Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.31.4

← 8.31.3 8.31.5 →

Passage 8.31.4: Statue of Zeus Philios by Polycleitus

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

πεποίηνται δὲ ἐπὶ τραπέζῃ καὶ Νύμφαι· Νέδα μὲν Δία φέρουσά ἐστι νήπιον παῖδα, Ἀνθρακία δὲ νύμφη τῶν Ἀρκαδικῶν καὶ αὕτη δᾷδα ἔχουσά ἐστιν, Ἁγνὼ δὲ τῇ μὲν ὑδρίαν, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἑτέρᾳ χειρὶ φιάλην· Ἀγχιρόης δὲ καὶ Μυρτωέσσης εἰσὶν ὑδρίαι τὰ φορήματα, καὶ ὕδωρ δῆθεν ἀπʼ αὐτῶν κάτεισιν. τοῦ περιβόλου δέ ἐστιν ἐντὸς Φιλίου Διὸς ναός, Πολυκλείτου μὲν τοῦ Ἀργείου τὸ ἄγαλμα, Διονύσῳ δὲ ἐμφερές· κόθορνοί τε γὰρ τὰ ὑποδήματά ἐστιν αὐτῷ καὶ ἔχει τῇ χειρὶ ἔκπωμα, τῇ δὲ ἑτέρᾳ θύρσον, κάθηται δὲ ἀετὸς ἐπὶ τῷ θύρσῳ· καίτοι τοῖς γε ἐς Διόνυσον λεγομένοις τοῦτο οὐχ ὁμολογοῦν ἐστι.

English Translation

On the table are also represented Nymphs: Neda is carrying the infant Zeus; Anthrakia, an Arcadian nymph as well, is holding a torch; Hagno holds an urn in one hand and in the other a drinking-cup; Anchiroë and Myrtoessa are bearing water-jars, and apparently water flows down from them. Within the enclosure is a temple of Zeus Philios. The statue was made by Polycleitus of Argos, and resembles Dionysus: for it wears buskins, holds a cup in one hand and a thyrsus in the other, and an eagle is perched upon the thyrsus. Yet this is not consistent with the established traditions related to Dionysus.

Proper Nouns

Dionysus (Διόνυσος) deity
Zeus (Ζεύς) deity
Myrtoessē (Μυρτωέσση) deity
Neda (Νέδα) deity
Also in: 8.38.3 8.47.3
Nymphs (Νύμφαι) deity
Philius Zeus (Φίλιος Ζεύς) deity
Anchirhoe (Ἀγχιρόη) deity
Anthrakia (Ἀνθρακία) deity
Also in: 8.47.3
Hagnō (Ἁγνώ) deity
Also in: 8.47.3
Polykleitos (Πολύκλειτος) person
Arcadia (Ἀρκαδία) place Q12898802
Argos (Ἄργος) place Q13533353
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