Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.39.14

← 9.39.13 9.40.1 →

Passage 9.39.14: The oracle of Trophonius and visitors' votive tablets.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

γράφω δὲ οὐκ ἀκοὴν ἀλλὰ ἑτέρους τε ἰδὼν καὶ αὐτὸς τῷ Τροφωνίῳ χρησάμενος. τοὺς δὲ ἐς τοῦ Τροφωνίου κατελθόντας, ἀνάγκη σφᾶς, ὁπόσα ἤκουσεν ἕκαστος ἢ εἶδεν, ἀναθεῖναι γεγραμμένα ἐν πίνακι. λείπεται δʼ ἔτι καὶ τοῦ Ἀριστομένους ἐνταῦθα ἡ ἀσπίς· τὰ δὲ ἐς αὐτὴν ὁποῖα ἐγένετο, ἐδήλωσα ἐν τοῖς προτέροις τοῦ λόγου.

English Translation

I do not write from hearsay, but as one who has seen others and has himself consulted Trophonius. Those who descend to Trophonius are obliged to dedicate on a tablet all that each has heard or seen. Here still remains also the shield of Aristomenes; what happened concerning it, I have already made clear earlier in my account.

Proper Nouns

Trophonios (Τροφώνιος) deity
Aristomenes (Ἀριστομένης) person
← 9.39.13 9.40.1 →