Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.33.6

← 9.33.5 9.33.7 →

Passage 9.33.6: Sulla plunders Athena's statue at Alalcomenae.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Σύλλα δὲ ἔστι μὲν καὶ τὰ ἐς Ἀθηναίους ἀνήμερα καὶ ἤθους ἀλλότρια τοῦ Ῥωμαίων, ἐοικότα δὲ τούτοις καὶ τὰ ἐς Θηβαίους τε καὶ Ὀρχομενίους· προσεξειργάσατο δὲ καὶ ἐν ταῖς Ἀλαλκομεναῖς, τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς τὸ ἄγαλμα αὐτὸ συλήσας. τοῦτον μὲν τοιαῦτα ἔς τε Ἑλληνίδας πόλεις καὶ θεοὺς τοὺς Ἑλλήνων ἐκμανέντα ἐπέλαβεν ἀχαριστοτάτη νόσος πασῶν· φθειρῶν γὰρ ἤνθησεν, ἥ τε πρότερον εὐτυχία δοκοῦσα ἐς τοιοῦτο περιῆλθεν αὐτῷ τέλος. τὸ δὲ ἱερὸν τὸ ἐν ταῖς Ἀλαλκομεναῖς ἠμελήθη τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦδε ἅτε ἠρημωμένον τῆς θεοῦ.

English Translation

Sulla displayed cruelty towards the Athenians, actions alien to the Roman character, and behaved similarly toward the Thebans and Orchomenians. At Alalcomenae also he committed an additional outrage, plundering the very statue of Athena. Having thus acted violently towards cities of Greece and against divine beings of the Greeks, he was seized by a disease that is most loathsome of all indignities: he became infested with lice, and what had previously appeared as outstanding good fortune ended for him in such ignominy. From this time onward, neglect befell the sanctuary at Alalcomenae, as though it were abandoned by the goddess.

Proper Nouns

Gods of the Greeks (θεοί Ἑλλήνων) deity
Athena (Ἀθηνᾶ) deity
Thebans (Θηβαῖοι) person
Sulla (Σύλλας) person
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) person
Greeks (Ἑλληνίς) person
Also in: 1.20.5
Orchomenians (Ὀρχομένιος) person
Also in: 7.3.6 9.36.6
Romans (Ῥωμαῖοι) person
Alalkomenai (Ἀλαλκομέναι) place Q1044061
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