Pausanias Analysis

Passage 10.19.3

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Passage 10.19.3: Methymna's wooden sea-found image identified as Dionysus Phallen.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

τὸ ἀπὸ τούτου δὲ ἔρχομαι διηγησόμενος λόγον Λέσβιον. ἁλιεῦσιν ἐν Μηθύμνῃ τὰ δίκτυα ἀνείλκυσεν ἐκ θαλάσσης πρόσωπον ἐλαίας ξύλου πεποιημένον· τοῦτο ἰδέαν παρείχετο φέρουσαν μὲν τοι ἐς τὸ θεῖον, ξένην δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ θεοῖς Ἑλληνικοῖς οὐ καθεστῶσαν. εἴροντο οὖν οἱ Μηθυμναῖοι τὴν Πυθίαν ὅτου θεῶν ἢ καὶ ἡρώων ἐστὶν ἡ εἰκών· ἡ δὲ αὐτοὺς σέβεσθαι Διόνυσον Φαλλῆνα ἐκέλευσεν. ἐπὶ τούτῳ οἱ Μηθυμναῖοι ξόανον μὲν τὸ ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης παρὰ σφίσιν ἔχοντες καὶ θυσίαις καὶ εὐχαῖς τιμῶσι, χαλκοῦν δὲ ἀποπέμπουσιν ἐς Δελφούς.

English Translation

After this, I proceed to recount a narrative from Lesbos. In Methymna fishermen drew up in their nets from the sea a face made from olive wood, having an appearance indeed of divine character, yet unfamiliar and not established among the Greek gods. The Methymnaeans accordingly asked the Pythian oracle whose image it was, whether of gods or heroes. She instructed them to honor Dionysus Phallen. Thus, the Methymnaeans retain the wooden image from the sea among themselves, revering it with sacrifices and prayers, but sent a bronze copy to Delphi.

Proper Nouns

Dionysos Phallen (Διόνυσος Φαλλήν) deity
Methymnaean (Μηθυμναῖος) person
Also in: 9.30.2
Pythia (Πυθία) person
Delphi (Δελφοί) place Q75459 Pleiades
Lesbos (Λέσβος) place Q128087
Methymna (Μήθυμνα) place Q38281278
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