Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.30.3

← 2.30.2 2.30.4 →

Passage 2.30.3: Britomartis (Aphaea), Cretan huntress turned goddess, worshipped at Aegina

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἐν Αἰγίνῃ δὲ πρὸς τὸ ὄρος τοῦ Πανελληνίου Διὸς ἰοῦσιν, ἔστιν Ἀφαίας ἱερόν, ἐς ἣν καὶ Πίνδαρος ᾆσμα Αἰγινήταις ἐποίησε. φασὶ δὲ οἱ Κρῆτες--- τούτοις γάρ ἐστι τὰ ἐς αὐτὴν ἐπιχώρια---Καρμάνορος τοῦ καθήραντος Ἀπόλλωνα ἐπὶ φόνῳ τῶ Πύθωνος παῖδα Εὔβουλον εἶναι, Διὸς δὲ καὶ Κάρμης τῆς Εὐβούλου Βριτόμαρτιν γενέσθαι· χαίρειν δὲ αὐτὴν δρόμοις τε καὶ θήραις καὶ Ἀρτέμιδι μάλιστα φίλην εἶναι· Μίνω δὲ ἐρασθέντα φεύγουσα ἔρριψεν ἑαυτὴν ἐς δίκτυα ἀφειμένα ἐπʼ ἰχθύων θήρᾳ. ταύτην μὲν θεὸν ἐποίησεν Ἄρτεμις, σέβουσι δὲ οὐ Κρῆτες μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ Αἰγινῆται, λέγοντες φαίνεσθαί σφισιν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ τὴν Βριτόμαρτιν. ἐπίκλησις δέ οἱ παρά τε Αἰγινήταις ἐστὶν Ἀφαία καὶ Δίκτυννα ἐν Κρήτῃ.

English Translation

In Aegina, as one goes toward the mountain of Panhellenian Zeus, there is a sanctuary of Aphaea, for whom Pindar composed an ode for the Aeginetans. But the Cretans say—for the story concerning her is local to them—that Euboulos was a son of Carmanor, who cleansed Apollo after the killing of Python, and that Britomartis was the daughter of Zeus and Carme, the daughter of Euboulos. They say that she delighted in running and hunting and was especially beloved by Artemis; and that, fleeing from Minos, who loved her, she threw herself into nets spread out for fishing. Artemis made her a goddess, and she is honored not only by the Cretans but also by the Aeginetans, who claim that Britomartis appeared to them on their island. Her title among the Aeginetans is Aphaea, and in Crete Diktynna.

Proper Nouns

Britomartis (Βριτόμαρτις) deity Q831577
Dictynna (Δίκτυννα) deity Q5805670
Also in: 3.12.8
Zeus (Ζεύς) deity Q34201
Panhellenian Zeus (Πανελλήνιος Ζεύς) deity
Also in: 1.44.9 2.29.8
Apollo (Ἀπόλλων) deity Q37340
Aphaia (Ἀφαία) deity Q618401
Artemis (Ἄρτεμις) deity Q39503
Aeginetans (Αἰγινῆται) other
Also in: 2.29.8
Cretans (Κρῆτες) other Q131841400
Python (Πύθων) other Q15721
Also in: 2.7.7
Euboulos (Εὔβουλος) person
Also in: 1.29.10
Carme (Κάρμη) person
Carmanor (Καρμάνωρ) person
Also in: 2.7.7 10.7.2
Minos (Μίνως) person
Pindar (Πίνδαρος) person Q134929
Aegina (Αἴγινα) place Q191082
Crete (Κρήτη) place Q34374 Pleiades
← 2.30.2 2.30.4 →