Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.5.1 Class: Non-skeptical

χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον Ἀριστότιμος ὁ Δαμαρέτου τοῦ Ἐτύμονος τυραννίδα ἔσχεν ἐν Ἠλείᾳ, συμπαρασκευάσαντος αὐτῷ τὰ ἐς τὴν ἐπίθεσιν Ἀντιγόνου τοῦ Δημητρίου βασιλεύοντος ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ· τὸν δὲ Ἀριστότιμον μῆνας τυραννήσαντα ἓξ καταλύουσιν ἐπαναστάντες Χίλων καὶ Ἑλλάνικος καὶ Λάμπις τε καὶ Κύλων, οὗτος δὲ καὶ αὐτοχειρίᾳ τὸν τύραννον ἀπέκτεινεν ὁ Κύλων ἐπὶ Διὸς Σωτῆρος βωμὸν καταφυγόντα ἱκέτην. τὰ μὲν δὴ ἐς πόλεμον τοιαῦτα ὑπῆρχεν Ἠλείοις, ὡς περὶ αὐτῶν ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ παρόντι ἀπαριθμῆσαι μετρίως·

Proper Nouns:

Δαμάρετος Δημήτριος Ζεύς Σωτήρ Κύλων Λάμπις Μακεδονία Χίλων Ἀντίγονος Ἀριστότιμος Ἑλλάνικος Ἔτυμον Ἠλεία Ἠλεῖοι

Some time later Aristotimus, the son of Damaretus and grandson of Etymon, gained the tyranny in Elis, aided in his coup by Antigonus the son of Demetrius, who was king of Macedonia at that time. After Aristotimus had ruled as a tyrant for six months, he was overthrown when Chilon, Hellanicus, Lampis, and Cylon rose in revolt against him; Cylon himself slew the tyrant with his own hand when Aristotimus had taken refuge as a suppliant at the altar of Zeus the Savior. Such, then, were the affairs of war among the Eleans, as I thought fit to recount them briefly at this point.

Passage 5.5.2 Class: Skeptical

θαυμάσαι δʼ ἄν τις ἐν τῇ γῇ τῇ Ἠλείᾳ τήν τε βύσσον, ὅτι ἐνταῦθα μόνον, ἑτέρωθι δὲ οὐδαμοῦ τῆς Ἑλλάδος φύεται, καὶ ὅτι ἐν τῇ ὑπερορίᾳ καὶ οὐκ ἐντὸς τῆς χώρας αἱ ἵπποι σφίσιν ἐκύισκον ἐκ τῶν ὄνων. καὶ τούτου μὲν κατάραν τινὰ ἐλέγετο γενέσθαι τὸ αἴτιον· ἡ δὲ βύσσος ἡ ἐν τῇ Ἠλείᾳ λεπτότητος μὲν ἕνεκα οὐκ ἀποδεῖ τῆς Ἑβραίων, ἔστι δὲ οὐχ ὁμοίως ξανθή.

Proper Nouns:

Ἑβραῖοι Ἑλλάς Ἠλεία

One might marvel in the land of Elis at their flax, firstly because it grows here and nowhere else in Greece, and secondly that their mares conceive from asses only outside their borders and never within their own land. The latter is said to be caused by a certain curse; as for the flax produced in Elis, it is not inferior in delicacy to that of the Hebrews, although it is not equally yellow.

Passage 5.5.3 Class: Non-skeptical

ἰόντι δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἠλείας χωρίον ἐστὶν ἐπὶ θάλασσαν καθῆκον, ὃ ὀνομάζεται μὲν Σαμικόν, ἐν δεξιᾷ δὲ ὑπὲρ αὐτὸ ἥ τε Τριφυλία καλουμένη καὶ πόλις ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ Τριφυλίᾳ Λέπρεος. ἐθέλουσι μὲν δὴ οἱ Λεπρεᾶται μοῖρα εἶναι τῶν Ἀρκάδων, φαίνονται δὲ Ἠλείων κατήκοοι τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὄντες· καὶ ὅσοι αὐτῶν Ὀλύμπια ἐνίκησαν, Ἠλείους ἐκ Λεπρέου σφᾶς ὁ κῆρυξ ἀνεῖπε. καὶ Ἀριστοφάνης ἐποίησεν ὡς Λέπρεος εἴη πόλισμα Ἠλείων. ἔστι δὲ ὁδὸς ἐς Λέπρεον ἀπὸ μὲν Σαμικοῦ τὸν Ἄνιγρον ποταμὸν ἀφέντι ἐν ἀριστερᾷ, ἑτέρα δὲ ἐξ Ὀλυμπίας, τρίτη δὲ ἐξ Ἤλιδος· ἡμερήσιος δὲ αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ μακροτάτη.

