by Pausanias
[8] πᾶσαι καὶ ἄνδρες ἰδίᾳ θεῶν μάλιστα ἄγουσιν ἐν τιμῇ: τὰ δὲ αἴτια ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν ἐστὶν Ἀμαζόνων τε κλέος, αἳ φήμην τὸ ἄγαλμα ἔχουσιν ἱδρύσασθαι, καὶ ὅτι ἐκ παλαιοτάτου τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦτο ἐποιήθη. τρία δὲ ἄλλα ἐπὶ τούτοις συνετέλεσεν ἐς δόξαν, μέγεθός τε τοῦ ναοῦ τὰ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις κατασκευάσματα ὑπερηρκότος καὶ Ἐφεσίων τῆς πόλεως ἡ ἀκμὴ καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τὸ ἐπιφανὲς τῆς θεοῦ.
[31.8] But all cities worship Artemis of Ephesus, and individuals hold her in honor above all the gods. The reason, in my view, is the renown of the Amazons, who traditionally dedicated the image, also the extreme antiquity of this sanctuary. Three other points as well have contributed to her renown, the size of the temple, surpassing all buildings among men, the eminence of the city of the Ephesians and the renown of the goddess who dwells there.
[9] πεποίηται δὲ καὶ Εἰλειθυίας Μεσσηνίοις ναὸς καὶ ἄγαλμα λίθου, πλησίον δὲ Κουρήτων μέγαρον, ἔνθα ζῷα τὰ πάντα ὁμοίως καθαγίζουσιν: ἀρξάμενοι γὰρ ἀπὸ βοῶν τε καὶ αἰγῶν καταβαίνουσιν ἐς τοὺς ὄρνιθας ἀφιέντες ἐς τὴν φλόγα. καὶ Δήμητρος ἱερὸν Μεσσηνίοις ἐστὶν ἅγιον καὶ Διοσκούρων ἀγάλματα φέροντες τὰς Λευκίππου: καί μοι καὶ ταῦτα ἐν τοῖς προτέροις ἐστὶν ἤδη δεδηλωμένα, ὡς οἱ Μεσσήνιοι τοὺς Τυνδάρεω παῖδας ἀμφισβητοῦσιν αὑτοῖς καὶ οὐ Λακεδαιμονίοις προσήκειν.
[31.9] The Messenians have a temple erected to Eileithyia with a stone statue, and near by a hall of the Curetes, where they make burnt offerings of every kind of living creature, thrusting into the flames not only cattle and goats, but finally birds as well. There is a holy shrine of Demeter at Messene and statues of the Dioscuri, carrying the daughters of Leucippus. I have already explained in an earlier passage that the Messenians argue that the sons of Tyndareus belong to them rather than to the Lacedaemonians.
[10] πλεῖστα δέ σφισι καὶ θέας μάλιστα ἀγάλματα ἄξια τοῦ Ἀσκληπιοῦ παρέχεται τὸ ἱερόν: χωρὶς μὲν γὰρ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τῶν παίδων ἐστὶν ἀγάλματα, χωρὶς δὲ Ἀπόλλωνος καὶ Μουσῶν καὶ Ἡρακλέους: πόλις τε ἡ Θηβαίων καὶ Ἐπαμινώνδας ὁ Κλεόμμιδος Τύχη τε καὶ Ἄρτεμις Φωσφόρος, τὰ μὲν δὴ τοῦ λίθου Δαμοφῶν αὐτοῖς εἰργάσατο — Μεσσήνιον δὲ ὅτι μὴ τοῦτον ἄλλον γε οὐδένα λόγου ποιήσαντα ἀξίως οἶδα ἀγάλματα — , ἡ δὲ εἰκὼν τοῦ Ἐπαμινώνδου ἐκ σιδήρου τέ ἐστι καὶ ἔργον ἄλλου, οὐ τούτου.
[31.10] The most numerous statues and the most worth seeing are to be found in the sanctuary of Asclepius. For besides statues of the god and his sons, and besides statues of Apollo, the Muses and Heracles, the city of Thebes is represented and Epaminondas the son of Cleommis, Fortune, and Artemis Bringer of Light. The stone statues are the work of Damophon (I know of no other Messenian sculptor of merit apart from him); the statue of Epaminondas is of iron and the work of some other artist.
