Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.11.2

← 9.11.1 9.11.3 →

Passage 9.11.2: Tomb of Herakles' children by Megara

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

τοῦτο μὲν ἐνταῦθα οἱ Θηβαῖοι γραφῆναι λέγουσιν· ἐπιδεικνύουσι δὲ Ἡρακλέους τῶν παίδων τῶν ἐκ Μεγάρας μνῆμα, οὐδέν τι ἀλλοίως τὰ ἐς τὸν θάνατον λέγοντες ἢ Στησίχορος ὁ Ἱμεραῖος καὶ Πανύασσις ἐν τοῖς ἔπεσιν ἐποίησαν. Θηβαῖοι δὲ καὶ τάδε ἐπιλέγουσιν, ὡς Ἡρακλῆς ὑπὸ τῆς μανίας καὶ Ἀμφιτρύωνα ἔμελλεν ἀποκτιννύναι, πρότερον δὲ ἄρα ὕπνος ἐπέλαβεν αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ λίθου τῆς πληγῆς· Ἀθηνᾶν δὲ εἶναι τὴν ἐπαφεῖσάν οἱ τὸν λίθον τοῦτον ὅντινα Σωφρονιστῆρα ὀνομάζουσιν.

English Translation

This, say the Thebans, was painted here. And they also show the tomb of Herakles' children by Megara, relating the story of their death in no way differently than how Stesichorus of Himera and Panyassis described it in their poems. Further, the Thebans add that in his madness Herakles also intended to kill Amphitryon himself, but before this happened he was overcome by sleep because of the blow of a stone; and they say that Athena threw upon him this stone, which they call "the Saviour."

Proper Nouns

Athena (Ἀθηνᾶ) deity
Sophronister (Σωφρονιστήρ) other
Also in: 9.11.7
Theban (Θηβαῖος) person
Panyassis (Πανύασσις) person
Also in: 10.8.9 10.29.9
Stesichorus (Στησίχορος) person
Amphitryon (Ἀμφιτρύων) person
Heracles (Ἡρακλῆς) person
Himeraean (Ἱμεραῖος) person
Megara (Μεγάρα) place Q184864 Pleiades
← 9.11.1 9.11.3 →