Proper Nouns:

Λέπρεον Λέπρεον Λεπρεᾶται Σαμικόν Σαμικόν Τριφυλία Ἀριστοφάνης Ἀρκάδες Ἄνιγρος Ἠλεία Ἠλεῖοι Ἠλεῖοι Ἤλις Ὀλυμπία Ὀλύμπια

As one travels from Elis, there is a district extending down toward the sea called Samicum, and on the right, above it, is the region known as Triphylia, within which lies the city of Lepreus. Now, the Lepreans wish to be considered part of Arcadia, though from ancient times they clearly had been subject to the Eleans; indeed, whenever any Leprean was victorious at Olympia, the herald proclaimed him as an Elean from Lepreus. Aristophanes also represented Lepreus as a town of the Eleans. The route to Lepreus from Samicum leaves the Anigrus River on the left; there is another road from Olympia, and a third from Elis, which is the longest, taking a full day's journey.

Passage 5.5.4 Class: Skeptical

τεθῆναι δὲ τῇ πόλει τὸ ὄνομά φασιν ἀπὸ τοῦ οἰκιστοῦ Λεπρέου τοῦ Πυργέως. ἐλέγετο δὲ καὶ ὡς πρὸς Ἡρακλέα ἐρίσειεν ὁ Λεπρέος μὴ ἀποδεῖν τοῦ Ἡρακλέους ἐσθίων· ἐπεὶ δὲ ἑκάτερος βοῦν αὐτῶν ἐν ἴσῳ τῷ καιρῷ κατέσφαξε καὶ εὐτρέπισεν ἐς τὸ δεῖπνον, καὶ ἦν ὥσπερ καὶ ὑφίστατο ὁ Λεπρέος φαγεῖν οὐκ ἀδυνατώτερος τοῦ Ἡρακλέους, ἐτόλμησε τὸ μετὰ τοῦτο προ ς καλέσασθαι καὶ ἐς ἀγῶνα ὅπλων αὐτόν. καὶ ἀποθανεῖν τε Λεπρέον κρατηθέντα τῇ μάχῃ καὶ ἐν τῇ Φιγαλέων ταφῆναι λέγουσιν· οὐ μὴν εἶχόν γε οἱ Φιγαλεῖς ἀποφῆναι Λεπρέου μνῆμα.

Proper Nouns:

Λεπρεύς Πυργεύς Φιγαλεῖς Φιγαλεῖς Ἡρακλῆς Ἡρακλῆς

They say that the city was named after its founder Lepreus, son of Pyrgeus. It is also said that Lepreus had contended with Heracles, claiming he was Heracles' equal in eating. When each of them slaughtered a bull in equal time and prepared it for dinner, and Lepreus proved himself equal to Heracles in eating, as he had asserted, he thereafter dared to challenge Heracles also to a contest of arms. They relate that Lepreus was defeated in the fight and killed, and buried among the Phigalians; although, indeed, the Phigalians themselves could no longer identify Lepreus' tomb.

Passage 5.5.5 Class: Skeptical

ἤδη δὲ ἤκουσα θυγατρὶ τοῦ Πυργέως Λεπρέᾳ προσποιούντων τὸν οἰκισμόν· οἱ δὲ τοῖς πρῶτον οἰκήσασιν ἐν τῇ γῇ νόσον φασὶν ἐπιγενέσθαι λέπραν καὶ οὕτω τὸ ὄνομα λαβεῖν τὴν πόλιν ἐπὶ τῶν οἰκητόρων τῇ συμφορᾷ. γενέσθαι δὲ οἱ Λεπρεῖταί σφισιν ἔλεγον ἐν τῇ πόλει Λευκαίου Διὸς ναὸν καὶ Λυκούργου τάφον τοῦ Ἀλέου καὶ ἄλλον Καύκωνος· τούτῳ δὲ καὶ ἐπίθημα ἄνδρα ἐπεῖναι λύραν ἔχοντα.

