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Histories

§1.148.1-1.148.2

The Panionium Sanctuary and the Festival at Mycale

The author describes the location of the Panionium, a joint sanctuary of the Ionians dedicated to Heliconian Poseidon, and the geographical situation of Mount Mycale where they celebrated their common festival.

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§1.148.1

τὸ δὲ Πανιώνιον ἐστὶ τῆς Μυκάλης χῶρος ἱρὸς πρὸς ἄρκτον τετραμμένος, κοινῇ ἐξαραιρημένος1 ὑπὸ Ἰώνων Ποσειδέωνι Ἑλικωνίῳ. ἡ δὲ Μυκάλη ἐστὶ τῆς ἠπείρου ἄκρη πρὸς ζέφυρον ἄνεμον κατήκουσα Σάμῳ καταντίον, ἐς τὴν συλλεγόμενοι ἀπὸ τῶν πολίων Ἴωνες ἄγεσκον2 ὁρτὴν τῇ ἔθεντο οὔνομα3 Πανιώνια.

​The Panionium is a sacred place on Mycale, facing north, set apart by the Ionians in common for Heliconian Poseidon. Mycale is a promontory of the mainland extending toward the west wind, opposite Samos; gathering there from their cities, the Ionians used to celebrate a festival, to which they gave the name Panionia.

Syntax notes3 items
  1. 1.148.1ἐξαραιρημένος

    An Ionic form of the perfect passive participle of the verb ἐξαιρέω (to take out, set apart), corresponding to Attic ἐξῃρημένος. It modifies χῶρος ἱρὸς (sacred place), meaning 'specially set apart' by the community for a deity (here, Poseidon).

  2. 1.148.1ἄγεσκον

    An Ionic iterative imperfect form of the verb ἄγω (to celebrate [a festival]), characterized by the suffix -σκ-. It expresses a repeated or habitual action in the past: 'they used to celebrate' or 'they would repeatedly celebrate'.

  3. 1.148.1τῇ ἔθεντο οὔνομα

    τῇ is the Ionic form of the dative relative pronoun (corresponding to Attic ᾗ), with ὁρτήν (festival) as its antecedent. ἔθεντο is the third-person plural second aorist middle of τίθημι. Together they form the idiomatic construction ὄνομα τίθεσθαί τινι (to give a name to something).

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.148.1-1.148.2