Pausanias Analysis

Passage 10.17.5

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Passage 10.17.5: Founding of Nora and Olbia in Sardinia by Norax and Iolaus.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

μετὰ δὲ Ἀρισταῖον Ἴβηρες ἐς τὴν Σαρδὼ διαβαίνουσιν ὑπὸ ἡγεμόνι τοῦ στόλου Νώρακι, καὶ ᾠκίσθη Νώρα πόλις ὑπὸ αὐτῶν· ταύτην πρώτην γενέσθαι πόλιν μνημονεύουσιν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ, παῖδα δὲ Ἐρυθείας τε τῆς Γηρυόνου καὶ Ἑρμοῦ λέγουσιν εἶναι τὸν Νώρακα. τετάρτη δὲ μοῖρα Ἰολάου Θεσπιέων τε καὶ ἐκ τῆς Ἀττικῆς στρατιὰ κατῆρεν ἐς Σαρδώ, καὶ Ὀλβίαν μὲν πόλιν οἰκίζουσιν, ἰδίᾳ δὲ Ὀγρύλην οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι διασώζοντες τῶν δήμων τῶν οἴκοι τινὸς τὸ ὄνομα· ἢ καὶ αὐτὸς τοῦ στόλου μετεῖχεν Ὀγρύλος. ἔστι δʼ οὖν καὶ κατʼ ἐμὲ ἔτι χωρία τε Ἰολάια ἐν τῇ Σαρδοῖ καὶ Ἰόλαος παρὰ τῶν οἰκητόρων ἔχει τιμάς.

English Translation

After Aristaeus, the Iberians crossed over into Sardinia under Norax, their expedition leader, and founded the city of Nora. They relate that this city was the first to arise on the island, and Norax himself is said to have been a son of Hermes and Erytheia, the daughter of Geryon. As a fourth contingent, an army of Thespians with Iolaus, joined by settlers from Attica, landed in Sardinia. They founded the city of Olbia, while the Athenians among them separately preserved Ogryle, naming it after one of their homeland demes, unless Ogrylus himself actually participated in their expedition. Even in my time there remain places named after Iolaus in Sardinia, and he is still honored by its inhabitants.

Proper Nouns

Hermes (Ἑρμῆς) deity
Geryon (Γηρυόνης) person
Thespians (Θεσπιεῖς) person
Norax (Νώρακος) person
Norax (Νώραξ) person
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) person
Aristaeus (Ἀρισταῖος) person
Erytheia (Ἐρυθεία) person
Iolaus (Ἰόλαος) person
Iberians (Ἴβηρες) person
Also in: 1.33.4 10.17.9
Ogryllos/Ogryllus (Ὀγρύλος) person
Nora (Νώρα) place Q677175
Sardinia (Σαρδώ) place Q1462
Attica (Ἀττική) place Q122443
Iolaia (Ἰολάια) place
Ogryle (Ὀγρύλη) place
Olbia (Ὀλβία) place Q13630 Pleiades
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