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
And once in every month the people of Elis sacrifice at the altars
which I have mentioned. And they sacrifice in a certain primitive
fashion; for they burn frankincense on the altars and cakes kneaded
with honey. And they decorate the altars with olive branches, and pour
out libations of wine. But they do not offer libations of wine to the
Nymphs, or the Mistresses, or at the joint altar of all the gods.
And the sacrifices are conducted by the priest, who has office for
one month, and by the seers, the libation-offerers, the Interpreter
of Antiquities, the flute-player, and the wood-cutter. But the words
that they use in the Town Hall, and the Hymns which they sing, I am
not allowed to introduce into my account. And they pour libations not
only to Greek gods, but to the god of Libya, and to Hera of Ammon,
and to Parammon (a title of Hermes). It is manifest also that from
time immemorial they have consulted the oracle at Libya, and there are
altars in the temple of Ammon, votive offerings of the people of Elis:
and there are inscribed on them the questions of the people of Elis,
and the answers returned by the god, and the names of those who went
to Ammon from Elis. All this is in the temple of Ammon. The people of
Elis also pour libations to heroes, and the wives of heroes, who are
honoured in Elis or Ætolia. And the Hymns sung in the Town Hall are in
the Doric dialect, but by whom composed they do not tell us. The people
of Elis also have a banqueting-hall, (inside the Town-Hall, opposite
the room where the hearth is,) where they entertain the victors at
Olympia.
CHAPTER XVI.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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