Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.16.7

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Passage 5.16.7: Physkoa and her son Narkaios, and the sixteen-woman chorus honoring Physkoa.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ταύτῃ τῇ Φυσκόᾳ Διόνυσον συγγενέσθαι λέγουσι, Φυσκόαν δὲ ἐκ Διονύσου τεκεῖν παῖδα Ναρκαῖον· τοῦτον, ὡς ηὐξήθη, πολεμεῖν τοῖς προσοίκοις καὶ δυνάμεως ἐπὶ μέγα ἀρθῆναι, καὶ δὴ καὶ Ἀθηνᾶς ἱερὸν ἐπίκλησιν Ναρκαίας αὐτὸν ἱδρύσασθαι· Διονύσῳ τε τιμὰς λέγουσιν ὑπὸ Ναρκαίου καὶ Φυσκόας δοθῆναι πρώτων. Φυσκόας μὲν δὴ γέρα καὶ ἄλλα καὶ χορὸς ἐπώνυμος παρὰ τῶν ἑκκαίδεκα γυναικῶν, φυλάσσουσι δὲ οὐδὲν ἧσσον Ἠλεῖοι καὶ τἄλλα καταλυθεισῶν ὅμως τῶν πόλεων· νενεμημένοι γὰρ ἐς ὀκτὼ φυλὰς ἀφʼ ἑκάστης αἱροῦνται γυναῖκας δύο.

English Translation

They say that Dionysus was united with this Physkoa, and that Physkoa bore from Dionysus a son, Narkaios. When this Narkaios grew up, he waged war against his neighbors and grew greatly in power; moreover, he established a sanctuary of Athena, giving her the epithet Narkaia. Furthermore, they say that honors were first given to Dionysus by Narkaios and Physkoa. Indeed, Physkoa received other privileges and especially a chorus named after her, consisting of sixteen women; the Eleans still preserve this chorus, despite the destruction of the other cities. For having been divided into eight tribes, they select two women from each tribe.

Proper Nouns

Dionysus (Διόνυσος) deity
Athena (Ἀθηνᾶ) deity
Narkaios (Ναρκαῖος) person
Physkoa (Φυσκόα) person
Also in: 5.16.6
Eleians (Ἠλεῖοι) place Q6536845
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