Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.15.11

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Passage 5.15.11: Eleans' altars at Ammon's sanctuary recording their oracle consultations.

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

ὁπόσα δὲ ἐπὶ ταῖς σπονδαῖς λέγειν σφίσιν ἐν τῷ πρυτανείῳ καθέστηκεν, ἢ καὶ ὕμνους ὁποίους ᾄδουσιν, οὔ με ἦν εἰκὸς ἐπεισαγαγέσθαι καὶ ταῦτα ἐς τὸν λόγον. θεοῖς δὲ οὐ τοῖς Ἑλληνικοῖς μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ ἐν Λιβύῃ σπένδουσι καὶ Ἥρᾳ τε Ἀμμωνίᾳ καὶ Παράμμωνι· Ἑρμοῦ δὲ ἐπίκλησίς ἐστιν ὁ Παράμμων. φαίνονται δὲ χρώμενοι ἐκ παλαιοτάτου τῷ ἐν Λιβύῃ μαντείῳ, καὶ ἀναθήματα Ἠλείων ἐν Ἄμμωνός εἰσι βωμοί· γέγραπται δὲ ἐπʼ αὐτῶν ὅσα τε ἐπυνθάνοντο οἱ Ἠλεῖοι καὶ τὰ χρησθέντα ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν ἀνδρῶν οἳ παρὰ τὸν Ἄμμωνα ἦλθον ἐξ Ἤλιδος. ταῦτα μὲν δή ἐστιν ἐν Ἄμμωνος·

English Translation

As for all the words which it is customary for them to recite at the libations in the Prytaneion, or the hymns which they sing, I did not think it fitting to include these things in my narrative. They pour libations not only to the gods worshipped in Greece, but also to the deity in Libya, and to Hera Ammonia and Parammon; Parammon being a surname of Hermes. Clearly the Eleans have from most ancient times been consulting the Libyan oracle, and among the votive offerings at the sanctuary of Ammon are altars dedicated by the Eleans. On these altars are inscribed the questions which the Eleans asked, the responses given by the god, and the names of the men who traveled from Elis to Ammon. These things, then, stand in the sanctuary of Ammon.

Proper Nouns

Parammon (Παράμμων) deity
god (θεός) deity
Ammonia (of Ammon) (Ἀμμωνία) deity
Ammon (Ἄμμων) deity
Hermes (Ἑρμῆς) deity
Hera (Ἥρα) deity
Hellenes (Ἕλληνες) other
Eleans (Ἠλεῖοι) person
Libya (Λιβύη) place Q2370577
Elis (Ἦλις) place Q217667
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