Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.31.7

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Passage 8.31.7: Sanctuary and statues for the Great Goddesses at Megalopolis

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἑστήκασι δὲ καὶ ἀνδριάντες ἐν οἰκήματι, Καλλιγνώτου τε καὶ Μέντα καὶ Σωσιγένους τε καὶ Πώλου· καταστήσασθαι δὲ οὗτοι Μεγαλοπολίταις λέγονται πρῶτον τῶν Μεγάλων θεῶν τὴν τελετήν, καὶ τὰ δρώμενα τῶν Ἐλευσῖνί ἐστι μιμήματα. κεῖται δὲ ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου θεῶν τοσάδε ἄλλων ἀγάλματα τὸ τετράγωνον παρεχόμενα σχῆμα, Ἑρμῆς τε ἐπίκλησιν Ἀγήτωρ καὶ Ἀπόλλων καὶ Ἀθηνᾶ τε καὶ Ποσειδῶν, ἔτι δὲ Ἥλιος ἐπωνυμίαν ἔχων Σωτὴρ δὲ εἶναι καὶ Ἡρακλῆς. ᾠκοδόμηται δὲ καὶ ἱερόν σφισι μεγέθει μέγα, καὶ ἄγουσιν ἐνταῦθα τὴν τελετὴν ταῖς θεαῖς.

English Translation

There also stand statues inside a building of Callignotus, Mentas, Sosigenes, and Polus. These men are said to have first established among the Megalopolitans the rites of the Great Goddesses; the ceremonies performed are imitations of those at Eleusis. Within the precinct there are also statues of other divinities arranged in a square: Hermes called Agetor ("Leader"), Apollo, Athena, Poseidon, Helios bearing the surname Soter ("Savior"), and Heracles as well. A sanctuary of great size has also been constructed for them, and there they celebrate the sacred ceremonies in honor of the goddesses.

Proper Nouns

Great Gods (Μεγάλοι θεοί) deity
Poseidon (Ποσειδῶν) deity
Soter (Σωτήρ) deity
Also in: 4.31.6 8.30.10
Agetor (Ἀγήτωρ) deity
Athena (Ἀθηνᾶ) deity
Apollo (Ἀπόλλων) deity
Hermes (Ἑρμῆς) deity
Heracles (Ἡρακλῆς) deity
Helios (Ἥλιος) deity
Kallignotos (Καλλίγνωτος) person
Mentas (Μέντας) person
Megalopolitans (Μεγαλοπολῖται) person
Polos (Πῶλος) person
Sosigenes (Σωσιγένης) person
Eleusis (Ἐλευσίς) place Q11918833
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