Pausanias Analysis

Passage 7.23.7

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Passage 7.23.7: Precinct of Asclepius near Eileithyia, with statues by Damophon

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

τῆς δὲ Εἰλειθυίας οὐ μακρὰν Ἀσκληπιοῦ τέ ἐστι τέμενος καὶ ἀγάλματα Ὑγείας καὶ Ἀσκληπιοῦ· ἰαμβεῖον δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ βάθρῳ τὸν Μεσσήνιον Δαμοφῶντα εἶναι τὸν εἰργασμένον φησίν. ἐν τούτῳ τοῦ Ἀσκληπιοῦ τῷ ἱερῷ ἐς ἀντιλογίαν ἀφίκετο ἀνήρ μοι Σιδόνιος, ὃς ἐγνωκέναι τὰ ἐς τὸ θεῖον ἔφασκε Φοίνικας καὶ τά τε ἄλλα Ἑλλήνων βέλτιον καὶ δὴ καὶ Ἀσκληπιῷ πατέρα μὲν σφᾶς Ἀπόλλωνα ἐπιφημίζειν, θνητὴν δὲ γυναῖκα οὐδεμίαν μητέρα·

English Translation

Not far from the sanctuary of Eileithyia is a precinct of Asclepius, containing statues of Hygieia and Asclepius. An inscription in verse on the pedestal states that the work was done by Damophon the Messenian. While visiting this temple of Asclepius, I became involved in a disagreement with a certain Sidonian man, who asserted that Phoenicians had superior knowledge of divine matters and especially surpassed the Greeks in this field. In particular, he claimed that it was among themselves customary that Asclepius' father was Apollo, but that no mortal woman was named as his mother.

Proper Nouns

Eileithyia (Εἰλείθυια) deity
Apollo (Ἀπόλλων) deity
Asclepius (Ἀσκληπιός) deity
Hygeia (Ὑγεία) deity
Messenian (Μεσσήνιος) other
Also in: 4.6.1 6.7.3 8.52.1
Phoenician (Φοίνιξ) other
Also in: 9.12.2
Hellenes (Ἕλλην) other
Also in: 2.1.8 9.30.4
Damophon (Δαμοφῶν) person Q1158742
Sidonian (Σιδόνιος) person
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