Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.17.1

← 9.16.7 9.17.2 →

Passage 9.17.1: Sanctuary of Artemis Eukleia and the self-sacrifice of Antipoenus' daughters.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

πλησίον δὲ Ἀρτέμιδος ναός ἐστιν Εὐκλείας· Σκόπα δὲ τὸ ἄγαλμα ἔργον. ταφῆναι δὲ ἐντὸς τοῦ ἱεροῦ θυγατέρας Ἀντιποίνου λέγουσιν Ἀνδρόκλειάν τε καὶ Ἀλκίδα. μελλούσης γὰρ πρὸς Ὀρχομενίους γίνεσθαι μάχης Θηβαίοις καὶ Ἡρακλεῖ, λόγιόν σφισιν ἦλθεν ἔσεσθαι τοῦ πολέμου κράτος ἀποθανεῖν αὐτοχειρίᾳ θελήσαντος, ὃς ἂν τῶν ἀστῶν ἐπιφανέστατος κατὰ γένους ἀξίωμα ᾖ. Ἀντιποίνῳ μὲν οὖν---τούτῳ γὰρ τὰ ἐς τοὺς προγόνους μάλιστα ὑπῆρχεν ἔνδοξα---οὐχ ἡδὺ ἦν ἀποθνήσκειν πρὸ τοῦ δήμου, ταῖς δὲ Ἀντιποίνου θυγατράσιν ἤρεσκε· διεργασάμεναι δὲ αὑτὰς τιμὰς ἀντὶ τούτων ἔχουσι.

English Translation

Near this (temple) is the sanctuary of Artemis Eukleia; the statue is a work of Skopas. It is said that the daughters of Antipoenus, Androkleia and Alkis, are buried inside the sanctuary. As the Thebans and Herakles were about to engage in a battle against the Orchomenians, an oracle declared that victory in war would belong to them if a citizen of the most distinguished lineage chose voluntarily to sacrifice himself. Antipoenus—for to him ancestral honor was especially prominent—was not willing to die for the sake of the community; but it seemed good to his daughters. Having willingly caused their own deaths, they received honors in return for this deed.

Proper Nouns

Eukleia (Εὐκλεία) deity
Also in: 1.14.5
Artemis (Ἄρτεμις) deity
Skopas (Σκόπας) person
Alkis (Ἀλκίς) person
Androkleia (Ἀνδρόκλεια) person
Antipoinos (Ἀντιποῖνος) person
Heracles (Ἡρακλῆς) person
Thebans (Θηβαῖοι) place
Orchomenians (Ὀρχομενιοί) place
Also in: 9.29.2 9.37.7
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