Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.18.1

← 5.17.11 5.18.2 →

Passage 5.18.1: Depiction on a chest of Night nursing Death and Sleep.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

τῆς χώρας δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ λάρνακι τῆς δευτέρας ἐξ ἀριστερῶν μὲν γίνοιτο ἂν ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς περιόδου, πεποίηται δὲ γυνὴ παῖδα λευκὸν καθεύδοντα ἀνέχουσα τῇ δεξιᾷ χειρί, τῇ δὲ ἑτέρᾳ μέλανα ἔχει παῖδα καθεύδοντι ἐοικότα, ἀμφοτέρους διεστραμμένους τοὺς πόδας. δηλοῖ μὲν δὴ καὶ τὰ ἐπιγράμματα, συνεῖναι δὲ καὶ ἄνευ τῶν ἐπιγραμμάτων ἔστι Θάνατόν τε εἶναι σφᾶς καὶ Ὕπνον καὶ ἀμφοτέροις Νύκτα αὐτοῖς τροφόν.

English Translation

On the chest, regarding the second region, one may best begin describing the images from the left. A woman is depicted holding, in her right hand, a white child who is sleeping; in the other hand she holds a black child, who likewise appears asleep; both have their feet crossed. Although the inscriptions also explain them, it is clear even without these inscriptions that they are Death and Sleep, and Night serves as nurse to them both.

Proper Nouns

Thanatos (Θάνατος) deity
Also in: 3.18.1
Nyx (Νύξ) deity
Hypnos (Ὕπνος) deity
← 5.17.11 5.18.2 →