Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.33.3

← 8.33.2 8.33.4 →

Passage 8.33.3: The sanctuary of Bel remains as Babylon lies in ruins

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Βαβυλῶνος δὲ τοῦ μὲν Βήλου τὸ ἱερὸν λείπεται, Βαβυλῶνος δὲ ταύτης, ἥντινα εἶδε πόλεων τῶν τότε μεγίστην ἥλιος, οὐδὲν ἔτι ἦν εἰ μὴ τεῖχος, καθὰ καὶ Τίρυνθος τῆς ἐν τῇ Ἀργολίδι. ταῦτα μὲν δὴ ἐποίησεν ὁ δαίμων εἶναι τὸ μηδέν· ἡ δὲ Ἀλεξάνδρου πόλις ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ ἡ Σελεύκου παρὰ τῷ Ὀρόντῃ χθές τε ᾠκισμέναι καὶ πρῴην ἐς τοσοῦτο ἐπιδεδώκασι μεγέθους καὶ εὐδαιμονίας, ὅτι σφᾶς ἡ τύχη δεξιοῦται.

English Translation

Of Babylon, the sanctuary of Bel remains, but of Babylon herself, which the sun saw as the greatest of the cities of that time, nothing remained except its wall, just as is the case with Tiryns in Argolis. All these things have been reduced to nothing by divine power. But the city of Alexander in Egypt, and that of Seleucus on the Orontes, founded only yesterday or the day before, have grown now to such greatness and prosperity, because fortune favors them.

Proper Nouns

Belos (Βῆλος) deity
Also in: 4.23.10
Seleucus (Σέλευκος) person
Alexander (Ἀλέξανδρος) person
Egypt (Αἴγυπτος) place Q79 Pleiades
Babylon (Βαβυλών) place Q5684
Tiryns (Τίρυνς) place Q217379 Pleiades
Argolis (Ἀργολίς) place Q12649101
Orontes (Ὀρόντης) place Q188871
← 8.33.2 8.33.4 →