Pausanias' description of Greece, Volume II.Pausanias, active approximately 150-175
History
Pausanias' description of Greece, Volume II.
Pausanias, active approximately 150-175
Greece -- Antiquities; Greece -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
And the town of Pellene is on a hill which is very steep in its topmost
peak, (indeed precipitous and therefore uninhabited), and is built
upon its more level parts not continuously, but is cut as it were into
two parts by the peak which lies between. And as you approach Pellene
you see a statue of Hermes on the road called Dolios (_wily_), he is
very ready to accomplish the prayers of people: it is a square statue,
the god is bearded and has a hat on his head. On the way to the town
there is also a temple of Athene made of the stone of the country, her
statue is of ivory and gold by they say Phidias, who earlier still made
statues of Athene at Athens and Platæa. And the people of Pellene say
that there is a shrine of Athene deep underground under the base of
her statue, and that the air from it is damp and therefore good for
the ivory. And above the temple of Athene is a grove with a wall built
round it to Artemis called the Saviour, their greatest oath is by her.
No one may enter this grove but the priests, who are chiefly chosen out
of the best local families. And opposite this grove is the temple of
Dionysus called the Lighter, for when they celebrate his festival they
carry torches into his temple by night, and place bowls of wine all
over the city. At Pellene there is also a temple of Apollo Theoxenius,
the statue is of bronze, and they hold games to Apollo called
Theoxenia, and give silver as a prize for victory, and the men of the
district contend. And near the temple of Apollo is one of Artemis,
she is dressed as an archer. And there is a conduit built in the
market-place, their baths have to be of rain-water for there are not
many wells with water to drink below the city, except at a place called
Glyceæ. And there is an old gymnasium chiefly given up to the youths to
practise in, nor can any be enrolled as citizens till they have arrived
at man’s estate. Here is the statue of Promachus of Pellene, the son of
Dryon, who won victories in the pancratium, one at Olympia, three at
the Isthmus, and two at Nemea, and the people of Pellene erected two
statues to him, one at Olympia, and one in the gymnasium, the latter in
stone and not in brass. And it is said that in the war between Corinth
and Pellene Promachus slew most of the enemy opposed to him. It is
said also that he beat at Olympia Polydamas of Scotussa, who contended
a second time at Olympia, after coming home safe from the King of the
Persians. But the Thessalians do not admit that Polydamas was beaten,
and they bring forward to maintain their view the line about Polydamas,
“O Scotoessa, nurse of the invincible Polydamas.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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