Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.34.5

← 9.34.4 9.34.6 →

Passage 9.34.5: Sanctuary of Zeus Laphystius on Mount Laphystium, linked to Phrixus' golden ram.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἐς δὲ τὸ ὄρος τὸ Λαφύστιον καὶ ἐς τοῦ Διὸς τοῦ Λαφυστίου τὸ τέμενός εἰσιν ἐκ Κορωνείας στάδιοι μάλιστα εἴκοσι. λίθου μὲν τὸ ἄγαλμά ἐστιν· Ἀθάμαντος δὲ θύειν Φρίξον καὶ Ἕλλην ἐνταῦθα μέλλοντος πεμφθῆναι κριὸν τοῖς παισί φασιν ὑπὸ Διὸς ἔχοντα τὸ ἔριον χρυσοῦν, καὶ ἀποδρᾶναι σφᾶς ἐπὶ τοῦ κριοῦ τούτου. ἀνωτέρω δέ ἐστιν Ἡρακλῆς Χάροψ ἐπίκλησιν· ἐνταῦθα δὲ οἱ Βοιωτοὶ λέγουσιν ἀναβῆναι τὸν Ἡρακλέα ἄγοντα τοῦ Ἅιδου τὸν κύνα. ἐκ δὲ Λαφυστίου κατιόντι ἐς τῆς Ἰτωνίας Ἀθηνᾶς τὸ ἱερὸν ποταμός ἐστι Φάλαρος ἐς τὴν Κηφισίδα ἐκδιδοὺς λίμνην.

English Translation

From Coroneia to Mount Laphystium and the sanctuary of Zeus Laphystius is about twenty stades. There stands a stone image of Zeus. They say that Athamas was here about to sacrifice Phrixus and Helle, when Zeus provided for the children a ram whose fleece was golden, and upon this ram they escaped safely. Higher up is Heracles surnamed Charops ("with bright eyes"). According to the Boeotians, this is the place where Heracles ascended leading the Hound of Hades. Descending from Mount Laphystium towards the sanctuary of Athena Itonia, there is the river Phalarus, which flows into Lake Cephisus.

Proper Nouns

Zeus (Ζεύς) deity
Zeus Laphystios (Ζεύς Λαφύστιος) deity
Hades (Ἅιδης) deity
Itonian Athena (Ἰτωνία Ἀθηνᾶ) deity
Boeotians (Βοιωτοί) other
Phrixos (Φρίξος) person
Athamas (Ἀθάμας) person
Helle (Ἕλλη) person
Heracles (Ἡρακλῆς) person
Herakles Charops (Ἡρακλῆς Χάροψ) person
Cephisid (Κηφισίς) place Q136490941
Koroneia (Κορωνεία) place Q593295
Also in: 9.34.4 9.34.8
Laphystion (Λαφύστιον) place Q24888313
Also in: 9.34.6 9.34.7
Phalaros (Φάλαρος) place Q109763225
← 9.34.4 9.34.6 →