Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.30.6

← 9.30.5 9.30.7 →

Passage 9.30.6: Orpheus' death at Aornos and nightingales singing on his tomb.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

ἄλλοις δὲ εἰρημένον ἐστὶν ὡς προαποθανούσης οἱ τῆς γυναικὸς ἐπὶ τὸ Ἄορνον διʼ αὐτὴν τὸ ἐν τῇ Θεσπρωτίδι ἀφίκετο· εἶναι γὰρ πάλαι νεκυομαντεῖον αὐτόθι· νομίζοντα δέ οἱ ἕπεσθαι τῆς Εὐρυδίκης τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ ἁμαρτόντα ὡς ἐπεστράφη, αὐτόχειρα αὐτὸν ὑπὸ λύπης αὑτοῦ γενέσθαι. λέγουσι δὲ οἱ Θρᾷκες, ὅσαι τῶν ἀηδόνων ἔχουσι νεοσσιὰς ἐπὶ τῷ τάφῳ τοῦ Ὀρφέως, ταύτας ἥδιον καὶ μεῖζόν τι ᾄδειν.

English Translation

But others narrate that when his wife died before him, he journeyed on her account to Aornos in Thesprotia, for there was in ancient times a necromantic oracle there. Believing that Eurydice's soul followed behind him, and erring in turning around, he killed himself from grief. The Thracians claim that those nightingales who nest upon Orpheus' tomb sing sweeter and more powerfully than others.

Proper Nouns

Eurydice (Εὐρυδίκη) person Q242295
Thracians (Θρᾷκες) person
Orpheus (Ὀρφεύς) person
Thesprotis (Θεσπρωτίς) place Q119039542
Aornon (Ἄορνον) place Q4778750
← 9.30.5 9.30.7 →