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Pausanias · Description of Greece §2.4.1-2.4.7

Temple of Athena, Corinthian Kings, and Shrines along the Ascent

Passage 58 of 465 · Greek

Summary

Pausanias explains the origin of the temple of Athena Chalinitis and Bellerophon's subordinate status, followed by a genealogical survey of the Corinthian kings from Sisyphus down to the Dorian rule under Aletes and the tyranny of Cypselus. He then describes the various sanctuaries and the gymnasium near the theater, as well as the numerous shrines, such as those of Isis and Necessity, located along the ascent to the Acrocorinthus.

§2.4.1τάδε μὲν οὕτως ἔχοντα ἐπελεξάμην, τοῦ μνήματος δέ ἐστιν οὐ πόρρω Χαλινίτιδος Ἀθηνᾶς ἱερόν·
These things indeed I read as being thus. Not far from the monument is a sanctuary of Athena Chalinitis.
Ἀθηνᾶν γὰρ θεῶν μάλιστα συγκατεργάσασθαι τά τε ἄλλα Βελλεροφόντῃ φασὶ καὶ ὡς τὸν Πήγασόν οἱ παραδοίη χειρωσαμένη τε καὶ ἐνθεῖσα αὐτὴ τῷ ἵππῳ χαλινόν.
For they say that Athena, most of all the gods, helped Bellerophon in his other achievements, and that she herself, having tamed Pegasus and put a bridle on the horse, delivered him to him.
τὸ δὲ ἄγαλμα τοῦτο ξόανόν ἐστι, πρόσωπον δὲ καὶ χεῖρες καὶ ἀκρόποδες εἰσὶ λευκοῦ λίθου.
This image is a wooden one, but the face, hands, and feet are of white marble.
§2.4.2Βελλεροφόντην δὲ οὐκ αὐτοκράτορα ὄντα βασιλεύειν, εἶναι δὲ ἐπὶ Προίτῳ καὶ Ἀργείοις ἐγώ τε πείθομαι καὶ ὅστις τὰ Ὁμήρου μὴ πάρεργον ἐπελέξατο.
And that Bellerophon did not reign as an independent king, but was subordinate to Proetus and the Argives, is believed both by myself and by anyone who has read the poetry of Homer not as a secondary matter.
φαίνονται δὲ καὶ Βελλεροφόντου μετοικήσαντος ἐς Λυκίαν οὐδὲν ἧσσον οἱ Κορίνθιοι τῶν ἐν Ἄργει δυναστῶν ἢ Μυκήναις ὑπακούοντες· ἰδίᾳ τε οὐδένα παρέσχοντο ἄρχοντα τῆς ἐπὶ Τροίαν στρατιᾶς, συντεταγμένοι δὲ Μυκηναίοις καὶ ὅσων ἄλλων Ἀγαμέμνων ἡγεῖτο μετέσχον τοῦ στόλου.
It appears also that after Bellerophon migrated to Lycia, the Corinthians were no less obedient to the rulers in Argos or Mycenae; for they provided no leader of their own for the expedition against Troy, but having been marshalled with the Mycenaeans and as many others as Agamemnon led, they took part in the fleet.
§2.4.3Σισύφῳ δὲ οὔτι Γλαῦκος μόνον ὁ Βελλεροφόντου πατὴρ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτερος υἱὸς ἐγένετο Ὀρνυτίων, ἐπὶ δὲ αὐτῷ Θέρσανδρός τε καὶ Ἄλμος.
To Sisyphus was born not only Glaucus, the father of Bellerophon, but also another son, Ornytion, and after him Thersander and Almus.
Ὀρνυτίωνος δὲ ἦν Φῶκος, Ποσειδῶνος δὲ ἐπίκλησιν.
Ornytion had a son Phocus, who was surnamed the son of Poseidon.
καὶ ὁ μὲν ἀπῴκησεν ἐς Τιθορέαν τῆς νῦν καλουμένης Φωκίδος, Θόας δὲ Ὀρνυτίωνος υἱὸς νεώτερος κατέμεινεν ἐν τῇ Κορίνθῳ.
He migrated to Tithorea in what is now called Phocis, but Thoas, the younger son of Ornytion, remained in Corinth.
Θόαντος δὲ Δαμοφῶν, Δαμοφῶντος δὲ ἦν Προπόδας, Προπόδα δὲ Δωρίδας καὶ Ὑανθίδας.
To Thoas was born Damophon, to Damophon Propodas, and to Propodas Doridas and Hyanthidas.
τούτων βασιλευόντων Δωριεῖς στρατεύουσιν ἐπὶ Κόρινθον· ἡγεῖτο δὲ Ἀλήτης Ἱππότου τοῦ Φύλαντος τοῦ Ἀντιόχου τοῦ Ἡρακλέους.
While these were reigning, the Dorians marched against Corinth; they were led by Aletes, the son of Hippotes, the son of Phylas, the son of Antiochus, the son of Heracles.
Δωρίδας μὲν οὖν καὶ Ὑανθίδας παραδόντες τὴν βασιλείαν Ἀλήτῃ καταμένουσιν αὐτοῦ, τῶν δὲ Κορινθίων ὁ δῆμος ἐξέπεσεν ὑπὸ Δωριέων κρατηθεὶς μάχῃ.
Now Doridas and Hyanthidas, having handed over the kingdom to Aletes, remained there, but the common people of the Corinthians were expelled by the Dorians after being defeated in battle.
§2.4.4Ἀλήτης δὲ αὐτός τε καὶ οἱ ἀπόγονοι βασιλεύουσιν ἐς μὲν Βάκχιν τὸν Προύμνιδος ἐπὶ γενεὰς πέντε, ἀπὸ τούτου δὲ οἱ Βακχίδαι καλούμενοι πέντε ἄλλας γενεὰς ἐς Τελέστην τὸν Ἀριστοδήμου.
Aletes himself and his descendants reigned for five generations down to Bacchis, the son of Prumnis, and from him those called the Bacchidae ruled for another five generations down to Telestes, the son of Aristodemus.
καὶ Τελέστην μὲν κατὰ ἔχθος Ἀριεὺς καὶ Περάντας κτείνουσι, βασιλεὺς δὲ οὐδεὶς ἔτι ἐγένετο, πρυτάνεις δὲ ἐκ Βακχιδῶν ἐνιαυτὸν ἄρχοντες, ἐς ὃ Κύψελος τυραννήσας ὁ Ἠετίωνος ἐξέβαλε τοὺς Βακχίδας·
