Pausanias Analysis

Passage 10.37.5

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Passage 10.37.5: Kirra's impious seizure of land from Apollo.

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

τὸ δὲ πεδίον τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς Κίρρας ψιλόν ἐστιν ἅπαν, καὶ φυτεύειν δένδρα οὐκ ἐθέλουσιν ἢ ἔκ τινος ἀρᾶς ἢ ἀχρεῖον τὴν γῆν ἐς δένδρων τροφὴν εἰδότες. λέγεται δὲ ἐς τὴν Κίρραν καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς Κίρρας τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν τεθῆναι τῷ χωρίῳ φασίν. Ὅμηρος μέντοι Κρῖσαν ἔν τε Ἰλιάδι ὁμοίως καὶ ὕμνῳ τῷ ἐς Ἀπόλλωνα ὀνόματι τῷ ἐξ ἀρχῆς καλεῖ τὴν πόλιν. χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον οἱ ἐν τῇ Κίρρᾳ ἄλλα τε ἠσέβησαν ἐς τὸν Ἀπόλλωνα καὶ ἀπέτεμνον τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς χώρας.

English Translation

The plain extending from Kirra is entirely bare, as they do not wish to plant trees there, either due to some curse or because they know the land is useless for nurturing trees. It is said that the contemporary name given to this place derives both from Kirra itself and from naming it after Kirra. Yet Homer, in the Iliad as well as in the hymn to Apollo, refers to the city by its original name, Krisa. Later, however, the inhabitants of Kirra committed acts of impiety against Apollo and appropriated land belonging to the god.

Proper Nouns

Apollo (Ἀπόλλων) deity
Iliad (Ἰλιάς) other
Hymn (ὕμνος) other
Kirrha (Κίρρα) place Q56754242
Crisa (Κρῖσα) place Q4241204
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