Pausanias Analysis

Passage 7.24.4

← 7.24.3 7.24.5 →

Passage 7.24.4: Ageladas' youthful Zeus and Herakles at Aigion and their rotating priest custodianship

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλα Αἰγιεῦσιν ἀγάλματα χαλκοῦ πεποιημένα, Ζεύς τε ἡλικίαν παῖς καὶ Ἡρακλῆς, οὐδὲ οὗτος ἔχων πω γένεια, Ἀγελάδα τέχνη τοῦ Ἀργείου. τούτοις κατὰ ἔτος ἱερεῖς αἱρετοὶ γίνονται, καὶ ἑκάτερα τῶν ἀγαλμάτων ἐπὶ ταῖς οἰκίαις μένει τοῦ ἱερωμένου. τὰ δὲ ἔτι παλαιότερα προεκέκριτο ἐκ τῶν παίδων ἱερᾶσθαι τῷ Διὶ ὁ νικῶν κάλλει· ἀρχομένων δὲ αὐτῷ γενείων ἐς ἄλλον παῖδα ἡ ἐπὶ τῷ κάλλει μετῄει τιμή. ταῦτα μὲν οὕτως ἐνομίζετο· ἐς δὲ Αἴγιον καὶ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν ἔτι συνέδριον τὸ Ἀχαιῶν ἀθροίζεται, καθότι ἐς Θερμοπύλας τε καὶ ἐς Δελφοὺς οἱ Ἀμφικτύονες.

English Translation

The people of Aigion also have other bronze statues: Zeus as a child in age, and Herakles, who also does not yet have a beard; both are works of Ageladas of Argos. Each year priests are chosen for these statues, and each image remains in the house of its respective priest during his term of priesthood. In even older times, it was customary to appoint the boy most distinguished for his beauty as priest of Zeus. When he began to grow a beard, this honor of beauty passed on to another boy. These customs, then, were observed thus. Even in our own time, the council of the Achaians still meets at Aigion, just as the Amphictyons gather at Thermopylai and at Delphi.

Proper Nouns

Zeus (Ζεύς) deity
Amphictyons (Ἀμφικτύονες) other
Argive (Ἀργεῖος) other
Achaeans (Ἀχαιοί) other
Ageladas (Ἀγελάδας) person
Heracles (Ἡρακλῆς) person
Aigeians (of Aigion) (Αἰγιεῖς) place
Aigion (Αἴγιον) place Q60790078
Delphi (Δελφοί) place Q75459 Pleiades
Thermopylae (Θερμοπύλαι) place Q194450 Pleiades
← 7.24.3 7.24.5 →