Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.5.3

← 9.5.2 9.5.4 →

Passage 9.5.3: Echion and the Sparti—Cadmus' famed sown warriors.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

ἐπὶ μὲν δὴ Κάδμου μέγιστον μετά γε αὐτὸν Κάδμον ἠδύναντο οἱ Σπαρτοί, Χθόνιος καὶ Ὑπερήνωρ καὶ Πέλωρος καὶ Οὐδαῖος· Ἐχίονα δὲ ὡς προέχοντα κατʼ ἀνδραγαθίαν γαμβρὸν ἠξίωσεν ὁ Κάδμος ποιήσασθαι. τοὺς δὲ ἄνδρας τούτους---οὐ γάρ τι ἠδυνάμην ἐς αὐτοὺς παρευρεῖν---ἕπομαι τῷ μύθῳ Σπαρτοὺς διὰ τὸν τρόπον ὅντινα ἐγένοντο ὀνομασθῆναι. Κάδμου δὲ ἐς Ἰλλυριοὺς καὶ Ἰλλυριῶν ἐς τοὺς καλουμένους Ἐγχελέας μετοικήσαντος Πολύδωρος ὁ Κάδμου τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔσχε.

English Translation

During the reign of Cadmus, next to Cadmus himself the greatest in power were the Sparti—Chthonius, Hyperenor, Pelorus, and Udaeus. But it was Echion who excelled so greatly in valour that Cadmus considered him worthy to become his son-in-law. Regarding these men—since I myself have been unable to find any definite confirmation—I therefore follow the tradition naming them "Sparti" from the manner of their birth. When Cadmus migrated to the Illyrians and specifically to the people called Encheleans among them, Polydorus, the son of Cadmus, took over the kingship.

Proper Nouns

Kadmos (Κάδμος) person
Oudaios/Udaeus (Οὐδαῖος) person
Peloros (Πέλωρος) person
Polydoros (Πολύδωρος) person
Spartoi/Sparti (Σπαρτοί) person
Also in: 8.11.8
Chthonios/Chthonius (Χθόνιος) person
Enchelei/Enchelii (Ἐγχελεῖς) person
Echion (Ἐχίων) person
Also in: 9.2.4 9.5.4
Hyperenor (Ὑπερήνωρ) person
Illyrians (Ἰλλυριοί) place Q32047
← 9.5.2 9.5.4 →