Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.20.7

← 1.20.6 1.21.1 →

Passage 1.20.7: Sulla seizes Aristion from Athena's sanctuary and is later afflicted.

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

Σύλλου δὲ οὐκ ἀνιέντος ἐς Ἀθηναίους τοῦ θυμοῦ λαθόντες ἐκδιδράσκουσιν ἄνδρες ἐς Δελφοὺς· ἐρομένοις δέ σφισιν, εἰ καταλαμβάνοι τὸ χρεὼν ἤδη καὶ τὰς Ἀθήνας ἐρημωθῆναι, τούτοις ἔχρησεν ἡ Πυθία τὰ ἐς τὸν ἀσκὸν ἔχοντα. Σύλλᾳ δὲ ὕστερον τούτων ἐνέπεσεν ἡ νόσος, ᾗ καὶ τὸν Σύριον Φερεκύδην ἁλῶναι πυνθάνομαι. Σύλλᾳ δὲ ἔστι μὲν καὶ τὰ ἐς τοὺς πολλοὺς Ἀθηναίων ἀγριώτερα ἢ ὡς ἄνδρα εἰκὸς ἦν ἐργάσασθαι Ῥωμαῖον· ἀλλὰ γὰρ οὐ ταῦτα δὴ αἰτίαν γενέσθαι οἱ δοκῶ τῆς συμφορᾶς, Ἱκεσίου δὲ μήνιμα, ὅτι καταφυγόντα ἐς τὸ τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς ἱερὸν ἀπέκτεινεν ἀποσπάσας Ἀριστίωνα. Ἀθῆναι μὲν οὕτως ὑπὸ τοῦ πολέμου κακωθεῖσαι τοῦ Ῥωμαίων αὖθις Ἀδριανοῦ βασιλεύοντος ἤνθησαν·

English Translation

As Sulla was relentless in his anger against the Athenians, certain men secretly fled to Delphi. When they asked if it were now fated that Athens itself should perish utterly, the Pythia gave them that oracle about the wineskin. Later, Sulla was afflicted with the very disease that, as I learn, also seized Pherecydes of Syros. Now, Sulla indeed had treated the majority of Athenians more cruelly than might have been expected even from a Roman. Nevertheless, I myself do not think that this was the cause of his misfortune, but rather the wrath of Hikesios, because Sulla forcibly removed Aristion, who had sought refuge in the sanctuary of Athena, and put him to death. Athens, thus sorely afflicted by the Roman war, once again flourished under the reign of Emperor Hadrian.

Proper Nouns

Athena (Ἀθηνᾶ) deity
Romans (Ῥωμαῖοι) other
Roman (Ῥωμαῖος) other
Also in: 1.18.3 10.36.6
Pythia (Πυθία) person
Sulla (Σύλλας) person
Pherecydes the Syrian (Φερεκύδης ὁ Σύριος) person
Hadrian (Ἀδριανός) person
Aristion (Ἀριστίων) person
Also in: 1.20.5 6.13.6
Hikesios (Ἱκέσιος) person
Also in: 7.25.1 10.9.9
Delphi (Δελφοί) place Q75459 Pleiades
Athens (Ἀθῆναι) place Q844930
← 1.20.6 1.21.1 →