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Pausanias · Description of Greece §10.35.1-10.35.10

Topography and Sanctuaries of Abae, Hyampolis, and Stiris

Passage 461 of 465 · Greek

Summary

The text describes the origins and sanctuaries of Abae and Hyampolis, particularly those of Apollo and Artemis, as well as the history of Stiris, its water supply difficulties in a rocky region, and its sanctuary of Demeter.

§10.35.1ἐς Ἄβας δὲ ἀφικέσθαι καὶ ἐς Ὑάμπολιν ἔστι μὲν καὶ ἐξ Ἐλατείας ὀρεινὴν ὁδὸν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ Ἐλατέων ἄστεως, ἡ δὲ ἐπὶ Ὀποῦντα λεωφόρος ἡ ἐξ Ὀρχομενοῦ καὶ ἐς ταύτας φέρει τὰς πόλεις.
One can reach Abae and Hyampolis also from Elateia by a mountainous road on the right of the city of the Elateans, but the highway from Orchomenus to Opus also leads to these cities.
ἰόντι οὖν ἐς Ὀποῦντα ἐξ Ὀρχομενοῦ καὶ ἐκτραπέντι οὐ πολὺ ἐπʼ ἀριστερὰν ὁδός ἐστιν ἡ ἐς Ἄβας.
Therefore, for one going from Orchomenus to Opus and turning aside a little to the left, there is the road to Abae.
οἱ δὲ ἐν ταῖς Ἄβαις ἐς γῆν τὴν Φωκίδα ἀφικέσθαι λέγουσιν ἐξ Ἄργους καὶ τὸ ὄνομα ἀπὸ Ἄβαντος τοῦ οἰκιστοῦ λαβεῖν τὴν πόλιν, τὸν δὲ Λυγκέως τε καὶ Ὑπερμήστρας τῆς Δαναοῦ παῖδα εἶναι.
The people in Abae say they came to the Phocian land from Argos and that the city took its name from Abas its founder, and that he was the son of Lynceus and Hypermnestra, the daughter of Danaus.
Ἀπόλλωνος δὲ ἱερὰς νενομίκασιν εἶναι τὰς Ἄβας ἐκ παλαιοῦ, καὶ χρηστήριον καὶ αὐτόθι ἦν Ἀπόλλωνος.
They have considered Abae sacred to Apollo from of old, and there was also an oracle of Apollo there.
§10.35.2θεῷ δὲ τῷ ἐν Ἄβαις οὐχ ὁμοίως Ῥωμαῖοί τε ἀπένειμαν τὰ ἐς τιμὴν καὶ ὁ Πέρσης· ἀλλὰ Ῥωμαῖοι μὲν εὐσεβείᾳ τῇ ἐς τὸν Ἀπόλλωνα Ἀβαίοις δεδώκασιν αὐτονόμους σφᾶς εἶναι, στρατιὰ δὲ ἡ μετὰ Ξέρξου κατέπρησε καὶ τὸ ἐν Ἄβαις ἱερόν.
The Romans and the Persian did not pay honor in the same way to the god in Abae; for the Romans, through their piety toward Apollo, granted the Abaeans to be autonomous, but the army with Xerxes burnt down the sanctuary in Abae as well.
Ἑλλήνων δὲ τοῖς ἀντιστᾶσι τῷ βαρβάρῳ τὰ κατακαυθέντα ἱερὰ μὴ ἀνιστάναι σφίσιν ἔδοξεν, ἀλλὰ ἐς τὸν πάντα ὑπολείπεσθαι χρόνον τοῦ ἔχθους ὑπομνήματα· καὶ τοῦδε ἕνεκα οἵ τε ἐν τῇ Ἁλιαρτίᾳ ναοὶ καὶ Ἀθηναίοις τῆς Ἥρας ἐπὶ ὁδῷ τῇ Φαληρικῇ καὶ ὁ ἐπὶ Φαληρῷ τῆς Δήμητρος καὶ κατʼ ἐμὲ ἔτι ἡμίκαυτοι μένουσι.
It seemed best to those of the Greeks who resisted the barbarian not to rebuild the burnt sanctuaries, but to leave them for all time as memorials of their hatred; and for this reason, the temples in Haliartia, and those of Hera on the Phaleric road for the Athenians, and that of Demeter at Phalerum, remain half-burnt even in my time.
