Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.39.2

← 1.39.1 1.39.3 →

Passage 1.39.2: Burial of the fallen from the Theban expedition at Eleusis by Theseus.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

ὀλίγῳ δὲ ἀπωτέρω τοῦ φρέατος ἱερὸν Μετανείρας ἐστὶ καὶ μετʼ αὐτὸ τάφοι τῶν ἐπὶ Θήβας. Κρέων γάρ, ὃς ἐδυνάστευε τότε ἐν Θήβαις Λαοδάμαντα ἐπιτροπεύων τὸν Ἐτεοκλέους, οὐ παρῆκε τοῖς προσήκουσιν ἀνελομένοις θάψαι· ἱκετεύσαντος δὲ Ἀδράστου Θησέα καὶ μάχης Ἀθηναίων γενομένης πρὸς Βοιωτούς, Θησεὺς ὡς ἐκράτησε τῇ μάχῃ κομίσας ἐς τὴν Ἐλευσινίαν τοὺς νεκροὺς ἐνταῦθα ἔθαψε. Θηβαῖοι δὲ τὴν ἀναίρεσιν τῶν νεκρῶν λέγουσιν ἐθελονταὶ δοῦναι καὶ συνάψαι μάχην οὔ φασι.

English Translation

A short distance away from the well is a sanctuary of Metaneira, and beyond it are the tombs of those who marched against Thebes. For Creon, who at that time ruled in Thebes as guardian for Laodamas, the son of Eteocles, did not allow their relatives to recover the bodies and bury them. When Adrastus entreated Theseus for help, a battle took place between Athenians and Boeotians; after winning this battle, Theseus brought the bodies to Eleusis and buried them there. The Thebans, however, say that they willingly allowed the retrieval of the bodies and deny that any battle was fought.

Proper Nouns

Boeotians (Βοιωτοί) other
Thebans (Θηβαῖοι) other
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) other
Theseus (Θησεύς) person
Creon (Κρέων) person
Laodamas (Λαοδάμας) person
Metaneira (Μετάνειρα) person
Also in: 1.39.1
Adrastus (Ἄδραστος) person
Eteocles (Ἐτεοκλῆς) person
Thebes (Θῆβαι) place Q11225429
Eleusis (Ἐλευσίς) place Q11918833
← 1.39.1 1.39.3 →