Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.10.4

← 2.10.3 2.10.5 →

Passage 2.10.4: Sanctuary of Aphrodite with Antiope statue; only a celibate keeper and the virgin Loutrophoros.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

οὗτος μὲν δὴ παρείχετο ὁ περίβολος τοσάδε ἐς μνήμην, πέραν δὲ διʼ αὐτοῦ δὲ ἄλλος ἐστὶν Ἀφροδίτης ἱερός· ἐν δὲ αὐτῷ πρῶτον ἄγαλμά ἐστιν Ἀντιόπης· εἶναι γάρ οἱ τοὺς παῖδας Σικυωνίους καὶ διʼ ἐκείνους ἐθέλουσι καὶ αὐτὴν Ἀντιόπην προσήκειν σφίσι. μετὰ τοῦτο ἤδη τὸ τῆς Ἀφροδίτης ἐστὶν ἱερόν. ἐσίασι μὲν δὴ ἐς αὐτὸ γυνή τε νεωκόρος, ᾗ μηκέτι θέμις παρʼ ἄνδρα φοιτῆσαι, καὶ παρθένος ἱερωσύνην ἐπέτειον ἔχουσα· λουτροφόρον τὴν παρθένον ὀνομάζουσι· τοῖς δὲ ἄλλοις κατὰ ταὐτὰ καὶ ὁρᾶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐσόδου τὴν θεὸν καὶ αὐτόθεν προσεύχεσθαι.

English Translation

Now this precinct, indeed, contains these monuments as memorials; beyond it lies another precinct sacred to Aphrodite. Inside this precinct is first a statue of Antiope, for they claim that her sons were Sicyonians, and by virtue of this relationship they desire Antiope herself to be considered as connected to them. After this comes the sanctuary of Aphrodite herself. Admission is permitted only to a woman serving as temple-keeper, who no longer associates with a man, and to a virgin priestess who holds the office for one year; they call this virgin the "Loutrophoros" (Bath-bearer). All others, however, are permitted only to view the goddess from the entrance and to pray from that spot.

Proper Nouns

Aphrodite (Ἀφροδίτη) deity
Sicyonian (Σικυώνιος) other
Antiope (Ἀντιόπη) person
← 2.10.3 2.10.5 →