[11] ἔστι δὲ καὶ Μεσσήνης τῆς Τριόπα ναὸς καὶ ἄγαλμα χρυσοῦ καὶ λίθου Παρίου: γραφαὶ δὲ κατὰ τοῦ ναοῦ τὸ ὄπισθεν αἱ βασιλεύσαντές εἰσι Μεσσήνης, πρὶν μὲν ἢ στόλον ἀφικέσθαι τὸν Δωριέων ἐς Πελοπόννησον Ἀφαρεὺς καὶ οἱ παῖδες, κατελθόντων δὲ Ἡρακλειδῶν Κρεσφόντης ἐστίν, ἡγεμὼν καὶ οὗτος τοῦ Δωρικοῦ, τῶν δὲ οἰκησάντων ἐν Πύλῳ Νέστωρ καὶ Θρασυμήδης καὶ Ἀντίλοχος, προτετιμημένοι παίδων τῶν Νέστορος ἡλικίᾳ καὶ ἐπὶ Τροίαν μετεσχηκότες τῆς στρατείας.
[31.11] There is also a temple of Messene the daughter of Triopas with a statue of gold and Parian marble. At the back of the temple are paintings of the kings of Messene: before the coming of the Dorian host to Peloponnese, Aphareus and his sons, after the return of the Heracleidae, Cresphontes the Dorian leader, of the inhabitants of Pylos, Nestor, Thrasymedes and Antilochus, singled out from among the sons of Nestor on the score of age and because they took part in the expedition to Troy.
[12] Λεύκιππός τε Ἀφαρέως ἀδελφὸς καὶ Ἱλάειρά ἐστι καὶ Φοίβη, σὺν δέ σφισιν Ἀρσινόη. γέγραπται δὲ καὶ Ἀσκληπιός, Ἀρσινόης ὢν λόγῳ τῷ Μεσσηνίων, καὶ Μαχάων καὶ Ποδαλείριος, ὅτι ἔργου τοῦ πρὸς Ἰλίῳ καὶ τούτοις μέτεστι. ταύτας τὰς γραφὰς ἔγραψεν Ὀμφαλίων, Νικίου τοῦ Νικομήδους μαθητής: οἱ δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ δουλεῦσαι παρὰ τῷ Νικίᾳ καὶ παιδικὰ γενέσθαι φασὶν αὐτοῦ.
[31.12] There is Leucippus brother of Aphareus, Hilaeira and Phoebe, and with them Arsinoe. Asclepius too is represented, being according to the Messenian account a son of Arsinoe, also Machaon and Podaleirius, as they also took part in the affair at Troy. These pictures were painted by Omphalion, pupil of Nicias the son of Nicomedes. Some say that he was also a slave in the house of Nicias and his favorite.
32. τὸ δὲ ὀνομαζόμενον παρὰ Μεσσηνίων ἱεροθέσιον ἔχει μὲν θεῶν ἀγάλματα ὁπόσους νομίζουσιν Ἕλληνες, ἔχει δὲ χαλκῆν εἰκόνα Ἐπαμινώνδου. κεῖνται δὲ καὶ ἀρχαῖοι τρίποδες: ἀπύρους αὐτοὺς καλεῖ Ὅμηρος. τὰ δὲ ἀγάλματα τὰ ἐν τῷ γυμνασίῳ ποιήματά ἐστιν
ἀνδρῶν Αἰγυπτίων, Ἑρμῆς καὶ Ἡρακλῆς τε καὶ Θησεύς. τούτους μὲν δὴ τοῖς πᾶσιν Ἕλλησι καὶ ἤδη τῶν βαρβάρων πολλοῖς περί τε γυμνάσια καὶ ἐν παλαίστραις καθέστηκεν ἔχειν ἐν τιμῇ:
[32.1] XXXII. The place called Hierothesion by the Messenians contains statues of all the gods whom the Greeks worship, and also a bronze image of Epaminondas. Ancient tripods are dedicated there, which “have felt not the fire,” as Homer says. The statues in the gymnasium are the work of Egyptian artists. They represent Hermes, Heracles and Theseus, who are honored in the gymnasium and wrestling-ground according to a practice universal among Greeks, and now common among barbarians...
