Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.12.5

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Passage 2.12.5: Tombs of Aras' children on the hill Arantinus

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Ἄραντος δὲ υἱὸς Ἄορις καὶ θυγάτηρ ἐγένετο Ἀραιθυρέα. τούτους φασὶ Φλιάσιοι θηρᾶσαί τε ἐμπείρους γενέσθαι καὶ τὰ ἐς πόλεμον ἀνδρείους. προαποθανούσης δὲ Ἀραιθυρέας Ἄορις ἐς μνήμην τῆς ἀδελφῆς μετωνόμασεν Ἀραιθυρέαν τὴν χώραν· καὶ ἐπὶ τῷδε Ὅμηρος τοὺς Ἀγαμέμνονος ὑπηκόους καταλέγων τὸ ἔπος ἐποίησεν Ὀρνειάς τʼ ἐνέμοντο Ἀραιθυρέην τʼ ἐρατεινήν. Hom. Il. 2.571 τάφους δὲ τῶν Ἄραντος παίδων οὐχ ἑτέρωθι ἡγοῦμαι τῆς χώρας, ἐπὶ τῷ λόφῳ δὲ εἶναι τῷ Ἀραντίνῳ· καί σφισιν ἐπίθημα στῆλαι περιφανεῖς εἰσι, καὶ πρὸ τῆς τελετῆς ἣν τῇ Δήμητρι ἄγουσιν Ἄραντα καὶ τοὺς παῖδας καλοῦσιν ἐπὶ τὰς σπονδὰς ἐς ταῦτα βλέποντες τὰ μνήματα.

English Translation

Aras had a son named Aoris and a daughter named Araithyrea. The Phliasians say these children became skilled hunters and courageous in warfare. When Araithyrea died before her brother, Aoris renamed the land Araithyrea in memory of his sister. It was due to this that Homer, listing the subjects of Agamemnon, composed the verse, "They inhabited Orneae and lovely Araithyrea." (Hom. Il. 2.571). The tombs of the children of Aras, I think, are not situated elsewhere in the country, but on the hill called Arantinus. Conspicuous gravestones stand there as monuments upon them, and before performing the initiatory rite that they celebrate in honor of Demeter, they summon Aras and his children during the libations while gazing upon these memorials.

Proper Nouns

Demeter (Δήμητρα) deity
Phliasians (Φλιάσιοι) person
Agamemnon (Ἀγαμέμνων) person
Araithyrea (Ἀραιθυρέα) person
Aoris (Ἄορις) person
Arantos (Ἄραντος) person
sons of Arantos (Ἄραντος παῖδες) person
Homer (Ὅμηρος) person
Araithyrea (Ἀραιθυρέα) place Q16488711
Arantine hill (Ἀραντῖνος λόφος) place
Orneae (Ὀρνεαί) place Q7103538
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