Proper Nouns:

Καύκων Λεπρέα Λεπρεῖται Λεύκαιος Ζεύς Λυκοῦργος Πυργεύς Ἀλεός

But I have also heard that Lepreus attributed its founding to Leprea, daughter of Pyrgeus. Others say that when people first settled in this land, they were afflicted by a disease, leprosy (lepra), and that the city took its name from this calamity which befell its inhabitants. The Lepreans said that they had in their city a temple of Zeus Leukaios (Of Leukas), and the tomb of Lykourgos, son of Aleus, and another tomb of Kaukon; upon Kaukon's tomb was a statue of a man holding a lyre.

Passage 5.5.6 Class: Non-skeptical

κατὰ δὲ ἐμὲ οὔτε μνῆμα ἐπίσημον οὔτε ἱερὸν ἦν θεῶν σφισιν οὐδενὸς πλήν γε Δήμητρος· πλίνθου δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἐπεποίητο ὠμῆς καὶ οὐδὲν παρείχετο ἄγαλμα. Λεπρεατῶν δέ ἐστιν οὐ πόρρω τῆς πόλεως Ἀρήνη καλουμένη πηγή, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀφαρέως γυναικὸς τεθῆναι λέγουσι τῇ πηγῇ.

Proper Nouns:

Δήμητρα Λεπρεαταί Ἀρήνη Ἀφαρεύς

In my time there was neither a notable tomb nor a shrine dedicated to any of the gods among them, except indeed one to Demeter; even this was constructed of unbaked brick and contained no image at all. Not far from the city of the Lepreans is a spring called Arene, and they say the spring was named after the wife of Aphareus.

Passage 5.5.7 Class: Non-skeptical

ἀναστρέψαντι δὲ αὖθις ἐπὶ τὸ Σαμικὸν καὶ διοδεύοντι τὸ χωρίον, Ἄνιγρος ποταμὸς ἐκδίδωσιν ἐς θάλασσαν. τούτου τὸ ῥεῦμα τοῦ ποταμοῦ πολλάκις ἀνείργουσιν οἱ ἄνεμοι βίαιοι πνέοντες· φοροῦντες γὰρ κατʼ αὐτὸν τὴν θῖνα ἐκ τοῦ πελάγους ἐπέχουσι τοῦ πρόσω τὸ ὕδωρ. ὁπότε οὖν ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἡ ψάμμος ὑπό τε τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τὰ ἐντὸς ὑπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ διάβροχος γένοιτο, ἐνταῦθα καὶ ὑποζυγίοις καὶ ἀνδρὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον εὐζώνῳ καταδῦναι κίνδυνός ἐστιν ἐς αὐτήν.

Proper Nouns:

Σαμικόν Ἄνιγρος

Turning back again towards Samicum and traversing this area, one finds the river Anigrus flowing into the sea. The swift winds blowing in from the open sea frequently block the flow of this river, driving sand along its course and hindering the current from moving forward. Thus, whenever the sand becomes waterlogged both on the seaside from the ocean and inland by the river itself, there arises a danger that pack animals, and even more so lightly equipped men, may be engulfed in it.

Passage 5.5.8 Class: Non-skeptical

ὁ δὲ Ἄνιγρος οὗτος ἐξ Ἀρκαδικοῦ μὲν κάτεισιν ὄρους Λαπίθου, παρέχεται δὲ εὐθὺς ἀπὸ τῶν πηγῶν ὕδωρ οὐκ εὐῶδες, ἀλλὰ καὶ δύσοσμον δεινῶς. πρὶν δὲ ἢ καταδέξασθαι τὸν Ἀκίδαντα καλούμενον δῆλός ἐστιν οὐδὲ ἀρχὴν τρέφων ἰχθῦς· μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον ἐσβαλόντα ὅσοι τῶν ἰχθύων ὁμοῦ τῷ ὕδατι αὐτοῦ κατίασιν ἐς τὸν Ἄνιγρον, οὐ σφᾶς ἔτι ἐδωδίμους ἔχουσιν ἄνθρωποι, τὰ πρότερα, ἢν ἐντὸς ἁλῶσι τοῦ Ἀκίδαντος, ἐδωδίμους ὄντας.

Proper Nouns:

Λάπιθος Ἀκίδας Ἀρκαδικός Ἄνιγρος

This Anigrus river comes down from Mount Lapithus in Arcadia, providing from its very source water of a disagreeable nature, indeed terribly foul-smelling. It is clearly evident that before receiving the stream called Acidas, it sustains no fish at all; after the Acidas flows into it, whatever fish come down into the Anigrus along with its waters become no longer edible for humans, though previously, when caught upstream in the Acidas, they were suitable for eating.

