Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.5.1 Class: Skeptical

ἀνελθοῦσι δὲ ἐς τὸν Ἀκροκόρινθον ναός ἐστιν Ἀφροδίτης· ἀγάλματα δὲ αὐτή τε ὡπλισμένη καὶ Ἥλιος καὶ Ἔρως ἔχων τόξον. τὴν δὲ πηγήν, ἥ ἐστιν ὄπισθεν τοῦ ναοῦ, δῶρον μὲν Ἀσωποῦ λέγουσιν εἶναι, δοθῆναι δὲ Σισύφῳ· τοῦτον γὰρ εἰδότα, ὡς εἴη Ζεὺς ἡρπακὼς Αἴγιναν θυγατέρα Ἀσωποῦ, μὴ πρότερον φάναι ζητοῦντι μηνύσειν πρὶν ἤ οἱ καὶ ἐν Ἀκροκορίνθῳ γένοιτο ὕδωρ· δόντος δὲ Ἀσωποῦ μηνύει τε οὕτως καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ μηνύματος δίκην---ὅτῳ πιστὰ---ἐν Ἅιδου δίδωσιν. ἤκουσα δὲ ἤδη τὴν Πειρήνην φαμένων εἶναι ταύτην καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ αὐτόθεν ὑπορρεῖν τὸ ἐν τῇ πόλει.

Proper Nouns:

Αἴγινα Ζεύς Πειρήνη Σίσυφος Ἀκροκόρινθος Ἀσωπός Ἀφροδίτη Ἅιδης Ἔρως Ἥλιος

Upon ascending to Acrocorinth there is a temple of Aphrodite. The statues there include Aphrodite herself in armor, as well as Helios and Eros holding a bow. Regarding the spring located behind the temple, it is said to be a gift of Asopus, given to Sisyphus. For Sisyphus, knowing that Zeus had ravished Aegina, Asopus' daughter, refused to reveal this to Asopus, who was seeking his daughter, until water was first provided to him on Acrocorinth. When Asopus granted this favor, Sisyphus told him the truth, and for this informing, according to what is believed, he now pays the penalty in Hades. I have also heard that this spring is called Peirene, and its waters flow underground toward the city.

Passage 2.5.2 Class: Skeptical

ὁ δὲ Ἀσωπὸς οὗτος ἄρχεται μὲν ἐκ τῆς Φλιασίας, ῥεῖ δὲ διὰ τῆς Σικυωνίας καὶ ἐκδίδωσιν ἐς τὴν ταύτῃ θάλασσαν. θυγατέρας δὲ αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι Φλιάσιοί φασι Κόρκυραν καὶ Αἴγιναν καὶ Θήβην· ἀπὸ μὲν δὴ Κορκύρας καὶ Αἰγίνης τὰς νήσους Σχερίαν καὶ Οἰνώνην καλουμένας μετονομασθῆναι, ἀπὸ δὲ Θήβης τὴν ὑπὸ τῇ Καδμείᾳ κληθῆναι. Θηβαῖοι δὲ οὐχ ὁμολογοῦσι, φάμενοι τοῦ Βοιωτίου τὴν Θήβην Ἀσωποῦ καὶ οὐ τοῦ παρὰ Φλιασίου εἶναι.

Proper Nouns:

Αἴγινα Αἴγινα Βοιώτιος Θήβα Θήβα Θηβαῖοι Καδμεία Κόρκυρα Κόρκυρα Οἰνώνη Σικυωνία Σχερία Φλιάσιοι Φλιάσιος Φλιασία Ἀσωπός Ἀσωπός

This Asopus has its source in the territory of Phlius, flows through the land of Sicyon, and empties into the sea near that region. The Phliasians claim that his daughters were Corcyra, Aegina, and Thebe; and they say that from Corcyra and Aegina came the renaming of the islands previously called Scheria and Oenone, while from Thebe came the naming of the city under the Cadmeia. The Thebans, however, disagree, asserting that their Thebe is named after the Boeotian Asopus, rather than after the river from the land of Phlius.

Passage 2.5.3 Class: Skeptical

τὰ δὲ ἄλλα ἐς τὸν ποταμὸν Φλιάσιοι καὶ Σικυώνιοι λέγουσι, τὸ ὕδωρ ἔπηλυ καὶ οὐκ ἐγχώριον εἶναί οἱ· Μαίανδρον γὰρ κατιόντα ἐκ Κελαινῶν διὰ Φρυγίας καὶ Καρίας καὶ ἐκδιδόντα ἐς τὴν πρὸς Μιλήτῳ θάλασσαν ἐς Πελοπόννησον ἔρχεσθαι καὶ ποιεῖν τὸν Ἀσωπόν. οἶδα δὲ καὶ Δηλίων τοιοῦτο ἀκούσας ἕτερον, ὕδωρ ὃ καλοῦσιν Ἰνωπὸν εἶναί σφισιν ἐκ τοῦ Νείλου· καὶ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸν ἔχει τὸν Νεῖλον λόγος Εὐφράτην ὄντα ἐς ἕλος ἀφανίζεσθαι καὶ αὖθις ἀνιόντα ὑπὲρ Αἰθιοπίας Νεῖλον γίνεσθαι. Ἀσωποῦ μὲν πέρι τοιαῦτα ἤκουσα, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ Ἀκροκορίνθου

