Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.20.5

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Passage 2.20.5: Statues of Polynices and the leaders who fought at Thebes.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

ἀπωτέρω δὲ ὀλίγον Ὡρῶν ἱερόν ἐστιν. ἐπανιόντι δὲ ἐκεῖθεν ἀνδριάντες ἑστήκασι Πολυνείκους τοῦ Οἰδίποδος καὶ ὅσοι σὺν ἐκείνῳ τῶν ἐν τέλει πρὸς τὸ τεῖχος μαχόμενοι τὸ Θηβαίων ἐτελεύτησαν. τούτους τοὺς ἄνδρας ἐς μόνων ἑπτὰ ἀριθμὸν κατήγαγεν Αἰσχύλος, πλειόνων ἔκ τε Ἄργους ἡγεμόνων καὶ Μεσσήνης καί τινων καὶ Ἀρκάδων στρατευσαμένων. τούτων δὲ τῶν ἑπτὰ---ἐπηκολουθήκασι γὰρ καὶ Ἀργεῖοι τῇ Αἰσχύλου ποιήσει---πλησίον κεῖνται καὶ οἱ τὰς Θήβας ἑλόντες Αἰγιαλεὺς Ἀδράστου καὶ Πρόμαχος ὁ Παρθενοπαίου τοῦ Ταλαοῦ καὶ Πολύδωρος Ἱππομέδοντος καὶ Θέρσανδρος καὶ οἱ Ἀμφιαράου παῖδες, Ἀλκμαίων τε καὶ Ἀμφίλοχος, Διομήδης τε καὶ Σθένελος· παρῆν δὲ ἔτι καὶ ἐπὶ τούτων Εὐρύαλος Μηκιστέως καὶ Πολυνείκους Ἄδραστος καὶ Τιμέας.

English Translation

A short distance further away stands a sanctuary of the Horae (Seasons). Returning from there, one encounters statues of Polynices, son of Oedipus, and those who fell with him fighting as commanders at the wall of Thebes. Aeschylus reduced the number of these men to seven only, although more leaders from Argos, Messene, and certain Arcadians took part in the expedition. In accordance with Aeschylus’ portrayal – for the Argives also follow his poetry – close by these seven stand also those who took Thebes: Aegialeus, son of Adrastus; Promachus, son of Parthenopaeus, son of Talaüs; Polydorus, son of Hippomedon; Thersander; the sons of Amphiaraüs, Alcmaeon and Amphilochus; as well as Diomedes and Sthenelus. Additionally included among these were Euryalus, son of Mecisteus, Adrastus, son of Polynices, and Timeas.

Proper Nouns

Horae (Ὧραι) deity
Argives (Ἀργεῖοι) other
Arcadians (Ἀρκάδες) other
Aegialeus (Αἰγιαλεύς) person Q4687559
Aeschylus (Αἰσχύλος) person Q40939
Diomedes (Διομήδης) person
Euryalos (Εὐρύαλος) person
Thersandros (Θέρσανδρος) person
Mekisteus (Μηκιστεύς) person
Oedipus (Οἰδίπους) person
Parthenopaeus (Παρθενοπαῖος) person
Polyneices (Πολυνείκης) person
Polydoros (Πολύδωρος) person
Promachos (Πρόμαχος) person
Sthenelus (Σθένελος) person
Talaos (Τάλαος) person
Also in: 10.10.3
Timeas (Τιμέας) person
Alcmaeon (Ἀλκμαίων) person
Amphilochus (Ἀμφίλοχος) person
Amphiaraos (Ἀμφιάραος) person
Adrastus (Ἄδραστος) person
Hippomedon (Ἱππομέδων) person
Also in: 2.36.8 10.10.3
Thebes (Θῆβαι) place Q11225429
Messene (Μεσσήνη) place Q1022117
Argos (Ἄργος) place Q13533353
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