[2] Αἰθίδαν δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ πρεσβύτερον ὄντα εὕρισκον, γενομένῳ δέ οἱ χρήμασιν οὐκ ἀδυνάτῳ τιμαὶ παρὰ Μεσσηνίων ὑπάρχουσιν ἅτε ἥρωι. εἰσὶ δὲ τῶν Μεσσηνίων οἳ τῷ Αἰθίδᾳ χρήματα μὲν γενέσθαι πολλὰ ἔλεγον, οὐ μέντοι τοῦτόν γε εἶναι τὸν ἐπειργασμένον τῇ στήλῃ, πρόγονον δὲ καὶ ὁμώνυμον ἄνδρα τῷ Αἰθίδᾳ: Αἰθίδαν δὲ τὸν πρότερον ἡγήσασθαι τοῖς Μεσσηνίοις φασίν, ἡνίκα ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ Δημήτριός σφισιν ὁ Φιλίππου μηδαμῶς ἐλπίσασιν αὐτός τε καὶ ἡ στρατιὰ λανθάνουσιν ἐσελθόντες ἐς τὴν πόλιν.
[32.2]
I learnt by enquiry that Aethidas was a man older than myself, who gained influence through his wealth and is honored by the Messenians as a hero. There are certain Messenians, who, while admitting that Aethidas was a man of great wealth, maintain that it is not he who is represented on the relief but an ancestor and namesake. The elder Aethidas was their leader, when Demetrius the son of Philip and his force surprised them in the night and succeeded in penetrating into the town unnoticed.
[3] καὶ Ἀριστομένους δὲ μνῆμά ἐστιν ἐνταῦθα: οὐ κενὸν δὲ εἶναι τὸ μνῆμα λέγουσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐρομένου μου τρόπον τε ὅντινα καὶ ὁπόθεν Ἀριστομένους κομίσαιντο τὰ ὀστᾶ, μεταπέμψασθαι μὲν ἐκ Ῥόδου φασί, τὸν δὲ ἐν Δελφοῖς θεὸν τὸν κελεύσαντα εἶναι. πρός τε δὴ τούτοις ἐδίδασκόν με ὁποῖα ἐπὶ τῷ τάφῳ δρῶσι. ταῦρον ὅντινα ἐναγίζειν μέλλουσιν, ἀγαγόντες ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμα ἔδησαν πρὸς τὸν ἑστηκότα ἐπὶ τῷ τάφῳ κίονα: ὁ δὲ ἅτε ἄγριος καὶ ἀήθης δεσμῶν οὐκ ἐθέλει μένειν: θορυβουμένῳ δέ οἱ καὶ σκιρτῶντι ἢν ὁ κίων κινηθῇ, Μεσσηνίοις ἐστὶν αἴσιον, οὐ κινηθέντος δὲ ἀσύμφορα ἐπαγγέλλει τὸ σημεῖον.
[32.3] There is also the tomb of Aristomenes here. They say that it is not a cenotaph, but when I asked whence and in what manner they recovered the bones of Aristomenes, they said that they sent to Rhodes for them, and that it was the god of Delphi who ordered it. They also instructed me in the nature of the rites carried out at the tomb. The bull which is to be offered to the dead man is brought to the tomb and bound to the pillar which stands upon the grave. Being fierce and unused to bonds he will not stand; and if the pillar is moved by his struggles and bounds, it is a good omen to the Messenians, but if the pillar is not moved the sign portends misfortune.
[4] παραγενέσθαι δὲ Ἀριστομένην καὶ τῷ περὶ Λεῦκτρα ἀγῶνι ἐθέλουσιν οὐ μετὰ ἀνθρώπων ἔτι ὄντα, καὶ ἀμῦναί τε αὐτόν φασι Θηβαίοις καὶ μάλιστα γενέσθαι τοῦ ἀτυχήματος Λακεδαιμονίοις αἴτιον. ἐγὼ δὲ Χαλδαίους καὶ Ἰνδῶν τοὺς μάγους πρώτους οἶδα εἰπόντας ὡς ἀθάνατός ἐστιν ἀνθρώπου ψυχή, καί σφισι καὶ Ἑλλήνων ἄλλοι τε ἐπείσθησαν καὶ οὐχ ἥκιστα Πλάτων ὁ Ἀρίστωνος: εἰ δὲ ἀποδέχεσθαι καὶ οἱ πάντες ἐθελήσουσιν, ἐκεῖνό γε ἀντειπεῖν οὐκ ἔνεστι μὴ οὐ τὸν πάντα αἰῶνα Ἀριστομένει τὸ μῖσος τὸ ἐς Λακεδαιμονίους ἐνεστάχθαι.
