§3.20.1ἐν Θεράπνῃ δὲ κρήνην τὴν Μεσσηίδα ἰδὼν οἶδα.
In Therapne I know that I have seen the spring called Messeis.
Λακεδαιμονίων δὲ ἑτέροις ἐστὶν εἰρημένον τὴν Πολυδεύκειαν ὀνομαζομένην ἐφʼ ἡμῶν, οὐ τὴν ἐν Θεράπνῃ Μεσσηίδα καλεῖσθαι τὸ ἀρχαῖον· ἡ δὲ Πολυδεύκειά ἐστιν αὐτή τε ἡ κρήνη καὶ Πολυδεύκους ἱερὸν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς ἐς Θεράπνην ὁδοῦ.
But some of the Lacedaemonians say that the one named Polydeucia in our time was anciently called Messeis, not the one in Therapne; and Polydeucia is the spring itself and a sanctuary of Polydeuces on the right of the road to Therapne.
§3.20.2Θεράπνης δὲ οὐ πόρρω Φοιβαῖον καλούμενόν ἐστιν, ἐν δὲ αὐτῷ Διοσκούρων ναός· καὶ οἱ ἔφηβοι τῷ Ἐνυαλίῳ θύουσιν ἐνταῦθα.
Not far from Therapne is a place called Phoebaeum, and in it a temple of the Dioscuri; and the youths sacrifice to Enyalius there.
τούτου δὲ οὐ πολὺ Ποσειδῶνος ἀφέστηκεν ἱερὸν ἐπίκλησιν Γαιαόχου.
Not far from this is a sanctuary of Poseidon, surnamed Earth-holder.
καὶ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ προελθόντι ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ Ταΰγετον ὀνομάζουσιν Ἀλεσίας χωρίον, Μύλητα τὸν Λέλεγος πρῶτον ἀνθρώπων μύλην τε εὑρεῖν λέγοντες καὶ ἐν ταῖς Ἀλεσίαις ταύταις ἀλέσαι.
And for one going on from it towards Taygetus, they name a place Alesiae, saying that Myles, the son of Lelex, was the first of men to invent a mill and to grind in these Alesiae.
καί σφισι Λακεδαίμονος τοῦ Ταϋγέτης ἐνταῦθά ἐστιν ἡρῷον.
And they have a hero-shrine of Lacedaemon, the son of Taygete, there.
§3.20.3διαβᾶσι δὲ αὐτόθεν ποταμὸν Φελλίαν, παρὰ Ἀμύκλας ἰοῦσιν εὐθεῖαν ὡς ἐπὶ θάλασσαν Φᾶρις πόλις ἐν τῇ Λακωνικῇ ποτε ᾠκεῖτο· ἀποτρεπομένῳ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς Φελλίας ἐς δεξιὰν ἡ πρὸς τὸ ὄρος τὸ Ταΰγετόν ἐστιν ὁδός.
For those who cross from there the river Phellia, and go past Amyclae straight towards the sea, the city of Pharis was once inhabited in Laconia; but for one turning aside from the Phellia to the right, there is the road towards Mount Taygetus.
ἔστι δὲ ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ Διὸς Μεσσαπέως τέμενος· γενέσθαι δέ οἱ τὴν ἐπίκλησιν ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς λέγουσιν ἱερασαμένου τῷ θεῷ.
In the plain is a sanctuary of Zeus Messapeus; they say his surname is derived from a man who served as priest to the god.
ἐντεῦθέν ἐστιν ἀπιοῦσιν ἐκ τοῦ Ταϋγέτου χωρίον ἔνθα πόλις ποτὲ ᾠκεῖτο Βρυσίαι· καὶ Διονύσου ναὸς ἐνταῦθα ἔτι λείπεται καὶ ἄγαλμα ἐν ὑπαίθρῳ.
From there, for those going down from Taygetus, is a place where the city of Bryseae was once inhabited; and a temple of Dionysus still remains there, and a statue in the open air.