§10.35.3τοιαύτην θέαν καὶ τοῦ ἐν Ἄβαις ἱεροῦ τότε γε εἶναι δοκῶ, ἐς ὃ ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ τῷ Φωκικῷ βιασθέντας μάχῃ Φωκέων ἄνδρας καὶ ἐς Ἄβας ἐκπεφευγότας αὐτούς τε οἱ Θηβαῖοι τοὺς ἱκέτας καὶ τὸ ἱερόν, δεύτερον δὴ οὗτοι μετὰ Μήδους, ἔδοσαν πυρί· εἱστήκει δʼ οὖν καὶ ἐς ἐμὲ ἔτι οἰκοδομημάτων ἀσθενέστατον ὁπόσα δὴ ἡ φλὸξ ἐλυμήνατο, ἅτε ἐπὶ τῷ Μηδικῷ προλωβησαμένῳ πυρὶ αὖθις ὑπὸ τοῦ Βοιωτίου πυρὸς κατειργασμένον.
I think the sanctuary in Abae was in such a state of appearance at that time also, until, in the Phocian War, when Phocian men, forced in battle, fled to Abae, the Thebans set fire both to the suppliants themselves and to the sanctuary, being the second to do so after the Persians; at any rate, there stood even down to my time the weakest remnants of the buildings, which the flame had damaged, as it was destroyed by the Boeotian fire after having been previously ravaged by the Persian fire.
§10.35.4παρὰ δὲ τὸν ναὸν τὸν μέγαν ἐστὶν ἄλλος ναός, ἀποδέων ἐκείνου μέγεθος· βασιλεὺς δὲ Ἀδριανὸς ἐποίησε τῷ Ἀπόλλωνι·
Beside the great temple there is another temple, falling short of it in size; the Emperor Hadrian made it for Apollo.
τὰ δὲ ἀγάλματα ἀρχαιότερα καὶ αὐτῶν ἐστιν Ἀβαίων ἀνάθημα, χαλκοῦ δὲ εἴργασται καὶ ὁμοίως ἐστὶν ὀρθά, Ἀπόλλων καὶ Λητώ τε καὶ Ἄρτεμις.
The images are older and are an offering of the Abaeans themselves, made of bronze and likewise standing upright, namely Apollo, Leto, and Artemis.
Ἀβαίοις δὲ ἔστι μὲν θέατρον, ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἀγορά σφισι, κατασκευῆς ἀμφότερα ἀρχαίας.
The Abaeans have a theater, and they also have a marketplace, both of ancient construction.
§10.35.5ἐπανελθόντα δὲ ἐς τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν ἐς Ὀποῦντα εὐθεῖαν Ὑάμπολις τὸ ἀπὸ τούτου σε ἐκδέξεται.
Upon returning to the straight road to Opus, Hyampolis will receive you next.
τῶν δὲ ἐνταῦθα ἀνθρώπων καὶ αὐτὸ κατηγορεῖ τὸ ὄνομα οἵτινες ἦσαν ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ ὁπόθεν ἐξαναστάντες ἀφίκοντο ἐς ταύτην τὴν χώραν· Ὕαντες γὰρ οἱ ἐκ Θηβῶν Κάδμον καὶ τὸν σὺν ἐκείνῳ φυγόντες στρατὸν ἀφίκοντο ἐνταῦθα.
As for the people there, their very name declares who they were from the beginning and from where they arrived in this land, having been displaced; for the Hyantes, fleeing from Thebes from Cadmus and the army with him, arrived here.
τὰ μὲν δὴ ἀρχαιότερα ὑπὸ τῶν προσχώρων ἐκαλοῦντο Ὑάντων πόλις, χρόνῳ μέντοι ὕστερον Ὑάμπολιν ἐξενίκησεν ὀνομασθῆναι.
In older times, indeed, they were called the 'City of the Hyantes' by their neighbors, but in course of time it prevailed to be named Hyampolis.