And Telestes was killed out of hatred by Arieus and Perantas, and there was no longer any king, but prytaneis chosen from the Bacchidae ruled for a year, until Cypselus, the son of Eetion, having become tyrant, expelled the Bacchidae.
ἀπόγονος δὲ ἦν ὁ Κύψελος Μέλανος τοῦ Ἀντάσου.
Cypselus was a descendant of Melas, the son of Antasus.
Μέλανα δὲ ἐκ Γονούσσης τῆς ὑπὲρ Σικυῶνος στρατεύοντα σὺν Δωριεῦσιν ἐπὶ Κόρινθον Ἀλήτης τὸ μὲν παραυτίκα ἀπειπόντος τοῦ θεοῦ παρʼ ἄλλους τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐκέλευσεν ἀποχωρεῖν, ὕστερον δὲ ἁμαρτὼν τοῦ χρησμοῦ δέχεται σύνοικον.
As Melas was marching from Gonussa, which is above Sicyon, with the Dorians against Corinth, Aletes, because the god forbade it, at first ordered him to withdraw to others of the Greeks, but later, having misinterpreted the oracle, he received him as a co-dweller.
τοιαῦτα μὲν ἐς τοὺς Κορινθίων βασιλέας συμβάντα εὕρισκον·
Such were the events concerning the kings of the Corinthians that I found to have happened.
§2.4.5τὸ δὲ ἱερὸν τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς τῆς Χαλινίτιδος πρὸς τῷ θεάτρῳ σφίσιν ἐστὶν καὶ πλησίον ξόανον γυμνὸν Ἡρακλέους, Δαιδάλου δὲ αὐτό φασιν εἶναι τέχνην.
The sanctuary of Athena Chalinitis is near their theater, and close to it is a naked wooden image of Heracles, which they say is the work of Daedalus.
Δαίδαλος δὲ ὁπόσα εἰργάσατο, ἀτοπώτερα μέν ἐστιν ἐς τὴν ὄψιν, ἐπιπρέπει δὲ ὅμως τι καὶ ἔνθεον τούτοις.
All the works that Daedalus made, though rather strange to the sight, nevertheless have something of the noble and divine shining through them.
ὑπὲρ δὲ τὸ θέατρόν ἐστιν ἱερὸν Διὸς Καπετωλίου φωνῇ τῇ Ῥωμαίων· κατὰ Ἑλλάδα δὲ γλῶσσαν Κορυφαῖος ὀνομάζοιτο ἄν.
Above the theater is a sanctuary of Capitolian Zeus, to use the Roman language; but in the Greek tongue he would be named Coryphaeus.
τοῦ θεάτρου δέ ἐστι τοῦδε οὐ πόρρω γυμνάσιον τὸ ἀρχαῖον καὶ πηγὴ καλουμένη Λέρνα· κίονες δὲ ἑστήκασι περὶ αὐτὴν καὶ καθέδραι πεποίηνται τοὺς ἐσελθόντας ἀναψύχειν ὥρᾳ θέρους.
Not far from this theater is the ancient gymnasium, and a spring called Lerna; columns stand around it, and seats have been made for those who enter to refresh themselves in the summer season.
πρὸς τούτῳ τῷ γυμνασίῳ ναοὶ θεῶν εἰσιν ὁ μὲν Διός, ὁ δὲ Ἀσκληπιοῦ· τὰ δὲ ἀγάλματα Ἀσκληπιὸς μὲν καὶ Ὑγεία λευκοῦ λίθου, τὸ δὲ τοῦ Διὸς χαλκοῦν ἐστιν.
By this gymnasium are temples of the gods, one of Zeus and the other of Asclepius; the statues of Asclepius and Hygeia are of white marble, while that of Zeus is of bronze.
§2.4.6ἀνιοῦσι δὲ ἐς τὸν Ἀκροκόρινθον—ἡ δέ ἐστιν ὄρους ὑπὲρ τὴν πόλιν κορυφή, Βριάρεω μὲν Ἡλίῳ δόντος αὐτὴν ὅτε ἐδίκαζεν, Ἡλίου δὲ ὡς οἱ Κορίνθιοί φασιν Ἀφροδίτῃ παρέντος—ἐς δὴ τὸν Ἀκροκόρινθον τοῦτον ἀνιοῦσίν ἐστιν Ἴσιδος τεμένη, ὧν τὴν μὲν Πελαγίαν, τὴν δὲ Αἰγυπτίαν αὐτῶν ἐπονομάζουσιν, καὶ δύο Σαράπιδος, ἐν Κανώβῳ καλουμένου τὸ ἕτερον.
For those going up to the Acrocorinthus—which is the peak of the mountain above the city, Briareus having given it to Helios when he acted as arbitrator, and Helios, as the Corinthians say, having surrendered it to Aphrodite—for those indeed going up to this Acrocorinthus, there are sanctuaries of Isis, of which they call one Pelagia and the other Aegyptia, and two of Sarapis, one of which is called the one in Canobus.
μετὰ δὲ αὐτὰ Ἡλίῳ πεποίηνται βωμοί, καὶ Ἀνάγκης καὶ Βίας ἐστὶν ἱερόν· ἐσιέναι δὲ ἐς αὐτὸ οὐ νομίζουσιν.
After these, altars have been built to Helios, and there is a sanctuary of Necessity and Force; they do not think it lawful to enter into it.
§2.4.7ὑπὲρ τοῦτο Μητρὸς θεῶν ναός ἐστι καὶ στήλη καὶ θρόνος· λίθων καὶ αὐτὴ καὶ ὁ θρόνος.
Above this is a temple of the Mother of the Gods, and a stele, and a throne; both the image itself and the throne are of stone.
ὁ δὲ τῶν Μοιρῶν καὶ ὁ Δήμητρος καὶ Κόρης οὐ φανερὰ ἔχουσι τὰ ἀγάλματα.
Those of the Fates, and of Demeter and Kore, have images that are not kept on view.
ταύτῃ καὶ τὸ τῆς Βουναίας ἐστὶν Ἥρας ἱερὸν ἱδρυσαμένου Βούνου τοῦ Ἑρμοῦ· καὶ διʼ αὐτὸ ἡ θεὸς καλεῖται Βουναία.
In this place there is also the sanctuary of Hera Bunaea, which was founded by Bunus the son of Hermes; and because of him the goddess is called Bunaea.

