Pausanias Analysis

Not far from the gates is a common grave, where lie those who happened to fall fighting against Alexander and the Macedonians. Nearby they point out the place where, according to the story about Cadmus—whoever believes it—he killed the dragon at the spring and sowed its teeth, from which men sprang up from the earth.

On the right of the gates there is a hill sacred to Apollo; both the hill and the god are called Ismenian from the river Ismenus which flows by at this point. At the entrance there are first stone images of Athena and Hermes surnamed Pronaoi ("Before the Temple"). They say Pheidias made the Hermes, and Skopas the Athena. Beyond these is the temple itself. The cult statue is equal in size and entirely similar in appearance to that in Branchidae; thus, one who has viewed either of these statues and ascertained its artist would find no great difficulty in recognizing that the other also is a work of Kanachos. The difference between them is this: the one in Branchidae is made of bronze, whereas the Ismenian is of cedar wood.

Here there is a stone upon which they say Manto, daughter of Teiresias, used to sit. It lies before the entrance, and even now is called the Seat of Manto. On the right side of the temple there are images made of stone: one is said to be Henioche, and the other Pyrrha. They say these were daughters of Creon, who governed as regent for Laodamas, son of Eteocles.

This custom, at least, I know still continues in my day at Thebes: they choose as annual priest of Apollo Ismenius a boy from a noble family, handsome and strong in body as well. His title is Daphnephoros (the Bearer of Laurel), for these boys wear a crown made of laurel leaves. I cannot say with certainty whether it is customary for all who have served as daphnephoroi to dedicate a bronze tripod to the god—I suppose it is not customary for everyone, since I have not seen many such tripods dedicated there. But the wealthiest among the chosen boys certainly dedicate one. The tripod dedicated by Amphitryon when Heracles was daphnephoros is most celebrated, both due to its antiquity and the fame of the dedicated person.

Above the Ismenion, one may see the spring which is said to be sacred to Ares, and a dragon, it is believed, was appointed by Ares himself as guardian of this spring. Near this spring is the tomb of Caanthus. They relate that Caanthus was the brother of Melia and the son of Oceanus, and that he was sent by his father to search for his sister after she had been abducted. But when he found Apollo holding Melia and could not take her away, he dared to set fire to the sanctuary of Apollo, the one that is now called the Ismenion. The god himself, according to the Thebans' story, shot and killed Caanthus with an arrow.

Here is the tomb of Caanthus. They say that Apollo had by Melia two sons, Tenerus and Ismenus. To Tenerus Apollo granted the gift of prophecy, while the river received its name from Ismenus. Even previously, however, it was not without a name, being called Ladon before it was named Ismenus after Apollo's son.