Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.24.3

← 2.24.2 2.24.4 →

Passage 2.24.3: Three-eyed wooden xoanon of Zeus at Larisa, said to have belonged to Priam.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἐπʼ ἄκρᾳ δέ ἐστι τῇ Λαρίσῃ Διὸς ἐπίκλησιν Λαρισαίου ναός, οὐκ ἔχων ὄροφον· τὸ δὲ ἄγαλμα ξύλου πεποιημένον οὐκέτι ἑστηκὸς ἦν ἐπὶ τῷ βάθρῳ. καὶ Ἀθηνᾶς δὲ ναός ἐστι θέας ἄξιος· ἐνταῦθα ἀναθήματα κεῖται καὶ ἄλλα καὶ Ζεὺς ξόανον, δύο μὲν ᾗ πεφύκαμεν ἔχον ὀφθαλμούς, τρίτον δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ μετώπου. τοῦτον τὸν Δία Πριάμῳ φασὶν εἶναι τῷ Λαομέδοντος πατρῷον ἐν ὑπαίθρῳ τῆς αὐλῆς ἱδρυμένον, καὶ ὅτε ἡλίσκετο ὑπὸ Ἑλλήνων Ἴλιον, ἐπὶ τούτου κατέφυγεν ὁ Πρίαμος τὸν βωμόν. ἐπεὶ δὲ τὰ λάφυρα ἐνέμοντο, λαμβάνει Σθένελος ὁ Καπανέως αὐτόν, καὶ ἀνάκειται μὲν διὰ τοῦτο ἐνταῦθα·

English Translation

On the summit of Larisa there is a temple dedicated to Zeus surnamed Larissaios; it has no roof, and the wooden cult statue no longer stood upon its pedestal. There stands also a temple of Athena worthy of notice: within it are various offerings, including notably a wooden image (xoanon) of Zeus, possessing two eyes in the natural place and a third upon the forehead. It is said that this Zeus originally belonged to Priam, son of Laomedon, set up in the open courtyard of his palace, and when Troy was captured by the Greeks, Priam took refuge upon this altar. Later, when the Greeks divided the spoils, Sthenelos, son of Kapaneus, took it for himself, and for this reason it is dedicated here.

Proper Nouns

Zeus (Ζεύς) deity
Athena (Ἀθηνᾶ) deity
of Larisa (as a divine epithet) (Λαρισαῖος) other
Hellenes (Ἕλληνες) other
Capaneus (Καπανεύς) person
Laomedon (Λαομέδων) person
Also in: 7.20.4 8.36.6
Priam (Πρίαμος) person
Sthenelus (Σθένελος) person
Larisa (Λάρισα) place Q178405 Pleiades
Ilium (Ἴλιον) place Q22647
← 2.24.2 2.24.4 →