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[1]
βαρβάρων δὲ τῶν πρὸς τῇ ἑσπέρᾳ οἱ ἔχοντες Σαρδώ, εἰκόνα οὗτοι χαλκῆν τοῦ ἐπωνύμου σφίσιν ἀπέστειλαν. ἡ δὲ Σαρδὼ μέγεθος μὲν καὶ εὐδαιμονίαν ἐστὶν ὁμοία ταῖς μάλιστα ἐπαινουμέναις· ὄνομα δὲ αὐτῇ τὸ ἀρχαῖον ὅ τι μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν ἐπιχωρίων ἐγένετο οὐκ οἶδα, Ἑλλήνων δὲ οἱ κατʼ ἐμπορίαν ἐσπλέοντες Ἰχνοῦσσαν ἐκάλεσαν, ὅτι τὸ σχῆμα τῇ νήσῳ κατʼ ἴχνος μάλιστά ἐστιν ἀνθρώπου. μῆκος δὲ ἀπʼ αὐτῆς εἴκοσι στάδιοι καὶ ἑκατόν εἰσι καὶ χίλιοι, εὖρος δὲ ἐς εἴκοσί τε καὶ τετρακοσίους προήκει.

[2] πρῶτοι δὲ διαβῆναι λέγονται ναυσὶν ἐς τὴν νῆσον Λίβυες· ἡγεμὼν δὲ τοῖς Λίβυσιν ἦν Σάρδος ὁ Μακήριδος, Ἡρακλέους δὲ ἐπονομασθέντος ὑπὸ Αἰγυπτίων τε καὶ Λιβύων. Μακήριδι μὲν δὴ αὐτῷ τὰ ἐπιφανέστατα ὁδὸς ἐγένετο ἡ ἐς Δελφούς· Σάρδῳ δὲ ἡγεμονία τε ὑπῆρξε τῶν Λιβύων ἡ ἐς τὴν Ἰχνοῦσσαν καὶ τὸ ὄνομα ἀπὸ τοῦ Σάρδου τούτου μετέβαλεν ἡ νῆσος. οὐ μέντοι τούς γε αὐτόχθονας 0 ἐξέβαλεν ὁ τῶν Λιβύων στόλος, σύνοικοι δὲ ὑπʼ αὐτῶν οἱ ἐπελθόντες ἀνάγκῃ μᾶλλον ἢ ὑπὸ εὐνοίας ἐδέχθησαν. καὶ πόλεις μὲν οὔτε οἱ Λίβυες οὔτε τὸ γένος τὸ ἐγχώριον ἠπίσταντο ποιήσασθαι· σποράδες δὲ ἐν καλύβαις τε καὶ σπηλαίοις, ὡς ἕκαστοι τύχοιεν, ᾤκησαν.

[3] ἔτεσι δὲ ὕστερον μετὰ τοὺς Λίβυας ἀφίκοντο ἐκ τῆς Ἑλλάδος ἐς τὴν νῆσον οἱ μετʼ Ἀρισταίου. παῖδα δὲ λέγουσιν Ἀρισταῖον Ἀπόλλωνός τε εἶναι καὶ Κυρήνης· ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Ἀκταίωνος περισσῶς ἀλγήσαντα τῇ συμφορᾷ καὶ Βοιωτίᾳ τε καὶ πάσῃ τῇ Ἑλλάδι κατὰ ταὐτὰ ἀχθόμενον, οὕτως ἐς τὴν Σαρδὼ μετοικῆσαί φασιν αὐτόν.

[4] οἱ δὲ καὶ Δαίδαλον ἀποδρᾶναι τηνικαῦτα †καὶ οἴκου διὰ τὴν ἐπιστρατείαν τὴν Κρητῶν καὶ ἀποικίας ἐς τὴν Σαρδὼ μετασχεῖν τῷ Ἀρισταίῳ νομίζουσιν· ἔχοι δʼ ἂν λόγον οὐδένα Αὐτονόῃ τῇ Κάδμου συνοικήσαντι τῷ Ἀρισταίῳ Δαίδαλον ἢ ἀποικίας ἢ ἄλλου τινὸς μετεσχηκέναι, ὃς ἡλικίαν κατὰ Οἰδίποδα ἦν βασιλεύοντα ἐν Θήβαις. πόλιν δʼ οὖν οἰκίζουσιν οὐδεμίαν οὐδʼ οὗτοι, ὅτι ἀριθμῷ τε καὶ ἰσχύι ἐλάσσονες ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν ἢ κατὰ πόλεως ἦσαν οἰκισμόν.

