Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.4.6

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Passage 2.4.6: Sanctuaries of Isis, Serapis, and Helios, plus a temple of Necessity on Acrocorinth.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἀνιοῦσι δὲ ἐς τὸν Ἀκροκόρινθον---ἡ δέ ἐστιν ὄρους ὑπὲρ τὴν πόλιν κορυφή, Βριάρεω μὲν Ἡλίῳ δόντος αὐτὴν ὅτε ἐδίκαζεν, Ἡλίου δὲ ὡς οἱ Κορίνθιοί φασιν Ἀφροδίτῃ παρέντος---ἐς δὴ τὸν Ἀκροκόρινθον τοῦτον ἀνιοῦσίν ἐστιν Ἴσιδος τεμένη, ὧν τὴν μὲν Πελαγίαν, τὴν δὲ Αἰγυπτίαν αὐτῶν ἐπονομάζουσιν, καὶ δύο Σαράπιδος, ἐν Κανώβῳ καλουμένου τὸ ἕτερον. μετὰ δὲ αὐτὰ Ἡλίῳ πεποίηνται βωμοί, καὶ Ἀνάγκης καὶ Βίας ἐστὶν ἱερόν· ἐσιέναι δὲ ἐς αὐτὸ οὐ νομίζουσιν.

English Translation

As you ascend to Acrocorinth—the summit of the mountain above the city, which Briareus gave to Helios when acting as judge, and which Helios, as the Corinthians say, later handed over to Aphrodite—on the ascent to this same Acrocorinth there are sanctuaries dedicated to Isis, whom they surname one Pelagian, the other Egyptian, and two sanctuaries of Serapis, one of which they call Serapis in Canopus. Beyond these stand altars dedicated to Helios, and there is a temple to Necessity and Force; into this temple they do not consider it lawful to enter.

Proper Nouns

Egyptian (goddess) (Αἰγυπτία) deity
Also in: 10.32.13
Bia (Βία) deity Q237224
Pelagia (Πελαγία) deity
Sarapis (Σάραπις) deity
Ananke (Ἀνάγκη) deity
Aphrodite (Ἀφροδίτη) deity
Helios (Ἥλιος) deity
Isis (Ἶσις) deity
mountain (ὄρος) other
Also in: 8.4.4
Briareus (Βριάρεως) person
Also in: 2.1.6
Corinthians (Κορίνθιοι) person
Canopus (Κάνωβος) place Q1145180
Acrocorinth (Ἀκροκόρινθος) place Q420810
Also in: 2.5.1 2.5.3 7.8.3
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