Pausanias Analysis

Passage 7.27.10

← 7.27.9 7.27.11 →

Passage 7.27.10: Women's nocturnal festival rites performed while men leave the sanctuary

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

τρίτῃ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ἑορτῆς ὑπεξίασιν οἱ ἄνδρες ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ, καταλειπόμεναι δὲ αἱ γυναῖκες δρῶσιν ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ὁπόσα νόμος ἐστὶν αὐταῖς· ἀπελαύνονται δὲ οὐχ οἱ ἄνδρες μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν κυνῶν τὸ ἄρρεν. ἐς δὲ τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν ἀφικομένων ἐς τὸ ἱερὸν τῶν ἀνδρῶν, αἱ γυναῖκές τε ἐς αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀνὰ μέρος ἐς τὰς γυναῖκας οἱ ἄνδρες γέλωτί τε ἐς ἀλλήλους χρῶνται καὶ σκώμμασιν.

English Translation

But on the third day of the festival, the men depart from the sanctuary; the women remain behind and perform during the night whatever rites it is prescribed for them by custom. Not only are the men excluded, but even the male dogs are removed. On the following day, when the men return to the sanctuary, both the women and the men exchange laughter and joking remarks with one another in turn.

Proper Nouns

sanctuary (ἱερόν) place Q1617500
← 7.27.9 7.27.11 →