Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.21.10

← 2.21.9 2.22.1 →

Passage 2.21.10: The complete destruction of Niobe's children.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

τούτους δή φασιν Ἀργεῖοι τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς οἰκοδομῆσαι τῇ Λητοῖ τὸν ναόν· ἐγὼ δὲ---πρόσκειμαι γὰρ πλέον τι ἢ οἱ λοιποὶ τῇ Ὁμήρου ποιήσει---δοκῶ τῇ Νιόβῃ τῶν παίδων μηδένα ὑπόλοιπον γενέσθαι. μαρτυρεῖ δέ μοι τὸ ἔπος τὼ δʼ ἄρα καὶ δοιώ περ ἐόντʼ ἀπὸ πάντας ὄλεσσαν. Hom. Il. 24.609 οὗτος μὲν δὴ τὸν οἶκον τὸν Ἀμφίονος ἐκ βάθρων ἀνατραπέντα οἶδε·

English Translation

The Argives indeed say that these were the ones who first built the temple of Leto. But I—for I attach somewhat greater importance than others to the poetry of Homer—believe that none of Niobe's children survived. Homer’s verse, "But they destroyed the two remaining though they were among many others," confirms my opinion. Homer indeed knows well that the house of Amphion was utterly overthrown from its foundations.

Proper Nouns

Leto (Λητώ) deity
Iliad (Ἰλιάς) other
Niobe (Νιόβη) person
Amphion (Ἀμφίων) person
Argives (Ἀργεῖοι) person
Homer (Ὅμηρος) person
← 2.21.9 2.22.1 →