Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.54.3

← 8.54.2 8.54.4 →

Passage 8.54.3: The river Alpheios appearing as Arethusa in Ortygia (Syracuse)

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἀνασχὼν δὲ ἔνθα Πηγὰς ὀνομάζουσιν οἱ Ἀρκάδες καὶ παρὰ γῆν τε τὴν Πισαίαν καὶ παρὰ Ὀλυμπίαν ἐξελθών, ἐκδίδωσιν ὑπὲρ Κυλλήνης ἐπινείου τοῦ Ἠλείων ἐς τὴν θάλασσαν. ἔμελλε δὲ ἄρα μηδὲ Ἀδρίας ἐπισχήσειν αὐτὸν τοῦ πρόσω· διανηξάμενος δὲ καὶ τοῦτον, μέγα οὕτω καὶ βίαιον πέλαγος, ἐν Ὀρτυγίᾳ τῇ πρὸ Συρακουσῶν ἐπιδείκνυσιν Ἀλφειός τε ὢν καὶ πρὸς Ἀρέθουσαν τὸ ὕδωρ ἀνακοινούμενος.

English Translation

Rising again at the place the Arcadians call Pegae, and flowing onward past the territory of Pisa and Olympia, it discharges itself into the sea beyond Cyllene, the port of the Eleans. But even the Adriatic Sea could not hold back its further advance; having crossed this great and formidable expanse of ocean, it reappears on the island of Ortygia opposite Syracuse, revealing itself there as indeed the river Alpheios and mingling its waters with those of Arethusa.

Proper Nouns

Arethusa (Ἀρέθουσα) deity
the sea (θάλασσα) other
Alpheius (Ἀλφειός) person
Also in: 5.24.7
Arcadians (Ἀρκάδες) person
Eleans (Ἠλεῖοι) person
Kyllene (Κυλλήνη) place Q56650616
Pegai (Πηγαί) place Q935675
Also in: 1.44.4 8.44.4
Pisaia (Πισαία) place Q15464085
Syracuse (Συρακοῦσαι) place Q4420718
Adrias (the Adriatic) (Ἀδρίας) place Q13924 Pleiades
Also in: 5.25.3
Olympia (Ὀλυμπία) place Q38888 Pleiades
Ortygia (Ὀρτυγία) place Q1233234
Also in: 5.7.2 5.7.3
← 8.54.2 8.54.4 →