Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.31.2

← 8.31.1 8.31.3 →

Passage 8.31.2: Damophon's statues of Demeter and the Saviour Goddess with flower-bearing maidens.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

θεαὶ δὲ αἱ Μεγάλαι Δημήτηρ μὲν λίθου διὰ πάσης, ἡ δὲ Σώτειρα τὰ ἐσθῆτος ἐχόμενα ξύλου πεποίηται· μέγεθος δὲ ἑκατέρας πέντε που καὶ δέκα εἰσὶ πόδες. τά τε ἀγάλματα Δαμοφῶν καὶ πρὸ αὐτῶν κόρας ἐποίησεν οὐ μεγάλας, ἐν χιτῶσί τε καθήκουσιν ἐς σφυρὰ καὶ ἀνθῶν ἀνάπλεων ἑκατέρα τάλαρον ἐπὶ τῇ κεφαλῇ φέρει· εἶναι δὲ θυγατέρες τοῦ Δαμοφῶντος λέγονται, τοῖς δὲ ἐπανάγουσιν ἐς τὸ θειότερον δοκεῖ σφᾶς Ἀθηνᾶν τε εἶναι καὶ Ἄρτεμιν τὰ ἄνθη μετὰ τῆς Περσεφόνης συλλεγούσας.

English Translation

The Great Goddesses are depicted thus: Demeter is carved entirely of stone, but the Saviour Goddess has garments made of wood. In height each of them measures about fifteen feet. Damophon made these statues, and also placed before them smaller figures of maidens, not large, clothed in tunics reaching to their ankles; each maiden carries upon her head a basket full of flowers. It is said these maidens are daughters of Damophon himself, but for those who interpret the figures in a more divine sense, the maidens are thought to represent Athena and Artemis gathering flowers along with Persephone.

Proper Nouns

Demeter (Δημήτηρ) deity
Great Goddesses (Μεγάλαι θεαί) deity
Also in: 4.27.6 8.31.1
Persephone (Περσεφόνη) deity
Soteira (Σώτειρα) deity
Athena (Ἀθηνᾶ) deity
Artemis (Ἄρτεμις) deity
Damophon (Δαμοφῶν) person Q1158742
← 8.31.1 8.31.3 →