Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.11.6

← 2.11.5 2.11.7 →

Passage 2.11.6: Veiled cult statues of Alexanor and Hygieia at the sanctuary

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

περιοικοῦσι μὲν δὴ καὶ ἄλλοι καὶ τὸ πολὺ οἰκέται τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ κυπαρίσσων ἐστὶν ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου δένδρα ἀρχαῖα· τὸ δὲ ἄγαλμα οὔτε ὁποίου ξύλου γέγονεν ἢ μετάλλου μαθεῖν ἔστιν οὔτε τὸν ποιήσαντα ἴσασι, πλὴν εἰ μή τις ἄρα ἐς αὐτὸν τὸν Ἀλεξάνορα ἀναφέροι. φαίνεται δὲ τοῦ ἀγάλματος πρόσωπον μόνον καὶ ἄκραι χεῖρες καὶ πόδες· χιτὼν γάρ οἱ λευκὸς ἐρεοῦς καὶ ἱμάτιον ἐπιβέβληται. καὶ Ὑγείας δʼ ἔστι κατὰ ταὐτὸν ἄγαλμα· οὐκ ἂν οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἴδοις ῥᾳδίως, οὕτω περιέχουσιν αὐτὸ κόμαι τε γυναικῶν αἳ κείρονται τῇ θεῷ καὶ ἐσθῆτος Βαβυλωνίας τελαμῶνες. ᾧ δʼ ἂν ἐνταῦθα τούτων ἱλάσασθαι θελήσῃ τις, ἀποδέδεικταί οἱ τὸ αὐτὸ σέβεσθαι τοῦτο ὃ δὴ καὶ Ὑγείαν καλοῦσι.

English Translation

Others also dwell around the sanctuary, mostly servants of the god; within the enclosure stand ancient cypress trees. As for the cult image, neither the kind of wood nor metal from which it was made can be discerned, nor do they know its maker, unless one attributes it directly to Alexanor himself. Only the face, the tips of its hands, and the feet of the statue are visible, since it is covered with a white woolen chiton and a himation. There is also, near it, a statue of Hygieia, fashioned in the same manner. This one too you would not see easily, so densely is it covered with the hair of women cut as offerings to the goddess, and strips of Babylonian cloth. Anyone who wishes to propitiate the deity in that place is instructed to honor equally that very image which they call Hygieia.

Proper Nouns

Hygeia (Ὑγεία) deity
Alexanor (Ἀλεξάνωρ) person
Also in: 2.11.5
Babylonian (Βαβυλωνία) place Q47690
← 2.11.5 2.11.7 →