Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.20.1 Class: Mythic

ἔστι δὲ τῆς Ταναγραίας ἐπὶ θαλάσσῃ καλούμενον Δήλιον· ἐν δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ Ἀρτέμιδος καὶ Λητοῦς ἐστιν ἀγάλματα. Ταναγραῖοι δὲ οἰκιστήν σφισι Ποίμανδρον γενέσθαι λέγουσι Χαιρησίλεω παῖδα τοῦ Ἰασίου τοῦ Ἐλευθῆρος, τὸν δʼ Ἀπόλλωνός τε καὶ Αἰθούσης εἶναι τῆς Ποσειδῶνος. Ποίμανδρον δὲ γυναῖκά φασιν ἀγαγέσθαι Τάναγραν θυγατέρα Αἰόλου· Κορίννῃ δέ ἐστιν ἐς αὐτὴν πεποιημένα Ἀσωποῦ παῖδα εἶναι.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰθοῦσα Αἴολος Δήλιον Κορίννα Λητώ Ποίμανδρος Ποσειδῶν Τανάγρα Τανάγρα Ταναγραῖος Χαιρήσῑλος Ἀπόλλων Ἀσωπός Ἄρτεμις Ἐλευθήρ Ἰάσιος

On the seacoast of the Tanagran territory there lies a place called Delium; within it are statues of Artemis and Leto. The Tanagrans claim that their founder was Poimandros, the son of Chairesilaos, who himself was the son of Iasios, the son of Eleuther; this Eleuther, they say, was the son of Apollo and Aithousa, the daughter of Poseidon. They add that Poimandros took as his wife Tanagra, daughter of Aiolos. But according to Corinna's poem about her, she was a daughter of Asopos.

Passage 9.20.2 Class: Mythic

ταύτης τοῦ βίου προελθούσης ἐπὶ μακρότατον τοὺς περιοίκους φασὶν ἀφελόντας τὸ ὄνομα τήν τε γυναῖκα αὐτὴν καλεῖν Γραῖαν καὶ ἀνὰ χρόνον τὴν πόλιν· διαμεῖναί τε τὸ ὄνομα ἐς τοσοῦτον ὡς καὶ Ὅμηρον ἐν καταλόγῳ ποιῆσαι Θέσπειαν Γραῖάν τε καὶ εὐρύχορον Μυκαλησσόν. Hom. Il. 2.498 χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἀρχαῖον ἀνεσώσαντο.

Proper Nouns:

Γραῖα Θέσπεια Μυκαλησσός Ἰλιάς Ὅμηρος

When this woman's life had extended to a very great age, they say that her neighbours, dropping her actual name, began to call both the woman herself and, in time, the city "Graia." This name continued long enough even for Homer to include it in his Catalogue, writing "Thespeia and Graia and spacious Mykalessos." But later, with the passing of time, the original name was restored.

Passage 9.20.3 Class: Mythic

ἔστι δʼ Ὠρίωνος μνῆμα ἐν Τανάγρᾳ καὶ ὄρος Κηρύκιον, ἔνθα Ἑρμῆν τεχθῆναι λέγουσι, Πόλος τε ὀνομαζόμενον χωρίον· ἐνταῦθα Ἄτλαντα καθήμενον πολυπραγμονεῖν τά τε ὑπὸ γῆς φασι καὶ τὰ οὐράνια, πεποιῆσθαι δὲ καὶ Ὁμήρῳ περὶ τούτου, Ἄτλαντος θυγάτηρ ὀλοόφρονος, ὅστε θαλάσσης πάσης βένθεα οἶδεν, ἔχει δέ τε κίονας αὐτός μακράς, αἳ γαῖάν τε καὶ οὐρανὸν ἀμφὶς ἔχουσιν. Hom. Od. 1.152

Proper Nouns:

