Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.10.10

← 8.10.9 8.11.1 →

Passage 8.10.10: Collared sacred deer of Despoina at Lycosoura.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

Λεωκύδους δὲ τοῦ Μεγαλοπολιτῶν ὁμοῦ Λυδιάδῃ στρατηγήσαντος πρόγονον ἔνατον Ἀρκεσίλαον οἰκοῦντα ἐν Λυκοσούρᾳ λέγουσιν οἱ Ἀρκάδες ὡς ἴδοι τὴν ἱερὰν τῆς καλουμένης Δεσποίνης ἔλαφον πεπονηκυῖαν ὑπὸ γήρως· τῇ δὲ ἐλάφῳ ταύτῃ ψάλιόν τε εἶναι περὶ τὸν τράχηλον καὶ γράμματα ἐπὶ τῷ ψαλίῳ, νεβρὸς ἐὼν ἑάλων, ὅτʼ ἐς Ἴλιον ἦν Ἀγαπήνωρ. οὗτος μὲν δὴ ἐπιδείκνυσιν ὁ λόγος ἔλαφον εἶναι πολλῷ καὶ ἐλέφαντος μακροβιώτερον θηρίον·

English Translation

The Arcadians say that Arcesilaus—a ninth ancestor before Leocydes the Megalopolitan, who shared command with Lydiades—dwelling at Lycosoura, saw a sacred deer of the goddess known as Despoina, exhausted by old age. Around this deer’s neck was a collar, and upon the collar were inscribed characters: "I was captured as a fawn, when Agapenor went to Ilium." This account clearly shows that the deer is an animal far longer-lived even than the elephant.

Proper Nouns

Despoina (Δέσποινα) deity
Leukydes (Λεωκύδης) person
Also in: 8.10.6
Lydiades (Λυδιάδης) person
Megalopolitan (Μεγαλοπολίτης) person
Agapenor (Ἀγαπήνωρ) person
Also in: 8.5.2 8.5.3 8.53.7
Arcadians (Ἀρκάδες) person
Arkesilaos (Ἀρκεσίλαος) person
Lycosura (Λυκόσουρα) place Q1878714
Ilium (Ἴλιον) place Q22647
← 8.10.9 8.11.1 →