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
into the water.
CHAPTER XV.
Near Platanistas there is a hero-chapel of Cynisca, the daughter of
Archidamus king of Sparta: she was the first woman who trained horses,
and the first woman who won the chariot-race at Olympia. And behind
the portico near Platanistas are several other hero-chapels, one of
Alcimus, and another of Enaræphorus, and at no great distance one of
Dorceus, and above this one of Sebrus. These they say were sons of
Hippocoon. And from Dorceus they call the fountain near the hero-chapel
Dorcea, and from Sebrus they call the place Sebrium. And on the right
of Sebrium is the sepulchre of Alcman, the sweetness of whose poems
was not injured by the Lacedæmonian dialect, though it is the least
euphonious. And there are temples of Helen and Hercules, hers near
the tomb of Alcman, and his very near the walls with a statue in it
of Hercules armed: Hercules was so represented in the statue they say
because of his fight against Hippocoon and his sons. The animosity of
Hercules against the family of Hippocoon originated they say in that,
after killing Iphitus, when he came to Sparta to clear himself, they
refused to clear him. The following matter also contributed to the
beginning of strife. Œonus a lad, and nephew of Hercules, for he was
the son of Alcmena’s brother, accompanied Hercules to Sparta, and as
he was going round and looking at the city, when he was opposite the
house of Hippocoon, a watch dog jumped out on him, and Œonus chanced
to throw a stone and hit the dog. Then the sons of Hippocoon ran out,
and struck Œonus with clubs till they had killed him. At this Hercules
was furious against Hippocoon and his sons, and immediately (so angry
was he) attacked them. For the moment he retired as he was wounded, but
afterwards he brought others with him to Sparta to avenge himself on
Hippocoon and his sons for the murder of Œonus. And the sepulchre of
Œonus was erected near the temple of Hercules. And as you go eastwards
from Dromus there is a path on the right hand to the temple of Athene
under the title of Exactor of due punishment. For when Hercules took
on Hippocoon and his sons adequate vengeance for what they had done,
he built this temple to Athene under the title of Exactor of due
punishment, for the old race of men called revenge punishment.[37]
And there is another temple of Athene as you go on another road from
Dromus, erected they say by Theras the son of Autesion, the son of
Tisamenus, the son of Thersander, when he sent a colony to the island
which is now called Thera after him, but was of old called Calliste.
And hard by is the temple of Hipposthenes who carried off most of the
wrestling prizes, and whom they worship according to the oracle, as
if they were awarding honours to Poseidon. And right opposite this
temple is Enyalius in fetters, an old statue. And the opinion of the
Lacedæmonians about this statue and about that of the Athenians called
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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