Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.3.6

← 4.3.5 4.3.7 →

Passage 4.3.6: Cresphontes rules Messenia and marries Merope

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Μεσσηνίων δὲ τῶν ἀρχαίων οὐκ ἐγένετο ὑπὸ τῶν Δωριέων ὁ δῆμος ἀνάστατος, ἀλλὰ βασιλεύεσθαί τε συγχωροῦσιν ὑπὸ Κρεσφόντου καὶ ἀναδάσασθαι πρὸς τοὺς Δωριέας τὴν γῆν· ταῦτα δέ σφισιν εἴκειν παρίστατο ὑποψίᾳ πρὸς τοὺς βασιλεύοντας, ὅτι ἦσαν ἐξ Ἰωλκοῦ τὸ ἀνέκαθεν οἱ Νηλεῖδαι. γυναῖκα δὲ ἔσχε Κρεσφόντης Μερόπην τὴν Κυψέλου, βασιλεύοντος τότε Ἀρκάδων, ἀφʼ ἧς ἄλλοι τε δὴ παῖδες ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ καὶ νεώτατος Αἴπυτος·

English Translation

The common people of the ancient Messenians were not driven out by the Dorians, but they agreed to be ruled by Cresphontes and to share the land with the Dorians. They consented to these terms under suspicion of their own kings, since the Neleidae had originally come from Iolcus. Cresphontes married Merope, daughter of Cypselus, who at that time was king of the Arcadians. By her he had several sons, among whom the youngest was Aepytus.

Proper Nouns

Aipytos (Αἴπυτος) person
Dorians (Δωριεῖς) person
Cresphontes (Κρεσφόντης) person
Kypselos (Κύψελος) person
Merope (Μερόπη) person
Messenians (Μεσσήνιοι) person
Neleids (Νηλεῖδαι) person
Also in: 2.18.4 2.18.9
Arcadians (Ἀρκάδες) person
Iolkos (Ἰωλκός) place Q662613
← 4.3.5 4.3.7 →