Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.5.2

← 4.5.1 4.5.3 →

Passage 4.5.2: Polychares refuses Spartan surrender, asks trial before the Argives or the Areopagus.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Πολυχάρην δὲ ἐκδοῦναι μὲν ἐπὶ τιμωρίᾳ Λακεδαιμονίοις οὔ φασιν, ὅτι μηδὲ ἐκεῖνοι σφίσιν Εὔαιφνον, ἐθέλειν μέντοι παρὰ Ἀργείοις συγγενέσιν οὖσιν ἀμφοτέρων ἐν Ἀμφικτυονίᾳ διδόναι δίκας, ἐπιτρέπειν δὲ καὶ τῷ Ἀθήνῃσι δικαστηρίῳ, καλουμένῳ δὲ Ἀρείῳ πάγῳ, ὅτι δίκας τὰς φονικὰς τὸ δικαστήριον τοῦτο ἐδόκει δικάζειν ἐκ παλαιοῦ.

English Translation

They say that Polychares refused to surrender himself for punishment to the Lacedaemonians, on the grounds that they likewise had not surrendered Euaiphnos to them. He declared, however, that he was willing to stand trial before the Argives, who were kinsmen of both parties, in the Amphictyonic council, or to entrust the judgment to the Athenian court known as the Areopagus, because from ancient times this court was reputed to adjudicate cases of homicide.

Proper Nouns

Amphictyony (Ἀμφικτυονία) other
Also in: 10.8.3 10.8.5
Euainos (Εὔαιφνος) person
Also in: 4.4.6 4.4.7 4.5.6
Lacedaemonians (Λακεδαιμόνιοι) person
Argives (Ἀργεῖοι) person
Athens (Ἀθῆναι) place Q844930
Areopagus (Ἄρειος Πάγος) place Q202487
Also in: 1.24.2 1.28.6
← 4.5.1 4.5.3 →