Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.24.7

← 8.24.6 8.24.8 →

Passage 8.24.7: Alcmaeon's tomb at Psophis surrounded by sacred cypresses called "virgins".

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Προμάχου δὲ καὶ Ἐχέφρονος τῶν Ψωφῖδος οὐκ ἐπιφανῆ κατʼ ἐμὲ ἔτι ἦν τὰ ἡρῷα. τέθαπται δὲ καὶ Ἀλκμαίων ἐν Ψωφῖδι ὁ Ἀμφιαράου, καί οἱ τὸ μνῆμά ἐστιν οἴκημα οὔτε μεγέθει μέγα οὔτε ἄλλως κεκοσμημένον· περὶ δὲ αὐτὸ κυπάρισσοι πεφύκασιν ἐς τοσοῦτον ὕψος ἀνήκουσαι, ὥστε καὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ πρὸς τῇ Ψωφῖδι κατεσκιάζετο ὑπʼ αὐτῶν. ταύτας οὐκ ἐθέλουσιν ἐκκόπτειν ἱερὰς τοῦ Ἀλκμαίωνος νομίζοντες· καλοῦνται δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐπιχωρίων παρθένοι.

English Translation

At my time, the hero-shrines of Promachus and Echephron at Psophis were no longer remarkable. Alcmaeon, the son of Amphiaraus, is also buried in Psophis, and his monument is a building neither great in size nor decorated in any other way. However, around it have grown cypress trees that have reached such a great height that even the mountain by Psophis is overshadowed by them. The locals refuse to cut them down, regarding the trees as sacred to Alcmaeon. They call these cypresses "virgins."

Proper Nouns

Promachos (Πρόμαχος) person
Alcmaeon (Ἀλκμαίων) person
Amphiaraos (Ἀμφιάραος) person
Echephron (Ἐχέφρων) person
Also in: 8.24.2
Psophis (Ψωφῖς) place Q1187304
Also in: 8.24.6 8.24.13
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