[5] μετὰ δὲ Ἀρισταῖον Ἴβηρες ἐς τὴν Σαρδὼ διαβαίνουσιν ὑπὸ ἡγεμόνι τοῦ στόλου Νώρακι, καὶ ᾠκίσθη Νώρα πόλις ὑπὸ αὐτῶν· ταύτην πρώτην γενέσθαι πόλιν μνημονεύουσιν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ, παῖδα δὲ Ἐρυθείας τε τῆς Γηρυόνου καὶ Ἑρμοῦ λέγουσιν εἶναι τὸν Νώρακα. τετάρτη δὲ μοῖρα Ἰολάου Θεσπιέων τε καὶ ἐκ τῆς Ἀττικῆς στρατιὰ κατῆρεν ἐς Σαρδώ, καὶ Ὀλβίαν μὲν πόλιν οἰκίζουσιν, ἰδίᾳ δὲ 0 Ὀγρύλην οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι διασώζοντες τῶν δήμων τῶν οἴκοι τινὸς τὸ ὄνομα· ἢ καὶ αὐτὸς τοῦ στόλου μετεῖχεν Ὀγρύλος. ἔστι δʼ οὖν καὶ κατʼ ἐμὲ ἔτι χωρία τε Ἰολάια ἐν τῇ Σαρδοῖ καὶ Ἰόλαος παρὰ τῶν οἰκητόρων ἔχει τιμάς.

[6] Ἰλίου δὲ ἁλισκομένης ἄλλοι τε ἐκφεύγουσι τῶν Τρώων καὶ οἱ ἀποσωθέντες μετὰ Αἰνείου· τούτων μοῖρα ἀπενεχθεῖσα ὑπὸ ἀνέμων ἐς Σαρδὼ ἀνεμίχθησαν τοῖς προενοικοῦσιν Ἕλλησι. καταστῆναι δὲ ἐς μάχην τῷ Ἑλληνικῷ καὶ τοῖς Τρωσὶν ἐκώλυσε τοὺς βαρβάρους· παρασκευῇ τε γὰρ ἴσοι τῇ ἁπάσῃ τὰ ἐς πόλεμον ἦσαν καὶ ὁ Θόρσος ποταμὸς διὰ μέσου σφίσι ῥέων τῆς χώρας ἐπʼ ἴσης καὶ ἀμφοτέροις διαβαίνειν παρεῖχε δέος.

[7] ὕστερον μέντοι πολλοῖς ἔτεσιν οἱ Λίβυες ἐπεραιώθησάν τε αὖθις ἐς τὴν νῆσον στόλῳ μείζονι καὶ ἦρξαν ἐς τὸ Ἑλληνικὸν πολέμου. τὸ μὲν δὴ Ἑλληνικὸν ἐς ἅπαν ἐπέλαβε φθαρῆναι, ἢ ὀλίγον ἐγένετο ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὸ ὑπολειφθέν· οἱ δὲ Τρῶες ἐς τῆς νήσου τὰ ὑψηλὰ ἀναφεύγουσι, καταλαβόντες δὲ ὄρη δύσβατα ὑπὸ σκολόπων τε καὶ κρημνῶν Ἰλιεῖς μὲν ὄνομα καὶ ἐς ἐμὲ ἔτι ἔχουσι, Λίβυσι μέντοι τὰς μορφὰς καὶ τῶν ὅπλων τὴν σκευὴν καὶ ἐς τὴν πᾶσαν δίαιταν ἐοίκασιν.

[8]
ἔστι δὲ νῆσος οὐ πολὺ ἀπέχουσα τῆς Σαρδοῦς, Κύρνος ὑπὸ Ἑλλήνων, ὑπὸ δὲ Λιβύων τῶν ἐνοικούντων καλουμένη Κορσική. ἐκ ταύτης μοῖρα οὐκ ἐλαχίστη στάσει πιεσθεῖσα ἀφίκετο ἐς τὴν Σαρδώ, καὶ ᾤκησαν τῆς χώρας ἀποτεμόμενοι τῆς ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσιν· ὑπὸ μέντοι τῶν ἐν τῇ Σαρδοῖ τῷ ὀνόματι ὀνομάζονται 0 τῷ οἴκοθεν Κορσοί.

