Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.35.4

← 1.35.3 1.35.5 →

Passage 1.35.4: Legends of Ajax: a flower omen, the judgment of his arms, and his tomb.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

λέγουσι δὲ οἱ περὶ τὴν Σαλαμῖνα οἰκοῦντες ἀποθανόντος Αἴαντος τὸ ἄνθος σφίσιν ἐν τῇ γῇ τότε φανῆναι πρῶτον· λευκόν ἐστιν, ὑπέρυθρον, κρίνου καὶ αὐτὸ ἔλασσον καὶ τὰ φύλλα· γράμματα δὲ ἔπεστιν οἷα τοῖς ὑακίνθοις καὶ τούτῳ. λόγον δὲ τῶν μὲν Αἰολέων τῶν ὕστερον οἰκησάντων Ἴλιον ἐς τὴν κρίσιν τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς ὅπλοις ἤκουσα, οἳ τῆς ναυαγίας Ὀδυσσεῖ συμβάσης ἐξενεχθῆναι κατὰ τὸν τάφον τὸν Αἴαντος τὰ ὅπλα λέγουσι· τὸ δὲ ἐς τὸ μέγεθος αὐτοῦ Μυσὸς ἔλεγεν ἀνήρ.

English Translation

The inhabitants around Salamis relate that upon the death of Ajax, the flower first appeared on their land; it is white, tinged slightly with crimson, smaller than a lily, as are its leaves. On it too, as with the hyacinth, letters appear. Regarding the judgment made over the arms, I have heard the account given by those Aeolians who later inhabited Ilium: they say that Odysseus, after being shipwrecked, had his weapons washed ashore at the tomb of Ajax. A certain Mysian, however, spoke concerning the greatness of Ajax's stature.

Proper Nouns

Aeolians (Αἰολεύς) person
Also in: 8.12.9
Ajax (Αἴας) person Q14566703
Mysus (Μυσός) person
Also in: 1.5.5
Odysseus (Ὀδυσσεύς) person
Salamis (Σαλαμίς) place Q767089
Ilium (Ἴλιον) place Q22647
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