Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.14.3

← 1.14.2 1.14.4 →

Passage 1.14.3: Triptolemos' varied parentage and Eleusinian lore.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

ἔπη δὲ ᾄδεται Μουσαίου μέν, εἰ δὴ Μουσαίου καὶ ταῦτα, Τριπτόλεμον παῖδα Ὠκεανοῦ καὶ Γῆς εἶναι, Ὀρφέως δέ, οὐδὲ ταῦτα Ὀρφέως ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν ὄντα, Εὐβουλεῖ καὶ Τριπτολέμῳ Δυσαύλην πατέρα εἶναι, μηνύσασι δέ σφισι περὶ τῆς παιδὸς δοθῆναι παρὰ Δήμητρος σπεῖραι τοὺς καρπούς· Χοιρίλῳ δὲ Ἀθηναίῳ δρᾶμα ποιήσαντι Ἀλόπην ἔστ ιν εἰρημένα Κερκυόνα εἶναι καὶ Τριπτόλεμον ἀδελφούς, τεκεῖν δὲ σφᾶς θυγατέρα ς Ἀμφικτύονος, εἶναι δὲ πατέρα Τριπτολέμῳ μὲν Ῥᾶρον, Κερκυόνι δὲ Ποσειδῶνα. πρόσω δὲ ἰέναι με ὡρμημένον τοῦδε τοῦ λόγου καὶ †ὁπόσα ἐξήγησιν †ἔχει τὸ Ἀθήνῃσιν ἱερόν, καλούμενον δὲ Ἐλευσίνιον, ἐπέσχεν ὄψις ὀνείρατος· ἃ δὲ ἐς πάντας ὅσιον γράφειν, ἐς ταῦτα ἀποτρέψομαι.

English Translation

Epic verses attributed to Musaeus—if indeed these truly belong to Musaeus—sing of Triptolemos as being the child of Oceanus and Earth. Other verses, attributed to Orpheus—though to me even these do not seem genuinely Orphic—say that Dysaules was father to Eubouleus and Triptolemos, and that after these two revealed what had happened to her daughter, Demeter gave them the gift of sowing grain. Choerilus of Athens, who composed a drama called 'Alope,' states that Kerkyon and Triptolemos were brothers, born of the daughter of Amphiktyon: the father of Triptolemos being Raros, and the father of Kerkyon being Poseidon. As I had intended to pursue this account further and to describe fully all that pertains to the sanctuary at Athens called the Eleusinion, I was halted by a vision in my dreams. Therefore, I turn aside from these things and proceed only with what it is proper for everyone to know.

Proper Nouns

Ge (Earth) (Γῆ) deity
Demeter (Δήμητρα) deity
Poseidon (Ποσειδῶν) deity
Oceanus (Ὠκεανός) deity
Athenian (Ἀθηναῖος) other
Also in: 6.4.5 6.14.1
Dysaeules (Δυσάυλης) person
Eubuleus (Εὐβουλεύς) person
Cercyon (Κερκυών) person
Also in: 1.5.2 1.39.3
Musaeus (Μουσαῖος) person
Triptolemus (Τριπτόλεμος) person
Choirilos (Χοιρίλος) person
Also in: 6.17.5
Alope (Ἀλόπη) person
Also in: 1.5.2 1.39.3
Amphictyon (Ἀμφικτύων) person
Orpheus (Ὀρφεύς) person
Rarus (Ῥᾶρος) person
Athens (Ἀθῆναι) place Q844930
Eleusinion (Ἐλευσίνιον) place Q1349784
Also in: 3.20.7
← 1.14.2 1.14.4 →