Passage 5.5.9 Class: Skeptical

ὅτι δὲ τῷ Ἀκίδαντι ὄνομα Ἰάρδανος ἦν τὸ ἀρχαῖον, αὐτὸς μὲν οὐδαμόθεν συνεβαλόμην, ἀκούσας δὲ ἀνδρὸς Ἐφεσίου λέγω τὸν λόγον. τῷ δὲ Ἀνίγρῳ τὸ ἄτοπον εἶναι τῆς ὀσμῆς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς πείθομαι διʼ ἧς ἄνεισι τὸ ὕδωρ, καθὰ δὴ καὶ τοῖς ὑπὲρ Ἰωνίας ἐστὶν ὕδασι τὸ αὐτὸ αἴτιον, ὁπόσων ἡ ἀτμὶς ὀλέθριός ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ.

Proper Nouns:

Ἀκίδας Ἀνίγρος Ἔφεσος Ἰάρδανος Ἰωνία

As to the river Acidas having formerly borne the name Iardanus, I myself could not conjecture from any source; I merely repeat what I heard from a certain Ephesian. Regarding the Anigrus, I am convinced that the unusual nature of its odor is due to the earth through which its water rises. Such is also the cause affecting the springs located beyond Ionia, whose vapor is deadly to humans.

Passage 5.5.10 Class: Skeptical

Ἑλλήνων δὲ οἱ μὲν Χίρωνα, οἱ δὲ ἄλλον Κένταυρον Πυλήνορα τοξευθέντα ὑπὸ Ἡρακλέους καὶ φυγόντα τραυματίαν φασὶν ἐν τῷ ὕδατι ἀπολοῦσαι τούτῳ τὸ ἕλκος, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ὕδρας τοῦ ἰοῦ γενέσθαι δυσχερῆ τῷ Ἀνίγρῳ τὴν ὀσμήν· οἱ δὲ ἐς Μελάμποδα τὸν Ἀμυθάονος καὶ ἐς τῶν Προίτου θυγατέρων τὰ καθάρσια ἐμβληθέντα ἐνταῦθα ἀνάγουσι τὴν αἰτίαν τοῦ ἐπὶ τῷ ποταμῷ παθήματος.

Proper Nouns:

Μελάμπους Προῖτος Πύληνωρ Χείρων Ἀμυθάων Ἀνίγρος Ἡρακλῆς

Among the Greeks, some say it was Chiron, others say it was another centaur named Pylenor who, wounded by the arrows of Heracles, washed his injury in this water after fleeing; and from the venom of the hydra the Anigrus acquired its unpleasant odor. Others attribute the cause of the river's affliction to Melampus, son of Amythaon, and the items used in the purification of the daughters of Proetus, which were thrown into it.

Passage 5.5.11 Class: Non-skeptical

ἔστι δὲ ἐν τῷ Σαμικῷ σπήλαιον οὐκ ἄπωθεν τοῦ ποταμοῦ, καλούμενον Ἀνιγρίδων νυμφῶν. ὃς δʼ ἂν ἔχων ἀλφὸν ἢ λεύκην ἐς αὐτὸ ἐσέλθῃ, πρῶτα μὲν ταῖς νύμφαις εὔξασθαι καθέστηκεν αὐτῷ καὶ ὑποσχέσθαι θυσίαν ὁποίαν δή τινα, μετὰ δὲ ἀποσμήχει τὰ νοσοῦντα τοῦ σώματος· διανηξάμενος δὲ τὸν ποταμὸν ὄνειδος μὲν ἐκεῖνο κατέλιπεν ἐν τῷ ὕδατι αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ ὑγιής τε ἄνεισι καὶ ὁμόχρως.

Proper Nouns:

Νύμφαι Σαμικόν Ἀνιγρίς

In Samikum there is a cave not far from the river, called after the Nymphs Anigrides. Anyone afflicted with alphos or leukē (skin diseases) who enters this cave is required first of all to pray to the Nymphs and to pledge some kind of sacrifice. Afterwards, he wipes clean the diseased parts of his body, then swims across the river, leaving behind the affliction in the water. He emerges healthy and with his complexion restored to normal.

Legend:

Chapter 5.5