Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.10.3

← 2.10.2 2.10.4 →

Passage 2.10.3: Gold-and-ivory Asclepius statue by Kalamis

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἐσελθοῦσι δὲ ὁ θεός ἐστιν οὐκ ἔχων γένεια, χρυσοῦ καὶ ἐλέφαντος, Καλάμιδος δὲ ἔργον· ἔχει δὲ καὶ σκῆπτρον καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἑτέρας χειρὸς πίτυος καρπὸν τῆς ἡμέρου. φασὶ δέ σφισιν ἐξ Ἐπιδαύρου κομισθῆναι τὸν θεὸν ἐπὶ ζεύγους ἡμιόνων δράκοντι εἰκασμένον, τὴν δὲ ἀγαγοῦσαν Νικαγόραν εἶναι Σικυωνίαν Ἀγασικλέους μητέρα, γυναῖκα δὲ Ἐχετίμου. ἐνταῦθα ἀγάλματά ἐστιν οὐ μεγάλα ἀπηρτημένα τοῦ ὀρόφου· τὴν δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ δράκοντι Ἀριστοδάμαν Ἀράτου μητέρα εἶναι λέγουσι καὶ Ἄρατον Ἀσκληπιοῦ παῖδα εἶναι νομίζουσιν.

English Translation

Upon entering, there is the god—a work of Kalamis—crafted without a beard, of gold and ivory; he holds a sceptre and, in his other hand, the fruit of the cultivated pine. They say this god was brought from Epidaurus, depicted as a serpent, on a mule-drawn cart. The one who introduced him, they report, was Nicagora, a woman from Sicyon, daughter of Agasicles and wife of Echetimus. Here also are some small images hanging from the roof. The figure depicted upon the serpent, they say, is Aristodama, the mother of Aratus, and they believe Aratus himself to be a son of Asclepius.

Proper Nouns

Asclepius (Ἀσκληπιός) deity
Calamis (Καλάμις) person
Also in: 5.25.5
Nicagora (Νικαγόρα) person
Agasicles (Ἀγασικλῆς) person
Aratus (Ἀράτης) person
Aristodama (Ἀριστοδάμα) person
Echetimus (Ἐχέτιμος) person
Sicyon (Σικυών) place Q368628 Pleiades
Epidaurus (Ἐπίδαυρος) place Q233576
← 2.10.2 2.10.4 →