Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.27.1

← 1.26.7 1.27.2 →

Passage 1.27.1: Temple of Polias with wooden Hermes, Daedalus' chair, and Persian spoils.

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

κεῖται δὲ ἐν τῷ ναῷ τῆς Πολιάδος Ἑρμῆς ξύλου, Κέκροπος εἶναι λεγόμενον ἀνάθημα, ὑπὸ κλάδων μυρσίνης οὐ σύνοπτον. ἀναθήματα δὲ ὁπόσα ἄξια λόγου, τῶν μὲν ἀρχαίων δίφρος ὀκλαδίας ἐστὶ Δαιδάλου ποίημα, λάφυρα δὲ ἀπὸ Μήδων Μασιστίου θώραξ, ὃς εἶχεν ἐν Πλαταιαῖς τὴν ἡγεμονίαν τῆς ἵππου, καὶ ἀκινάκης Μαρδονίου λεγόμενος εἶναι. Μασίστιον μὲν δὴ τελευτήσαντα ὑπὸ τῶν Ἀθηναίων οἶδα ἱππέων· Μαρδονίου δὲ μαχεσαμένου Λακεδαιμονίοις ἐναντία καὶ ὑπὸ ἀνδρὸς Σπαρτιάτου πεσόντος οὐδʼ ἂν ὑπεδέξαντο ἀρχὴν οὐδὲ ἴσως Ἀθηναίοις παρῆκαν φέρεσθαι Λακεδαιμόνιοι τὸν ἀκινάκην.

English Translation

In the temple of Polias there stands a wooden image of Hermes, said to have been dedicated by Cecrops, which is not clearly visible due to the myrtle boughs. Of the votive offerings that are worthy of mention, among the ancient ones there is a folding chair, the work of Daedalus. Among spoils taken from the Persians are the breastplate of Masistius, who commanded their cavalry at Plataea, and a dagger said to have belonged to Mardonius. I know that Masistius was killed by the Athenian horsemen. As for Mardonius, however, after fighting against the Lacedaemonians he fell by the hand of a Spartan; and I do not think that the Lacedaemonians would have allowed the Athenians to possess his dagger if they themselves had acquired it.

Proper Nouns

Polias (Πολιάς) deity
Hermes (Ἑρμῆς) deity
Lacedaemonians (Λακεδαιμόνιοι) other
Medes (Μῆδοι) other
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) other
Daedalus (Δαίδαλος) person Q3712559
Cecrops (Κέκροψ) person
Mardonius (Μαρδόνιος) person
Masistius (Μασίστιος) person
Spartan (Σπαρτιάτης) person
Plataea (Πλαταιαί) place Q742538
← 1.26.7 1.27.2 →