Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.19.2

← 2.19.1 2.19.3 →

Passage 2.19.2: Argive kingship reduced to a title and abolished when Meltas was deposed.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Ἀργεῖοι δέ, ἅτε ἰσηγορίαν καὶ τὸ αὐτόνομον ἀγαπῶντες ἐκ παλαιοτάτου, τὰ τῆς ἐξουσίας τῶν βασιλέων ἐς ἐλάχιστον προήγαγον, ὡς Μήδωνι τῷ Κείσου καὶ τοῖς ἀπογόνοις τὸ ὄνομα λειφθῆναι τῆς βασιλείας μόνον. Μέλταν δὲ τὸν Λακήδου δέκατον ἀπόγονον Μήδωνος τὸ παράπαν ἔπαυσεν ἀρχῆς καταγνοὺς ὁ δῆμος.

English Translation

But the Argives, loving equality of speech and autonomy from very ancient times, reduced the authority of their kings to the smallest extent, so that to Medon, son of Ceisus, and his descendants only the title of kingship remained. Later, the people completely abolished the office when they deposed Meltas, son of Lacidas, a descendant of Medon in the tenth generation.

Proper Nouns

Cisus (Κεῖσος) person
Lacides (Λακήδης) person
Meltas (Μέλτας) person
Medon (Μήδων) person
Argives (Ἀργεῖοι) person
← 2.19.1 2.19.3 →