[9] Καρχηδόνιοι δὲ ὅτε ναυτικῷ μάλιστα ἴσχυσαν, κατεστρέψαντο μὲν καὶ ἅπαντας τοὺς ἐν τῇ Σαρδοῖ πλὴν Ἰλιέων τε καὶ Κορσῶν—τούτοις δὲ μὴ ἐς δουλείαν ὑπαχθῆναι τὸ ἐχυρὸν ἤρκεσε τῶν ὀρῶν—, ᾤκισαν δὲ ἐν τῇ νήσῳ καὶ αὐτοὶ πόλιν οἱ Καρχηδόνιοι Κάραλίν τε καὶ Σύλκους. τοῦ δὲ ἐπικουρικοῦ τῶν Καρχηδονίων Λίβυες ἢ Ἴβηρες ἐς ἀμφισβήτησιν λαφύρων ἀφικόμενοι καὶ ὡς εἶχον ὀργῆς ἀποστάντες ἐσῳκίσαντο ἐς τὰ ὑψηλὰ καὶ οὗτοι τῆς νήσου. Βαλαροὶ τὸ ὄνομά ἐστιν αὐτοῖς κατὰ γλῶσσαν τὴν Κυρνίων· Βαλαροὺς γὰρ τοὺς φυγάδας καλοῦσιν οἱ Κύρνιοι.

[10]
γένη μὲν τοσαῦτα τὴν Σαρδὼ καὶ ἐσῳκισμένα οὕτω νέμεται, τῆς δὲ νήσου τὰ πρὸς τῆς ἄρκτου καὶ ἠπείρου τῆς κατὰ Ἰταλίαν ἐστὶν ὄρη δύσβατα τὰ πέρατα συνάπτοντα ἀλλήλοις· καὶ ἢν παραπλέῃς, ναυσὶν οὔτε ὅρμους παρέχεται κατὰ τοῦτο ἡ νῆσος πνεύματά τε ἄτακτα καὶ ἰσχυρὰ αἱ ἄκραι τῶν ὀρῶν καταπέμπουσιν ἐς τὴν θάλασσαν.

[11] ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλα διὰ μέσης αὐτῆς ὄρη χθαμαλώτερα. ὁ δὲ ἀὴρ ὁ ἐνταῦθα θολερός τε ὡς ἐπίπαν ἐστὶ καὶ νοσώδης· αἴτιοι δὲ οἵ τε ἅλες οἱ πηγνύμενοι καὶ ὁ νότος βαρὺς καὶ βίαιος ἐγκείμενος, οἱ ἄνεμοί τε οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς ἄρκτου διὰ τὸ ὑψηλὸν τῶν ὀρῶν τῶν πρὸς τῆς Ἰταλίας κωλύονται πνέοντες θέρους ὥρᾳ τόν τε ἀέρα τὸν ταύτῃ καὶ τὴν γῆν ἀναψύχειν. οἱ δὲ τὴν Κύρνον σταδίους φασὶν οὐ πλέονας ἀπὸ τῆς Σαρδοῦς ἢ ὀκτὼ τῇ θαλάσσῃ διείργεσθαι, ὀρεινήν τε οὖσαν καὶ ἐς ὕψος διὰ πάσης ἀνήκουσαν· τὸν 0 Ζέφυρον οὖν καὶ Βορέαν ὑπὸ τῆς Κύρνου κωλύεσθαι νομίζουσι μὴ καὶ ἄχρι τῆς Σαρδοῦς ἐξικνεῖσθαι.

[12] ὄφεις δὲ οὔτε ἐπὶ συμφορᾷ τῇ ἀνθρώπων οὔτε ὅσον ἀνώλεθρον αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ οἱ λύκοι τρέφεσθαι πεφύκασιν. οἱ δὲ τράγοι ἄγριοι μέγεθος μὲν τοὺς ἑτέρωθι οὐχ ὑπερβάλλουσιν, εἶδος δέ ἐστιν αὐτοῖς ὁποῖον ἐν πλαστικῇ τις ἂν τῇ Αἰγιναίᾳ ποιήσειεν ἀγρίου κριοῦ· τὰ μέντοι ἀμφὶ τὸ στῆθος δασύτερά ἐστιν αὐτοῖς ἢ ὡς πρὸς Αἰγιναίαν τέχνην εἰκάσαι· κέρατα δὲ οὐ διεστηκότα ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς, ἀλλὰ ἐς εὐθὺ παρὰ τὰ ὦτα ἔχουσιν ἐληλιγμένα· ὠκύτητι δὲ ἅπαντα τὰ θηρία ὑπερήρκασι.

