Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.44.6

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Passage 1.44.6: Shell-stone memorials and tombs on the road from Megara to Corinth

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἰοῦσι δὲ ἐκ Μεγάρων ἐς Κόρινθον ἄλλοι τέ εἰσι τάφοι καὶ αὐλητοῦ Σαμίου Τηλεφάνους· ποιῆσαι δὲ τὸν τάφον Κλεοπάτραν τὴν Φιλίππου τοῦ Ἀμύντου λέγουσι. καὶ Καρὸς τοῦ Φορωνέως μνῆμά ἐστι, τὸ μὲν ἐξ ἀρχῆς χῶμα γῆς, ὕστερον δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ χρήσαντος ἐκοσμήθη λίθῳ κογχίτῃ. μόνοις δὲ Ἑλλήνων Μεγαρεῦσιν ὁ κογχίτης οὗτός ἐστι, καί σφισι καὶ ἐν τῇ πόλει πεποίηται πολλὰ ἐξ αὐτοῦ. ἔστι δὲ ἄγαν λευκὸς καὶ ἄλλου λίθου μαλακώτερος· κόγχοι δὲ αἱ θαλάσσιαι διὰ παντὸς ἔνεισίν οἱ. αὐτὸς μὲν τοιοῦτός ἐστιν ὁ λίθος· τὴν δὲ ὀνομαζομένην ἀπὸ Σκίρωνος καὶ ἐς τόδε Σκιρωνίδα Σκίρων , ἡνίκα Μεγαρεῦσιν ἐπολεμάρχει, πρῶτος ὡς λέγουσιν ἐποίησεν ἀνδράσιν ὁδεύειν εὐζώνοις· Ἀδριανὸς δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οὕτως ὡς καὶ ἅρματα ἐναντία ἐλαύνεσθαι κατέστησεν εὐρυχωρῆ τε καὶ ἐπιτηδείαν εἶναι.

English Translation

On the road from Megara to Corinth, among other tombs, lies that of the Samian flute-player Telephanes; it is said that Cleopatra, daughter of Philip son of Amyntas, erected his grave. There is also a memorial to Car, son of Phoroneus, first built as merely an earthen mound, but afterward, in accordance with an oracle from the god, it was adorned with shell-stone. The Megarians alone among the Greeks possess this type of shell-stone, and they have crafted many buildings in the city from it. The stone itself is exceptionally white and softer than other stones, containing throughout its whole composition sea-shells. Such is the nature of this stone. The road called Scironian, named after Sciron, was first made passable, they say, for lightly equipped travelers when Sciron commanded the Megarians in war. Later, the emperor Hadrian improved it, widening the road sufficiently and rendering it suitable even for chariots to pass each other.

Proper Nouns

Karos (Carus, Caros) (Κάρας) person
Cleopatra (Κλεοπάτρα) person
Megarians (Μεγαρεῖς) person
Samian (Σάμιος) person
Sciron (Σκίρων) person
Telephanes (Τηλέφανης) person
Philip (Φίλιππος) person
Phoroneus (Φορωνεύς) person
Amyntas (Ἀμύντας) person
Hadrian (Ἁδριανός) person
Corinth (Κόρινθος) place Q1363688 Pleiades
Megara (Μέγαρα) place Q42307600
Skironis (Skiroonid) (Σκιρωνίς) place
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