Pausanias Analysis

Passage 3.19.3

← 3.19.2 3.19.4 →

Passage 3.19.3: Altar-shaped pedestal of Hyacinthus, with a bronze offering door and carved gods

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

τοῦ δὲ ἀγάλματος τὸ βάθρον παρέχεται μὲν βωμοῦ σχῆμα, τεθάφθαι δὲ τὸν Ὑάκινθον λέγουσιν ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ Ὑακινθίοις πρὸ τῆς τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος θυσίας ἐς τοῦτον Ὑακίνθῳ τὸν βωμὸν διὰ θύρας χαλκῆς ἐναγίζουσιν· ἐν ἀριστερᾷ δέ ἐστιν ἡ θύρα τοῦ βωμοῦ. ἐπείργασται δὲ τῷ βωμῷ τοῦτο μὲν ἄγαλμα Βίριδος, τοῦτο δὲ Ἀμφιτρίτης καὶ Ποσειδῶνος· Διὸς δὲ καὶ Ἑρμοῦ διαλεγομένων ἀλλήλοις πλησίον Διόνυσος ἑστήκασι καὶ Σεμέλη, παρὰ δὲ αὐτὴν Ἰνώ.

English Translation

The pedestal of the statue has the shape of an altar, and it is said that Hyacinthus is buried within it. At the festival of the Hyacinthia, before sacrificing to Apollo, they make offerings through a bronze door on this altar to Hyacinthus; this door is situated on the left side of the altar. On the altar there are carved figures: one image of Biris, another of Amphitrite and Poseidon, and near them Zeus and Hermes conversing with each other; close by stand Dionysus and Semele, with Ino beside Semele.

Proper Nouns

Dionysus (Διόνυσος) deity Q41680
Zeus (Ζεύς) deity Q34201
Poseidon (Ποσειδῶν) deity Q41127
Amphitrite (Ἀμφιτρίτη) deity Q180222
Apollo (Ἀπόλλων) deity Q37340
Hermes (Ἑρμῆς) deity Q41484
Virtue (Arete) (Βίρις) other Q16327920
Hyacinthia (Ὑακίνθια) other Q3080551
Also in: 3.10.1 4.19.4
Semele (Σεμέλη) person
Ino (Ἰνώ) person
Hyacinthus (Ὑάκινθος) person
← 3.19.2 3.19.4 →