Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.28.6

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Passage 1.28.6: Sanctuary of the Semnai (Erinyes) at Athens

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

πλησίον δὲ ἱερὸν θεῶν ἐστιν ἃς καλοῦσιν Ἀθηναῖοι Σεμνάς, Ἡσίοδος δὲ Ἐρινῦς ἐν Θεογονίᾳ. πρῶτος δέ σφισιν Αἰσχύλος δράκοντας ἐποίησεν ὁμοῦ ταῖς ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ θριξὶν εἶναι· τοῖς δὲ ἀγάλμασιν οὔτε τούτοις ἔπεστιν οὐδὲν φοβερὸν οὔτε ὅσα ἄλλα κεῖται θεῶν τῶν ὑπογαίων. κεῖται δὲ καὶ Πλούτων καὶ Ἑρμῆς καὶ Γῆς ἄγαλμα· ἐνταῦθα θύουσι μὲν ὅσοις ἐν Ἀρείῳ πάγῳ τὴν αἰτίαν ἐξεγένετο ἀπολύσασθαι, θύουσι δὲ καὶ ἄλλως ξένοι τε ὁμοίως καὶ ἀστοί.

English Translation

Nearhere is a sanctuary of goddesses whom the Athenians call Semnai ("Revered ones"), though Hesiod in his Theogony called them Erinyes ("Furies"). Aeschylus was the first to represent them with snakes entwined in their hair; but these statues here exhibit nothing terrifying, nor do any of the other subterranean gods depicted. Statues of Pluto, Hermes, and Earth also stand here. Here, sacrifices are offered by those who have been acquitted of murder at the Areopagus; but sacrifices are offered also, generally, by both foreigners and local citizens alike.

Proper Nouns

Ge (Earth) (Γῆ) deity
Plouton (Πλούτων) deity
Semnai (Σεμναί) deity
Erinyes (Ἐρινύες) deity
Hermes (Ἑρμῆς) deity
Theogony (Θεογονία) other
Aeschylus (Αἰσχύλος) person Q40939
Athenian (Ἀθηναῖος) person
Hesiod (Ἡσίοδος) person
Areopagus (Ἄρειος Πάγος) place Q202487
Also in: 1.24.2 4.5.2
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