Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.31.8

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Passage 4.31.8: The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

πᾶσαι καὶ ἄνδρες ἰδίᾳ θεῶν μάλιστα ἄγουσιν ἐν τιμῇ· τὰ δὲ αἴτια ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν ἐστὶν Ἀμαζόνων τε κλέος, αἳ φήμην τὸ ἄγαλμα ἔχουσιν ἱδρύσασθαι, καὶ ὅτι ἐκ παλαιοτάτου τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦτο ἐποιήθη. τρία δὲ ἄλλα ἐπὶ τούτοις συνετέλεσεν ἐς δόξαν, μέγεθός τε τοῦ ναοῦ τὰ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις κατασκευάσματα ὑπερηρκότος καὶ Ἐφεσίων τῆς πόλεως ἡ ἀκμὴ καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τὸ ἐπιφανὲς τῆς θεοῦ.

English Translation

All cities, indeed individuals too, honor this goddess above all other deities. The reasons for this, in my judgment, are firstly the renown of the Amazons, who according to tradition established the image, and secondly the great antiquity of the sanctuary's foundation. Three additional reasons further contributed to its fame: the temple's size, surpassing all man-made constructions; the wealth and prosperity of the city of the Ephesians; and finally, the great prominence of the goddess herself within it.

Proper Nouns

god (θεός) deity
temple (ναός) other
Amazons (Ἀμαζόνες) person
Ephesians (Ἐφέσιοι) person
city (πόλις) place Q148837
Also in: 9.23.6
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