Pausanias Analysis

Passage 10.6.6

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Passage 10.6.6: Apollo slays the oracle's guardian—serpent or Crius's plundering son.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

τὸν δὲ ἀποθανόντα ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος ποιηταὶ μὲν δράκοντα εἶναι καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ μαντείῳ φύλακα ὑπὸ Γῆς τετάχθαι φασί· λέγεται δὲ καὶ ὡς Κριοῦ δυναστεύοντος ἀνδρὸς περὶ Εὔβοιαν παῖς γένοιτο ὑβριστής, καὶ ἐσύλησε μὲν τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ ἱερόν, ἐσύλησε δὲ καὶ οἴκους ἀνδρῶν εὐδαιμόνων. ὡς δὲ ἐπεστράτευε καὶ δεύτερον, ἐνταῦθα οἱ Δελφοὶ τὸν Ἀπόλλωνα ἱκέτευον ἀμῦναί σφισι τὸν ἐπιόντα κίνδυνον·

English Translation

Regarding the one killed by Apollo, the poets say that he was a serpent appointed by Earth as guardian of the oracle. But another account relates that while Crius ruled as a powerful man around Euboea, he had a son who was arrogant and who plundered both the sanctuary of the god and the homes of prosperous men. When he launched a second raid, at this point the Delphians entreated Apollo to ward off the approaching danger.

Proper Nouns

Ge (Earth) (Γῆ) deity
Apollo (Ἀπόλλων) deity
Krios (Κριός) person
Also in: 3.13.3 3.13.4
Delphi (Δελφοί) place Q75459 Pleiades
Euboea (Εὔβοια) place Q173096
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