Pausanias Analysis

Passage 3.17.9

← 3.17.8 3.18.1 →

Passage 3.17.9: Cult and bronze statues of Epidotes established by Lacedaemonians to avert Pausanias' curse.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

τοῦτο τὸ ἄγος οὐκ ἐξεγένετο ἀποφυγεῖν Παυσανίᾳ, καθάρσια παντοῖα καὶ ἱκεσίας δεξαμένῳ Διὸς Φυξίου καὶ δὴ ἐς Φιγαλίαν ἐλθόντι τὴν Ἀρκάδων παρὰ τοὺς ψυχαγωγούς· δίκην δὲ ἣν εἰκὸς ἦν Κλεονίκῃ τε ἀπέδωκε καὶ τῷ θεῷ. Λακεδαιμόνιοι δὲ ἐκτελοῦντες πρόσταγμα ἐκ Δελφῶν τάς τε εἰκόνας ἐποιήσαντο τὰς χαλκᾶς καὶ δαίμονα τιμῶσιν Ἐπιδώτην, τὸ ἐπὶ Παυσανίᾳ τοῦ Ἱκεσίου μήνιμα ἀποτρέπειν τὸν Ἐπιδώτην λέγοντες τοῦτον.

English Translation

Pausanias could not escape this pollution, despite undergoing all manner of purifications and supplicating Zeus Phyxios, even coming to Phigaleia in Arcadia to seek aid from the necromancers. Nevertheless, he suffered the justice due both to Cleonice and to the god. The Lacedaemonians, carrying out the command from Delphi, made bronze statues and established a cult of Epidotes ("the Bountiful One"), saying it was this deity who turned aside the wrath of Hikesios ("the God of Supplication") directed against Pausanias.

Proper Nouns

Zeus Phyxios (Ζεύς Φυξίος) deity
Epidōtes (Ἐπιδώτης) deity
Also in: 2.10.2 8.9.2
Hikesios (Ἱκέσιος) deity
Cleonice (Κλεονίκη) person
Also in: 3.17.8
Lacedaemonians (Λακεδαιμόνιοι) person
Pausanias (Παυσανίας) person
Arcadians (Ἀρκάδες) person
Delphi (Δελφοί) place Q75459 Pleiades
Phigalia (Φιγαλία) place Q7623270
← 3.17.8 3.18.1 →