Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.17.5

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Passage 9.17.5: Tithorea's protective sunset bull-sacrifice to Amphion and Zethus.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

ταῦτα δὲ αἱ πόλεις αὗται πεπιστεύκασιν ἐκ χρησμῶν τῶν Βάκιδος, ἔστι γὰρ καὶ τάδε ἐν τοῖς χρησμοῖς· ἀλλʼ ὁπόταν Τιθορεὺς Ἀμφίονί τε Ζήθῳ τε χύτλα καὶ εὐχωλὰς μειλίγματʼ ἐνὶ χθονὶ χεύῃ θελγομένου ταύροιο κλυτοῦ μένει ἠελίοιο, καὶ τότε δὴ πεφύλαξο πόλει κακὸν οὐκ ἀλαπαδνόν ἐρχόμενον· καρποὶ γὰρ ἀποφθινύθουσιν ἐν αὐτῇ γαίης δασσαμένων, Φώκου δʼ ἐπὶ σῆμα φερόντων.

English Translation

These cities have trusted these matters because of oracles of Bacis, for it is written also thus in these same oracles: "But whenever a man of Tithorea pours libations and soothing prayers upon the earth to Amphion and Zethus with the sacrifice of a bull, as the bright sun is setting, then truly guard the city from approaching harm, not feeble; for the fruits in it dwindle away when those who divide the land bring offerings to the tomb of Phocus."

Proper Nouns

Bacis (Βάκις) person Q708459
Zethus (Ζῆθος) person
Phocus (Φῶκος) person
Amphion (Ἀμφίων) person
Tithoreus (Τιθορεύς) place
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