τῷ γυμνασίῳ τὸ ἄγαλμα τοῦ Ἑρμοῦ ἀμπεχομένῳ μὲν ἔοικεν ἱμάτιον, καταλήγει δὲ οὐκ ἐς πόδας, ἀλλὰ ἐς τὸ τετράγωνον σχῆμα. πεποίηται δὲ καὶ Διονύσου ναός· ἐπίκλησις μέν ἐστιν αὐτῷ παρὰ τῶν ἐπιχωρίων Ἀκρατοφόρος, τὰ κάτω δὲ οὐκ ἔστι σύνοπτα τοῦ ἀγάλματος ὑπὸ δάφνης τε φύλλων καὶ κισσῶν. ὁπόσον δὲ αὐτοῦ καθορᾶν ἔστιν, ἐπαλήλιπται κιννάβαρι ἐκλάμπειν· εὑρίσκεσθαι δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰβήρων ὁμοῦ τῷ χρυσῷ λέγεται.

Proper Nouns:

Διόνυσος Ἀκρατοφόρος Ἑρμῆς Ἰβῆρες

In the gymnasium there is a statue of Hermes; although it seems to wear a cloak, it does not end in feet, but instead terminates in a square form. There is also a temple of Dionysus. The local people call him by the surname Akratophoros ("Giver of Unmixed Wine"), and the lower parts of his statue are hidden from view beneath leaves of laurel and ivy. All that can be clearly seen of the statue is painted with cinnabar to make it gleam; this cinnabar is said to be discovered by Iberians together with gold.

Legend:

Chapter 8.39