Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.21.3

← 2.21.2 2.21.4 →

Passage 2.21.3: The sanctuary of Athena Salpinx.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Ἀθηνᾶς δὲ ἱδρύσασθαι Σάλπιγγος ἱερόν φασιν Ἡγέλεων. Τυρσηνοῦ δὲ τοῦτον τὸν Ἡγέλεων, τὸν δὲ Ἡρακλέους εἶναι καὶ γυναικὸς λέγουσι τῆς Λυδῆς, Τυρσηνὸν δὲ σάλπιγγα εὑρεῖν πρῶτον, Ἡγέλεων δὲ τὸν Τυρσηνοῦ διδάξαι τοὺς σὺν Τημένῳ Δωριέας τοῦ ὀργάνου τὸν ψόφον καὶ διʼ αὐτὸ Ἀθηνᾶν ἐπονομάσαι Σάλπιγγα. πρὸ δὲ τοῦ ναοῦ τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς Ἐπιμενίδου λέγουσιν εἶναι τάφον· Λακεδαιμονίους γὰρ πολεμήσαντας πρὸς Κνωσσίους ἑλεῖν ζῶντα Ἐπιμενίδην, λαβόντας δὲ ἀποκτεῖναι, διότι σφίσιν οὐκ αἴσια ἐμαντεύετο, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἀνελόμενοι θάψαι ταύτῃ φασί.

English Translation

They say that Hegeleos founded the sanctuary of Athena Salpinx ("Trumpet"). This Hegeleos, they say, was the son of Tyrsenos, who in turn was the son of Heracles by a Lydian woman. Tyrsenos was the first inventor of the trumpet, and Hegeleos son of Tyrsenos taught the Dorians accompanying Temenos how to produce sound upon this instrument; for this reason, Athena received the epithet Salpinx. In front of the temple of Athena, they say, is the tomb of Epimenides; for the Lacedaemonians, while fighting against the Knossians, captured Epimenides alive and subsequently put him to death because he had prophesied ill fortune for them; later, however, repenting of their deed, they themselves claim to have buried him here.

Proper Nouns

Athena (Ἀθηνᾶ) deity
Dorians (Δωριεῖς) other
Salpinx (Σάλπιγξ) other
Lacedaemonians (Λακεδαιμόνιοι) person
Lyde (Λυδὴ) person
Temenos (Τήμενος) person
Tyrsinos (Τυρσηνός) person
Epimenides (Ἐπιμενίδης) person
Hegeleos (Ἡγέλεως) person
Heracles (Ἡρακλῆς) person
Knossos (Κνῶσσος) place Q173527 Pleiades
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