§7.21.8ὠνομάσθαι δὲ Ἵππιον τὸν θεὸν πείθοιτο μὲν ἄν τις καὶ ἐπʼ αἰτίαις ἄλλαις· ἐγὼ δὲ εὑρετὴν ἱππικῆς ὄντα ἀπὸ τούτου σχεῖν καὶ τὸ ὄνομα εἰκάζω.
One might be persuaded for other reasons too that the god was named Hippius; but I conjecture that, since he is the inventor of horsemanship, he obtained also the name from this.
Ὅμηρος μέν γε ἐν ἵππων ἄθλοις Μενελάῳ κατὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τούτου πρόκλησιν περιέθηκεν ὅρκου· "
ἵππων ἁψάμενος, γαιήοχον ἐννοσίγαιον
ὄμνυθι μηδὲν ἑκὼν τὸ ἐμὸν δόλῳ ἅρμα πεδῆσαι. " §7.21.9Πάμφως δέ, ὃς Ἀθηναίοις τοὺς ἀρχαιοτάτους τῶν ὕμνων ἐποίησεν, εἶναί φησι τὸν Ποσειδῶνα
"
ἵππων τε δωτῆρα νεῶν τʼ ἰθυκρηδέμνων. "
οὕτω διὰ τὴν ἱππικὴν καὶ οὐκ ἀπὸ ἑτέρας προφάσεως τὸ ὄνομα ἔσχηκεν.
Homer, indeed, in the games of horses, put upon Menelaus a challenge of an oath by this god: "Touching the horses, swear by the Earth-holder, the Earth-shaker, that you did not willingly impede my chariot by guile." And Pamphus, who composed the most ancient hymns for the Athenians, says that Poseidon is "giver of horses and of ships with straight sails." Thus, because of horsemanship and not for any other reason, he has obtained the name.
§7.21.10ἐν Πάτραις δὲ οὐ πολὺ ἀπωτέρω τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος ἱερά ἐστιν Ἀφροδίτης· τὸ δὲ ἕτερον τῶν ἀγαλμάτων γενεᾷ πρότερον ἢ κατʼ ἐμὲ ἁλιεῖς ἄνδρες ἀνείλκυσαν ἐν δικτύῳ.
In Patrae, not very far from the temple of Poseidon, there are sanctuaries of Aphrodite; one of the two images was dragged up in a net by fishermen a generation before my time.
ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἀγάλματα τοῦ λιμένος ἐγγυτάτω χαλκοῦ πεποιημένα Ἄρεως, τὸ δὲ Ἀπόλλωνος· καὶ Ἀφροδίτης, ἧς καὶ πρὸς τῷ λιμένι ἐστὶ τέμενος, λίθου μὲν πρόσωπον καὶ ἄκραι χεῖρες καὶ πόδες, ξύλου δὲ τὰ λοιπὰ εἴργασται.
There are also bronze images very near the harbor, one of Ares and another of Apollo; and also one of Aphrodite, of whom there is also a precinct near the harbor; its face, hands, and feet are of stone, while the rest is wrought of wood.
§7.21.11ἔστι δέ σφισι καὶ ἄλσος ἐπὶ θαλάσσῃ, δρόμους τε ἐπιτηδειοτάτους καὶ ἐς τἄλλα δίαιταν ἡδεῖαν ὥρᾳ παρεχόμενον θερινῇ.
And they have also a grove by the sea, providing very suitable running-tracks and in other respects a pleasant resort in the summer season.
ἐν τούτῳ τῷ ἄλσει καὶ ναοὶ θεῶν, Ἀπόλλωνος, ὁ δὲ Ἀφροδίτης· πεποίηται λίθου καὶ τούτοις τὰ ἀγάλματα.
In this grove there are also temples of gods, one of Apollo and another of Aphrodite; their images also are made of stone.
τοῦ δὲ ἄλσους ἱερὸν ἔχεται Δήμητρος· αὕτη μὲν καὶ ἡ παῖς ἑστᾶσι, τὸ δὲ ἄγαλμα τῆς Γῆς ἐστι καθήμενον.
Adjoining the grove is a temple of Demeter; she and her daughter stand, while the image of Earth is seated.
§7.21.12πρὸ δὲ τοῦ ἱεροῦ τῆς Δήμητρός ἐστι πηγή· ταύτης τὰ μὲν πρὸς τοῦ ναοῦ λίθων ἀνέστηκεν αἱμασιά, κατὰ δὲ τὸ ἐκτὸς κάθοδος ἐς αὐτὴν πεποίηται.