τὸ δὲ ἐν τῷ ναῷ μόναις γυναιξὶν ἔστιν ὁρᾶν· γυναῖκες γὰρ δὴ μόναι καὶ τὰ ἐς τὰς θυσίας δρῶσιν ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ.
But what is in the temple only women are permitted to see; for women alone indeed perform in secret the things pertaining to the sacrifices.
§3.20.4ἄκρα δὲ τοῦ Ταϋγέτου Ταλετὸν ὑπὲρ Βρυσεῶν ἀνέχει.
The peak of Taygetus, Taletum, rises above Bryseae.
ταύτην Ἡλίου καλοῦσιν ἱερὰν καὶ ἄλλα τε αὐτόθι Ἡλίῳ θύουσι καὶ ἵππους· τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ καὶ Πέρσας οἶδα θύειν νομίζοντας.
They call this sacred to the Sun, and they sacrifice other things there to the Sun, and also horses; I know that the Persians also observe the same sacrifice.
Ταλετοῦ δὲ οὐ πόρρω καλούμενός ἐστιν Εὐόρας, θηρία καὶ ἄλλα τρέφων καὶ αἶγας μάλιστα ἀγρίας.
Not far from Taletum is a place called Evoras, rearing wild beasts and other animals, and especially wild goats.
παρέχεται δὲ καὶ διʼ ὅλου τὸ Ταΰγετον τῶν αἰγῶν τούτων ἄγραν καὶ ὑῶν, πλείστην δὲ καὶ ἐλάφων καὶ ἄρκτων.
And indeed throughout its whole extent Taygetus provides hunting of these goats and wild boars, and most of all deer and bears.
§3.20.5Ταλετοῦ δὲ τὸ μεταξὺ καὶ Εὐόρα Θήρας ὀνομάζοντες Λητώ φασιν ἀπὸ τῶν ἄκρων τοῦ Ταϋγέτου Δήμητρος ἐπίκλησιν Ἐλευσινίας ἐστὶν ἱερόν·
They name the space between Taletum and Evoras Therae, and they say Leto set out from the peaks of Taygetus.
ἐνταῦθα Ἡρακλέα Λακεδαιμόνιοι κρυφθῆναί φασιν ὑπὸ Ἀσκληπιοῦ τὸ τραῦμα ἰώμενον· καὶ Ὀρφέως ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτῷ ξόανον, Πελασγῶν ὥς φασιν ἔργον. καὶ τόδε δὲ ἄλλο δρώμενον ἐνταῦθα οἶδα·
There is a sanctuary of Demeter surnamed Eleusinia; here the Lacedaemonians say Heracles was hidden by Asclepius while having his wound cured; and there is a wooden image of Orpheus in it, the work of the Pelasgians, as they say.
§3.20.6ἐπὶ θαλάσσῃ πόλισμα Ἕλος ἦν, οὗ δὴ καὶ Ὅμηρος ἐμνημόνευκεν ἐν καταλόγῳ Λακεδαιμονίων· "
οἵ τʼ ἄρʼ Ἀμύκλας εἶχον Ἕλος τʼ ἔφαλον πτολίεθρον.
And I know another thing done here: On the sea there was a town Helos, of which indeed Homer also made mention in the catalogue of the Lacedaemonians: "And those who held Amyclae and Helos, a town by the sea.
"
τοῦτο ᾤκισε μὲν Ἕλιος νεώτατος τῶν Περσέως παίδων, Δωριεῖς δὲ παρεστήσαντο ὕστερον πολιορκίᾳ, καὶ πρῶτοί τε ἐγένοντο οὗτοι Λακεδαιμονίων δοῦλοι τοῦ κοινοῦ καὶ εἵλωτες ἐκλήθησαν πρῶτοι, καθάπερ γε καὶ ἦσαν· τὸ δὲ οἰκετικὸν τὸ ἐπικτηθὲν ὕστερον, Δωριεῖς Μεσσηνίους ὄντας, ὀνομασθῆναι καὶ τούτους ἐξενίκησεν εἵλωτας, καθότι καὶ Ἕλληνας τὸ σύμπαν γένος ἀπὸ τῆς ἐν Θεσσαλίᾳ ποτὲ καλουμένης Ἑλλάδος.
