Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.5.4

← 9.5.3 9.5.5 →

Passage 9.5.4: Pentheus, son of Echion, punished by Dionysus

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

Πενθεὺς δὲ ὁ Ἐχίονος ἴσχυε μὲν καὶ αὐτὸς κατὰ γένους ἀξίωμα καὶ φιλίᾳ τοῦ βασιλέως· ὢν δὲ ἐς τὰ λοιπὰ ὑβριστὴς καὶ ἀσεβὴς Διονύσου, δίκην ἔσχεν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ. Πολυδώρου δὲ ἦν Λάβδακος· ἔμελλε δὲ ἄρα αὐτόν, ὥς οἱ παρίστατο ἡ τελευτή, παῖδα ἔτι ἀπολείψειν, καὶ ἐπιτρέπει τόν τε υἱὸν καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν Νυκτεῖ.

English Translation

Pentheus son of Echion himself was influential both by the dignity of his lineage and by his friendship with the king. However, since he behaved arrogantly and irreverently toward Dionysus in other respects, he received punishment from the god. Labdacus was the son of Polydorus. When his death was at hand, since his son was still a child, he entrusted both the boy and the rule to Nycteus.

Proper Nouns

Dionysus (Διόνυσος) deity
Labdacus (Λάβδακος) person
Also in: 2.6.2
Nycteus (Νυκτεύς) person
Also in: 2.6.1 2.6.2 9.5.5
Pentheus (Πενθεύς) person
Also in: 1.20.3 2.2.7 9.2.4
Polydoros (Πολύδωρος) person
Echion (Ἐχίων) person
Also in: 9.2.4 9.5.3
← 9.5.3 9.5.5 →