Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.5.16

← 9.5.15 9.6.1 →

Passage 9.5.16: Theban royal succession; Andropompus kills Xanthus, prompting rule by many.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Αὐτεσίωνος δὲ ἀπελθόντος, οὕτω βασιλέα εἵλοντο Δαμασίχθονα Ὀφέλτου τοῦ Πηνέλεω. τούτου δὲ ἦν τοῦ Δαμασίχθονος Πτολεμαῖος, τοῦ δὲ Ξάνθος, ὃν Ἀνδρόπομπος μονομαχήσαντά οἱ δόλῳ καὶ οὐ σὺν τῷ δικαίῳ κτείνει. τὸ δὲ ἐντεῦθεν διὰ πλειόνων πολιτεύεσθαι μηδὲ ἀπʼ ἀνδρὸς ἑνὸς ἠρτῆσθαι τὰ πάντα ἄμεινον ἐφαίνετο τοῖς Θηβαίοις.

English Translation

After the departure of Autesion, they thus chose Damasichthon, son of Opheltes, son of Peneleus, as king. Ptolemaeus was the son of this Damasichthon, and Xanthus was the son of Ptolemaeus. Andropompus killed this Xanthus, having fought against him in single combat, treacherously and not justly. After this event, it seemed preferable to the Thebans to have government by many rather than for everything to depend upon the authority of a single individual.

Proper Nouns

Autesion (Αὐτεσίων) person Q101240374
Damasichthon (Δαμασίχθων) person
Also in: 7.3.3
Xanthus (Ξάνθος) person
Also in: 8.24.1
Peneleos (Πηνέλεως) person
Ptolemy (Πτολεμαῖος) person
Andropompos (Ἀνδρόπομπος) person
Also in: 2.18.8 7.1.9
Opheltes (Ὀφέλτης) person
Also in: 2.15.2 2.15.3
Thebans (Θηβαῖοι) place
← 9.5.15 9.6.1 →