"This was founded by Helios, the youngest of the sons of Perseus, but the Dorians afterwards reduced it by siege, and these became the first public slaves of the Lacedaemonians and were first called Helots, just as indeed they were; and the class of servants acquired afterwards, though they were Dorians of Messene, the name of Helots prevailed to be applied to these too, just as the whole race of the Greeks was named after what was once called Hellas in Thessaly.
§3.20.7ἐκ τούτου δὴ τοῦ Ἕλους ξόανον Κόρης τῆς Δήμητρος ἐν ἡμέραις ῥηταῖς ἀνάγουσιν ἐς τὸ Ἐλευσίνιον.
Indeed from this Helos they carry up a wooden image of Kore, the daughter of Demeter, on appointed days to the Eleusinium.
πεντεκαίδεκα δὲ τοῦ Ἐλευσινίου σταδίους ἀφέστηκε Λαπίθαιον καλούμενον ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς ἐγχωρίου Λαπίθου· τοῦτό τε οὖν τὸ Λαπίθαιόν ἐστιν ἐν τῷ Ταϋγέτῳ καὶ οὐ πόρρω Δέρειον, ἔνθα Ἀρτέμιδος ἄγαλμα ἐν ὑπαίθρῳ Δερεάτιδος, καὶ πηγὴ παρʼ αὐτῷ ἣν Ἄνονον ὀνομάζουσι.
Fifteen stades distant from the Eleusinium is a place called Lapithaeum after a local man Lapithus; this Lapithaeum, then, is on Taygetus, and not far off is Dereium, where is a statue of Artemis in the open air, surnamed Dereatis, and near it a spring which they call Anonus.
μετὰ δὲ τὸ Δέρειον σταδίους προελθόντι ὡς εἴκοσιν ἔστιν Ἅρπλεια καθήκοντα ἄχρι τοῦ πεδίου.
After Dereium, for one going on about twenty stades, there is Harpleia, extending as far as the plain.
§3.20.8τὴν δὲ ἐπʼ Ἀρκαδίας ἰοῦσιν ἐκ Σπάρτης Ἀθηνᾶς ἕστηκεν ἐπίκλησιν Παρείας ἄγαλμα ἐν ὑπαίθρῳ, μετὰ δὲ αὐτὸ ἱερόν ἐστιν Ἀχιλλέως· ἀνοίγειν δὲ αὐτὸ οὐ νομίζουσιν· ὁπόσοι δʼ ἂν τῶν ἐφήβων ἀγωνιεῖσθαι μέλλωσιν ἐν τῷ Πλατανιστᾷ, καθέστηκεν αὐτοῖς τῷ Ἀχιλλεῖ πρὸ τῆς μάχης θύειν.
For those going from Sparta towards Arcadia, there stands a statue of Athena in the open air, surnamed Pareia, and after it is a sanctuary of Achilles; they do not think it right to open it; but for as many of the youths as are about to contend in the Platanistas, it is established for them to sacrifice to Achilles before the battle.
ποιῆσαι δέ σφισι τὸ ἱερὸν Σπαρτιᾶται λέγουσι Πράκα ἀπόγονον τρίτον Περγάμου τοῦ Νεοπτολέμου.
The Spartans say that Pracus, a descendant in the third generation from Pergamus the son of Neoptolemus, built the sanctuary for them.
§3.20.9προϊοῦσι δὲ Ἵππου καλούμενον μνῆμά ἐστι.
For those going further, there is a monument called of the Horse.
