Pausanias Analysis

Passage 10.11.2

← 10.11.1 10.11.3 →

Passage 10.11.2: Siphnians' treasury and mines submerged for failing to pay Delphi.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ταῦτα ἕστηκε παρὰ τὸν Σικυωνίων θησαυρόν· ἐποιήθη δὲ καὶ ὑπὸ Σιφνίων ἐπὶ αἰτίᾳ τοιᾷδε θησαυρός. Σιφνίοις ἡ νῆσος χρυσοῦ μέταλλα ἤνεγκε, καὶ αὐτοὺς τῶν προσιόντων ἐκέλευσεν ὁ θεὸς ἀποφέρειν δεκάτην ἐς Δελφούς· οἱ δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν ᾠκοδομήσαντο καὶ ἀπέφερον τὴν δεκάτην. ὡς δὲ ὑπὸ ἀπληστίας ἐξέλιπον τὴν φοράν, ἐπικλύσασα ἡ θάλασσα ἀφανῆ τὰ μέταλλά σφισιν ἐποίησεν.

English Translation

These stand next to the treasury of the Sicyonians. The treasury of the Siphnians also was built for the following reason. The island itself had yielded gold mines to the Siphnians, and the god commanded them to pay a tenth of their revenues to Delphi. So, they built a treasury and delivered the tenth part. However, when out of greed they ceased paying, the sea rose and submerged their mines, making them utterly inaccessible.

Proper Nouns

Delphi (Δελφοί) place Q75459 Pleiades
Siphnos (Σίφνος) place Q212029
Sicyon (Σικυών) place Q368628 Pleiades
← 10.11.1 10.11.3 →