Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.22.3

← 9.22.2 9.22.4 →

Passage 9.22.3: Corinna's tomb and portrait in Tanagra commemorating her victory over Pindar.

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

Κορίννης δέ, ἣ μόνη δὴ ἐν Τανάγρᾳ ᾄσματα ἐποίησε, ταύτης ἔστι μὲν μνῆμα ἐν περιφανεῖ τῆς πόλεως, ἔστι δὲ ἐν τῷ γυμνασίῳ γραφή, ταινίᾳ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἡ Κόριννα ἀναδουμένη τῆς νίκης ἕνεκα ἣν Πίνδαρον ᾄσματι ἐνίκησεν ἐν Θήβαις. φαίνεται δέ μοι νικῆσαι τῆς διαλέκτου τε ἕνεκα, ὅτι ᾖδεν οὐ τῇ φωνῇ τῇ Δωρίδι ὥσπερ ὁ Πίνδαρος ἀλλὰ ὁποίᾳ συνήσειν ἔμελλον Αἰολεῖς, καὶ ὅτι ἦν γυναικῶν τότε δὴ καλλίστη τὸ εἶδος, εἴ τι τῇ εἰκόνι δεῖ τεκμαίρεσθαι.

English Translation

Of Corinna, who alone composed songs in Tanagra, there is a tomb prominently located within the city, and in the gymnasium there is a picture portraying her binding her head with a ribbon, commemorating her victory over Pindar in a contest of song at Thebes. It seems to me that she won partly because of her dialect, as she sang not in the Doric tongue as Pindar did, but in a dialect more understandable to the Aeolians. Additionally, it was because at that time she was the most beautiful woman in appearance, if indeed we should judge anything from her portrait.

Proper Nouns

Aeolians (Αἰολεῖς) other
Doric (Δωρίς) other
Also in: 2.27.4 6.24.5
Corinna (Κόριννα) person
Pindar (Πίνδαρος) person
Thebes (Θῆβαι) place Q11225429
Tanagra (Τανάγρα) place Q41818752
← 9.22.2 9.22.4 →