§10.35.6ἅτε δὲ καὶ βασιλέως Ξέρξου καταπρήσαντος τὴν πόλιν καὶ αὖθις Φιλίππου κατασκάψαντος, ὅμως τὰ ὑπολειπόμενα ἦν ἀγορᾶς τε ἀρχαίας κατασκευὴ καὶ βουλευτήριον, οἴκημα οὐ μέγα, καὶ θέατρον οὐ πόρρω τῶν πυλῶν.
Although King Xerxes burnt down the city and Philip later demolished it, nevertheless what remained was the construction of the ancient marketplace, a council-chamber, which was a small building, and a theater not far from the gates.
Ἀδριανὸς δὲ βασιλεὺς στοὰν ᾠκοδομήσατο, καὶ ἐπώνυμος ἡ στοὰ τοῦ ἀναθέντος βασιλέως ἐστί.
The Emperor Hadrian built a portico, and the portico is named after the emperor who dedicated it.
φρέαρ δέ σφισίν ἐστιν ἕν· ἀπὸ τούτου μόνου καὶ πίνουσι καὶ λούονται, ἀπʼ ἄλλου δὲ ἔχουσιν οὐδενὸς πλήν γε δὴ ὥρᾳ χειμῶνος τὸ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ.
They have only one well; from this alone they both drink and bathe, and they have no other water except indeed the rain from heaven in the winter season.
§10.35.7σέβονται δὲ μάλιστα Ἄρτεμιν, καὶ ναὸς Ἀρτέμιδός ἐστιν αὐτοῖς· τὸ δὲ ἄγαλμα ὁποῖόν τί ἐστιν οὐκ ἐδήλωσα· δὶς γὰρ καὶ οὐ πλέον ἑκάστου ἐνιαυτοῦ τὸ ἱερὸν ἀνοιγνύναι νομίζουσιν.
They worship Artemis most of all, and they have a temple of Artemis; but I have not revealed what kind of image it is, for they hold it a custom to open the sanctuary twice and no more in each year.
ὁπόσα δʼ ἂν τῶν βοσκημάτων ἱερὰ ἐπονομάσωσιν εἶναι τῇ Ἀρτέμιδι, ἄνευ νόσου ταῦτα καὶ πιότερα τῶν ἄλλων ἐκτρέφεσθαι λέγουσιν.
Whatever cattle they call sacred to Artemis, they say these grow up without disease and fatter than the others.
§10.35.8ἐσβολὴ δὲ ἐκ Χαιρωνείας ἐς γῆν τὴν Φωκίδα οὐ μόνον ἡ εὐθεῖά ἐστιν ἐς Δελφοὺς ἡ διά τε Πανοπέως καὶ παρὰ τὴν Δαυλίδα καὶ ὁδὸν τὴν Σχιστήν· φέρει δὲ ἐκ Χαιρωνείας καὶ ἑτέρα τραχεῖά τε ὁδὸς καὶ ὀρεινὴ τὰ πλέονα ἐς πόλιν Φωκέων Στῖριν· μῆκος δὲ εἴκοσι στάδιοι τῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ ἑκατόν.
The entrance from Chaeronea into the Phocian land is not only the straight road to Delphi, which goes through Panopeus and past Daulis and the Schiste road; another road, rough and for the most part mountainous, also leads from Chaeronea to the Phocian city Stiris, the length of the road being one hundred and twenty stades.
οἱ δὲ ἐνταῦθά φασιν οὐ Φωκεῖς, Ἀθηναῖοι δὲ εἶναι τὰ ἄνωθεν, καὶ ἐκ τῆς Ἀττικῆς ὁμοῦ Πετεῷ τῷ Ὀρνέως ἀφικέσθαι διωχθέντι ὑπὸ Αἰγέως ἐξ Ἀθηνῶν· ὅτι δὲ τῷ Πετεῷ τὸ πολὺ ἐκ τοῦ δήμου τοῦ Στιρέων ἠκολούθησεν, ἐπὶ τούτῳ κληθῆναι τὴν πόλιν Στῖριν.
The people here say they are not Phocians, but Athenians of old, and that they arrived from Attica together with Peteos, the son of Orneus, when he was driven out of Athens by Aegeus; and because the majority from the deme of Stiria followed Peteos, for this reason the city was named Stiris.
