Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.27.4

← 4.27.3 4.27.5 →

Passage 4.27.4: Bacis's oracle predicting the Messenians' return and Sparta's fall.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

μάλιστα δὲ τὸν Ἐπαμινώνδαν ἐς τὸν οἰκισμὸν οἱ Βάκιδος ἐνῆγον χρησμοί. Βάκιδι γὰρ μανέντι ἐκ Νυμφῶν ἐς ἄλλους τέ ἐστιν Ἑλλήνων καὶ ἐς τὴν Μεσσηνίων κάθοδον προειρημένα καὶ τότε δὴ Σπάρτης μὲν ἀπʼ ἀγλαὸν ἄνθος ὀλεῖται, Μεσσήνη δʼ αὖτις οἰκήσεται ἤματα πάντα. ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ περὶ τῆς Εἴρας, ὅντινα ἁλώσοιτο τρόπον, Βάκιν ἐφώρασα εἰρηκότα· καί οἱ καὶ τόδε ἐστὶ τῶν χρησμῶν, οἵ τʼ ἀπὸ Μεσσήνης πατάγῳ κρουνοῖς τε δαμείσης.

English Translation

It was above all Bacis's oracles that led Epaminondas towards the founding of the city. For Bacis, inspired by the Nymphs, had uttered predictions concerning other Greek affairs and specifically about the return of the Messenians. It was then also that he declared: "Sparta shall perish, deprived of her splendid flower, Messenia, however, shall again be inhabited forever." I myself have observed that Bacis foretold even the manner in which Eira would be captured. Among his oracles is also this passage: "And they who come from Messenia, subdued by clamor and flowing streams."

Proper Nouns

Nymphs (Νύμφαι) deity
Bacis (Βάκις) person Q708459
Messenians (Μεσσήνιοι) person
Epaminondas (Ἐπαμινώνδας) person
Hellenes (Ἕλληνες) person
Ira (Εἴρα) place Q16575287
Messene (Μεσσήνη) place Q1022117
Sparta (Σπάρτη) place Q5690 Pleiades
← 4.27.3 4.27.5 →