Pausanias, Description of Greece, ed. W. H. S. Jones, ed. H. A. Ormerod, ed. Gregory Nagy, 1.27.9

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[9] There is another deed [ ergon] that they [= the Athenians] have represented-in-the-form-of-a-dedicatory-offering [ ana-tithenai], and here is the tale [ logos] that pertains to that deed. The land of the Cretans and especially the part that is next to the river Tethris was ravaged by a bull. I say-this-because [ gar] beasts [ thēria] in ancient times were much more formidable for humans. For example, there is the Nemean lion. And the lion of Parnassus. And so many serpents [ drakontes] in many parts of Greece [Hellas]. And then there are the boars of Calydon and Erymanthos.

Also the one from Krommyon in the land of Corinth. It was said that some [of these beasts] were sent up from the earth down below, that others were sacred [ hiera] to the gods, while still others had been let loose for the punishment [ tīmōriā] of humankind. In the case of this bull as well, the Cretans say that it was sent by Poseidon to their land because, although Minos was ruler [ arkhōn] of the Greek [ Hellēnikē] Sea [ Thalassa], he did not give more honor [ tīmē] to Poseidon than to the other gods.

Description of Greece. Pausanias. ed. W. H. S. Jones, ed. H. A. Ormerod, ed. Gregory Nagy. . .

Current edition Experimental

English (Jones and Ormerod; retranslated Gregory Nagy, CHS, 2018) (OCR draft) (English) (CHS Pausanias Reader retranslation by Gregory Nagy, based on Jones and Ormerod, with marked Greek terms, notes, quotations, and bibliographic attributions preserved.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Ἑλλάδος Περιηγήσεως Perseus (Pausanias. Pausaniae Graeciae descriptio, Volumes 1-3. Spiro, Friedrich, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1903.) — 1.27.9 focus

[9] ἀνέθεσαν δὲ καὶ ἄλλο Θησέως ἔργον, καὶ ὁ λόγος οὕτως ἐς αὐτὸ ἔχει. Κρησὶ τήν τε ἄλλην γῆν καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ ποταμῷ Τεθρίνι ταῦρος ἐλυμαίνετο. πάλαι δὲ ἄρα τὰ θηρία φοβερώτερα ἦν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὡς ὅ τʼ ἐν Νεμέᾳ λέων καὶ ὁ Παρνάς ςιος καὶ δράκοντες τῆς Ἑλλάδος πολλαχοῦ καὶ ὗς περί τε Καλυδῶνα καὶ Ἐρύμανθον καὶ τῆς Κορινθίας ἐν Κρομ μυῶνι, ὥστε καὶ ἐλέγετο τὰ μὲν ἀνιέναι τὴν γῆν, τὰ δὲ ὡς 0 ἱερὰ εἴη θεῶν, τὰ δὲ καὶ ἐς τιμωρίαν ἀνθρώπων ἀφεῖσθαι. καὶ τοῦτον οἱ Κρῆτες τὸν ταῦρον ἐς τὴν γῆν πέμψαι σφίσι Ποσειδῶνά φασιν, ὅτι θαλάσσης ἄρχων Μίνως τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς οὐδενὸς Ποσειδῶνα ἦγεν ἄλλου θεοῦ μᾶλλον ἐν τιμῇ.

Translations (1)

Description of Greece Perseus (Pausanias. Pausanias Description of Greece, Volumes 1-4. Jones, W.H.S. (William Henry Samuel), translator; Ormerod, Henry Arderne, translator. London, New York: W. Heinemann, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1918-1935.) — 1.27.9 focus

[9] Another deed of Theseus they have represented in an offering, and the story about it is as follows:—The land of the Cretans and especially that by the river Tethris was ravaged by a bull. It would seem that in the days of old the beasts were much more formidable to men, for example the Nemean lion, the lion of Parnassus , the serpents in many parts of Greece , and the boars of Calydon, Eryrmanthus and Crommyon in the land of Corinth , so that it was said that some were sent up by the earth, that others were sacred to the gods, while others had been let loose to punish mankind. And so the Cretans say that this bull was sent by Poseidon to their land because, although Minos was lord of the Greek Sea, he did not worship Poseidon more than any other god.

New Alexandria Commentaries

Gregory Nagy, Editors: Angelia Hanhardt and Keith DeStone, Web producer: Noel Spencer, Consultant for images: Jill Curry Robbins, \[\[Noel gives this a separate URN\]\]

Scroll I. Attica

The tension here between Minos and Poseidon has to do with genealogy: Minos is son of Zeus, while his rival Theseus is son of Poseidon.

source

Pausanias Description of Greece 1.27.9

ed. W. H. S. Jones, ed. H. A. Ormerod, ed. Gregory Nagy

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