Pausanias Analysis

Passage 9.8.1

← 9.7.6 9.8.2 →

Passage 9.8.1: Potniae's sanctuary of Demeter and Kore and its pig-release rite.

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

διαβεβηκότι δὲ ἤδη τὸν Ἀσωπὸν καὶ τῆς πόλεως δέκα μάλιστα ἀφεστηκότι σταδίους Ποτνιῶν ἐστιν ἐρείπια καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἄλσος Δήμητρος καὶ Κόρης. τὰ δὲ ἀγάλματα ἐν τῷ ποταμῷ τῷ παρὰ τὰς Ποτνιὰς τὰς θεὰς ὀνομάζουσιν. ἐν χρόνῳ δὲ εἰρημένῳ δρῶσι καὶ ἄλλα ὁπόσα καθέστηκέ σφισι καὶ ἐς τὰ μέγαρα καλούμενα ἀφιᾶσιν ὗς τῶν νεογνῶν· τοὺς δὲ ὗς τούτους ἐς τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν τοῦ ἔτους ὥραν ἐν Δωδώνῃ φασὶν ἐπὶ λόγῳ τῷδε ἄλλος πού τις πεισθήσεται.

English Translation

After crossing the Asopus and going about ten stades from the city, one finds the ruins of Potniae, and within them is a grove sacred to Demeter and Kore. The images of the goddesses are named after the river that runs near Potniae. At a prescribed time, the inhabitants perform certain other established rites, among which is the practice of releasing young pigs into a place they call the Megaron ("sanctuary"). Regarding these pigs, it is said that in the following season of the year at Dodona—on what account another person elsewhere might be convinced—they appear.

Proper Nouns

Demeter (Δήμητρα) deity
Kore (Κόρη) deity
Dodona (Δωδώνη) place Q382317
Potniai (Ποτνιαί) place Q3400070
Also in: 9.8.2
Asopus (Ἀσωπός) place Q622781
← 9.7.6 9.8.2 →