Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.16.3

← 8.16.2 8.16.4 →

Passage 8.16.3: The tomb of Aepytus, an earth mound encircled by a stone coping

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

τὸν δὲ τοῦ Αἰπύτου τάφον σπουδῇ μάλιστα ἐθεασάμην, ὅτι ἐν τοῖς ἐς τοὺς Ἀρκάδας ἔπεσιν ἔσχεν Ὅμηρος λόγον τοῦ· Αἰπύτου μνήματος. ἔστι μὲν οὖν γῆς χῶμα οὐ μέγα, λίθου κρηπῖδι ἐν κύκλῳ περιεχόμενον· Ὁμήρῳ δὲ--- οὐ γὰρ εἶδεν ἀξιολογώτερον μνῆμα---εἰκότως παρέξειν ἔμελλε θαῦμα, ἐπεὶ καὶ Ἡφαίστου τὸν χορὸν ἐπὶ τῇ Ἀχιλλέως ἀσπίδι εἰργασμένον εἰκάζει χορῷ Δαιδάλου ποιηθέντι, σοφώτερα οὐ θεασάμενος.

English Translation

I was especially careful to examine the tomb of Aepytus, because Homer makes mention of it in his verses referring to the Arcadians. It is a mound of earth, not very large, encircled all round by a stone coping. For Homer—since he had not seen a more remarkable tomb—it was understandably marvelous; indeed, he likewise likens the dance worked by Hephaestus on the shield of Achilles to the dance made by Daedalus, having seen nothing wiser.

Proper Nouns

Hephaestus (Ἥφαιστος) deity
Arcadians (Ἀρκάδες) people
Aipytos (Αἰπύτης) person
Daedalus (Δαίδαλος) person Q3712559
Achilles (Ἀχιλλεύς) person
Homer (Ὅμηρος) person
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