Pausanias Analysis

The Troezenians possess islands, of which one lies close to the mainland, and can even be reached on foot. This island, now called Sphairia, was previously named "Hiera" (Sacred) for the following reason. On it is found the tomb of Sphairos, who, they say, was once the charioteer of Pelops. It is said that Aithra, following a dream sent by Athena, crossed over onto the island in order to offer libations to his grave; once there, Poseidon is said to have united with her. Because of this encounter, Aithra established there a temple to Athena Apatouria, renaming the island Hiera instead of Sphairia. She also established the custom that the Troezenian maidens dedicate their girdles to Athena Apatouria before marriage.

They say that Calaureia was originally sacred to Apollo, at the time when Delphi belonged to Poseidon, and it is also said that the two gods exchanged their territories. A prophetic utterance too is mentioned, which says: "Equal it is to possess Delos and Calaureia, And sacred Pytho and windy Taenarum." Now there is here a sacred sanctuary of Poseidon, and his priestess is a maiden until the time she reaches the proper age for marriage.

Within the enclosure is also the monument of Demosthenes. In this particular instance especially, I think, divine power has revealed how malevolent fortune can be, just as it did before in Homer’s case. Homer’s eyes were already ruined, yet on top of this great misfortune came the further hardship of poverty, driving him onward as a beggar throughout all lands. So too Demosthenes, in his old age, experienced exile, and his death turned out to be so violent. Now certainly much about him has been said by others, and indeed by Demosthenes himself—but at least he never shared in the money that Harpalus brought over from Asia.

I will now explain what happened afterward. Harpalus, having fled from Athens, crossed by ship to Crete, where shortly afterward he was killed by servants who attended him; but some say he was murdered through the plotting of a Macedonian named Pausanias. His treasurer had fled to Rhodes, where the Macedonian Philoxenus, who had previously demanded Harpalus himself from the Athenians, captured him. Holding this servant, Philoxenus interrogated him until he learned everything about all those who had accepted any money from Harpalus.

When Alexander learned of it, he wrote letters to Athens. In these letters he named those who had accepted money from Harpalus, enumerating both the individuals themselves and the amount each had received; but he made no mention whatsoever of Demosthenes, although Demosthenes was especially hated by Alexander and had personally offended him. Thus Demosthenes is honored in other regions of Greece as well, including by the inhabitants of Calaureia.