Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.31.2

← 1.31.1 1.31.3 →

Passage 1.31.2: Temple of Apollo at Prasiai and the hidden Hyperborean offerings

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

ἐν δὲ Πρασιεῦσιν Ἀπόλλωνός ἐστι ναός· ἐνταῦθα τὰς Ὑπερβορέων ἀπαρχὰς ἰέναι λέγεται, παραδιδόναι δὲ αὐτὰς Ὑπερβορέους μὲν Ἀριμασποῖς, Ἀριμασποὺς δʼ Ἰσσηδόσι, παρὰ δὲ τούτων Σκύθας ἐς Σινώπην κομίζειν, ἐντεῦθεν δὲ φέρεσθαι διὰ Ἑλλήνων ἐς Πρασιάς, Ἀθηναίους δὲ εἶναι τοὺς ἐς Δῆλον ἄγοντας· τὰς δὲ ἀπαρχὰς κεκρύφθαι μὲν ἐν καλάμῃ πυρῶν, γινώσκεσθαι δὲ ὑπʼ οὐδένων. ἔστι δὲ μνῆμα ἐπὶ Πρασιαῖς Ἐρυσίχθονος, ὡς ἐκομίζετο ὀπίσω μετὰ τὴν θεωρίαν ἐκ Δήλου, γενομένης οἱ κατὰ τὸν πλοῦν τῆς τελευτῆς.

English Translation

In Prasiai there is a temple of Apollo. It is said that the first offerings from the Hyperboreans arrive here. The Hyperboreans hand them over first to the Arimaspians, the Arimaspians then pass them to the Issedones, and from them the Scythians carry them on to Sinope; from Sinope they are brought through Greece to Prasiai, and finally the Athenians convey them to Delos. These offerings are said to be hidden within stalks of wheat, and thus remain unknown to anyone. In Prasiai there is also the tomb of Erysichthon, who died during his return journey from Delos after performing the sacred embassy.

Proper Nouns

Apollo (Ἀπόλλων) deity
Scythians (Σκύθαι) person
Also in: 6.26.9 8.43.3
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) person
Arimaspians (Ἀριμασποί) person
Also in: 1.24.6
Erysichthon (Ἐρυσίχθων) person
Also in: 1.2.6 1.18.5
Hellenes (Ἕλληνες) person
Issedones (Ἰσσηδοί) person
Hyperboreans (Ὑπερβόρεοι) person
Delos (Δῆλος) place Q173148
Prasiai (Πρασιαί) place Q2107853
Sinope (Σινώπη) place Q107557833
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