Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.3.7

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Passage 9.3.7: Ritual wagon procession and altar on Mount Cithaeron

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

τὸ δὲ ἄγαλμα κομίσαντες παρὰ τὸν Ἀσωπὸν καὶ ἀναθέντες ἐπὶ ἅμαξαν, γυναῖκα ἐφιστᾶσι νυμφεύτριαν· οἱ δὲ αὖθις κληροῦνται καθʼ ἥντινα τάξιν τὴν πομπὴν ἀνάξουσι· τὸ δὲ ἐντεῦθεν τὰς ἁμάξας ἀπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ πρὸς ἄκρον τὸν Κιθαιρῶνα ἐλαύνουσιν. εὐτρέπισται δέ σφισιν ἐπὶ τῇ κορυφῇ τοῦ ὄρους βωμός, ποιοῦσι δὲ τρόπῳ τοιῷδε τὸν βωμόν· ξύλα τετράγωνα ἁρμόζοντες πρὸς ἄλληλα συντιθέασι κατὰ ταὐτὰ καὶ εἰ λίθων ἐποιοῦντο οἰκοδομίαν, ἐξάραντες δὲ ἐς ὕψος φρύγανα ἐπιφέρουσιν.

English Translation

After bringing the image to the Asopus and setting it upon a wagon, they place a woman beside it to serve as attendant bride. Next, they again cast lots to determine the order in which they will lead the procession. From this point onward, they drive the wagons from the river upward toward the summit of Mount Cithaeron. An altar is prepared for them upon the peak of the mountain, and they build this altar in the following manner: fitting squared timbers closely together, they construct the structure just as if they were erecting masonry from stones, and after raising it to height, they place brushwood upon it.

Proper Nouns

Asopos (Ἀσωπός) deity
Cithaeron (Κιθαιρών) place Q1147780
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