Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.2.5

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Passage 1.2.5: Dionysus Melpomenos and dedications in the Gymnasium of Hermes.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἡ δὲ ἑτέρα τῶν στοῶν ἔχει μὲν ἱερὰ θεῶν, ἔχει δὲ γυμνάσιον Ἑρμοῦ καλούμενον· ἔστι δὲ ἐν αὐτῇ Πουλυτίωνος οἰκία, καθʼ ἣν παρὰ τὴν ἐν Ἐλευσῖνι δρᾶσαι τελετὴν Ἀθηναίων φασὶν οὐ τοὺς ἀφανεστάτους· ἐπʼ ἐμοῦ δὲ ἀνεῖτο Διονύσῳ. Διόνυσον δὲ τοῦτον καλοῦσι Μελπόμενον ἐπὶ λόγῳ τοιῷδε ἐφʼ ὁποίῳ περ Ἀπόλλωνα Μουσηγέτην. ἐνταῦθά ἐστιν Ἀθηνᾶς ἄγαλμα Παιωνίας καὶ Διὸς καὶ Μνημοσύνης καὶ Μουσῶν, Ἀπόλλων τε ἀνάθημα καὶ ἔργον Εὐβουλίδου , καὶ δαίμων τῶν ἀμφὶ Διόνυσον Ἄκρατος· πρόσωπόν ἐστίν οἱ μόνον ἐνῳκοδομημένον τοίχῳ. μετὰ δὲ τὸ τοῦ Διονύσου τέμενός ἐστιν οἴκημα ἀγάλματα ἔχον ἐκ πηλοῦ, βασιλεὺς Ἀθηναίων Ἀμφικτύων ἄλλους τε θεοὺς ἑστιῶν καὶ Διόνυσον. ἐνταῦθα καὶ Πήγασός ἐστιν Ἐλευθερεύς, ὃς Ἀθηναίοις τὸν θεὸν ἐσήγαγε· συνεπελάβετο δέ οἱ τὸ ἐν Δελφοῖς μαντεῖον ἀναμνῆσαν τὴν ἐπὶ Ἰκαρίου ποτὲ ἐπιδημίαν τοῦ θεοῦ.

English Translation

The other of the porticoes contains sanctuaries of gods, and also a gymnasium called the Gymnasium of Hermes. Within it stands the house of Polytion. Here they say not the least distinguished among the Athenians performed rites similar to the mysteries enacted at Eleusis; in my own time this house was dedicated to Dionysus. This Dionysus they call Melpomenos ("The Singer") for a reason similar to that for which Apollo is surnamed Mousēgetēs ("Leader of the Muses"). There is here a statue of Athena Paionia, and of Zeus, Mnemosyne, and the Muses, as well as an offering of Apollo, a work of Euboulides, and a daemon named Akratos, who belongs to the retinue of Dionysus. His face alone is built into the wall. Next to the precinct of Dionysus is a building containing clay images representing Amphictyon, king of the Athenians, entertaining Dionysus along with other gods. Here also is found Pegasus of Eleutherae, who introduced the god to the Athenians, aided by the oracle at Delphi, which reminded the Athenians of the god's former visitation at Icaria.

Proper Nouns

Dionysus (Διόνυσος) deity
Zeus (Ζεύς) deity
Melpomenos (Μελπόμενος) deity
Also in: 1.31.6
Mnemosyne (Μνημοσύνη) deity
Muses (Μοῦσαι) deity
Athena (Ἀθηνᾶ) deity
Apollo (Ἀπόλλων) deity
Akratos (Ἄκρατος) deity
Hermes (Ἑρμῆς) deity
Musegetes (Μουσηγέτης) other
Paeonia (Παιωνία) other
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) other
Eleutheraeus (Ἐλευθερεύς) other
Eubulides (Εὐβουλίδης) person Q60234575
Pegasos (Πήγασος) person
Polytion (Πουλυτίων) person
Amphictyon (Ἀμφικτύων) person
Icarius (Ἰκάριος) person
Delphi (Δελφοί) place Q75459 Pleiades
Eleusis (Ἐλευσίς) place Q11918833
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