[32.4] They have it that Aristomenes was present at the battle of Leuctra, though no longer among men, and say that he helped the Thebans and was the chief cause of the Lacedaemonian disaster. I know that the Chaldaeans and Indian sages were the first to say that the soul of man is immortal, and have been followed by some of the Greeks, particularly by Plato the son of Ariston. If all are willing to accept this, this too cannot be denied, that his hatred for the Lacedaemonians was imparted to Aristomenes for all time.
[5] ἃ δὲ αὐτὸς ἤκουσα ἐν Θήβαις, εἰκὸς μέν τι παρείχετο ἐς τὸν Μεσσηνίων λόγον, οὐ μὴν παντάπασί γέ ἐστιν αὐτοῖς ὡμολογηκότα. φασὶ δὲ οἱ Θηβαῖοι μελλούσης τῆς μάχης ἔσεσθαί σφισιν ἐν Λεύκτροις ἐς ἄλλα τε ἀποστεῖλαι χρηστήρια καὶ ἐρησομένους τὸν ἐν Λεβαδείᾳ θεόν. λέγεται μὲν οὖν καὶ τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Ἰσμηνίου καὶ τοῦ Πτῴου, πρὸς δὲ τὰ ἐν Ἄβαις τε χρησθέντα καὶ τὰ ἐν Δελφοῖς: Τροφώνιον δέ φασιν εἰπεῖν ἑξαμέτρῳ:”πρὶν δορὶ συμβαλέειν ἐχθροῖς, στήσασθε τρόπαιον,
ἀσπίδα κοσμήσαντες ἐμήν, τὴν εἵσατο νηῷ
θοῦρος Ἀριστομένης Μεσσήνιος. αὐτὰρ ἐγώ τοι
ἀνδρῶν δυσμενέων φθίσω στρατὸν ἀσπιστάων.
“
[32.5] What I myself heard in Thebes gives probability to the Messenian account, although it does not coincide in all respects. The Thebans say that when the battle of Leuctra was imminent, they sent to other oracles and to enquire of the god of Lebadeia. The replies of the Ismenian and Ptoan Apollo are recorded, also the responses given at Abae and at Delphi. Trophonius, they say, answered in hexameters:–
Or ever ye join battle with the foe, set up a trophy and deck it with my shield, which impetuous Aristomenes the Messenian placed in my temple. And I will destroy the host of foemen bearing shield.
[6] ἀφικομένου δὲ τοῦ χρησμοῦ δεηθῆναι Ξενοκράτους λέγουσιν Ἐπαμινώνδαν: ὁ δὲ τήν τε ἀσπίδα μεταπέμπεται τοῦ Ἀριστομένους καὶ ἐκόσμησεν ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς τρόπαιον, ὅθεν τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις ἔσεσθαι σύνοπτον ἔμελλεν. ᾔδεσαν δὲ ἄρα τὴν ἀσπίδα οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν ἐν Λεβαδείᾳ καθ᾽ ἡσυχίαν ἑωρακότες, ἀκοῇ δὲ καὶ πάντες: ὡς δὲ ἐγένετο ἡ νίκη Θηβαίοις, ἀποδιδόασιν αὖθις τῷ Τροφωνίῳ τὸ ἀνάθημα. Ἀριστομένους δὲ καὶ χαλκοῦς ἀνδριάς ἐστιν ἐν τῷ Μεσσηνίων σταδίῳ: τοῦ θεάτρου δὲ οὐ πόρω Σαράπιδός ἐστι καὶ Ἴσιδος ἱερόν.
[32.6] When the oracle was brought, they say that Epaminondas urged Xenocrates, who sent for the shield of Aristomenes and used it to adorn a trophy in a spot where it could be seen by the Lacedaemonians. Those of them who had seen the shield at Lebadeia in peace-time knew it, and all knew it by repute. After their victory the Thebans restored the offering to Trophonius. There is also a bronze statue of Aristomenes in the Messenian running-ground. Not far from the theater is a sanctuary of Sarapis and Isis.
