Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.41.6

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Passage 8.41.6: The wooden fish-tailed statue of Eurynome at Phigaleia.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

τηνικαῦτα δὲ καὶ θυσίας δημοσίᾳ τε καὶ ἰδιῶται θύουσιν. ἀφικέσθαι μὲν δή μοι τῆς ἑορτῆς οὐκ ἐξεγένετο ἐς καιρὸν οὐδὲ τῆς Εὐρυνόμης τὸ ἄγαλμα εἶδον· τῶν Φιγαλέων δʼ ἤκουσα ὡς χρυσαῖ τε τὸ ξόανον συνδέουσιν ἁλύσεις καὶ εἰκὼν γυναικὸς τὰ ἄχρι τῶν γλουτῶν, τὸ ἀπὸ τούτου δέ ἐστιν ἰχθύς. θυγατρὶ μὲν δὴ Ὠκεανοῦ καὶ ἐν βυθῷ τῆς θαλάσσης ὁμοῦ Θέτιδι οἰκούσῃ παρέχοιτο ἄν τι ἐς γνώρισμα αὐτῆς ὁ ἰχθύς· Ἀρτέμιδι δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν ὅπως ἂν μετά γε τοῦ εἰκότος λόγου μετείη τοιούτου σχήματος.

English Translation

And at this time both the community and private individuals perform sacrifices. I myself did not arrive in time for the festival, nor did I see the statue of Eurynome. However, I heard from the people of Phigaleia that the wooden image is bound with golden chains and is shaped as a woman down to the hips, while below that point it has the form of a fish. Indeed, the fish feature might suitably serve as a distinguishing mark for a daughter of Ocean who dwells with Thetis in the depths of the sea; however, no rational argument could plausibly connect Artemis to such a form.

Proper Nouns

Eurynome (Εὐρυνόμη) deity
Thetis (Θέτις) deity
Artemis (Ἄρτεμις) deity
Oceanus (Ὠκεανός) deity
Phigaleia (Φιγάλεια) place Q7623270
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