Τυνδάρεως γὰρ θύσας ἐνταῦθα ἵππον τοὺς Ἑλένης ἐξώρκου μνηστῆρας ἱστὰς ἐπὶ τοῦ ἵππου τῶν τομίων· ὁ δὲ ὅρκος ἦν Ἑλένῃ καὶ τῷ γῆμαι προκριθέντι Ἑλένην ἀμυνεῖν ἀδικουμένοις· ἐξορκώσας δὲ τὸν ἵππον κατώρυξεν ἐνταῦθα.
For Tyndareus, having sacrificed a horse here, bound the suitors of Helen by oath, making them stand upon the pieces of the horse; and the oath was to defend Helen and the one chosen to marry Helen if they should be wronged; and having bound them by oath, he buried the horse here.
κίονες δὲ ἑπτὰ τοῦ μνήματος τούτου διέχουσιν οὐ πολύ, κατὰ τρόπον οἶμαι τὸν ἀρχαῖον, οὓς ἀστέρων τῶν πλανητῶν φασιν ἀγάλματα.
Seven pillars stand at some distance from this monument, in the ancient fashion, I believe, which they say are images of the wandering stars.
καὶ Κρανίου τέμενος κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἐπίκλησιν Στεμματίου καὶ Μυσίας ἐστὶν ἱερὸν Ἀρτέμιδος.
And there is a sanctuary of Cranius, surnamed Stemmatius, along the road, and a sanctuary of Mysian Artemis.
§3.20.10τὸ δὲ ἄγαλμα τῆς Αἰδοῦς τριάκοντά που στάδια ἀπέχον τῆς πόλεως Ἰκαρίου μὲν ἀνάθημα εἶναι, ποιηθῆναι δὲ ἐπὶ λόγῳ φασὶ τοιῷδε.
The statue of Aidos, being about thirty stades distant from the city, they say is an offering of Icarius, and was made for the following reason.
ὅτʼ ἔδωκεν Ὀδυσσεῖ Πηνελόπην γυναῖκα Ἰκάριος, ἐπειρᾶτο μὲν κατοικίσαι καὶ αὐτὸν Ὀδυσσέα ἐν Λακεδαίμονι, διαμαρτάνων δὲ ἐκείνου δεύτερα τὴν θυγατέρα ἱκέτευε καταμεῖναι καὶ ἐξορμωμένης ἐς Ἰθάκην ἐπακολουθῶν τῷ ἅρματι ἐδεῖτο.
When Icarius gave Penelope as wife to Odysseus, he tried to settle Odysseus himself also in Lacedaemon, but failing in this, he next entreated his daughter to remain, and as she was setting out for Ithaca, he followed her chariot, begging her.
§3.20.11Ὀδυσσεὺς δὲ τέως μὲν ἠνείχετο, τέλος δὲ ἐκέλευε Πηνελόπην συνακολουθεῖν ἑκοῦσαν ἢ τὸν πατέρα ἑλομένην ἀναχωρεῖν ἐς Λακεδαίμονα.
Odysseus for a time indeed bore with him, but at last he commanded Penelope to follow him willingly, or, having chosen her father, to return to Lacedaemon.
καὶ τὴν ἀποκρίνασθαί φασιν οὐδέν· ἐγκαλυψαμένης δὲ πρὸς τὸ ἐρώτημα, Ἰκάριος τὴν μὲν ἅτε δὴ συνιεὶς ὡς βούλεται ἀπιέναι μετὰ Ὀδυσσέως ἀφίησιν, ἄγαλμα δὲ ἀνέθηκεν Αἰδοῦς· ἐνταῦθα γὰρ τῆς ὁδοῦ προήκουσαν ἤδη τὴν Πηνελόπην λέγουσιν ἐγκαλύψασθαι.
And they say that she answered nothing; but when she veiled her face in response to the question, Icarius, since he indeed understood that she wished to depart with Odysseus, let her go, and dedicated a statue of Aidos; for they say Penelope had already advanced to this point of the road when she veiled herself.