Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.3.11

← 2.3.10 2.4.1 →

Passage 2.3.11: Medea hides her children in the sanctuary of Hera hoping for their immortality

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

βασιλεύειν μὲν δὴ διʼ αὐτὴν Ἰάσονα ἐν Κορίνθῳ, Μηδείᾳ δὲ παῖδας μὲν γίνεσθαι, τὸ δὲ ἀεὶ τικτόμενον κατακρύπτειν αὐτὸ ἐς τὸ ἱερὸν φέρουσαν τῆς Ἥρας, κατακρύπτειν δὲ ἀθανάτους ἔσεσθαι νομίζουσαν· τέλος δὲ αὐτήν τε μαθεῖν ὡς ἡμαρτήκοι τῆς ἐλπίδος καὶ ἅμα ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰάσονος φωραθεῖσαν---οὐ γὰρ αὐτὸν ἔχειν δεομένῃ συγγνώμην, ἀποπλέοντα δὲ ἐς Ἰωλκὸν οἴχεσθαι---, τούτων δὲ ἕνεκα ἀπελθεῖν καὶ Μήδειαν παραδοῦσαν Σισύφῳ τὴν ἀρχήν.

English Translation

Jason indeed reigned in Corinth through her [Medea]; Medea bore children, but each time she gave birth, she would conceal the infant by carrying it to the sanctuary of Hera, believing that by hiding them there they would become immortal. In the end, however, she realized her hope had been mistaken; at the same time she was discovered by Jason—for he did not pardon her although she begged him, but rather sailed away to Iolcus. Because of these events, Medea departed as well, handing over the rule to Sisyphus.

Proper Nouns

Hera (Ἥρα) deity
Medea (Μήδεια) person
Sisyphus (Σίσυφος) person
Jason (Ἰάσων) person
Corinth (Κόρινθος) place Q1363688 Pleiades
Iolkos (Ἰωλκός) place Q662613
← 2.3.10 2.4.1 →