Pausanias' description of Greece, Volume I.Pausanias, active approximately 150-175
History
Pausanias' description of Greece, Volume I.
Pausanias, active approximately 150-175
Greece -- Antiquities; Greece -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
Here also are the tombs of Linus the son of Apollo, and of Psamathe
the daughter of Crotopus, and this is that Linus they say who wrote
poetry. I pass him by now as more meet to be discussed in another
place, and as regards Psamathe I have already given a full account of
her in what I have written about Megara. Next is a statue of Apollo the
Guardian of the Streets, and the altar of Rainy Zeus, where those who
conspired the return of Polynices to Thebes swore that they would die
if unsuccessful in taking Thebes. As to the sepulchre of Prometheus,
the Argives seem to me to give a less credible account than the
Opuntians, but they stick to their account all the same.
CHAPTER XX.
And passing by the effigy of Creux the boxer, and the trophy erected
over the Corinthians, you come to the statue of Milichian Zeus seated,
the work of Polycletus in white stone. I ascertained that the following
was the reason why it was made. When the Lacedæmonians began the war
with the Argives, they continued hostilities till Philip the son of
Amyntas compelled them to remain within their original boundaries. For
during all previous time the Lacedæmonians never interfered outside
the Peloponnese, but were always cutting a slice off Argolis, or the
Argives, if the Lacedæmonians were engaged in war, would at such a
time make a swoop on their borders. And when their mutual animosity
was at its height, the Argives resolved to keep a standing army of
1000 picked men, and their captain was Bryas the Argive, who in other
respects was insolent to the people, and outraged a maiden, who was
being led in procession to her bridegroom’s house, tearing her away
from her escort. But during the night catching him asleep she blinded
Bryas: and being arrested at daybreak implored protection from the
people. As they would not abandon her to the vengeance of the thousand,
there ensued a fight, and the people were victorious, and in the heat
of victory left not one of the 1000 alive. But afterwards they made
expiation for this shedding of kinsmen’s blood, and erected a statue
to Milichian Zeus. And near are statues in stone of Cleobis and Bito,
who themselves drew the car with their mother in it to the temple of
Hera.[21] And opposite these is the temple of Nemean Zeus, and in it a
brazen statue of the god erect, the design of Lysippus. And next to it,
as you go forward, on the right hand, is the tomb of Phoroneus: to whom
they still offer victims. And opposite the temple of Nemean Zeus is a
temple of Fortune of most ancient date, since Palamedes the inventor of
dice made a votive offering of his dice to this temple. And the tomb
near they call that of the Mænad Chorea, who they say with the other
women accompanied Dionysus to Argos, and Perseus being victorious in
the battle slew most of the women: the others they buried all together,
but for her they had a tomb separately, as she excelled the others in
merit. And at a little distance is a temple of the Seasons. And as
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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