Notes

  1. §2.4.1τάδε μὲν οὕτως ἔχοντα — Accusative phrase serving as the direct object of the main verb ἐπελεξάμην (I read/examined). The participle ἔχοντα expresses the state or fact, meaning "these things being thus." It can be understood structurally as "I read that these things were so."
  2. §2.4.2Βελλεροφόντην δὲ οὐκ αὐτοκράτορα ὄντα βασιλεύειν — An accusative with infinitive construction introduced by the main verb πείθομαι (I am convinced). The accusative Βελλεροφόντην acts as the subject of the infinitive βασιλεύειν. The subsequent clause εἶναι δὲ ἐπὶ... (that he was subordinate to...) is coordinate with this one.
  3. §2.4.6ἀνιοῦσι δὲ ἐς τὸν Ἀκροκόρινθον — The present participle ἀνιοῦσι is in the dative plural masculine, functioning as a dative of reference or dative of the person judging, meaning "for those going up to the Acrocorinthus (there are...)." After a parenthetical clause regarding the history of the peak, this dative phrase is repeated with emphasis as ἐς δὴ τὸν Ἀκροκόρινθον τοῦτον ἀνιοῦσίν ἐστιν.
  4. §2.4.7ὁ δὲ τῶν Μοιρῶν — Ellipsis of a noun. The noun ναός (temple, or ἱερόν) is omitted after the definite article ὁ, being understood from the context. Likewise, in the following phrase καὶ ὁ Δήμητρος καὶ Κόρης, the same noun must be supplied ("that of Demeter and Kore").

Cite this passage

Pausanias, Description of Greece §2.4.1-2.4.7. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.4.1-2.4.7

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