Κηρύκιον Πόλος Τανάγρα Ἄτλας Ἄτλας Ἑρμῆς Ὅμηρος Ὅμηρος Ὀδύσσεια Ὠρίων

At Tanagra there is the tomb of Orion, and a mountain called Cerycius, where they say Hermes was born, as well as a place named Polus ("Heaven"). Here, they assert, Atlas sat and diligently studied both subterranean matters and heavenly affairs. Homer has also composed verses concerning him: "The daughter of baleful Atlas, who knows all the depths of the sea; and he himself holds the tall pillars which keep heaven and earth apart." (Homer, Odyssey 1.52)

Passage 9.20.4 Class: Mythic

ἐν δὲ τοῦ Διονύσου τῷ ναῷ θέας μὲν καὶ τὸ ἄγαλμα ἄξιον λίθου τε ὂν Παρίου καὶ ἔργον Καλάμιδος , θαῦμα δὲ παρέχεται μεῖζον ἔτι ὁ Τρίτων. ὁ μὲν δὴ σεμνότερος ἐς αὐτὸν λόγος τὰς γυναῖκάς φησι τὰς Ταναγραίων πρὸ τῶν Διονύσου ὀργίων ἐπὶ θάλασσαν καταβῆναι καθαρσίων ἕνεκα, νηχομέναις δὲ ἐπιχειρῆσαι τὸν Τρίτωνα καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας εὔξασθαι Διόνυσόν σφισιν ἀφικέσθαι βοηθόν, ὑπακοῦσαί τε δὴ τὸν θεὸν καὶ τοῦ Τρίτωνος κρατῆσαι τῇ μάχῃ·

Proper Nouns:

Διόνυσος Διόνυσος Κάλαμις Πάριος Ταναγραῖοι Τρίτων Τρίτων Τρίτων

In the temple of Dionysus there is a statue worth seeing. It is made of Parian marble, the work of Calamis. Yet an even greater wonder is presented by the Triton. According to the more solemn account, the women of Tanagra, before celebrating the rites of Dionysus, went down to the sea for purifications. As they were swimming, Triton attacked them, and the women beseeched Dionysus to come to their aid. The god heard their entreaty and overpowered Triton in battle.

Passage 9.20.5 Class: Mythic

ὁ δὲ ἕτερος λόγος ἀξιώματι μὲν ἀποδεῖ τοῦ προτέρου, πιθανώτερος δέ ἐστι. φησὶ γὰρ δὴ οὗτος, ὁπόσα ἐλαύνοιτο ἐπὶ θάλασσαν βοσκήματα, ὡς ἐλόχα τε ὁ Τρίτων καὶ ἥρπαζεν· ἐπιχειρεῖν δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ τῶν πλοίων τοῖς λεπτοῖς, ἐς ὃ οἱ Ταναγραῖοι κρατῆρα οἴνου προτιθέασιν αὐτῷ. καὶ τὸν αὐτίκα ἔρχεσθαι λέγουσιν ὑπὸ τῆς ὀσμῆς, πιόντα δὲ ἐρρῖφθαι κατὰ τῆς ᾐόνος ὑπνωμένον, Ταναγραῖον δὲ ἄνδρα πελέκει παίσαντα ἀποκόψαι τὸν αὐχένα αὐτοῦ· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔπεστιν αὐτῷ κεφαλή. ὅτι δὲ μεθυσθέντα εἷλον, ἐπὶ τούτῳ ὑπὸ Διονύσου νομίζουσιν ἀποθανεῖν αὐτόν.

Proper Nouns:

Διόνυσος Ταναγραῖος Ταναγραῖος Τρίτων

The other story is less reputable than the previous one, but more persuasive. It states that Triton used to lie in wait and seize all the cattle that were driven towards the sea. He even attacked smaller vessels, until the Tanagraeans set out for him a bowl of wine. They say that immediately, drawn by its scent, he arrived, drank the wine, and then fell asleep on the shore. While he lay there sleeping, a man of Tanagra struck him with an axe and cut off his head. For this reason, the figure lacks a head. Because they captured him while he was drunk, they believe he died through the agency of Dionysus.

Legend:

Chapter 9.20