Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.33.3

← 4.33.2 4.33.4 →

Passage 4.33.3: Attic-style Hermes statue at the gate of Megalopolis

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἰόντι δὲ τὴν ἐπʼ Ἀρκαδίας ἐς Μεγάλην πόλιν ἐστὶν ἐν ταῖς πύλαις Ἑρμῆς τέχνης τῆς Ἀττικῆς · Ἀθηναίων γὰρ τὸ σχῆμα τὸ τετράγωνόν ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοῖς Ἑρμαῖς, καὶ παρὰ τούτων μεμαθήκασιν οἱ ἄλλοι. σταδίους δὲ καταβάντι ἀπὸ τῶν πυλῶν τριάκοντα τὸ ῥεῦμά ἐστι τῆς Βαλύρας. γενέσθαι δὲ τὸ ὄνομα τῷ ποταμῷ λέγουσι Θαμύριδος τὴν λύραν ἐνταῦθα ἀποβαλόντος ἐπὶ τῇ πηρώσει· παῖδα δὲ αὐτὸν Φιλάμμωνος καὶ Ἀργιόπης τῆς νύμφης εἶναι. τὴν δὲ Ἀργιόπην τέως μὲν περὶ τὸν Παρνασσὸν οἰκεῖν, ἐπεὶ δὲ εἶχεν ἐν γαστρί, ἐς Ὀδρύσας λέγουσι μετοικῆσαι· Φιλάμμωνα γὰρ οὐκ ἐθέλειν ἐς τὸν οἶκον αὐτὴν ἄγεσθαι. καὶ Θάμυριν μὲν Ὀδρύσην τε καὶ Θρᾷκα ἐπὶ τούτῳ καλοῦσιν· ἡ δὲ Λευκασία καὶ Ἄμφιτος συμβάλλουσιν ἐς τὸ αὐτὸ τὰ ῥεύματα.

English Translation

When you go towards Arcadia, at the gate into Megalopolis there is a statue of Hermes in the Attic style. For the Athenians represented their Herms with a square shape, and other peoples have learned this from them. Thirty stades below the gate flows the river Balyra. They say that the river received its name from Thamyris casting his lyre into it at the time of his blinding. Thamyris was said to be a son of Philammon and the nymph Argiope. This Argiope lived at first around Parnassus, but when she became pregnant, they say that she moved to the Odrysae, for Philammon did not wish to bring her into his house. For this reason Thamyris was called Odrysian and Thracian. The rivers Leukasia and Amphitos join their waters together.

Proper Nouns

Hermes (Ἑρμῆς) deity
Thamyris (Θάμυρις) person
Thracian (Θρᾷξ) person
Philammon (Φιλάμμων) person
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) person
Argiope (Ἀργιόπη) person
Amphitos (Ἄμφιτος) person
Balyra/Balyra River (Βαλύρα) place Q2025137 Pleiades
Leukasía (Λευκασία) place Q130739442
Megalopolis (Μεγάλη πόλις) place Q36024972
Parnassus (Παρνασσός) place Q105261
Arcadia (Ἀρκαδία) place Q12898802
Attica (Ἀττική) place Q122443
Odrysai/Odrysas (Ὀδρύσαι) place Q870517
Also in: 1.9.6
← 4.33.2 4.33.4 →