Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.16.9

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Passage 4.16.9: Ambush and abduction of the maidens of Caryae

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

διαλιπὼν δὲ ὅσον ἀκεσθῆναι τὸ τραῦμα, ἐς μὲν αὐτὴν Σπάρτην ἔξοδον ποιούμενος νύκτωρ ἀπετράπετο ὑπὸ φασμάτων Ἑλένης καὶ Διοσκούρων, τὰς δʼ ἐν Καρύαις παρθένους χορευούσας τῇ Ἀρτέμιδι. ἐλόχησε μεθʼ ἡμέραν καὶ συνέλαβεν ὅσαι χρήμασιν αὐτῶν καὶ ἀξιώματι πατέρων προεῖχον· ἀγαγὼν δὲ ἐς κώμην τῆς Μεσσηνίας τὴν νύκτα ἀνεπαύετο, ἀνδράσι τῶν ἐκ τοῦ λόχου τὴν φρουρὰν ἐπιτρέψας τῶν παρθένων.

English Translation

After waiting only long enough for his wound to heal, he planned a night attack against Sparta itself, but was turned away by visions of Helen and the Dioscuri. So instead he laid an ambush for the maidens at Caryae dancing in honor of Artemis. Attacking by daylight, he captured those among them who excelled either by wealth or by the prominence of their fathers. He then took these maidens to a village in Messenia, where he rested during the night, assigning the guardianship of the young women to some of the men from his ambush party.

Proper Nouns

Dioscuri (Διόσκουροι) deity
Artemis (Ἄρτεμις) deity
Helen (Ἑλένη) person
Caryae (Κάρυαι) place Q59148716
Also in: 3.10.7
Messenia (Μεσσηνία) place Q1247159
Sparta (Σπάρτη) place Q5690 Pleiades
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