Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.2.1

← 4.1.9 4.2.2 →

Passage 4.2.1: Polycaon's children unrecorded in the epic genealogies

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

πυθέσθαι δὲ σπουδῇ πάνυ ἐθελήσας, οἵ τινες παῖδες Πολυκάονι ἐγένοντο ἐκ Μεσσήνης, ἐπελεξάμην τάς τε Ἠοίας καλουμένας καὶ τὰ ἔπη τὰ Ναυπάκτια, πρὸς δὲ αὐτοῖς ὁπόσα Κιναίθων καὶ Ἄσιος ἐγενεαλόγησαν. οὐ μὴν ἔς γε ταῦτα ἦν σφισιν οὐδὲν πεποιημένον, ἀλλὰ Ὕλλου μὲν τοῦ Ἡρακλέους θυγατρὶ Εὐαίχμῃ συνοικῆσαι Πολυκάονα υἱὸν Βούτου λεγούσας τὰς μεγάλας οἶδα Ἠοίας, τὰ δὲ ἐς τὸν Μεσσήνης ἄνδρα καὶ τὰ ἐς αὐτὴν Μεσσήνην παρεῖταί σφισι.

English Translation

Since I earnestly wished to find out who were the children born to Polycaon from Messene, I examined carefully both the works called the “Eoiae” and the “Naupactian Epics,” as well as all the genealogies composed by Cinaethon and Asius. Yet in these writings nothing on this subject was included at all, except that I know the “Great Eoiae” say Polycaon, son of Butes, married Euaechme, daughter of Hyllus, son of Heracles; however, concerning Messene herself and Messene’s husband they pass entirely over in silence.

Proper Nouns

Naupaktia (Ναυπάκτια) other
Also in: 2.3.9 10.38.11
Ehoiai (Ἠοῖαι) other
Boutes (Βοῦτος) person
Also in: 1.26.5
Euaichme (Εὐαίχμη) person
Cinaethon (Κιναίθων) person
Messene (Μεσσήνη) person
Polycaon (Πολυκάων) person
Asios (Ἄσιος) person
Heracles (Ἡρακλῆς) person
Hyllos (Ὕλλος) person
← 4.1.9 4.2.2 →