Pausanias Analysis

Passage 10.2.6

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Passage 10.2.6: Phayllus dreams of Hippocrates' emaciated statue and contracts an ulcerative disease.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Ὀνομάρχῳ μὲν τέλος τοῦ βίου τοιοῦτον ἐπήγαγεν ὁ δαίμων, στρατηγὸν δὲ αὐτοκράτορα εἵλοντο ἀδελφὸν τοῦ Ὀνομάρχου Φάυλον. λέγουσι δὲ τοῦτον τὸν Φάυλον παρεληλυθέναι τε δὴ ἄρτι ἐπὶ τῶν Φωκέων τὴν ἀρχὴν καὶ ὄψιν ὀνείρατος ἰδεῖν τοιάνδε. ἐν τοῖς ἀναθήμασι τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος μίμημα ἦν χαλκοῦν ἀνδρὸς χρονιωτέρου, κατερρυηκότος τε ἤδη τὰς σάρκας καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ ὑπολειπομένου μόνα· ἀνάθημα δὲ ὑπὸ Δελφῶν Ἱπποκράτους ἐλέγετο εἶναι τοῦ ἰατροῦ. τούτῳ δὴ ἑαυτὸν ἐοικέναι τῷ ἀναθήματι ἔδοξεν ὁ Φάυλος· αὐτίκα δὲ ὑπολαβοῦσα αὐτὸν φθοώδης νόσος ἐπετέλει τοῦ ἐνυπνίου τὴν μαντείαν.

English Translation

Such was the fate brought by divine providence upon Onomarchus at the end of his life. Thereupon, the Phocians chose as their supreme commander Phayllus, the brother of Onomarchus. It is said that as soon as this Phayllus assumed his rule over the Phocians, he experienced a certain dream vision. Among the dedications in Apollo's sanctuary there was a bronze statue representing an elderly man whose flesh had already wasted away, leaving only the bones. It was said to have been set up by the Delphians, depicting Hippocrates the physician. Phayllus dreamed that he resembled this dedication, and immediately afterwards an ulcerative disease took hold of him, fulfilling thereby the prophecy of his dream.

Proper Nouns

Apollo (Ἀπόλλων) deity
Phayllos (Φάυλος) person
Phocian (Φωκεύς) person
Hippokrates (Ἱπποκράτης) person
Also in: 3.6.1 6.12.4 9.6.3
Onomarchos (Ὀνόμαρχος) person
Also in: 10.2.5
Delphi (Δελφοί) place Q75459 Pleiades
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