Pausanias Analysis

From Mothone it is about a hundred stadia to the headland named Coryphasium. Upon this headland stands Pylos. This city was founded by Pylos, son of Cleson, who brought from Megaris the Leleges, who then inhabited it. However, he derived no benefit from this settlement, as he was driven out by Neleus and the Pelasgians who came from Iolcus. Departing, he occupied the nearby territory and established the Pylos that lies within Elis. Neleus became king and elevated Pylos to such a height of prestige that Homer himself calls the city "Neleian" in his poems.

Here there is a sanctuary of Athena surnamed Koryphasia, and a house said to belong to Nestor. Inside it, Nestor himself has been depicted. In the city there is also a tomb attributed to him, while outside, a short distance from Pylos, they say there is the tomb of Thrasymedes. Within the city there is moreover a cave, where, they report, Nestor's cattle were stalled, and even before him, those of Neleus.

Now the cattle's breed would seem to have been Thessalian, originally belonging to Iphiklos, father of Protesilaos. Indeed, it was these cows that Neleus demanded as a bridal-gift for his daughter from her suitors; and for their sake Melampus, performing a kindness for his brother Bias, journeyed to Thessaly. While there, Melampus was bound by Iphiklos' herdsmen, yet ultimately received payment for having prophesied for Iphiklos regarding the request he had made. It appears that men in those days were indeed eager to amass wealth of this kind—in herds of horses and cattle—since Neleus greatly desired to possess Iphiklos' cattle, and Eurystheus, in accordance with that desire for cattle, ordered Heracles, as is famed, to drive back from Iberia the herd belonging to Geryon.

It appears that at that time Eryx was ruling in Sicily, and he bore such a vehement passion for the cattle from Erytheia that he even wrestled against Herakles, having set as stakes for their wrestling-match these cattle and his own kingdom. Homer also relates in the Iliad how Iphidamas, the son of Antenor, initially gave one hundred cattle to his father-in-law as bride-price. This story supports my assertion that in ancient times humans valued cattle most highly.

But in my opinion, the cattle of Neleus generally grazed beyond the borders; for the land of the Pylians is almost entirely sandy and unable to supply enough pasture for cattle. Homer also testifies to this for me, who, whenever mentioning Nestor, always calls him king of "sandy Pylos."

The island Sphacteria lies off the harbor, much as Rheneia does off the anchorage of Delos. Human fortunes seem often to cause places previously obscure to attain renown. Thus, the name of Caphereus in Euboea became famous from the storm that befell the Greeks with Agamemnon there as they were returning from Troy; Psyttaleia, near Salamis, is likewise known due to the destruction of the Medes upon it. Similarly, Sphacteria became well-known through the misfortune of the Lacedaemonians. The Athenians set up in bronze a statue of Victory upon the Acropolis in memory of the events at Sphacteria.

Coming from Pylos to Cyparissiae, they have a fountain beneath the city near the sea. They say this water sprang forth for Dionysus when he struck the earth with his thyrsus, and for this reason they call the fountain Dionysias. At Cyparissiae there is also a sanctuary of Apollo, and one of Athena, surnamed Cyparissia. In a place called Aulon is a temple of Asclepius and a statue called Aulonius. Near this spot the river Neda flows, forming at this point the boundary between Messenia and Elis.