§10.35.9Στιρίταις δέ ἐστιν ἐπὶ ὑψηλοῦ καὶ πετρώδους ἡ οἴκησις· σπανίζουσιν οὖν κατὰ τοῦτο ὕδατος θέρους ὥρᾳ· φρέατα γὰρ αὐτόθι οὔτε πολλὰ οὔτε ὕδωρ παρεχόμενά ἐστιν ἐπιτήδειον.
The dwelling of the Stirienses is upon a high and rocky place; they are therefore in want of water in the summer season, for there are neither many wells there, nor is the water they provide suitable.
ταῦτα μὲν δὴ λουτρά σφισι καὶ ὑποζυγίοις ποτὸν γίνεται, τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι τὸ πότιμον ὅσον στάδια τέσσαρα ὑποκαταβαίνοντες λαμβάνουσιν ἐκ πηγῆς· ἡ δὲ ἐν πέτραις ἐστὶν ὀρωρυγμένη, καὶ ἀρύονται κατιόντες ἐς τὴν πηγήν.
These, indeed, serve them for baths and drink for beasts of burden, but the drinking water for the people they get from a spring, descending about four stades; it is dug out in the rocks, and they go down to the spring to draw it.
§10.35.10Δήμητρος δὲ ἐπίκλησιν Στιρίτιδος ἱερόν ἐστιν ἐν Στῖρι· πλίνθου μὲν τῆς ὠμῆς τὸ ἱερόν, λίθου δὲ τοῦ Πεντελῆσι τὸ ἄγαλμα, δᾷδας ἡ θεὸς ἔχουσα.
There is in Stiris a sanctuary of Demeter surnamed Stiritis; the sanctuary is of unburnt brick, and the image is of Pentelic stone, the goddess holding torches.
παρὰ δὲ αὐτῇ κατειλημμένον ταινίαις ἄγαλμα ἀρχαῖόν ἐστιν ἄλλο ὁπόσα Δήμητρος ἐς τιμήν.
Beside her is another ancient image, wrapped with fillets, dedicated to the honor of Demeter.

Notes

  1. 10.35.1ἰόντι — Dative masculine singular of the present participle. It functions as a dative of reference or 'dative of the person judging' (dativus iudicantis), commonly used in geographical descriptions to indicate the viewpoint of someone traveling.
  2. 10.35.3δοκῶ — Used here in the personal construction with Pausanias himself as the subject ('I think/believe'), rather than the impersonal 'it seems' (δοκεῖ). The subject of the infinitive `εἶναι` is the accusative `τὴν θέαν` rather than the genitive `τοῦ ἐν Ἄβαις ἱεροῦ`.
  3. 10.35.5ἐπανελθόντα — Aorist active participle in the accusative masculine singular, modifying the accusative pronoun `σε` ('you'), which is the direct object of the main verb `ἐκδέξεται` ('will receive'). It expresses temporal relation ('after having returned').
  4. 10.35.8ὅτι — Conjunction meaning 'because' or 'since'. It is used correlatively with `ἐπὶ τούτῳ` ('for this reason') to emphasize the causal relationship: 'because the majority of the Stirienses followed Peteos, for this reason the city was named Stiris.'

Cite this passage

Pausanias, Description of Greece §10.35.1-10.35.10. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:10.35.1-10.35.10

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