Pausanias Analysis

Passage 7.23.2

← 7.23.1 7.23.3 →

Passage 7.23.2: Selemnus turned into a river for love of the nymph Argyra.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

μετὰ δὲ οὐ πολὺν χρόνον οὔτε ὡραῖος ἔτι ἐφαίνετο Σέλεμνος οὔτε ὡς αὐτὸν φοιτήσειν ἔμελλεν ἡ νύμφη, Σέλεμνον δὲ μονωθέντα Ἀργυρᾶς καὶ τελευτήσαντα ὑπὸ τοῦ ἔρωτος ἐποίησεν Ἀφροδίτη ποταμόν. λέγω δὲ τὰ ὑπὸ Πατρέων λεγόμενα. καὶ---ἤρα γὰρ καὶ ὕδωρ γενόμενος Ἀργυρᾶς, καθότι ἔχει καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ Ἀλφειῷ λόγος Ἀρεθούσης ἔτι ἐρᾶν αὐτόν---δωρεῖται καὶ τῷδε Ἀφροδίτη Σέλεμνον·

English Translation

But soon after, Selemnus no longer appeared handsome nor likely that the nymph would visit him again. Having become lonely and dying from love after Argyra left him, Selemnus was transformed by Aphrodite into a river. I recount here what is told by the people of Patrae. And even as water he still loved Argyra, just as the tale is told that Alpheios continues still to love Arethusa. Aphrodite granted Selemnus an additional gift:

Proper Nouns

Nymph (Νύμφη) deity
Alpheios (Ἀλφειός) deity
Arethusa (Ἀρέθουσα) deity
Aphrodite (Ἀφροδίτη) deity
Selemnus (Σέλεμνος) person
Also in: 7.23.1
Argyra (Ἀργυρά) person
Also in: 7.23.1
Patrae (Πάτραι) place Q56398976
← 7.23.1 7.23.3 →