Pausanias Analysis

In the territory of Troezen there is an isthmus which juts far out into the sea, and upon it a small coastal town, Methana, has been built. Here stands a sanctuary of Isis, and in the marketplace there are images set up, one of Hermes and another of Heracles. About thirty stades from this town are hot baths; people say that the water first appeared during the reign of Antigonus, son of Demetrius, who was king of the Macedonians at that time. Yet it was not water that immediately appeared, but first a great flame burst forth from the earth, and only when this subsided did the water flow out, which still today comes forth hot and exceedingly salty. When one bathes here, neither cold water is close at hand, nor can one safely swim out into the sea, as the place harbors many sea creatures, including especially abundant sharks.

I will also record here something at Methana which especially aroused my wonder. Whenever the vines are sprouting, the southwest wind (Lips) blowing in upon them from the Saronic Gulf spoils the young shoots. Thus, while the wind is still blowing, two men divide a white rooster—with feathers everywhere entirely white—into two halves, and then run in opposite directions around the vineyard, each one carrying half the bird. When they reach again the point from which they set out, they bury the rooster there.

This is their device against the southwest wind: the small islands lying in front of this region, nine in number, they call the Islands of Pelops. They say that, when the god sends rain, one of these islands alone receives none. Whether or not this is truly so, I do not know; but so claimed the people at Methana, for indeed I have myself seen men warding off hailstorms by sacrifices and incantations.

Methana is indeed an isthmus of the Peloponnesus. Within this isthmus, Hermione borders upon the territory of Troezen. The people of Hermione say that their ancient city was founded by Hermion, son of Europs. Now, Herophanes of Troezen stated that Europs—who was a son of Phoroneus—was illegitimate; for it was never likely, he said, that Argus, the grandson of Niobe and descendant of Phoroneus, would have come to rule in Argos, had there been a legitimate son of Phoroneus still alive.

But as for me, even if Europs was truly genuine but was overtaken by destiny earlier than Phoroneus, I am quite certain that his son would still not have been considered equal to the son of Niobe, who was believed to be of Zeus. Later, the Dorians who arrived from Argos also settled Hermione; and I do not think there was war between them, for it would have been mentioned by the Argives.

The road from Troezen to Hermione passes by a rock, which was formerly called the Altar of Zeus Sthenius, but after Theseus took up the tokens (left there), people today call it the Rock of Theseus. Alongside this rock, as one continues along the mountainous road, there is a temple to Apollo, surnamed Platanistius, and also a place called Eileoi, in which there are sanctuaries of Demeter and of her daughter Kore. Near the sea, at the borders of the territory of Hermione, there is also a sanctuary of Demeter, who is surnamed Thermasia.

Cape Scyllaeum lies at a distance of approximately eighty stades from the island named after the daughter Nisos. For when Minos captured Nisaia and Megara through this woman's betrayal, he declared that she would no longer be his wife, and commanded the Cretans to cast her out from their ship. When she died, the waves cast her body onto this promontory. They show no tomb for her, but say that her corpse was seen lying there and was torn apart by seabirds.

From Scyllaeum, sailing toward the city, there is another promontory called Bucephala, and past this cape there are islands: the first is Halioussa—which provides a harbor that is suitable for ships to anchor—after this is Pityoussa, and the third island is called Aristera. Sailing past these islands there is another promontory extending from the mainland, named Colyergia, and then, after it, an island called Tricrana, and a mountain projecting into the sea from the Peloponnese, named Buporthmus. At Buporthmus, sanctuaries have been constructed for Demeter and her daughter, and also one for Athena.

The goddess bears the surname Promachorma. In front lies the island of Aperopia, belonging to Bouporthmos; not far from Aperopia lies another island called Hydrea. Beyond this island, on the mainland, the coast curves like a crescent, after which extends a headland running out from the shore towards Poseidion, beginning from the sea on the east side and projecting toward the west. It has harbors within it. The length of this headland is about seven stades, but where it is widest, it does not exceed three stades in breadth.

Here the Hermionians had their former city. Even now there still remain sacred places there: at the very beginning, a sanctuary of Poseidon situated beside the shore; and farther on from the sea, ascending into the higher ground, a temple of Athena. Beside this temple are the foundations of a stadium, and they say that the sons of Tyndareus competed in that place. There is also another sanctuary of Athena, smaller, whose roof has collapsed; as well as a temple to Helios and another to the Graces. There is also one temple built for Sarapis and Isis; moreover, enclosures composed of large, selected stones exist, within which the Hermionians perform secret rites in honor of Demeter.

So much, then, for the local things of the Hermioneans. The city of my own time lies about four stades away from the headland on which the temple of Poseidon stands. Situated on level ground at first, it then gently ascends to a slope, already forming part of Pron. For they call this mountain Pron. A wall surrounds the whole of Hermione. Other things were offered to description, but above all I thought most worthy of mention the temple of Aphrodite, surnamed Pontia (of the Sea) and Limenia (of the Harbor), which contains an image of white marble, great in size and remarkable in artistic workmanship.

There is also another temple of Aphrodite, who among the people of Hermione receives special honors besides. It has been established here as customary that all maidens, as well as widows intending to remarry, must sacrifice to her before their wedding. Sanctuaries of Demeter Thermasia have been erected, one on the borders toward Troezenia, as I have already mentioned, and another within the city itself.