Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.20.4

← 1.20.3 1.20.5 →

Passage 1.20.4: Tent-like monument by the sanctuary of Dionysus, rebuilt after Sulla burned it.

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

ἔστι δὲ πλησίον τοῦ τε ἱεροῦ τοῦ Διονύσου καὶ τοῦ θεάτρου κατασκεύασμα, ποιηθῆναι δὲ τῆς σκηνῆς αὐτὸ ἐς μίμησιν τῆς Ξέρξου λέγεται· ἐποιήθη δὲ καὶ δεύτερον, τὸ γὰρ ἀρχαῖον στρατηγὸς Ῥωμαίων ἐνέπρησε Σύλλας Ἀθήνας ἑλών. αἰτία δὲ ἥδε τοῦ πολέμου. Μιθριδάτης ἐβασίλευε βαρβάρων τῶν περὶ τὸν Πόντον τὸν Εὔξεινον. πρόφασις μὲν δὴ διʼ ἥντινα Ῥωμαίοις ἐπολέμησε καὶ ὃν τρόπον ἐς τὴν Ἀσίαν διέβη καὶ ὅσας ἢ πολέμῳ βιασάμενος πόλεις ἔσχεν ἢ φίλας ἐποιήσατο, τάδε μὲν τοῖς ἐπίστασθαι τὰ Μιθριδάτου θέλουσι μελέτω· ἐγὼ δὲ ὅσον ἐς τὴν ἅλωσιν τὴν Ἀθηναίων ἔχει δηλώσω.

English Translation

Near the sanctuary of Dionysus and the theater there is a structure said to have been formed to imitate Xerxes' tent. It was built a second time, the original having been burned by Sulla, a Roman general, when he captured Athens. The cause of this war was as follows. Mithridates ruled over the barbarians around the Euxine Sea. Concerning the pretext by which he waged war against the Romans, how he crossed into Asia, and how many cities he seized by force of arms or won over as allies—let these matters be the concern of those who wish to know Mithridates' affairs. I shall relate only what pertains to the capture of Athens.

Proper Nouns

Dionysus (Διόνυσος) deity
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) other
Romans (Ῥωμαῖοι) other
Mithridates (Μιθριδάτης) person
Xerxes (Ξέρξης) person
Sulla (Σύλλας) person
Euxine (Εὔξεινος) place Q1913944
Also in: 3.16.8
Pontus (Πόντος) place Q1913944
Also in: 8.27.6 10.34.4
Athens (Ἀθῆναι) place Q844930
Asia (Ἀσία) place Q210718
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