Proper Nouns:

Αἰθιοπία Δήλιος Εὐφράτης Καρία Κελαιναί Μίλητος Μαίανδρος Νεῖλος Νεῖλος Πελοπόννησος Σικυώνιοι Φλιάσιοι Φρυγία Ἀκροκόρινθος Ἀσωπός Ἰνωπός

The Phliasians and the Sicyonians relate further traditions about this river, asserting that its water is foreign and not native to their land. They claim that the river Maeander, after flowing down from Celaenae through Phrygia and Caria and discharging its waters into the sea by Miletus, travels underground into the Peloponnese and forms the river Asopus. I have also heard a similar story told differently by the people of Delos, who say that the water of their river called the Inopus originates from the Nile. Indeed, there is even a story told about the Nile itself—that it is really the Euphrates, losing itself in a marsh, and then later emerging above Ethiopia, transforming into the Nile. Such, then, are the tales I have heard concerning the Asopus. But from Acrocorinth—

Passage 2.5.4 Class: Non-skeptical

τραπεῖσι τὴν ὀρεινὴν πύλη τέ ἐστιν ἡ Τενεατικὴ καὶ Εἰληθυίας ἱερόν· ἑξήκοντα δὲ ἀπέχει μάλιστα στάδια ἡ καλουμένη Τενέα. οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποί φασιν οἱ ταύτῃ Τρῶες εἶναι, αἰχμάλωτοι δὲ ὑπὸ Ἑλλήνων ἐκ Τενέδου γενόμενοι ἐνταῦθα Ἀγαμέμνονος δόντος οἰκῆσαι· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο θεῶν μάλιστα Ἀπόλλωνα τιμῶσιν.

Proper Nouns:

Εἰλείθυια Τένεδος Τενέα Τενεατική πύλη Τρῶες Ἀγαμέμνων Ἀπόλλων Ἕλληνες

When you turn toward the mountainous region, there is the gate called Teneatic and a sanctuary of Eileithyia. At a distance from here of roughly sixty stadia is the town called Tenea. The inhabitants there say that they are Trojans, originally captives from Tenedos brought there by the Greeks and settled by the permission of Agamemnon. For this reason, among the gods they honor Apollo particularly.

Passage 2.5.5 Class: Skeptical

ἐκ Κορίνθου δὲ οὐκ ἐς μεσόγαιαν ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐπὶ Σικυῶνα ἰοῦσι ναὸς ἐμπεπρησμένος ἐστὶν οὐ πόρρω τῆς πόλεως, ἐν ἀριστερᾷ δὲ τῆς ὁδοῦ. γεγόνασι μὲν δὴ καὶ ἄλλοι πόλεμοι περὶ τὴν Κορινθίαν καὶ πῦρ ἐπέλαβεν ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς καὶ οἰκίας καὶ ἱερὰ τὰ ἔξω τείχους· ἀλλὰ τοῦτόν γε τὸν ναὸν Ἀπόλλωνος εἶναι λέγουσι καὶ ὅτι Πύρρος κατακαύσειεν ὁ Ἀχιλλέως αὐτόν. χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον ἤκουσα καὶ ἄλλο τοιόνδε, ὡς οἱ Κορίνθιοι Διὶ ποιήσαιντο Ὀλυμπίῳ τὸν ναὸν καὶ ὡς ἐξαίφνης πῦρ ποθὲν ἐμπεσὸν διαφθείρειεν αὐτόν.

Proper Nouns:

Ζεύς Κορίνθιοι Κορινθία Κόρινθος Πύρρος Σικυών Ἀπόλλων Ἀχιλλεύς Ὀλύμπιος

As one proceeds from Corinth not inland, but along the road towards Sicyon, there is a burnt temple not far from the city, on the left side of the route. There have indeed been other wars around Corinthian territory, and it is probable that fire destroyed houses and shrines outside the city walls. Nonetheless, they say this temple belonged to Apollo and that Pyrrhus son of Achilles burned it down. At a later time, however, I heard another account, that the Corinthians built the temple dedicated to Olympian Zeus, and that suddenly a fire fell upon it from some unknown source and destroyed it.

