Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.44.8

← 1.44.7 1.44.9 →

Passage 1.44.8: Melicertes (Palaemon) rescued by a dolphin; Isthmian Games instituted.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

τότε δὲ φεύγουσα ἐς θάλασσαν αὑτὴν καὶ τὸν παῖδα ἀπὸ τῆς πέτρας τῆς Μολουρίδος ἀφίησιν, ἐξενεχθέντος δὲ ἐς τὸν Κορινθίων ἰσθμὸν ὑπὸ δελφῖνος ὡς λέγεται τοῦ παιδός, τιμαὶ καὶ ἄλλαι τῷ Μελικέρτῃ δίδονται μετονομασθέντι Παλαίμονι καὶ τῶν Ἰσθμίων ἐπʼ αὐτῷ τὸν ἀγῶνα ἄγουσι. τὴν μὲν δὴ Μολουρίδα πέτραν Λευκοθέας καὶ Παλαίμονος ἱερὰν ἥγηντο· τὰς δὲ μετὰ ταύτην νομίζουσιν ἐναγεῖς, ὅτι παροικῶν σφισιν ὁ Σκίρων, ὁπόσοις τῶν ξένων ἐπετύγχανεν, ἠφίει σφᾶς ἐς τὴν θάλασσαν. χελώνη δὲ ὑπενήχετο ταῖς πέτραις τοὺς ἐσβληθέντας ἁρπάζειν· εἰσὶ δὲ αἱ θαλάσσιαι πλὴν μεγέθους καὶ ποδῶν ὅμοιαι ταῖς χερσαίαις, πόδας δὲ ἐοικότας ἔχουσι ταῖς φώκαις. τούτων περιῆλθεν ἡ δίκη Σκίρωνα ἀφεθέντα ἐς θάλασσαν τὴν αὐτὴν ὑπὸ Θησέως.

English Translation

At that time, fleeing into the sea, she cast herself and her son from the cliff called Molouris. Afterwards, as it is said, the boy was carried by a dolphin to the Isthmus of the Corinthians. Consequently, additional honors were awarded to Melicertes, who was renamed Palaemon, and the Isthmian contests were instituted in his honor. The rock Molouris they considered sacred to Leukothea and Palaemon; but they thought those rocks following it polluted, because Sciron, who dwelled near there, would hurl into the sea any foreigner he happened upon. A turtle swam beneath the cliffs, seizing those thrown down into the waters. These sea-turtles resemble land tortoises except in size and having feet like those of seals. The justice of the gods eventually overtook Sciron himself, as he was thrown into the same sea by Theseus.

Proper Nouns

Leukothea (Λευκοθέα) deity Q223690
Palaemon (Παλαίμων) deity Q2046854
Isthmian Games (Ἰσθμία) other Q675181
Theseus (Θησεύς) person Q112106944
Melicertes (Μελικέρτης) person
Sciron (Σκίρων) person Q15079762
Isthmus (Ἰσθμός) place Q215200
Corinthians (Κορίνθιοι) place Q131841385
Molouris (Μολουρίς) place
Also in: 1.44.7
← 1.44.7 1.44.9 →