Pausanias, Description of Greece, ed. Friedrich Spiro, 5.5

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[1]
χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον Ἀριστότιμος ὁ Δαμαρέτου τοῦ Ἐτύμονος τυραννίδα ἔσχεν ἐν Ἠλείᾳ, συμπαρασκευάσαντος αὐτῷ τὰ ἐς τὴν ἐπίθεσιν Ἀντιγόνου τοῦ Δημητρίου βασιλεύοντος ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ· τὸν δὲ Ἀριστότιμον μῆνας τυραννήσαντα ἓξ καταλύουσιν ἐπαναστάντες Χίλων καὶ Ἑλλάνικος καὶ Λάμπις τε καὶ Κύλων, οὗτος δὲ καὶ αὐτοχειρίᾳ τὸν τύραννον ἀπέκτεινεν ὁ Κύλων ἐπὶ Διὸς Σωτῆρος βωμὸν καταφυγόντα ἱκέτην.
τὰ μὲν δὴ ἐς πόλεμον τοιαῦτα ὑπῆρχεν Ἠλείοις, ὡς περὶ αὐτῶν ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ παρόντι ἀπαριθμῆσαι μετρίως·

[2] θαυμάσαι δʼ ἄν τις ἐν τῇ γῇ τῇ Ἠλείᾳ τήν τε 0 βύσσον, ὅτι ἐνταῦθα μόνον, ἑτέρωθι δὲ οὐδαμοῦ τῆς Ἑλλάδος φύεται, καὶ ὅτι ἐν τῇ ὑπερορίᾳ καὶ οὐκ ἐντὸς τῆς χώρας αἱ ἵπποι σφίσιν ἐκύισκον ἐκ τῶν ὄνων. καὶ τούτου μὲν κατάραν τινὰ ἐλέγετο γενέσθαι τὸ αἴτιον· ἡ δὲ βύσσος ἡ ἐν τῇ Ἠλείᾳ λεπτότητος μὲν ἕνεκα οὐκ ἀποδεῖ τῆς Ἑβραίων, ἔστι δὲ οὐχ ὁμοίως ξανθή.

[3]
ἰόντι δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἠλείας χωρίον ἐστὶν ἐπὶ θάλασσαν καθῆκον, ὃ ὀνομάζεται μὲν Σαμικόν, ἐν δεξιᾷ δὲ ὑπὲρ αὐτὸ ἥ τε Τριφυλία καλουμένη καὶ πόλις ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ Τριφυλίᾳ Λέπρεος. ἐθέλουσι μὲν δὴ οἱ Λεπρεᾶται μοῖρα εἶναι τῶν Ἀρκάδων, φαίνονται δὲ Ἠλείων κατήκοοι τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὄντες· καὶ ὅσοι αὐτῶν Ὀλύμπια ἐνίκησαν, Ἠλείους ἐκ Λεπρέου σφᾶς ὁ κῆρυξ ἀνεῖπε. καὶ Ἀριστοφάνης ἐποίησεν ὡς Λέπρεος εἴη πόλισμα Ἠλείων. ἔστι δὲ ὁδὸς ἐς Λέπρεον ἀπὸ μὲν Σαμικοῦ τὸν Ἄνιγρον ποταμὸν ἀφέντι ἐν ἀριστερᾷ, ἑτέρα δὲ ἐξ Ὀλυμπίας, τρίτη δὲ ἐξ Ἤλιδος· ἡμερήσιος δὲ αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ μακροτάτη.

[4] τεθῆναι δὲ τῇ πόλει τὸ ὄνομά φασιν ἀπὸ τοῦ οἰκιστοῦ Λεπρέου τοῦ Πυργέως. ἐλέγετο δὲ καὶ ὡς πρὸς Ἡρακλέα ἐρίσειεν ὁ Λεπρέος μὴ ἀποδεῖν τοῦ Ἡρακλέους ἐσθίων· ἐπεὶ δὲ ἑκάτερος βοῦν αὐτῶν ἐν ἴσῳ τῷ καιρῷ κατέσφαξε καὶ εὐτρέπισεν ἐς τὸ δεῖπνον, καὶ ἦν ὥσπερ καὶ ὑφίστατο ὁ Λεπρέος φαγεῖν οὐκ ἀδυνατώτερος τοῦ Ἡρακλέους, ἐτόλμησε τὸ μετὰ τοῦτο προ ςκαλέσασθαι καὶ ἐς ἀγῶνα ὅπλων αὐτόν. καὶ ἀποθανεῖν τε Λεπρέον κρατηθέντα τῇ μάχῃ καὶ ἐν τῇ Φιγαλέων ταφῆναι λέγουσιν· οὐ μὴν εἶχόν 0 γε οἱ Φιγαλεῖς ἀποφῆναι Λεπρέου μνῆμα.

[5] ἤδη δὲ ἤκουσα θυγατρὶ τοῦ Πυργέως Λεπρέᾳ προσποιούντων τὸν οἰκισμόν· οἱ δὲ τοῖς πρῶτον οἰκήσασιν ἐν τῇ γῇ νόσον φασὶν ἐπιγενέσθαι λέπραν καὶ οὕτω τὸ ὄνομα λαβεῖν τὴν πόλιν ἐπὶ τῶν οἰκητόρων τῇ συμφορᾷ. γενέσθαι δὲ οἱ Λεπρεῖταί σφισιν ἔλεγον ἐν τῇ πόλει Λευκαίου Διὸς ναὸν καὶ Λυκούργου τάφον τοῦ Ἀλέου καὶ ἄλλον Καύκωνος· τούτῳ δὲ καὶ ἐπίθημα ἄνδρα ἐπεῖναι λύραν ἔχοντα.

