Pausanias Analysis

Passage 6.22.10

← 6.22.9 6.22.11 →

Passage 6.22.10: Cult of Artemis Alpheiaia (Elaphiaia) at Letrini.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Λετριναῖοι μὲν δὴ Ἀλφειαίαν ἐκάλουν τὴν θεὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἀλφειοῦ τῷ ἐς αὐτὴν ἔρωτι· οἱ δὲ Ἠλεῖοι ---φιλία γάρ σφισιν ὑπῆρχεν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐς Λετριναίους ---τὰ παρὰ σφίσιν Ἀρτέμιδι ἐς τιμὴν τῇ Ἐλαφιαίᾳ καθεστηκότα ἐς Λετρίνους τε μετήγαγον καὶ τῇ Ἀρτέμιδι ἐνόμισαν τῇ Ἀλφειαίᾳ δρᾶν, καὶ οὕτω τὴν Ἀλφειαίαν θεὸν Ἐλαφιαίαν ἀνὰ χρόνον ἐξενίκησεν ὀνομασθῆναι.

English Translation

The people of Letrini indeed called the goddess "Alpheiaia," because of the love Alpheios had for her. As for the Eleans—who had maintained friendship with the Letrinians from the beginning—they transferred to Letrini the rites established among themselves for Artemis Elaphia, and ordained that these rites be observed in honor of Artemis Alpheiaia. Thus, in time, the goddess came to be more commonly known as Elaphiaia rather than Alpheiaia.

Proper Nouns

Alpheiaia (Ἀλφειαία) deity
Artemis (Ἄρτεμις) deity
Elaphiaia (Ἐλαφιαία) deity
Letrinaians (Λετριναῖοι) person
Eleans (Ἠλεῖοι) person
Alpheios (Ἀλφειός) place Q941745
← 6.22.9 6.22.11 →