Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.16.2

← 5.16.1 5.16.3 →

Passage 5.16.2: Heraia: every five years women weave Hera's robe and run virgins' footraces.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

διὰ πέμπτου δὲ ὑφαίνουσιν ἔτους τῇ Ἥρᾳ πέπλον αἱ ἓξ καὶ δέκα γυναῖκες· αἱ δὲ αὐταὶ τιθέασι καὶ ἀγῶνα Ἡραῖα. ὁ δὲ ἀγών ἐστιν ἅμιλλα δρόμου παρθένοις· οὔτι που πᾶσαι ἡλικίας τῆς αὐτῆς, ἀλλὰ πρῶται μὲν αἱ νεώταται, μετὰ ταύτας δὲ αἱ τῇ ἡλικίᾳ δεύτεραι, τελευταῖαι δὲ θέουσιν ὅσαι πρεσβύταται τῶν παρθένων εἰσί.

English Translation

Every fifth year sixteen women weave a robe for Hera; these same women also arrange a contest called the Heraia. The contest is a footrace for virgins, though not all competitors are of the same age. First run the youngest girls, after them those of middle age, and finally the oldest of the maidens run.

Proper Nouns

Hera (Ἥρα) deity
Heraia (Ἡραῖα) other
← 5.16.1 5.16.3 →