Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.23.3

← 8.23.2 8.23.4 →

Passage 8.23.3: The town of Caphyae and its sanctuaries to Poseidon and Artemis

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

τὸ δὲ ὄνομά ἐστι μὲν δῆλον ἀπὸ Κηφέως τοῦ Ἀλέου τῇ πόλει γεγονός, ὀνομάζεσθαι δὲ αὐτὴν φωνῇ τῇ Ἀρκάδων Καφυὰς ἐκνενίκηκε. φασὶ δὲ οἱ Καφυεῖς τὰ ἄνωθεν ἐκ τῆς Ἀττικῆς εἶναι χώρας, ἐκβληθέντες δὲ ὑπὸ Αἰγέως ἐξ Ἀθηνῶν ἐς Ἀρκαδίαν φυγεῖν καὶ ἱκέται γενόμενοι Κηφέως οἰκῆσαι ἐνταῦθα. τὸ μὲν δὴ πόλισμα ἐπὶ τοῦ πεδίου τῷ πέρατι ὀρῶν οὐκ ἄγαν ὑψηλῶν παρὰ τοῖς ποσίν ἐστι· Καφυάταις δὲ ἱερὰ θεῶν Ποσειδῶνός ἐστι καὶ ἐπίκλησιν Κνακαλησίας Ἀρτέμιδος.

English Translation

The city evidently derived its name originally from Cepheus, the son of Aleus, yet it has come to be known, according to the Arcadian dialect, as Caphyae. The inhabitants of Caphyae say they were originally from Attic territory, but that after being driven out of Athens by Aegeus, they fled into Arcadia and, becoming suppliants of Cepheus, settled there. The town itself lies on a plain at the foot of mountains, which are not very high. The Caphyans possess sanctuaries dedicated to the gods Poseidon and Artemis called Knakalesia.

Proper Nouns

Poseidon (Ποσειδῶν) deity
Artemis (Ἄρτεμις) deity
Knakalēsia (Κνακαλησία) other
Aegeus (Αἰγεύς) person
Caphyaeans (Καφυαῖοι) person
Kaphieis (Καφυεῖς) person
Also in: 8.23.7
Cepheus (Κηφεύς) person
Aleus (Ἀλεός) person
Arcadians (Ἀρκάδες) person
Caphyae (Καφυαί) place Q2365548
Athens (Ἀθῆναι) place Q844930
Arcadia (Ἀρκαδία) place Q12898802
Attica (Ἀττική) place Q122443
← 8.23.2 8.23.4 →