Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.14.10

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Passage 8.14.10: Myrtilus, son of Hermes and charioteer of Oenomaus.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Ἰφικλεῖ μὲν δὴ καὶ ἐς τόδε ἔτι ἐναγίζουσιν ὡς ἥρωι, θεῶν δὲ τιμῶσιν Ἑρμῆν Φενεᾶται μάλιστα καὶ ἀγῶνα ἄγουσιν Ἕρμαια, καὶ ναός ἐστιν Ἑρμοῦ σφισι καὶ ἄγαλμα λίθου· τοῦτο ἐποίησεν ἀνὴρ Ἀθηναῖος Εὔχειρ Εὐβουλίδου. ὄπισθεν δέ ἐστι τοῦ ναοῦ τάφος Μυρτίλου. τοῦτον Ἑρμοῦ παῖδα εἶναι τὸν Μυρτίλον λέγουσιν Ἕλληνες, ἡνιοχεῖν δὲ αὐτὸν Οἰνομάῳ· καὶ ὁπότε ἀφίκοιτό τις μνώμενος τοῦ Οἰνομάου τὴν θυγατέρα, ὁ μὲν ἠπείγετο ὁ Μυρτίλος σὺν τέχνῃ τοῦ Οἰνομάου τὰς ἵππους, ὁ δὲ ἐν τῷ δρόμῳ τὸν μνηστῆρα, ὁπότε ἐγγὺς γένοιτο, κατηκόντιζεν.

English Translation

Even now they continue offering sacrifices to Iphicles as to a hero. Among the gods, the Pheneatians honor Hermes most especially, and they celebrate a contest called the Hermaia. There is a temple of Hermes among them, and a stone statue made by an Athenian named Eucheir, son of Euboulides. Behind this temple is the tomb of Myrtilus. The Greeks say that Myrtilus was the son of Hermes and served as charioteer to Oenomaus. Whenever someone arrived seeking marriage to the daughter of Oenomaus, Myrtilus would cunningly delay the horses of Oenomaus, and during the course of the race, Oenomaus would hurl his spear against the suitor whenever he drew near.

Proper Nouns

gods (θεοί) deity
Hermes (Ἑρμῆς) deity
temple (ναός) other
Hellenes (Ἕλληνες) other
Hermaia (Ἕρμαια) other
Eucheir son of Eubulides (Εὔχειρ Εὐβουλίδης) person
Myrtilus (Μυρτίλος) person
Oinomaos (Οἰνόμαος) person
Athenian (Ἀθηναῖος) person
Iphikles (Ἰφικλῆς) person
Also in: 8.14.9 10.31.10
Pheneatae (Φενεάτης) place
Also in: 8.15.4
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