Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.40.2

← 1.40.1 1.40.3 →

Passage 1.40.2: Sanctuary of Artemis Soteira with statues of Roman emperors.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

τῆς δὲ κρήνης οὐ πόρρω ταύτης ἀρχαῖόν ἐστιν ἱερόν, εἰκόνες δὲ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν ἑστᾶσιν ἐν αὐτῷ βασιλέων Ῥωμαίων καὶ ἄγαλμα τε κεῖται χαλκοῦν Ἀρτέμιδος ἐπίκλησιν Σωτείρας. φασὶ δὲ ἄνδρας τοῦ Μαρδονίου στρατοῦ καταδραμόντας τὴν Μεγαρίδα ἀποχωρεῖν ἐς Θήβας ὀπίσω παρὰ Μαρδόνιον ἐθέλειν, γνώμῃ δὲ Ἀρτέμιδος νύκτα τε ὁδοιποροῦσιν ἐπιγενέσθαι καὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ σφᾶς ἁμαρτόντας ἐς τὴν ὀρεινὴν τραπέσθαι τῆς χώρας· πειρωμένους δὲ εἰ στράτευμα ἐγγὺς εἴη πολέμιον ἀφιέναι τῶν βελῶν, καὶ τὴν πλησίον πέτραν στένειν βαλλομένην, τοὺς δὲ αὖθις τοξεύειν προθυμίᾳ πλέονι.

English Translation

Not far from this spring there stands an ancient sanctuary. In my day there stand in it statues of Roman emperors, and also there is set up a bronze image of Artemis, called "Soteira" (Savior). It is said that certain men from the army of Mardonius who had made incursions into the Megarid were attempting to retreat back toward Mardonius at Thebes, but through Artemis' will night overtook them as they went, and losing their way, they turned instead into the mountainous regions. As they tried to find out if a hostile army was nearby, they released arrows, and when a nearby rock, upon being struck, emitted a groaning noise, they shot again at it with even greater zeal.

Proper Nouns

Artemis (Ἄρτεμις) deity
Mardonius (Μαρδόνιος) person
Romans (Ῥωμαῖοι) person
Thebes (Θῆβαι) place Q11225429
Megaris (Μεγαρίς) place Q645572
← 1.40.1 1.40.3 →