[13] πλὴν δὲ ἢ βοτάνης μιᾶς καθαρεύει καὶ ἀπὸ φαρμάκων ἡ νῆσος ὅσα ἐργάζεται θάνατον· ἡ πόα δὲ ἡ ὀλέθριος σελίνῳ μέν ἐστιν ἐμφερής, τοῖς φαγοῦσι δὲ γελῶσιν ἐπιγίνεσθαι τὴν τελευτὴν λέγουσιν. ἐπὶ τούτῳ δὲ Ὅμηρός τε καὶ οἱ ἔπειτα ἄνθρωποι τὸν ἐπὶ οὐδενὶ ὑγιεῖ Σαρδάνιον γέλωτα ὀνομάζουσι. φύεται δὲ μάλιστα ἡ πόα περὶ τὰς πηγάς, οὐ μέντοι μεταδίδωσί γε καὶ τῷ ὕδατι τοῦ ἰοῦ.
τὸν μὲν δὴ περὶ τῆς Σαρδοῦς λόγον ἐπεισηγαγόμεθα ἐς τὴν Φωκίδα συγγραφήν, ὅτι οὐχ ἥκιστα καὶ ἐς ταύτην οἱ Ἕλληνες τὴν νῆσον ἀνηκόως εἶχον·

Description of Greece. Pausanias. ed. Friedrich Spiro. Leipzig. 1903.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

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Current edition Perseus

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

Translations (2)

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.) — 10.17 focus

[1]
Of the non-Greeks in the west, the people of Sardinia have sent a bronze statue of him after whom they are called. In size and prosperity Sardinia is the equal of the most celebrated islands. What the ancient name was that the natives give it I do not know, but those of the Greeks who sailed there to trade called it Ichnussa, because the shape of the island is very like a man's footprint (ichnos). Its length is one thousand one hundred and twenty stades, and its breadth extends to four hundred and twenty.

[2] The first sailors to cross to the island are said to have been Libyans. Their leader was Sardus, son of Maceris, the Maceris surnamed Heracles by the Egyptians and Libyans. Maceris himself was celebrated chiefly for his journey to Delphi , but Sardus it was who led the Libyans to Ichnussa, and after him the island was renamed. However, the Libyan army did not expel the aboriginals, who received the invaders as settlers through compulsion rather than in goodwill. Neither the Libyans nor the native population knew how to build cities. They dwelt in scattered groups, where chance found them a home in cabins or caves.

[3] Years after the Libyans, there came to the island from Greece Aristaeus and his followers. Aristaeus is said to have been a son of Apollo and Cyrene , and they say that, deeply grieved by the fate of Actaeon, and vexed alike with Boeotia and the whole of Greece , he migrated to Sardinia .

[4] Others think that Daedalus too ran away from Camicus on this occasion, because of the invasion of the Cretans, and took a part in the colony that Aristaeus led to Sardinia . But it is nonsense to think that Daedalus, a contemporary of Oedipus, king of Thebes , had a part in a colony or anything else along with Aristaeus, who married Autonoe, the daughter of Cadmus. At any rate, these colonists too founded no city, the reason being, I think, that neither in numbers nor in strength were they capable of the task.

[5] After Aristaeus the Iberians crossed to Sardinia , under Norax as leader of the expedition, and they founded the city of Nora . The tradition is that this was the first city in the island, and they say that Norax was a son of Erytheia, the daughter of Geryones, with Hermes for his father. A fourth component part of the population was the army of Iolaus, consisting of Thespians and men from Attica , which put in at Sardinia and founded Olbia ; by themselves the Athenians founded Ogryle, either in commemoration of one of their parishes in the home-land, or else because one Ogrylus himself took part in the expedition. Be this as it may, there are still today places in Sardinia called Iolaia, and Iolaus is worshipped by the inhabitants.

[6] When Troy was taken, among those Trojans who fled were those who escaped with Aeneas. A part of them, carried from their course by winds, reached Sardinia and intermarried with the Greeks already settled there. But the non-Greek element were prevented from coming to blows with the Greeks and Trojans, for the two enemies were evenly matched in all warlike equipment, while the river Thorsus, flowing between their territories, made both equally afraid to cross it.

