Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.14.2

← 1.14.1 1.14.3 →

Passage 1.14.2: Debate over Triptolemus as first sower of cultivated grain.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

Ἑλλήνων οἱ μάλιστα ἀμφισβητοῦντες Ἀθηναίοις ἐς ἀρχαιότητα καὶ δῶρα, ἃ παρὰ θεῶν φασὶν ἔχειν, εἰσὶν Ἀργεῖοι, καθάπερ βαρβάρων Φρυξὶν Αἰγύπτιοι. λέγεται οὖν ὡς Δήμητρα ἐς Ἄργος ἐλθοῦσαν Πελασγὸς δέξαιτο οἴκῳ καὶ ὡς Χρυσανθὶς τὴν ἁρπαγὴν ἐπισταμένη τῆς Κόρης διηγήσαιτο· ὕστερον δὲ Τροχίλον ἱεροφάντην φυγόντα ἐξ Ἄργους κατὰ ἔχθος Ἀγήνορος ἐλθεῖν φασιν ἐς τὴν Ἀττικὴν καὶ γυναῖκά τε ἐξ Ἐλευσῖνος γῆμαι καὶ γενέσθαι οἱ παῖδας Εὐβουλέα καὶ Τριπτόλεμον. ὅδε μὲν Ἀργείων ἐστὶ λόγος Ἀθηναῖοι δὲ καὶ ὅσοι παρὰ τούτοις ἴσασι Τριπτόλεμον τὸν Κελεοῦ πρῶτον σπεῖραι καρπὸν ἥμερον.

English Translation

Of all the Greeks, those who especially dispute with the Athenians over their antiquity and the divine gifts they claim to possess are the Argives—just as among the barbarians, the Egyptians dispute with the Phrygians. It is therefore said that when Demeter came to Argos, Pelasgus received her into his home, and that Chrysanthis, knowing about the abduction of Kore, related these events. They later claim that Trochilus, a hierophant fleeing Argos because of hostility from Agenor, came into Attica, married a woman from Eleusis, and had children, Eubouleus and Triptolemus. Such is the Argive account; but the Athenians, and those who agree with them, hold that Triptolemus, the son of Celeus, was the first to sow cultivated grain.

Proper Nouns

Demeter (Δήμητρα) deity
Kore (Κόρη) deity
Hellenes (Ἕλληνες) other
Egyptians (Αἰγύπτιοι) person
Eubuleus (Εὐβουλέας) person
Celeus (Κελεός) person
Pelasgos (Πελασγός) person
Triptolemus (Τριπτόλεμος) person
Trochilus (Τροχίλος) person
Phrygians (Φρύγες) person
Chrysanthis (Χρυσανθίς) person
Agenor (Ἀγήνωρ) person
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) person
Argives (Ἀργεῖοι) person
Attica (Ἀττική) place Q122443
Argos (Ἄργος) place Q13533353
Eleusis (Ἐλευσίς) place Q11918833
← 1.14.1 1.14.3 →