Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.42.5

← 8.42.4 8.42.6 →

Passage 8.42.5: Oracle to the Phigalians after loss of their goddess's image.

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

τοῦτο μὲν δὴ τὸ ξόανον οὔτε ὅτου ποίημα ἦν οὔτε ἡ φλὸξ τρόπον ὅντινα ἐπέλαβεν αὐτό, μνημονεύουσιν· ἀφανισθέντος δὲ τοῦ ἀρχαίου Φιγαλεῖς οὔτε ἄγαλμα ἄλλο ἀπεδίδοσαν τῇ θεῷ καὶ ὁπόσα ἐς ἑορτὰς καὶ θυσίας τὰ πολλὰ δὴ παρῶπτό σφισιν, ἐς ὃ ἡ ἀκαρπία ἐπιλαμβάνει τὴν γῆν· καὶ ἱκετεύσασιν αὐτοῖς χρᾷ τάδε ἡ Πυθία·

English Translation

They do not record by whom the image was crafted, nor in precisely what manner the fire seized it; yet after the loss of the original image, the Phigalians neither consecrated another statue for the goddess nor continued diligently their customary rites relating to festivals and sacrifices—indeed, they largely neglected these too—until barrenness gripped their land. When they sought aid, the Pythian priestess gave them this oracle:

Proper Nouns

Pythia (Πυθία) person
Phigaleians (Φιγαλεῖς) person
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