[7] However, many years afterwards the Libyans crossed again to the island with a stronger army, and began a war against the Greeks. The Greeks were utterly destroyed, or only a few of them survived. The Trojans made their escape to the high parts of the island, and occupied mountains difficult to climb, being precipitous and protected by stakes. Even at the present day they are called Ilians, but in figure, in the fashion of their arms, and in their mode of living generally, they are like the Libyans.

[8]
Not far distant from Sardinia is an island, called Cyrnus by the Greeks, but Corsica by the Libyans who inhabit it. A large part of the population, oppressed by civil strife, left it and came to Sardinia ; there they took up their abode, confining themselves to the highlands. The Sardinians, however, call them by the name of Corsicans, which they brought with them from home.

[9] When the Carthaginians were at the height of their sea power, they overcame all in Sardinia except the Ilians and Corsicans, who were kept from slavery by the strength of the mountains. These Carthaginians, like those who preceded them, founded cities in the island, namely, Caralis and Sulci. Some of the Carthaginian mercenaries, either Libyans or Iberians, quarrelled about the booty, mutinied in a passion, and added to the number of the highland settlers. Their name in the Cyrnian language is Balari, which is the Cyrnian word for fugitives.

[10]
These are the races that dwell in Sardinia , and such was the method of their settlement. The northern part of the island and that towards the mainland of Italy consist of an unbroken chain of impassable mountains. And if you sail along the coast you will find no anchorage on this side of the island, while violent but irregular gusts of wind sweep down to the sea from the tops of the mountains.

[11] Across the middle of the island runs another chain of mountains, but lower in height. The atmosphere here is on the whole heavy and unwholesome. The reason is partly the salt that crystallizes here, partly the oppressive, violent south wind, and partly the fact that, because of the height of the mountains on the side towards Italy , the north winds are prevented, when they blow in summer, from cooling the atmosphere and the ground here. Others say that the cause is Cyrnus, which is separated from Sardinia by no more than eight stades of sea, and is hilly and high all over. So they think that Cyrnus prevents the west wind and the north wind from reaching as far as Sardinia .

[12] Neither poisonous nor harmless snakes can live in Sardinia , nor yet wolves. The he-goats are no bigger than those found elsewhere, but their shape is that of the wild ram which an artist would carve in Aeginetan style, except that their breasts are too shaggy to liken them to Aeginetan art. Their horns do not stand out away from the head, but curl straight beside the ears. In speed they are the swiftest of all beasts.

[13] Except for one plant the island is free from poisons. This deadly herb is like celery, and they say that those who eat it die laughing. Wherefore Homer,¹ and men after him, call unwholesome laughter sardonic. The herb grows mostly around springs, but does not impart any of its poison to the water.
I have introduced into my history of Phocis this account of Sardinia , because it is an island about which the Greeks are very ignorant.

English (Jones and Ormerod; retranslated Gregory Nagy, CHS, 2018) (OCR draft) Experimental (CHS Pausanias Reader retranslation by Gregory Nagy, based on Jones and Ormerod, with marked Greek terms, notes, quotations, and bibliographic attributions preserved.) — 10.17 focus

[1] Of the barbarians in the west, the people of Sardinia have sent a bronze statue of him after whom they are called. In size and prosperity, Sardinia is the equal of the most celebrated islands. What the ancient name was that the natives give it, I do not know, but those of the Greeks who sailed there to trade called it Ichnussa, because the shape of the island is very like a man’s footprint [ ichnos]. Its length is one thousand one hundred and twenty stadium-lengths, and its width extends to four hundred and twenty.

Sardinia, Mythical History

[2] The first sailors to cross to the island are said to have been Libyans. Their leader was Sardus, son of Maceris, the Maceris surnamed Hēraklēs by the Egyptians and Libyans. Maceris himself was celebrated chiefly for his journey to Delphi, but Sardus it was who led the Libyans to Ichnussa, and after him the island was renamed. However, the Libyan army did not expel the aborigines, who received the invaders as settlers through compulsion rather than in goodwill. Neither the Libyans nor the native population knew how to build cities. They dwelled in scattered groups, where chance found them a home in cabins or caves.

[3] Years after the Libyans, there came to the island from Greece Aristaios and his followers. Aristaios is said to have been a son of Apollo and Cyrene, and they say that, deeply grieved by the fate of Actaeon, and vexed alike with Boeotia and the whole of Greece, he migrated to Sardinia.

