Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.22.3

← 2.22.2 2.22.4 →

Passage 2.22.3: The tomb of Tantalus on Mount Sipylus

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

τὸν μὲν δὴ Θυέστου παῖδα ἢ Βροτέου---λέγεται γὰρ ἀμφότερα---, ὃς Κλυταιμνήστρᾳ πρότερον ἢ Ἀγαμέμνων συνῴκησε, τοῦτον μὲν τὸν Τάνταλον οὐ διοίσομαι ταφῆναι ταύτῃ· τοῦ δὲ λεγομένου Διός τε εἶναι καὶ Πλουτοῦς ἰδὼν οἶδα ἐν Σιπύλῳ τάφον θέας ἄξιον. πρὸς δὲ οὐδὲ ἀνάγκη συνέπεσεν ἐκ τῆς Σιπύλου φυγεῖν αὐτόν, ὡς Πέλοπα ἐπέλαβεν ὕστερον ἐλαύνοντος Ἴλου τοῦ Φρυγὸς ἐπʼ αὐτὸν στρατείᾳ. τάδε μὲν ἐς τοσοῦτον ἐξητάσθω· τὰ δὲ ἐς τὸν βόθρον τὸν πλησίον δρώμενα Νικόστρατον ἄνδρα ἐπιχώριον καταστήσασθαι λέγουσιν. ἀφιᾶσι δὲ καὶ νῦν ἔτι ἐς τὸν βόθρον καιομένας λαμπάδας Κόρῃ τῇ Δήμητρος.

English Translation

As to whether the Tantalus who was the son either of Thyestes or of Broteas—for both accounts are given—and who lived together with Clytemnestra before Agamemnon married her, was buried here, I will not argue the matter. But concerning the other Tantalus said to be a son of Zeus and Pluto, I myself have seen his tomb on Mount Sipylus—it is indeed worthy of viewing. Moreover, it was not even necessary for this Tantalus to flee from Sipylus, as it later befell Pelops to flee when Ilus the Phrygian drove against him in war. Let these inquiries suffice to this point. It is also related that Nicostratus, a local man, established the rites performed at the nearby pit; even now they continue to throw burning torches into this pit to Kore, the daughter of Demeter.

Proper Nouns

Demeter (Δήμητρα) deity
Zeus (Ζεύς) deity
Kore (Κόρη) deity
Ploutos (Πλοῦτος) deity
the Phrygian (Φρύξ) other
Broteus (Βροτεύς) person
Also in: 3.22.4
Thyestes (Θυέστης) person
Clytemnestra (Κλυταιμνήστρα) person
Nikostratos (Νικόστρατος) person
Pelops (Πέλοψ) person
Tantalus (Τάνταλος) person
Agamemnon (Ἀγαμέμνων) person
Ilos (Ἶλος) person
Sipylus (Σίπυλος) place Q532698
← 2.22.2 2.22.4 →