Pausanias Analysis

They relate that Hera, having become angry at Zeus for some reason, withdrew to Euboea; and Zeus, as he could not reconcile her, is said to have come to Cithaeron, who at that time was ruling in Plataea—for Cithaeron was inferior to no one in wisdom. Cithaeron advised Zeus to fashion a wooden statue and, placing it covered upon a wagon drawn by oxen, to proclaim that he was taking home as a wife Plataea, the daughter of Asopus.

And he acted according to the advice of Cithaeron; but Hera soon learned of it and immediately arrived. As she approached the wagon and tore away the garment of the statue, she was delighted at the deception when she discovered a wooden image instead of a human bride, and thus she became reconciled with Zeus. In honor of this reconciliation they hold a festival, called the Daedala, because in ancient times wooden statues were called "daedala." And it is my belief that they were called this even before Daedalus, son of Palamaon, lived at Athens, and that afterwards this Daedalus received his surname from these "daedala," rather than it being his original birth name.

The Plataeans celebrate the Daedala festival every seventh year, according to the account of the local guide; but in truth the interval is shorter and not as long as that. Despite our desire to reckon with complete precision the time interval from one Daedala festival to the next, we were not able to determine it exactly. They celebrate the festival in the following manner.

Not far from Alalcomenae is a grove, and here stand the largest oak trees in all Boeotia. To this grove the Plataeans come, and they offer portions of boiled meat. Other birds avoid approaching because of their numbers, but as for ravens—who regularly visit—they keep careful watch. Whichever raven seizes the meat, they observe upon which tree it settles. Having noted this, they cut down that very tree to fashion from it the image. Indeed, they call this wooden effigy a "daedalon."

This festival the Plataeans celebrate by themselves, calling it the Little Daedala; but the Greater Daedala the Boeotians join them in celebrating, holding it at intervals of sixty years. For they say that the festival was interrupted for precisely this length of time during the exile of the Plataeans. Fourteen wooden images are prepared for them beforehand, each made ready annually at every Little Daedala.

These positions are assigned by lot among the Plataeans, the Coronaians, Thespians, Tanagraeans, Chaeroneans, Orchomenians, Lebadeians and Thebans. The latter also thought it appropriate to reconcile with the Plataeans, participating in their common assembly and sending envoys to the Daedala sacrifices, ever since Cassander, the son of Antipater, refounded Thebes. As for the lesser-known smaller towns, they group together in offering their contributions.

After bringing the image to the Asopus and setting it upon a wagon, they place a woman beside it to serve as attendant bride. Next, they again cast lots to determine the order in which they will lead the procession. From this point onward, they drive the wagons from the river upward toward the summit of Mount Cithaeron. An altar is prepared for them upon the peak of the mountain, and they build this altar in the following manner: fitting squared timbers closely together, they construct the structure just as if they were erecting masonry from stones, and after raising it to height, they place brushwood upon it.

Of the cities and local communities, each group sacrifices a cow to Hera and a bull to Zeus, then together they consecrate upon the altar the offerings, filled with wine and incense, as well as the wooden images (daidala). Private individuals who are wealthy offer as many victims as they wish; those of more modest means customarily sacrifice smaller animals, but all alike burn their offerings together as sacred. Along with these, the flame also seizes upon and consumes even the altar itself. I know that this fire is the greatest and clearly visible from the farthest distances.

Below the peak, upon which they have erected the altar, about fifteen stadia downward, there is a cave of the Cithaeronian Nymphs called Sphragidion. It is said that in ancient times the Nymphs used to deliver oracles there.