Passage 2.5.6 Class: Non-skeptical

Σικυώνιοι δὲ---οὗτοι γὰρ ταύτῃ Κορινθίοις εἰσὶν ὅμοροι---περὶ τῆς χώρας τῆς σφετέρας λέγουσιν ὡς Αἰγιαλεὺς αὐτόχθων πρῶτος ἐν αὐτῇ γένοιτο, καὶ Πελοποννήσου δὲ ὅσον ἔτι καλεῖται καὶ νῦν Αἰγιαλὸς ἀπʼ ἐκείνου βασιλεύοντος ὀνομασθῆναι, καὶ Αἰγιάλειαν αὐτὸν οἰκίσαι πρῶτον ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ πόλιν· οὗ δέ ἐστι νῦν σφίσι τὸ ἱερὸν τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς, ἀκρόπολιν τοῦτο εἶναι. Αἰγιαλέως δὲ Εὔρωπα γενέσθαι φασίν, Εὔρωπος δὲ Τελχῖνα, Τελχῖνος δὲ Ἆπιν.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰγιάλεια Αἰγιαλεύς Αἰγιαλεύς Αἰγιαλός Εὖρωπος Εὖρωπος Κορίνθιοι Πελοπόννησος Σικυώνιοι Τελχῖνος Τελχῖνος Ἀθηνᾶ Ἆπις

The Sicyonians—for their land is adjacent to Corinth—say of their own territory that the first inhabitant born there was the indigenous Aigialeus. They add that the region of Peloponnesus still called Aigialos received its name from him during his reign, and that Aigialeus was the first to found a city called Aigialeia upon the plain. Where the sanctuary of Athena now stands, they say, was then its acropolis. They further state that from Aigialeus was born Europs, from Europs Telchis, and from Telchis Apis.

Passage 2.5.7 Class: Non-skeptical

οὗτος ὁ Ἆπις ἐς τοσόνδε ηὐξήθη δυνάμεως, πρὶν ἢ Πέλοπα ἐς Ὀλυμπίαν ἀφικέσθαι, ὡς τὴν ἐντὸς Ἰσθμοῦ χώραν Ἀπίαν ἀπʼ ἐκείνου καλεῖσθαι. Ἄπιδος δὲ ἦν Θελξίων, Θελξίονος δὲ Αἴγυρος, τοῦ δὲ Θουρίμαχος, Θουριμάχου δὲ Λεύκιππος· Λευκίππῳ δὲ ἄρρενες παῖδες οὐκ ἐγένοντο, θυγάτηρ δὲ Καλχινία. ταύτῃ τῇ Καλχινίᾳ Ποσειδῶνα συγγενέσθαι φασὶ καὶ τὸν τεχθέντα ὑπʼ αὐτῆς ἔθρεψεν ὁ Λεύκιππος καὶ τελευτῶν παρέδωκέν οἱ τὴν ἀρχήν·

Proper Nouns:

Αἴγυρος Θελξίων Θελξίων Θουρίμαχος Θουρίμαχος Καλχινία Καλχινία Λεύκιππος Λεύκιππος Πέλοψ Ποσειδῶν Ἀπία Ἆπις Ἆπις Ἰσθμός Ὀλυμπία

This Apis had grown to such power, before Pelops arrived at Olympia, that the territory within the Isthmus was named Apia after him. The son of Apis was Thelxion, the son of Thelxion was Aigyrus, and his son Thurimachus, and Thurimachus begot Leucippus. Leucippus had no male children, but only a daughter named Calchinia. Poseidon, they say, united himself with this Calchinia, and the child born from her Leucippus reared, and at his death he passed on to him the kingship.

Passage 2.5.8 Class: Skeptical

ὄνομα δὲ ἦν Πέρατος τῷ παιδί. τὰ δὲ ἐς Πλημναῖον τὸν Περάτου μάλιστα ἐφαίνετό μοι θαύματος ἄξια· τὰ γάρ οἱ τικτόμενα ὑπὸ τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτίκα ὁπότε πρῶτον κλαύσειεν ἠφίει τὴν ψυχήν, ἐς ὃ Δημήτηρ ἔλεον ἴσχει Πλημναίου, παραγενομένη δὲ ἐς τὴν Αἰγιάλειαν ὡς δὴ γυνὴ ξένη Πλημναίῳ παῖδα ἀνέθρεψεν Ὀρθόπολιν. Ὀρθοπόλιδι δὲ θυγάτηρ γίνεται Χρυσόρθη· ταύτην τεκεῖν νομίζουσιν ἐξ Ἀπόλλωνος καὶ ὁ παῖς ὠνομάσθη Κόρωνος, Κορώνου δὲ γίνονται Κόραξ καὶ νεώτερος Λαμέδων.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰγιάλεια Δημήτηρ Κόραξ Κόρων Κόρων Λαμέδων Πέρατος Πέρατος Πλημναῖος Πλημναῖος Πλημναῖος Χρυσόρθη Ἀπόλλων Ὀρθόπολις Ὀρθόπολις

The child's name was Peratus. But what especially seemed to me most worthy of wonder concerning Pleminaeus, the son of Peratus, was as follows: all the children born to him by his wife immediately, upon their first cry, gave up their life. So it continued, until Demeter took pity on Pleminaeus. Visiting Aegialea disguised as a foreign woman, she raised a child for him named Orthopolis. Orthopolis in turn had a daughter, Chrysorthe; Chrysorthe, according to belief, bore a child by Apollo, whom they named Coronus. The children of Coronus were Corax and a younger son named Lamedon.

Legend:

Chapter 2.5