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[1] The founder of Heraia was Heraeeus the son of Lykaon, and the city lies on the right of the Alpheios, mostly upon a gentle slope, though a part descends right to the Alpheios. Walks have been made along the river, separated by myrtles and other cultivated trees; the baths are there, as are also two temples to Dionysus. One is to the god named Citizen, the other to the Giver of Increase, and they have a building there where they celebrate their mysteries in honor of Dionysus.
[2] There is also in Heraia a temple of Pan, as he is native to Arcadia, and of the temple of Hērā I found remaining various ruins, including the pillars. Of Arcadian athletes the most renowned has been Damaretos of Heraia, who was the first to win the race in armor at Olympia.
[3] As you go down to the land of Elis from Heraia, at a distance of about fifteen stadium-lengths from Heraia you will cross the Ladon, and from it to the Erymanthos is a journey of roughly twenty stadium-lengths. The boundary between Heraia and the land of Elis is according to the Arcadians the Erymanthos, but the people of Elis say that the tomb of Coroebus bounds their territory.
[4] But when the Olympic games, after not being held for a long period, were revived by Iphitos, and the Olympic festival was again held, the only prizes offered were for running, and Coroebus won. On the tomb is an inscription that Coroebus was the first man to win at Olympia, and that his tomb was made at the end of Eleian territory.
[5] There is a town, Aliphera, of no great size, for it was abandoned by many of its inhabitants at the union of the Arcadians into Megalopolis. As you go to this town from Heraia you will cross the Alpheios, and after going over a plain of just about ten stadium-lengths you will reach a mountain, and ascending across the mountain for some thirty stadium-lengths more you will come to the town.
[6] The city of Aliphera has received its name from Alipherus, the son of Lykaon, and there are sanctuaries here of Asklepios and Athena; the latter they worship more than any other god, saying that she was born and bred among them. They also set up an altar of Zeus Lekheates (In child-bed), because here he gave birth to Athena. There is a stream they call Tritonis, adopting the story about the river Triton.
[7] The image of Athena is made of bronze, the work of Hypatodoros, worth seeing for its size and workmanship. They keep a general festival in honor of some god or other; I think in honor of Athena. At this festival they sacrifice first to Fly-catcher, praying to the hero over the victims and calling upon the Fly-catcher. When they have done this the flies trouble them no longer.
[8] On the road from Heraia to Megalopolis is Melainai. It was founded by Melaineus, the son of Lykaon; in my time it was uninhabited, but there is plenty of water flowing over it. Forty stadium-lengths above Melainai is Bouphagion,and here is the source of the Bouphagos, which flows down into the Alpheios. Near the source of the Bouphagos is the boundary between Megalopolis and Heraia.
Description of Greece. Pausanias. ed. W. H. S. Jones, ed. H. A. Ormerod, ed. Gregory Nagy. . .