Before the temple of Demeter there is a spring; on the side toward the temple, a wall of stones has been built up, but on the outer side there is a descent made into it.
μαντεῖον δὲ ἐνταῦθά ἐστιν ἀψευδές, οὐ μὲν ἐπὶ παντί γε πράγματι, ἀλλὰ ἐπὶ τῶν καμνόντων.
And there is there an infallible oracle, not indeed for every matter, but in the case of the sick.
κάτοπτρον καλῳδίῳ τῶν λεπτῶν δήσαντες καθιᾶσι, σταθμώμενοι μὴ πρόσω καθικέσθαι τῆς πηγῆς, ἀλλʼ ὅσον ἐπιψαῦσαι τοῦ ὕδατος τῷ κύκλῳ τοῦ κατόπτρου.
Tying a mirror to one of the fine cords, they let it down, estimating so as not to let it go deep into the spring, but just to touch the water with the rim of the mirror.
τὸ δὲ ἐντεῦθεν εὐξάμενοι τῇ θεῷ καὶ θυμιάσαντες ἐς τὸ κάτοπτρον βλέπουσι· τὸ δέ σφισι τὸν νοσοῦντα ἤτοι ζῶντα ἢ καὶ τεθνεῶτα ἐπιδείκνυσι.
Then, after praying to the goddess and burning incense, they look into the mirror; and it shows them the sick person either alive or dead.
§7.21.13τούτῳ μὲν τῷ ὕδατι ἐς τοσοῦτο μέτεστιν ἀληθείας, Κυανεῶν δὲ τῶν πρὸς Λυκίᾳ πλησιαίτατα χρηστήριον Ἀπόλλωνός ἐστι Θυρξέως· παρέχεται δὲ ὕδωρ τὸ πρὸς ταῖς Κυανέαις ἔσω ἐνιδόντα τινὰ ἐς τὴν πηγὴν ὁμοίως πάντα ὁπόσα θέλει θεάσασθαι.
To this extent does this water share in truth; but closest to it is the oracle of Apollo Thyrxeus at Cyaneae near Lycia; and the water at Cyaneae provides, to anyone looking into the spring, to see in like manner all things whatsoever he wishes.
ἐν Πάτραις δὲ πρὸς τῷ ἄλσει καὶ ἱερὰ δύο ἐστὶ Σαράπιδος· ἐν δὲ τῷ ἑτέρῳ πεποίηται μνῆμα Αἰγύπτου τοῦ Βήλου.
In Patrae, near the grove, there are also two temples of Sarapis; in one of them has been made the tomb of Aegyptus the son of Belus.
φυγεῖν δὲ ἐς τὴν Ἀρόην οἱ Πατρεῖς φασιν αὐτὸν τοῖς τε ἐς τοὺς παῖδας παθήμασι καὶ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτὸ πεφρικότα τοῦ Ἄργους καὶ ἐς πλέον τοῦ Δαναοῦ δείματι.
The Patreans say that he fled to Aroe because of his misfortunes regarding his sons, and because he shuddered at the very name of Argos, and still more out of fear of Danaus.
§7.21.14ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἱερὸν Πατρεῦσιν Ἀσκληπιοῦ· τοῦτο τὸ ἱερὸν ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀκρόπολιν τῶν πυλῶν ἐστιν ἐγγὺς αἳ ἐπὶ Μεσάτιν ἄγουσιν.
There is also a temple of Asclepius for the Patreans; this temple is above the acropolis, near the gates which lead to Mesatis.
αἱ δὲ γυναῖκές εἰσιν ἐν ταῖς Πάτραις ἀριθμὸν μὲν καὶ ἐς δὶς τῶν ἀνδρῶν· Ἀφροδίτης δέ, εἴπερ ἄλλαις γυναιξί, μέτεστι καὶ ταύταις.
And the women in Patrae are in number even up to twice the men; and they share in Aphrodite, if any women do.
βίος δὲ αὐτῶν ταῖς πολλαῖς ἐστιν ἀπὸ τῆς βύσσου τῆς ἐν τῇ Ἤλιδι φυομένης· κεκρυφάλους τε γὰρ ἀπʼ αὐτῆς καὶ ἐσθῆτα ὑφαίνουσι τὴν ἄλλην.
And the livelihood of most of them is from the byssus which grows in Elis; for they weave hair-nets from it and other clothing.