Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.14.2

← 2.14.1 2.14.3 →

Passage 2.14.2: Dysaules driven from Eleusis—disputed account of rites' origin

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

Δυσαύλην δέ φασιν ἀδελφὸν Κελεοῦ παραγενόμενόν σφισιν ἐς τὴν χώραν καταστήσασθαι τὴν τελετήν, ἐκβληθῆναι δὲ αὐτὸν ἐξ Ἐλευσῖνος ὑπὸ Ἴωνος, ὅτε Ἴων Ἀθηναίοις ὁ Ξούθου πολέμαρχος τοῦ πρὸς Ἐλευσινίους ᾑρέθη πολέμου. τοῦτο μὲν δὴ Φλιασίοις οὐκ ἔστιν ὅπως ὁμολογήσω, κρατηθέντα μάχῃ τινὰ Ἐλευσινίων φυγάδα ἀπελαθέντα οἴχεσθαι, τοῦ πολέμου τε ἐπὶ συνθήκαις καταλυθέντος πρὶν ἢ διαπολεμηθῆναι καὶ ἐν Ἐλευσῖνι αὐτοῦ καταμείναντος Εὐμόλπου.

English Translation

They say that Dysaules, the brother of Celeus, came into their land and established their rites; but that he was driven out of Eleusis by Ion, when Ion, the son of Xuthus, was selected by the Athenians as military leader in the war against the Eleusinians. This version, however, I cannot accept from the people of Phlius,—that a fugitive from Eleusis, having been defeated in battle, fled into exile, given that the war ended by a treaty before being fought out to a decisive conclusion, and that Eumolpus himself remained at Eleusis.

Proper Nouns

Dysaules (Δυσαύλης) person
Eumolpus (Εὐμόλπος) person Q125772438
Also in: 1.5.2 8.15.1
Celeus (Κελεος) person
Xuthus (Ξοῦθος) person
Phliasians (Φλιάσιοι) person
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) person
Eleusinians (Ἐλευσίνιοι) person
Ion (Ἴων) person
Eleusis (Ἐλευσίς) place Q11918833
← 2.14.1 2.14.3 →