MT ITHOME
33. ἐς δὲ τὴν κορυφὴν ἐρχομένῳ τῆς Ἰθώμης, ἣ δὴ Μεσσηνίοις ἐστὶν ἀκρόπολις, πηγὴ Κλεψύδρα γίνεται. πάντας μὲν οὖν καταριθμήσασθαι καὶ προθυμηθέντι ἄπορον, ὁπόσοι θέλουσι γενέσθαι καὶ τραφῆναι παρὰ σφίσι Δία: μέτεστι δ᾽ οὖν καὶ Μεσσηνίοις τοῦ λόγου: φασὶ γὰρ καὶ οὗτοι τραφῆναι παρὰ σφίσι τὸν θεόν, Ἰθώμην δὲ εἶναι καὶ Νέδαν τὰς θρεψαμένας, κεκλῆσθαι δὲ ἀπὸ μὲν τῆς Νέδας τὸν ποταμόν, τὴν δὲ ἑτέραν τῷ ὄρει τὴν Ἰθώμην δεδωκέναι τὸ ὄνομα. ταύτας δὲ τὰς νύμφας τὸν Δία, κλαπέντα ὑπὸ Κουρήτων διὰ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς δεῖμα, ἐνταῦθα λοῦσαι λέγουσι καὶ τὸ ὄνομα εἶναι τῷ ὕδατι ἀπὸ τῶν Κουρήτων τῆς κλοπῆς: φέρουσί τε ἀνὰ πᾶσαν ἡμέραν ὕδωρ ἀπὸ τῆς πηγῆς ἐς τοῦ Διὸς τοῦ Ἰθωμάτα τὸ ἱερόν.
[33.1] XXXIII. On the ascent to the summit of Ithome, which is the Messenian acropolis, is a spring Clepsydra. It is a hopeless task, however zealously undertaken, to enumerate all the peoples who claim that Zeus was born and brought up among them. The Messenians have their share in the story for they too say that the god was brou
ght up among them and that his nurses were Ithome and Neda, the river having received its name from the latter, while the former, Ithome, gave her name to the mountain. These nymphs are said to have bathed Zeus here, after he was stolen by the Curetes owing to the danger that threatened from his father, and it is said that it has its name from the Curetes’ theft. Water is carried every day from the spring to the sanctuary of Zeus of Ithome.
[2] τὸ δὲ ἄγαλμα τοῦ Διὸς Ἀγελάδα μέν ἐστιν ἔργον, ἐποιήθη δὲ ἐξ ἀρχῆς τοῖς οἰκήσασιν ἐν Ναυπάκτῳ Μεσσηνίων: ἱερεὺς δὲ αἱρετὸς κατὰ ἔτος ἕκαστον ἔχει δὲ τὸ ἄγαλμα ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας. ἄγουσι δὲ καὶ ἑορτὴν ἐπέτειον Ἰθωμαῖα, τὸ δὲ ἀρχαῖον καὶ ἀγῶνα ἐτίθεσαν μουσικῆς: τεκμαίρεσθαι δ᾽ ἔστιν ἄλλοις τε καὶ Εὐμήλου τοῖς ἔπεσιν, ἐποίησε γοῦν καὶ τάδε ἐν τῷ προσοδίῳ τῷ ἐς Δῆλον: “τῷ γὰρ Ἰθωμάτα καταθύμιος ἔπλετο μοῖσα
ἁ καθαρὰν κιθάραν καὶ ἐλεύθερα σάμβαλ᾽ ἔχοισα.
“Eumelus, unknown location.οὐκοῦν ποιῆσαί μοι δοκεῖ τὰ ἔπη καὶ μουσικῆς ἀγῶνα ἐπιστάμενος τιθέντας.
[33.2] The statue of Zeus is the work of Ageladas and was made originally for the Messenian settlers in Naupactus. The priest is chosen annually and keeps the image in his house. They keep an annual festival, the Ithomaea, and originally a musical contest was held. This can be gathered from the epic lines of Eumelus and other sources. Eumelus, in his processional hymn to Delos, says:–
For dear to the God of Ithome was the Muse, whose
