Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.35.4

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Passage 9.35.4: Early mentions of the Charites by Pamphos and Homer

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

Πάμφως μὲν δὴ πρῶτος ὧν ἴσμεν ᾖσεν ἐς Χάριτας, πέρα δὲ οὔτε ἀριθμοῦ πέρι οὔτε ἐς τὰ ὀνόματά ἐστιν οὐδὲν αὐτῷ πεποιημένον· Ὅμηρος δὲ---ἐμνημόνευσε γὰρ Χαρίτων καὶ οὗτος---τὴν μὲν Ἡφαίστου γυναῖκα εἶναι λέγει καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῇ τίθεται Χάριν, Πασιθέας δὲ εἶναί φησιν ἐραστὴν Ὕπνον, ἐν δὲ Ὕπνου τοῖς λόγοις τὸ ἔπος ἐποίησεν ἦ μέν μοι δώσειν Χαρίτων μίαν ὁπλοτεράων. Hom. Il. 14.270-6 τούτου δὲ ἕνεκα ὑπόνοια δὴ παρέστη τισὶν ὡς Χάριτας ἄρα καὶ πρεσβυτέρας οἶδεν ἄλλας Ὅμηρος.

English Translation

Indeed, Pamphos was the first, so far as we know, to sing about the Charites; yet he composed nothing concerning either their number or names. Homer also mentions the Charites, claiming that one of them is the wife of Hephaistos and naming her Charis; he says furthermore that Pasithea was beloved by Hypnos, and in the speech of Hypnos he composed the verse: "And that you would give me one of the younger Charites." (Homer, Iliad 14.270-276) Because of this statement, some people have come to suspect that Homer was thus aware of other, older Charites.

Proper Nouns

Pasithea (Πασιθέα) deity
Charis (Χάρις) deity
Also in: 5.11.8 9.35.6
Charites (Χάριτες) deity
Hephaestus (Ἥφαιστος) deity
Hypnos (Ὕπνος) deity
Pamphos (Πάμφως) person
Homer (Ὅμηρος) person
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