Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.39.12

← 9.39.11 9.39.13 →

Passage 9.39.12: Demetrius' bodyguard killed for attempting to steal gold from an inner sanctuary.

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

ἀποθανεῖν δὲ οὐδένα τῶν καταβάντων λέγουσιν ὅτι μὴ μόνον τῶν Δημητρίου τινὰ δορυφόρων· τοῦτον δὲ οὔτε ποιῆσαι περὶ τὸ ἱερόν φασιν οὐδὲν τῶν νενομισμένων οὔτε χρησόμενον τῷ θεῷ καταβῆναι, χρυσὸν δὲ καὶ ἄργυρον ἐκκομιεῖν ἐλπίσαντα ἐκ τοῦ ἀδύτου. λέγεται δὲ καὶ τούτου τὸν νεκρὸν ἑτέρωθι ἀναφανῆναι καὶ οὐ κατὰ στόμα ἐκβληθῆναι τὸ ἱερόν. ἐς μὲν δὴ τὸν ἄνθρωπον λεγομένων καὶ ἄλλων εἴρηταί μοι τὰ ἀξιολογώτατα·

English Translation

They say that none of those who have descended have died, except only one of the bodyguards of Demetrius. It is said that this man neither performed any of the customary rites in the sanctuary nor went down intending to consult the god, but descended hoping to carry out gold and silver from the inner shrine. It is reported that even this man's corpse appeared elsewhere, not having been expelled from the sanctuary by the usual entrance. I have thus related the most notable of the accounts told about this man, although other stories are also told.

Proper Nouns

god (θεός) deity
Demetrius (Δημήτριος) person
sanctuary (ἱερόν) place Q1617500
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