Pausanias Analysis

Passage 10.4.4

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Passage 10.4.4: Stones at Panopeus said to be the clay Prometheus used to form humans

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

Πανοπεῦσι δέ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῇ ὁδῷ πλίνθου τε ὠμῆς οἴκημα οὐ μέγα καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ λίθου τοῦ Πεντελῆσιν ἄγαλμα, ὃν Ἀσκληπιόν, οἱ δὲ Προμηθέα εἶναί φασι· καὶ παρέχονταί γε τοῦ λόγου μαρτύρια. λίθοι κεῖνταί σφισιν ἐπὶ τῇ χαράδρᾳ, μέγεθος μὲν ἑκάτερος ὡς φόρτον ἀποχρῶντα ἁμάξης εἶναι, χρῶμα δέ ἐστι πηλοῦ σφισιν, οὐ γεώδους ἀλλʼ οἷος ἂν χαράδρας γένοιτο ἢ χειμάρρου ψαμμώδους, παρέχονται δὲ καὶ ὀσμὴν ἐγγύτατα χρωτὶ ἀνθρώπου· ταῦτα ἔτι λείπεσθαι τοῦ πηλοῦ λέγουσιν ἐξ οὗ καὶ ἅπαν ὑπὸ τοῦ Προμηθέως τὸ γένος πλασθῆναι τῶν ἀνθρώπων.

English Translation

At Panopeus there is by the roadside a small building made of unbaked bricks, and in it a statue carved from Pentelic marble. Some say it represents Asclepius, others Prometheus. Those who claim Prometheus bring forward evidence to support their story. Near the ravine lie stones, each large enough to make a full cartload. Their colour is that of clay, not of ordinary earth but rather like that found in ravines or sandy torrent-beds, and they give forth a scent closely resembling human skin. They say these stones are remnants of the clay from which Prometheus formed the entire race of mankind.

Proper Nouns

Prometheus (Προμηθεύς) deity
Asclepius (Ἀσκληπιός) deity
Panopeus (Πανοπεύς) place Q2002148
Pentelicon (Πεντέλη) place Q1125206
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