Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.2.1

← 8.1.6 8.2.2 →

Passage 8.2.1: Lykaon, founder of Lykosoura and establisher of the Lykaia festival for Zeus Lykaios

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Λυκάων δὲ ὁ Πελασγοῦ τοσάδε εὗρεν ἢ ὁ πατήρ οἱ σοφώτερα· Λυκόσουράν τε γὰρ πόλιν ᾤκισεν ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ Λυκαίῳ καὶ Δία ὠνόμασε Λυκαῖον καὶ ἀγῶνα ἔθηκε Λύκαια. οὐκέτι δὲ τὰ παρʼ Ἀθηναίοις Παναθήναια τεθῆναι πρότερα ἀποφαίνομαι· τούτῳ γὰρ τῷ ἀγῶνι Ἀθήναια ὄνομα ἦν, Παναθήναια δὲ κληθῆναί φασιν ἐπὶ Θησέως, ὅτι ὑπὸ Ἀθηναίων ἐτέθη συνειλεγμένων ἐς μίαν ἁπάντων πόλιν.

English Translation

Lykaon, son of Pelasgos, invented these things, or else his father invented wiser ones. For he founded the city Lykosoura on Mount Lykaion, gave Zeus the name Lykaios, and established the festival Lykaia. I hold that the Panathenaia, celebrated among the Athenians, were not instituted earlier. This festival formerly bore the name Athenaia; they say that it was called Panathenaia in the time of Theseus because all the Athenians had by then been gathered into a single city.

Proper Nouns

Zeus (Ζεύς) deity
Lycaean (Zeus Lycaeus) (Λυκαῖος (Δίας)) deity
Lykaia (games/festival) (Λύκαια) other
Panathenaia (Παναθήναια) other
Also in: 1.29.1
Athenaia (Ἀθήναια) other
Theseus (Θησεύς) person
Lycaon (Λυκάων) person
Pelasgus (Πέλασγος) person
Also in: 2.24.1
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) person
Lycosura (Λυκόσουρα) place Q1878714
Lykaion (Λύκαιον) place Q1878690
← 8.1.6 8.2.2 →