Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.11.12

← 8.11.11 8.12.1 →

Passage 8.11.12: Dodona oracle misread: Athenians sought overseas Sicily and ended up fighting Syracuse

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

Ἀθηναίοις δὲ μάντευμα ἐκ Δωδώνης Σικελίαν ἦλθεν οἰκίζειν, ἡ δὲ οὐ πόρρω τῆς πόλεως ἡ Σικελία λόφος ἐστὶν οὐ μέγας· οἱ δὲ οὐ συμφρονήσαντες τὸ εἰρημένον ἔς τε ὑπερορίους στρατείας προήχθησαν καὶ ἐς τὸν Συρακοσίων πόλεμον. ἔχοι δʼ ἄν τις καὶ πλέονα τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἐοικότα ἄλλα ἐξευρεῖν.

English Translation

An oracle from Dodona came to the Athenians commanding them to found a settlement in "Sicily," and there is indeed, near their city, a hill called Sicily, though not a large one; but failing to understand the true meaning of this oracle, they were drawn into expeditions overseas and into the war against Syracuse. One could find many other instances similar to those I have mentioned.

Proper Nouns

Syracusans (Συρακόσιοι) person
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) person
Dodona (Δωδώνη) place Q382317
Sicily (Σικελία) place Q1460
← 8.11.11 8.12.1 →