Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.19.5

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Passage 5.19.5: Statues depicting Trojan War figures: Agamemnon, Paris, Artemis, and Ajax.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

οὗτος μὲν Φόβος ἐστὶ βροτῶν, ὁ δʼ ἔχων Ἀγαμέμνων. ἄγει δὲ καὶ Ἑρμῆς παρʼ Ἀλέξανδρον τὸν Πριάμου τὰς θεὰς κριθησομένας ὑπὲρ τοῦ κάλλους, καὶ ἔστιν ἐπίγραμμα καὶ τούτοις· Ἑρμείας ὅδʼ Ἀλεξάνδρῳ δείκνυσι διαιτῆν τοῦ εἴδους Ἥραν καὶ Ἀθάναν καὶ Ἀφροδίταν. Ἄρτεμις δὲ οὐκ οἶδα ἐφʼ ὅτῳ λόγῳ πτέρυγας ἔχουσά ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων, καὶ τῇ μὲν δεξιᾷ κατέχει πάρδαλιν, τῇ δὲ ἑτέρᾳ τῶν χειρῶν λέοντα. πεποίηται δὲ καὶ Κασσάνδραν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀγάλματος Αἴας τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς ἕλκων, ἐπʼ αὐτῷ δὲ καὶ ἐπίγραμμά ἐστιν· Αἴας Κασσάνδραν ἀπʼ Ἀθαναίας Λοκρὸς ἕλκει.

English Translation

This figure is Phobos ("Fear") among mortals, and Agamemnon is the one holding him. Hermes is also depicted leading the goddesses to Alexander son of Priam to be judged for their beauty; and these figures too have an inscription: "This Hermes shows to Alexander the beauty-contesting Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite." As for Artemis—I do not know for what reason—she is represented as having wings upon her shoulders, and with her right hand she grasps a leopard, and with the other hand a lion. Ajax too is depicted dragging Cassandra from the statue of Athena, and there is also an inscription on this: "Ajax the Locrian drags Cassandra from Athena."

Proper Nouns

Phobos (Φόβος) deity Q105019
Also in: 5.19.4 9.36.3
Athena (Ἀθηνᾶ) deity Q37122
Aphrodite (Ἀφροδίτη) deity Q35500
Artemis (Ἄρτεμις) deity Q39503
Hermes (Ἑρμῆς) deity Q41484
Hera (Ἥρα) deity Q38012
Ajax (Αἴας) person Q14566703
Cassandra (Κασσάνδρα) person Q116028904
Lokros (the Lokrian) (Λοκρός) person
Priam (Πρίαμος) person Q1803
Agamemnon (Ἀγαμέμνων) person Q100293535
Alexander (Ἀλέξανδρος) person Q8409
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