[4] Others think that Daidalos too ran away from Camicus on this occasion, because of the invasion of the Cretans, and took a part in the colony that Aristaios led to Sardinia. But it is nonsense to think that Daidalos, a contemporary of Oedipus, king of Thebes, had a part in a colony or anything else along with Aristaios, who married Autonoe, the daughter of Kadmos. At any rate, these colonists too founded no city, the reason being, I think, that neither in numbers nor in strength were they capable of the task.

[5] After Aristaios, the Iberians crossed to Sardinia, under Norax as leader of the expedition, and they founded the city of Nora. The tradition is that this was the first city in the island, and they say that Norax was a son of Erytheia, the daughter of Geryones, with Hermes for his father. A fourth component part of the population was the army of Iolaos, consisting of Thespians and men from Attica, which put in at Sardinia and founded Olbia; by themselves the Athenians founded Ogryle, either in commemoration of one of their parishes in the homeland or else because one Ogrylus himself took part in the expedition. Be this as it may, there are still today places in Sardinia called Iolaia, and Iolaos is worshipped by the inhabitants.

[6] When Troy was taken, among those Trojans who fled were those who escaped with Aeneas. A part of them, carried from their course by winds, reached Sardinia and intermarried with the Greeks already settled there. But the barbarian element were prevented from coming to blows with the Greeks and Trojans, for the two enemies were evenly matched in all warlike equipment, while the river Thorsus, flowing between their territories, made both equally afraid to cross it.

[7] However, many years afterwards the Libyans crossed again to the island with a stronger army, and began a war against the Greeks. The Greeks were utterly destroyed or only a few of them survived. The Trojans made their escape to the high parts of the island and occupied mountains difficult to climb, being precipitous and protected by stakes. Even at the present day, they are called Ilians, but in figure, in the fashion of their arms, and in their mode of living generally, they are like the Libyans.

Sardinia, History

[8] Not far distant from Sardinia is an island called Kyrnos by the Greeks, but Corsica by the Libyans who inhabit it. A large part of the population, oppressed by civil strife, left it and came to Sardinia; there they took up their abode, confining themselves to the highlands. The Sardinians, however, call them by the name of Corsicans, which they brought with them from home.

[9] When the Carthaginians were at the height of their sea power, they overcame all in Sardinia except the Ilians and Corsicans, who were kept from slavery by the strength of the mountains. These Carthaginians, like those who preceded them, founded cities in the island, namely, Caralis and Sulci. Some of the Carthaginian mercenaries, either Libyans or Iberians, quarrelled about the loot, mutinied in a passion, and added to the number of the highland settlers. Their name in the Cyrnian language is Balari, which is the Cyrnian word for fugitives.

Sardinia, Geography

[10] These are the people that dwell in Sardinia, and such was the method of their settlement. The northern part of the island and that towards the mainland of Italy consist of an unbroken chain of impassable mountains. And if you sail along the coast, you will find no anchorage on this side of the island, while violent but irregular gusts of wind sweep down to the sea from the tops of the mountains.

[11] Across the middle of the island runs another chain of mountains, but lower in height. The atmosphere here is on the whole heavy and unwholesome. The reason is partly the salt that crystallizes here, partly the oppressive, violent south wind, and partly the fact that, because of the height of the mountains on the side towards Italy, the north winds are prevented, when they blow in summer, from cooling the atmosphere and the ground here. Others say that the cause is Cyrnus, which is separated from Sardinia by no more than eight stadium-lengths of sea and is hilly and high all over. So they think that Cyrnus prevents the west wind and the north wind from reaching as far as Sardinia.

[12] Neither poisonous nor harmless snakes can live in Sardinia, nor yet wolves. The he-goats are no bigger than those found elsewhere, but their shape is that of the wild ram which an artist would carve in Aeginetan style, except that their breasts are too shaggy to liken them to Aeginetan art. Their horns do not stand out away from the head but curl straight beside the ears. In speed, they are the swiftest of all beasts.

[13] Except for one plant, the island is free from poisons. This deadly herb is like celery, and they say that those who eat it die laughing. That is why Homer, and men after him, call unwholesome laughter sardonic. The herb grows mostly around springs, but does not impart any of its poison to the water.

I have introduced into my history of Phokis this account of Sardinia, because it is an island about which the Greeks are very ignorant.

Votive Offerings At Delphi Continued

New Alexandria Commentaries

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

Pausanias Description of Greece 10.17

ed. Friedrich Spiro