§28ὁ μὲν χῶρος αὐτός, ἐν τῷ τὸ ἱρὸν ἵδρυται, λόφος ἐστίν, κέαται δὲ κατὰ μέσον μάλιστα τῆς πόλιος, καί οἱ τείχεα δοιὰ περικέαται.
The site itself where the temple is built is a hill, and it lies almost in the middle of the city, and two walls lie around it.
τῶν δὲ τειχέων τὸ μὲν ἀρχαῖον, τὸ δὲ οὐ πολλὸν ἡμέων πρεσβύτερον.
Of these walls, one is ancient, and the other is not much older than our own time.
τὰ δὲ προπύλαια τοῦ ἱροῦ ἐς ἄνεμον βορέην ἀποκέκρινται, μέγαθος ὅσον τε ἑκατὸν ὀργυιέων.
The propylaea of the temple face the north wind, in size about one hundred orguiai.
ἐν τούτοισι τοῖσι προπυλαίοισι καὶ οἱ φαλλοὶ ἑστᾶσι τοὺς Διόνυσος ἐστήσατο, ἡλικίην καὶ οἵδε τριηκοσίων ὀργυιέων.
In these propylaea also stand the phalluses which Dionysus set up, these too being three hundred orguiai in height.
ἐς τουτέων τὸν ἕνα φαλλὸν ἀνὴρ ἑκάστου ἔτεος δὶς ἀνέρχεται οἰκέει τε ἐν ἄκρῳ τῷ φαλλῷ χρόνον ἑπτὰ ἡμερέων.
Onto one of these phalluses, a man climbs twice each year and dwells at the top of the phallus for a period of seven days.
αἰτίη δέ οἱ τῆς ἀνόδου ἥδε λέγεται. οἱ μὲν πολλοὶ νομίζουσιν ὅτι ὑψοῦ τοῖσι θεοῖσιν ὁμιλέει καὶ ἀγαθὰ ξυναπάσῃ Συρίῃ αἰτέει, οἱ δὲ τῶν εὐχωλέων ἀγχόθεν ἐπαΐουσιν.
The reason for his ascent is said to be this: the majority of people believe that he converses with the gods on high and asks for good things for all Syria, and that the gods hear their prayers from close at hand.
ἄλλοισιν δὲ δοκέει καὶ τάδε Δευκαλίωνος εἵνεκα ποιέεσθαι, ἐκείνης ξυμφορῆς μνήματα, ὁκότε οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἐς τὰ οὔρεα καὶ ἐς τὰ περιμήκεα τῶν δενδρέων ᾖσαν τὸ πολλὸν ὕδωρ ὀρρωδέοντες.
But to others it seems that this also is done on account of Deucalion, as a memorial of that disaster, when men went into the mountains and onto the highest trees, fearing the great water.
ἐμοὶ μέν νυν καὶ τάδε ἀπίθανα.
To me, however, these things also seem improbable.
δοκέω γε μὲν Διονύσῳ σφέας καὶ τάδε ποιέειν, συμβάλλομαι δὲ τουτέοισι. φαλλοὺς ὅσοι Διονύσῳ ἐγείρουσι, ἐν τοῖσι φαλλοῖσι καὶ ἄνδρας ξυλίνους κατίζουσιν, ὅτευ μὲν εἵνεκα ἐγὼ οὐκ ἐρέω.
I think, indeed, that they do this for Dionysus, and I infer it from these things: all those who raise phalluses for Dionysus also seat wooden men upon the phalluses, for what reason I will not say.
δοκέει δʼ ὦν μοι, καὶ ὅδε ἐς ἐκείνου μίμησιν τοῦ ξυλίνου ἀνδρὸς ἀνέρχεται.
It seems to me, at any rate, that this man also goes up in imitation of that wooden man.
§29ἡ δέ οἱ ἄνοδος τοιήδε· σειρῇ μικρῇ ἑωυτόν τε ἅμα καὶ τὸν φαλλὸν περιβάλλει, μετὰ δὲ ἐπιβαίνει ξύλων προσφυῶν τῷ φαλλῷ ὁκόσον ἐς χώρην ἄκρου ποδός· ἀνιὼν δὲ ἅμα ἀναβάλλει τὴν σειρὴν ἀμφοτέρωθεν ὅκωσπερ ἡνιοχέων.
His ascent is as follows: he encircles both himself and the phallus with a small rope, and then he steps upon wooden pegs fitted to the phallus, as much as for the space of the tip of a foot; as he goes up, he throws the rope upward from both sides, just like a charioteer.
εἰ δέ τις τόδε μὲν οὐκ ὄπωπεν, ὄπωπεν δὲ φοινικοβατέοντας ἢ ἐν Ἀραβίῃ ἢ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ἢ ἄλλοθί κου, οἶδε τὸ λέγω.
And if anyone has not seen this, but has seen those who climb palm trees either in Arabia or in Egypt or somewhere else, he knows what I am saying.
