Pausanias Analysis

Passage 2.6.2

← 2.6.1 2.6.3 →

Passage 2.6.2: Nycteus entrusts Thebes to Lycus and urges vengeance for Antiope’s abduction.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

ταύτην οὐκ οἶδα εἴτε γυναῖκα αἰτήσας εἴτε θρασύτερα ἐξ ἀρχῆς βουλευσάμενος Ἐπωπεὺς ἁρπάζει· ὡς δὲ οἱ Θηβαῖοι σὺν ὅπλοις ἦλθον, ἐνταῦθα τιτρώσκεται μὲν Νυκτεύς, ἐτρώθη δὲ κρατῶν τῇ μάχῃ καὶ Ἐπωπεύς. Νυκτέα μὲν δὴ κάμνοντα ὀπίσω κομίζουσιν ἐς Θήβας, καὶ ὡς ἔμελλε τελευτᾶν, Λύκον ἀδελφὸν ὄντα παραδίδωσι Θηβαίων ἐν τῷ παρόντι ἄρχειν· Λάβδακον γὰρ τὸν Πολυδώρου τοῦ Κάδμου παῖδα ἔτι αὐτός τε ἐπετρόπευεν ὁ Νυκτεὺς καὶ τότε ἀπέλιπεν ἐπιτροπεύειν ἐκείνῳ. τοῦτον οὖν τὸν Λύκον ἱκέτευσε στρατῷ μείζονι ἐπὶ τὴν Αἰγιάλειαν ἐλάσαντα τιμωρήσασθαι μὲν Ἐπωπέα, κακοῦν δὲ εἰ λάβοι καὶ αὐτὴν Ἀντιόπην.

English Translation

I do not know whether Epopeus first requested this woman in marriage or from the very beginning planned a bolder action, but at any rate, he carried her off. When the Thebans advanced in arms against him, Nycteus was wounded, although Epopeus himself, who won the battle, also received a wound. Nycteus was carried back to Thebes seriously injured, and as he was about to die, he handed over authority over Thebes temporarily to his brother Lycus. Nycteus himself had been guardian to Labdacus, son of Polydorus, the son of Cadmus, and now, at his death, he left the guardianship likewise to Lycus. Nycteus earnestly begged Lycus to march with a larger army against Aegialeia, to take vengeance upon Epopeus, and, if he succeeded in capturing her, also to punish Antiope herself.

Proper Nouns

Thebans (Θηβαῖοι) person
Kadmos (Κάδμος) person
Labdacus (Λάβδακος) person
Also in: 9.5.4
Lykos (Λύκος) person
Nycteus (Νυκτεύς) person
Also in: 2.6.1 9.5.4 9.5.5
Polydoros (Πολύδωρος) person
Antiope (Ἀντιόπη) person
Epopeus (Ἐπωπεύς) person
Aigialeia (Αἰγιάλεια) place Q23504981
Also in: 2.5.6 2.5.8 2.7.7
Thebes (Θῆβαι) place Q11225429
← 2.6.1 2.6.3 →