Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.20.10

← 2.20.9 2.21.1 →

Passage 2.20.10: Pythia's oracle foretelling a woman's victory and Argive women's mourning

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

πρότερον δὲ ἔτι τὸν ἀγῶνα τοῦτον προεσήμηνεν ἡ Πυθία, καὶ τὸ λόγιον εἴτε ἄλλως εἴτε καὶ ὡς συνεὶς ἐδήλωσεν Ἡρόδοτος· ἀλλʼ ὅταν ἡ θήλεια τὸν ἄρρενα νικήσασα ἐξελάσῃ καὶ κῦδος ἐν Ἀργείοισιν ἄρηται, πολλὰς Ἀργείων ἀμφιδρυφέας τότε θήσει. Hdt. 6.77 τὰ μὲν ἐς τὸ ἔργον τῶν γυναικῶν ἔχοντα τοῦ χρησμοῦ ταῦτα ἦν·

English Translation

But this contest had been foretold earlier by the Pythia, and the oracle was declared either in a different form or exactly as Herodotus understood it; saying: “Yet when the female, having conquered the male, drives him out and wins glory among the Argives, she will then cause many Argive women to tear their cheeks.” These were the oracle's words according to Herodotus, dealing with the deed of the women.

Proper Nouns

Argives (Ἀργεῖοι) people
Pythia (Πυθία) person
Herodotus (Ἡρόδοτος) person
← 2.20.9 2.21.1 →