Pausanias Analysis

Passage 3.13.2

← 3.13.1 3.13.3 →

Passage 3.13.2: The temple of Kore Soteira at Sparta

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

Μεσσηνίων δὲ αἱ συμφοραὶ καὶ ὁ χρόνος, ὅσον ἔφυγον ἐκ Πελοποννήσου, πολλὰ τῶν ἀρχαίων καὶ κατελθοῦσιν ἐποίησεν ἄγνωστα, ἅτε δὲ ἐκείνων οὐκ εἰδότων ἔστιν ἤδη τοῖς ἐθέλουσιν ἀμφισβητεῖν. Λακεδαιμονίοις δὲ ἀπαντικρὺ τῆς Ὀλυμπίας Ἀφροδίτης ἐστὶ ναὸς Κόρης Σωτείρας· ποιῆσαι δὲ τὸν Θρᾷκα Ὀρφέα λέγουσιν, οἱ δὲ Ἄβαριν ἀφικόμενον ἐξ Ὑπερβορέων.

English Translation

The misfortunes of the Messenians and the long period they spent in exile from the Peloponnese caused many of their ancient traditions to become forgotten even after their return, thus enabling those inclined to dispute these matters, as the Messenians no longer fully understood them. Opposite the Olympian Aphrodite, the Lacedaemonians have a temple dedicated to Kore Soteira ("Maiden Savior"), which is said by some to have been founded by the Thracian Orpheus, but by others attributed to Abaris after his arrival from the Hyperboreans.

Proper Nouns

Maiden Soteira (Persephone Saviour) (Κόρη Σωτείρα) deity
Aphrodite (Ἀφροδίτη) deity
Lacedaemonians (Λακεδαιμόνιοι) person
Messenians (Μεσσήνιοι) person
Abaris (Ἄβαρις) person
Orpheus (Ὀρφεύς) person
Hyperboreans (Ὑπερβόρεοι) person
Peloponnese (Πελοπόννησος) place Q78967
Olympia (Ὀλυμπία) place Q38888 Pleiades
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