Ἐπεὰν δὲ ἐς τέλος ἵκηται τῆς ὁδοῦ, σειρὴν ἑτέρην ἀφεὶς τὴν αὐτὸς ἔχει, μακρὴν ταύτην, ἀνέλκει τῶν οἱ θυμός, ξύλα καὶ εἵματα καὶ σκεύεα, ἀπὸ τῶν ἕδρην συνδέων ὁκοίην καλιὴν ἱζάνει, μίμνει τε χρόνον τῶν εἶπον ἡμερέων.
When he reaches the end of his journey, letting down another rope than the one he himself has, this one being long, he draws up whatever his heart desires—wood, clothing, and vessels—with which, binding together a seat like a nest, he sits, and remains for the number of days I mentioned.
πολλοὶ δὲ ἀπικνεόμενοι χρυσόν τε καὶ ἄργυρον, οἱ δὲ χαλκόν, τὰ νομίζουσιν, ἐς ἐχῖνον πρόσθε κείμενον κατιᾶσιν, λέγοντες τὰ οὐνόματα ἕκαστος.
And many who arrive cast gold and silver, and others copper, whatever they possess, into a jar lying in front, each saying their names.
παρεστεὼς δὲ ἄλλος ἄνω ἀγγέλλει· ὁ δὲ δεξάμενος τοὔνομα εὐχωλὴν ἐς ἕκαστον ποιέεται, ἅμα δὲ εὐχόμενος κροτέει ποίημα χάλκεον, τὸ ἀείδει μέγα καὶ τρηχὺ κινεόμενον.
And another standing nearby announces the name upward; and he, receiving the name, makes a prayer for each, and while praying, he strikes a bronze instrument, which rings loud and harsh when moved.
εὕδει δὲ οὐδαμά· ἢν γάρ μιν ὕπνος ἕλῃ ποτέ, σκορπίος ἀνιὼν ἀνεγείρει τε καὶ ἀεικέα ἐργάζεται, καί οἱ ἥδε ἡ ζημίη τοῦ ὕπνου ἐπικέαται.
And he never sleeps; for if sleep should ever seize him, a scorpion climbs up and awakens him and treats him unseemly, and this penalty for sleep is laid upon him.
τὰ μὲν ὦν ἐς τὸν σκορπίον μυθέονται ἱρά τε καὶ θεοπρεπέα· εἰ δὲ ἀτρεκέα ἐστίν, οὐκ ἔχω ἐρέειν.
The things concerning the scorpion are told as sacred and worthy of a god, but whether they are true, I am not able to say.
δοκέει δέ μοι, μέγα ἐς ἀγρυπνίην συμβάλλεται καὶ τῆς πτώσιος ἡ ὀρρωδίη.
It seems to me, however, that the dread of falling also contributes greatly to his sleeplessness.
Φαλλοβατέων μὲν δὴ πέρι τοσάδε ἀρκέει.
Concerning the phallus-climbers, then, let this much suffice.
§30ὁ δὲ νηὸς ὁρέει μὲν ἐς ἠέλιον ἀνιόντα, εἶδος δὲ καὶ ἐργασίην ἐστὶν ὁκοίους νηοὺς ἐν Ἰωνίῃ ποιέουσιν.
The temple faces the rising sun, and in appearance and workmanship it is like the temples which they build in Ionia.
ἕδρη μεγάλη ἀνέχει ἐκ γῆς μέγαθος ὀργυιέων δυοῖν, ἐπὶ τῆς ὁ νηὸς ἐπικέαται.
A great pedestal supports it from the ground, two orguiai in height, upon which the temple is situated.
ἄνοδος ἐς αὐτὸν λίθου πεποίηται, οὐ κάρτα μακρή.
The ascent into it is made of stone, not very long.
ἀνελθόντι δὲ θωῦμα μὲν καὶ ὁ πρόνηος μέγα παρέχεται θύρῃσί τε ἤσκηται χρυσέῃσιν· ἔνδοθεν δὲ ὁ νηὸς χρυσοῦ τε πολλοῦ ἀπολάμπεται καὶ ἡ ὀροφὴ πᾶσα χρυσέη.
To one who has gone up, the vestibule also provides a great wonder, and it is adorned with golden doors; and from within, the temple shines with much gold, and the entire ceiling is golden.
ἀπόζει δὲ αὐτοῦ ὀδμὴ ἀμβροσίη ὁκοίη λέγεται τῆς χώρης τῆς Ἀραβίης, καί σοι τηλόθεν ἀνιόντι προσβάλλει πνοιὴν κάρτα ἀγαθήν· καὶ ἢν αὖτις ἀπίῃς, οὐδαμὰ λείπεται, ἀλλά σευ τά τε εἵματα ἐς πολλὸν ἔχει τὴν πνοιὴν καὶ σὺ ἐς πάμπαν αὐτῆς μνήσεαι.
And an ambrosial odor breathes from it, such as is said of the land of Arabia, and even from afar as you approach, it strikes you with a very pleasant breath; and if you depart again, it never leaves you, but both your garments keep the breath for a long time, and you yourself will remember it completely.