Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.3.2

← 5.3.1 5.3.3 →

Passage 5.3.2: Sanctuary of Athena "Mother" at Elis; the place and river named Bady

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

τῶν δὲ Ἠλείων αἱ γυναῖκες, ἅτε τῶν ἐν ἡλικίᾳ σφίσιν ἠρημωμένης τῆς χώρας, εὔξασθαι τῇ Ἀθηνᾷ λέγονται κυῆσαι παραυτίκα, ἐπειδὰν μιχθῶσι τοῖς ἀνδράσι· καὶ ἥ τε εὐχή σφισιν ἐτελέσθη καὶ Ἀθηνᾶς ἱερὸν ἐπίκλησιν Μητρὸς ἱδρύσαντο. ὑπερησθέντες δὲ ἀμφότεροι τῇ μίξει καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες, ἔνθα συνεγένοντο ἀλλήλοις πρῶτον, αὐτό τε τὸ χωρίον Βαδὺ ὀνομάζουσι καὶ ποταμὸν τὸν ῥέοντα ἐνταῦθα ὕδωρ Βαδὺ ἐπιχωρίῳ φωνῇ.

English Translation

The women of Elis, since their land had been left barren of men of suitable age, are said to have prayed to Athena that they would become pregnant swiftly upon mating with their husbands. This prayer was fulfilled for them, and they established a sanctuary of Athena, giving her the surname "Mother." Greatly rejoicing, both the women and the men, at their union, they named the very place where they first joined each other "Bady," and gave the same name "Bady"—in the local tongue—to a river flowing there.

Proper Nouns

Mother (Meter) (Μήτηρ) deity
Athena (Ἀθηνᾶ) deity
Eleans (Ἠλεῖοι) person
Bady (Βαδύ) place Q34254320
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