Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.38.3

← 1.38.2 1.38.4 →

Passage 1.38.3: Eleusinian–Athenian war and the Eleusinians' retained autonomy to celebrate the mysteries

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

γενομένης δὲ Ἐλευσινίοις μάχης πρὸς Ἀθηναίους ἀπέθανε μὲν Ἐρεχθεὺς Ἀθηναίων βασιλεύς, ἀπέθανε δὲ Ἰμμάραδος Εὐμόλπου· καταλύονται δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖσδε τὸν πόλεμον, ὡς Ἐλευσινίους ἐς τὰ ἄλλα Ἀθηναίων κατηκόους ὄντας ἰδίᾳ τελεῖν τὴν τελετήν. τὰ δὲ ἱερὰ τοῖν θεοῖν Εὔμολπος καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες δρῶσιν αἱ Κελεοῦ, καλοῦσι δὲ σφᾶς Πάμφως τε κατὰ ταὐτὰ καὶ Ὅμηρος Διογένειαν καὶ Παμμερόπην καὶ τρίτην Σαισάραν· τελευτήσαντος δὲ Εὐμόλπου Κήρυξ νεώτερος λείπεται τῶν παίδων, ὃν αὐτοὶ Κήρυκες θυγατρὸς Κέκροπος Ἀγλαύρου καὶ Ἑρμοῦ παῖδα εἶναι λέγουσιν, ἀλλʼ οὐκ Εὐμόλπου.

English Translation

When the Eleusinians engaged in battle with the Athenians, Erechtheus, king of the Athenians, was slain, and Immaradus, son of Eumolpus, also fell. Following these events they made peace under conditions whereby the Eleusinians, while in all other matters subject to Athens, would celebrate their mysteries independently. Concerning the sacred rites of the two goddesses, these were conducted by Eumolpus and the daughters of Celeus, whom both Pamphos and Homer alike call Diogeneia, Pammerope, and the third, Saesara. After the death of Eumolpus, his youngest son, Ceryx, was left behind, though the Ceryces themselves assert that he was not a son of Eumolpus but rather the child of Hermes and Aglauros, daughter of Cecrops.

Proper Nouns

Hermes (Ἑρμῆς) deity
Diogeneia (Διογένεια) person
Eumolpos (Εὔμολπος) person Q125772438
Cecrops (Κέκροψ) person
Kerykes (Κήρυκες) person
Keryx (Κήρυξ) person
Celeus (Κελεός) person
Pamphos (Πάμφως) person
Pammerope (Παμμέροπη) person
Saisara (Σαισάρα) person
Also in: 1.38.2
Aglauros (Ἄγλαυρος) person
Also in: 1.2.6 1.18.2
Erechtheus (Ἐρεχθεύς) person
Immarados (Ἰμμάραδος) person
Also in: 1.5.2 1.27.4
Homer (Ὅμηρος) person
Athens (Ἀθῆναι) place Q844930
Eleusis (Ἐλευσῖναι) place Q11918833
← 1.38.2 1.38.4 →