Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.39.5

← 1.39.4 1.39.6 →

Passage 1.39.5: Founding legends of Megara: Car (Dorian) vs. Megareus (Boeotian)

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

Μεγαρεῖς μὲν οὕτως ἔθη καὶ φωνὴν μεταβαλόντες Δωριεῖς γεγόνασι, κληθῆναι δὲ οὕτω τὴν πόλιν φασὶν ἐπὶ Καρὸς τοῦ Φορωνέως ἐν τῇ γῇ ταύτῃ βασιλεύοντος· τότε πρῶτον λέγουσιν ἱερὰ γενέσθαι Δήμητρος αὐτοῖς, τότε ἀνθρώπους ὀνομάσαι Μέγαρα. οὕτω μὲν αὐτοὶ περὶ σφῶν Μεγαρεῖς λέγουσι· Βοιωτοὶ δὲ ἐν Ὀγχηστῷ Μεγαρέα τὸν Ποσειδῶνος οἰκοῦντα ἀφικέσθαι στρατιᾷ Βοιωτῶν φασι Νίσῳ τὸν πρὸς Μίνω πόλεμον συνδιοίσοντα, πεσόντα δὲ αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ μάχῃ ταφῆναί τε αὐτοῦ καὶ τῇ πόλει Μέγαρα ὄνομα ἀπὸ τούτου γενέσθαι, πρότερον Νίσᾳ καλουμένῃ.

English Translation

The Megarians, having thus altered their customs and dialect, became Dorians; they say their city was named after Car, the son of Phoroneus, who once ruled in this land. At that time, they claim, rites of Demeter were first established by them, and at that same period, the inhabitants began to call their city Megara. Thus the Megarians themselves tell the story of their origins. The Boeotians, however, assert at Onchestus that Megareus, a son of Poseidon who lived there, came to Nisos with a Boeotian army to aid him in his war against Minos; Megareus fell in battle and was buried there, and from him the city, previously called Nisa, received the name Megara.

Proper Nouns

Demeter (Δήμητρα) deity
Poseidon (Ποσειδῶν) deity
Boeotians (Βοιωτοί) person
Dorieus (Δωριεύς) person
Car (Κάρ) person
Also in: 1.23.5 1.40.6
Minos (Μίνως) person
Megareus (Μεγαρεύς) person
Megarians (Μεγαρεῖς) person
Nisos (Νίσος) person
Phoroneus (Φορωνεύς) person
Megara (Μέγαρα) place Q42307600
Onchestus (Ὄγχηστος) place Q3063303
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