Pausanias Analysis

Passage 10.30.5

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Passage 10.30.5: Maira and Actaeon sculptural group.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ὑπὲρ τούτους Μαῖρά ἐστιν ἐπὶ πέτρᾳ καθεζομένη· περὶ δὲ αὐτῆς πεποιημένα ἐστὶν ἐν Νόστοις ἀπελθεῖν μὲν παρθένον ἔτι ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, θυγατέρα δὲ αὐτὴν εἶναι Προίτου τοῦ Θερσάνδρου, τὸν δὲ εἶναι Σισύφου. ἐφεξῆς δὲ τῆς Μαίρας Ἀκταίων ἐστὶν ὁ Ἀρισταίου καὶ ἡ τοῦ Ἀκταίωνος μήτηρ, νεβρὸν ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ἔχοντες ἐλάφου καὶ ἐπὶ δέρματι ἐλάφου καθεζόμενοι· κύων τε θηρευτικὴ παρακατάκειταί σφισι βίου τοῦ Ἀκταίωνος ἕνεκα καὶ τοῦ ἐς τὴν τελευτὴν τρόπου.

English Translation

Above these is Maira, seated upon a rock. Concerning her, it is told in the "Returns" ("Nostoi") that she departed from among mortals while still a maiden, and that she was the daughter of Proitos, son of Thersandros, who himself was a son of Sisyphos. Next to Maira is Actaion, son of Aristaios, along with Actaion’s mother; they hold in their hands a fawn of a deer and sit upon a deer’s hide. Beside them lies a hunting dog, in reference to Actaion’s life and the manner of his death.

Proper Nouns

Nostoi (Νόστοι) other
Also in: 10.29.6
Thersandros (Θέρσανδρος) person
Maera (Μαῖρα) person
Proetus (Προῖτος) person
Sisyphus (Σίσυφος) person
Actaeon (Ἀκταίων) person
Aristaeus (Ἀρισταῖος) person
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