Pausanias Analysis

Passage 3.16.9

← 3.16.8 3.16.10 →

Passage 3.16.9: The wooden image of Orthia sparks madness and deadly sacrificial strife in Sparta.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

μαρτύρια δέ μοι καὶ τάδε, τὴν ἐν Λακεδαίμονι Ὀρθίαν τὸ ἐκ τῶν βαρβάρων εἶναι ξόανον· τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ Ἀστράβακος καὶ Ἀλώπεκος οἱ Ἴρβου τοῦ Ἀμφισθένους τοῦ Ἀμφικλέους τοῦ Ἄγιδος τὸ ἄγαλμα εὑρόντες αὐτίκα παρεφρόνησαν· τοῦτο δὲ οἱ Λιμνᾶται Σπαρτιατῶν καὶ Κυνοσουρεῖς καὶ οἱ ἐκ Μεσόας τε καὶ Πιτάνης θύοντες τῇ Ἀρτέμιδι ἐς διαφοράν, ἀπὸ δὲ αὐτῆς καὶ ἐς φόνους προήχθησαν, ἀποθανόντων δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ βωμῷ πολλῶν νόσος ἔφθειρε τοὺς λοιπούς.

English Translation

I have further evidence that the wooden image of Orthia at Sparta originated from the barbarians. Astrabacus and Alopecus, sons of Irbus, son of Amphisthenes, son of Amphicles, son of Agis, upon discovering this image, immediately lost their minds. Moreover, while sacrificing to Artemis, the Limnatians among the Spartans, together with the Cynosurians, and those from Mesoa and Pitane, fell into dissension; this strife escalated into killings. After many had perished at the altar, disease began destroying those who survived.

Proper Nouns

Artemis (Ἀρτεμις) deity
Also in: 3.26.11 7.24.1
Orthia (Ὀρθία) deity
Kynosoureis (Κυνοσουρεύς) other
Limnai (Λιμνᾶται) other
Spartan (Σπαρτιάτης) person
Alopekos (Ἀλώπεκος) person
Amphicles (Ἀμφικλῆς) person
Amphisthenes (Ἀμφισθένης) person
Astrabakos (Ἀστράβακος) person
Also in: 3.16.6
Agis (Ἄγις) person
Irbus (Ἴρβος) person
Lacedaemon (Λακεδαίμων) place Q5690 Pleiades
Messoa (Μεσόα) place Q60791981
Also in: 7.20.8
Pitane (Πιτάνη) place Q60791979
← 3.16.8 3.16.10 →