Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.23.5

← 4.23.4 4.23.6 →

Passage 4.23.5: Messenians debate settling Zacynthus or migrating to Sardinia.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ὡς δὲ ἐς τὴν Κυλλήνην οἱ Μεσσήνιοι συνελέχθησαν, τὸν μὲν παρόντα χειμῶνα ἔδοξεν αὐτοῦ χειμάζειν, καὶ τὴν ἀγοράν σφισι καὶ χρήματα οἱ Ἠλεῖοι παρεῖχον· ἅμα δὲ τῷ ἦρι ἐβουλεύοντο ποῖ χρὴ σταλῆναι. γνῶμαι δὲ ἦσαν Γόργου μὲν Ζάκυνθον τὴν ὑπὲρ Κεφαλληνίας καταλαβόντας καὶ νησιώτας ἀντὶ ἠπειρωτῶν γενομένους ναυσὶν ἐς τὰ παραθαλάσσια τῆς Λακωνικῆς ἐπιπλέοντας κακοῦν τὴν γῆν· Μάντικλος δὲ ἐκέλευε Μεσσήνης μὲν καὶ τοῦ Λακεδαιμονίων ἔχθους λαβεῖν λήθην, πλεύσαντας δὲ ἐς Σαρδὼ κτήσασθαι μεγίστην τε νῆσον καὶ εὐδαιμονίᾳ πρώτην.

English Translation

When the Messenians had gathered at Cyllene, it was resolved to winter there for that season. The Eleans provided them with a market and supplies. At the coming of spring they debated where to migrate. Gorgus proposed that they occupy Zacynthus, the island lying near Cephallenia, and become islanders instead of mainlanders, using ships to launch attacks upon the Lacedaemonian coastal territory and harass the land. However, Manticlus advised them to forget Messenia and their enmity with Sparta altogether, urging them instead to sail to Sardinia, and there secure for themselves the largest and most prosperous island.

Proper Nouns

Gorgos (Γόργος) person Q20851109
Lacedaemonians (Λακεδαιμόνιοι) person
Mantiklos (Μάντικλος) person
Messenians (Μεσσήνιοι) person
Eleans (Ἠλεῖοι) person
Zakynthos (Ζάκυνθος) place Q144880
Also in: 8.24.3
Cephallenia (Κεφαλληνία) place Q178488
Also in: 1.37.6
Kyllene (Κυλλήνη) place Q56650616
Laconia (Λακωνική) place Q11931074
Messene (Μεσσήνη) place Q1022117
Sardinia (Σαρδώ) place Q1462
← 4.23.4 4.23.6 →