Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.31.5

← 1.31.4 1.31.6 →

Passage 1.31.5: Amarynthos and the Amarysia festival; Kolainis named for Kolainos.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

πυνθανόμενος δὲ σαφὲς οὐδὲν ἐς αὐτὰς ἐπισταμένους τοὺς ἐξηγητὰς εὗρον, αὐτὸς δὲ συμβάλλομαι τῇδε. ἔστιν Ἀμάρυνθος ἐν Εὐβοίᾳ· καὶ γὰρ οἱ ταύτῃ τιμῶσιν Ἀμαρυσίαν, ἑορτὴν δὲ καὶ Ἀθηναῖοι τῆς Ἀμαρυσίας ἄγουσιν οὐδέν τι Εὐβοέων ἀφανέστερον· ταύτῃ μὲν γενέσθαι τὸ ὄνομα ἐπὶ τούτῳ παρὰ Ἀθμονεῦσιν ἡγοῦμαι, τὴν δὲ ἐν Μυρρινοῦντι Κολαινίδα ἀπὸ Κολαίνου καλεῖσθαι. γέγραπται δʼ ἤδη μοι τῶν ἐν τοῖς δήμοις φάναι πολλοὺς ὡς καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐβασιλεύοντο τῆς Κέκροπος· ἔστι δὲ ὁ Κόλαινος ἀνδρὸς ὄνομα πρότερον ἢ Κέκροψ ἐβασίλευσεν ---ὡς οἱ Μυρρινούσιοι λέγουσιν---ἄρξαντος.

English Translation

When I inquired about them, I found that the guides could offer no definite information at all, but my own conjecture is this: there is a place called Amarynthos in Euboea, and indeed the inhabitants there honor Amarysia. The Athenians themselves also celebrate the festival of Amarysia, no less prominently than the Euboeans. I suppose, therefore, that the place-name among the Athmonians originated from this. The site called Kolainis in the deme of Myrrhinous, I believe, derived its name from Kolainos. I have already stated in my account of the demes that many assert there were rulers prior even to the reign of Kekrops; and Kolainos, according to the people of Myrrhinous, was the name of a man who ruled before Kekrops began his kingship.

Proper Nouns

Amarysia (Ἀμαρυσία) deity
Also in: 1.31.4
Euboeans (Εὔβοες) person
Cecrops (Κέκροψ) person
Kolainos (Κόλαινος) person
Myrrinousians (Μυρρινούσιοι) person
Also in: 1.31.4
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) person
Athmoneis (Ἀθμονεῖς) person
Also in: 1.31.4
Euboea (Εὔβοια) place Q173096
Kolainis (Κολαινίς) place
Myrinounton (Μυρρινοῦντον) place
Amarynthos (Ἀμάρυνθος) place Q1227665 Pleiades
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