Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.18.5

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Passage 8.18.5: The water of the Styx corrodes many materials but purifies gold.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ὕαλος μέν γε καὶ κρύσταλλος καὶ μόρρια καὶ ὅσα ἐστὶν ἀνθρώποις ἄλλα λίθου ποιούμενα καὶ τῶν σκευῶν τὰ κεραμεᾶ, τὰ μὲν ὑπὸ τῆς Στυγὸς τοῦ ὕδατος ῥήγνυται· κεράτινα δὲ καὶ ὀστέινα σίδηρός τε καὶ χαλκός, ἔτι δὲ μόλιβδός τε καὶ κασσίτερος καὶ ἄργυρος καὶ τὸ ἤλεκτρον ὑπὸ τούτου σήπεται τοῦ ὕδατος. τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ ἐν μετάλλοις τοῖς πᾶσι καὶ ὁ χρυσὸς πέπονθε· καίτοι γε καθαρεύειν γε τὸν χρυσὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἰοῦ ἥ τε ποιήτρια μάρτυς ἐστὶν ἡ Λεσβία καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ χρυσὸς ἐπιδείκνυσιν.

English Translation

Glass, rock crystal, porcelain, and whatever else humans fashion from stone, as well as earthenware pottery, are shattered by the water of the Styx. Objects made of horn or bone, as well as iron and bronze, and even lead, tin, silver, and amber, are corroded by this water. The same effect that occurs with these metals also befalls gold. Nevertheless, there is testimony, provided both by the poetess from Lesbos and by gold itself, that gold alone is purified from this destructive force.

Proper Nouns

Styx (Στύξ) deity
Lesbian (of Lesbos) (Λεσβία) person
Also in: 9.29.8
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