Pausanias Analysis

Passage 4.9.2

← 4.9.1 4.9.3 →

Passage 4.9.2: Ithome: a high, naturally strong town fortified as a refuge.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἦν δὲ καὶ πόλισμα αὐτόθι οὐ μέγα, ὃ καὶ Ὅμηρόν φασιν ἔχειν ἐν καταλόγῳ· καὶ Ἰθώμην κλιμακόεσσαν. Hom. Il. 2.729 ἐς τοῦτο τὸ πόλισμα ἀνῳκίζοντο, ἐπεκτείνοντες τὸν ἀρχαῖον περίβολον ἔρυμα εἶναι πᾶσιν αὔταρκες. ἦν δὲ τὸ χωρίον καὶ ἄλλως ἐχυρόν· ἡ γὰρ Ἰθώμη μεγέθει τε οὐδενὸς ἀποδεῖ τῶν ὀρῶν ὁπόσα ἐντός ἐστιν ἰσθμοῦ καὶ δύσβατος κατὰ τοῦτο μάλιστα ἦν.

English Translation

There was also a small town there, which they say even Homer mentions in his catalogue: "and steep Ithome." Into this town they moved, enlarging the old circuit-wall to serve as a fortress sufficient to protect them all. And indeed, the site was otherwise naturally strong: for Ithome is not surpassed in height by any of the mountains within the Isthmus, and it was especially difficult of access.

Proper Nouns

Iliad (Ἰλιάς) other
Homer (Ὅμηρος) person
Ithome (Ἰθώμη) place Q602538
← 4.9.1 4.9.3 →