Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.1.5

← 4.1.4 4.1.6 →

Passage 4.1.5: Caucon of Eleusis brings the sacred rites of Demeter to Messene.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

πρῶτοι δʼ οὖν βασιλεύουσιν ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ ταύτῃ Πολυκάων τε ὁ Λέλεγος καὶ Μεσσήνη γυνὴ τοῦ Πολυκάονος. παρὰ ταύτην τὴν Μεσσήνην τὰ ὄργια κομίζων τῶν Μεγάλων θεῶν Καύκων ἦλθεν ἐξ Ἐλευσῖνος ὁ Κελαινοῦ τοῦ Φλύου. Φλῦον δὲ αὐτὸν Ἀθηναῖοι λέγουσι παῖδα εἶναι Γῆς· ὁμολογεῖ δέ σφισι καὶ ὕμνος Μουσαίου Λυκομίδαις ποιηθεὶς ἐς Δήμητρα.

English Translation

The first to reign in this land were Polycaon, the son of Lelex, and his wife Messene. In Messene's time, Caucon, son of Celaenus and originating from Eleusis, arrived carrying the sacred rites of the Great Goddesses. Celaenus was the son of Phlyus, and the Athenians claim that Phlyus was himself the offspring of Earth. This is confirmed by a hymn composed by Musaeus in honor of Demeter for the Lycomidae.

Proper Nouns

Ge (Earth) (Γῆ) deity
Demeter (Δήμητρα) deity
Great Gods (Μεγάλοι θεοί) deity
Caucon (Καύκων) person
Kelainos (Κελαινός) person
Lelegos (Λέλεγος) person
Lykomidai (Λυκομίδαι) person
Messene (Μεσσήνη) person
Musaeus (Μουσαῖος) person
Polycaon (Πολυκάων) person
Phlys (Φλύς) person
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) person
Eleusis (Ἐλευσῖς) place Q11918833
← 4.1.4 4.1.6 →