[6] κατὰ δὲ ἐμὲ οὔτε μνῆμα ἐπίσημον οὔτε ἱερὸν ἦν θεῶν σφισιν οὐδενὸς πλήν γε Δήμητρος· πλίνθου δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἐπεποίητο ὠμῆς καὶ οὐδὲν παρείχετο ἄγαλμα. Λεπρεατῶν δέ ἐστιν οὐ πόρρω τῆς πόλεως Ἀρήνη καλουμένη πηγή, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀφαρέως γυναικὸς τεθῆναι λέγουσι τῇ πηγῇ.

[7]
ἀναστρέψαντι δὲ αὖθις ἐπὶ τὸ Σαμικὸν καὶ διοδεύοντι τὸ χωρίον, Ἄνιγρος ποταμὸς ἐκδίδωσιν ἐς θάλασσαν. τούτου τὸ ῥεῦμα τοῦ ποταμοῦ πολλάκις ἀνείργουσιν οἱ ἄνεμοι βίαιοι πνέοντες· φοροῦντες γὰρ κατʼ αὐτὸν τὴν θῖνα ἐκ τοῦ πελάγους ἐπέχουσι τοῦ πρόσω τὸ ὕδωρ. ὁπότε οὖν ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἡ ψάμμος ὑπό τε τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τὰ ἐντὸς ὑπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ διάβροχος γένοιτο, ἐνταῦθα καὶ ὑποζυγίοις καὶ ἀνδρὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον εὐζώνῳ καταδῦναι κίνδυνός ἐστιν ἐς αὐτήν.

[8] ὁ δὲ Ἄνιγρος οὗτος ἐξ Ἀρκαδικοῦ μὲν κάτεισιν ὄρους Λαπίθου, παρέχεται δὲ εὐθὺς ἀπὸ τῶν πηγῶν ὕδωρ οὐκ εὐῶδες, ἀλλὰ καὶ δύσοσμον δεινῶς. πρὶν δὲ ἢ καταδέξασθαι τὸν Ἀκίδαντα καλούμενον δῆλός ἐστιν οὐδὲ ἀρχὴν τρέφων ἰχθῦς· μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον ἐσβαλόντα ὅσοι τῶν ἰχθύων ὁμοῦ τῷ ὕδατι αὐτοῦ κατίασιν ἐς τὸν Ἄνιγρον, 0 οὐ σφᾶς ἔτι ἐδωδίμους ἔχουσιν ἄνθρωποι, τὰ πρότερα, ἢν ἐντὸς ἁλῶσι τοῦ Ἀκίδαντος, ἐδωδίμους ὄντας.

[9] ὅτι δὲ τῷ Ἀκίδαντι ὄνομα Ἰάρδανος ἦν τὸ ἀρχαῖον, αὐτὸς μὲν οὐδαμόθεν συνεβαλόμην, ἀκούσας δὲ ἀνδρὸς Ἐφεσίου λέγω τὸν λόγον. τῷ δὲ Ἀνίγρῳ τὸ ἄτοπον εἶναι τῆς ὀσμῆς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς πείθομαι διʼ ἧς ἄνεισι τὸ ὕδωρ, καθὰ δὴ καὶ τοῖς ὑπὲρ Ἰωνίας ἐστὶν ὕδασι τὸ αὐτὸ αἴτιον, ὁπόσων ἡ ἀτμὶς ὀλέθριός ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ.

[10] Ἑλλήνων δὲ οἱ μὲν Χίρωνα, οἱ δὲ ἄλλον Κένταυρον Πυλήνορα τοξευθέντα ὑπὸ Ἡρακλέους καὶ φυγόντα τραυματίαν φασὶν ἐν τῷ ὕδατι ἀπολοῦσαι τούτῳ τὸ ἕλκος, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ὕδρας τοῦ ἰοῦ γενέσθαι δυσχερῆ τῷ Ἀνίγρῳ τὴν ὀσμήν· οἱ δὲ ἐς Μελάμποδα τὸν Ἀμυθάονος καὶ ἐς τῶν Προίτου θυγατέρων τὰ καθάρσια ἐμβληθέντα ἐνταῦθα ἀνάγουσι τὴν αἰτίαν τοῦ ἐπὶ τῷ ποταμῷ παθήματος.

[11]
ἔστι δὲ ἐν τῷ Σαμικῷ σπήλαιον οὐκ ἄπωθεν τοῦ ποταμοῦ, καλούμενον Ἀνιγρίδων νυμφῶν. ὃς δʼ ἂν ἔχων ἀλφὸν ἢ λεύκην ἐς αὐτὸ ἐσέλθῃ, πρῶτα μὲν ταῖς νύμφαις εὔξασθαι καθέστηκεν αὐτῷ καὶ ὑποσχέσθαι θυσίαν ὁποίαν δή τινα, μετὰ δὲ ἀποσμήχει τὰ νοσοῦντα τοῦ σώματος· διανηξάμενος δὲ τὸν ποταμὸν ὄνειδος μὲν ἐκεῖνο κατέλιπεν ἐν τῷ ὕδατι αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ ὑγιής τε ἄνεισι καὶ ὁμόχρως.

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

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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.) — 5.5 focus

[1]
Later on Aristotimus, the son of Damaretus, the son of Etymon, became despot of Elis , being aided in his attempt by Antigonus, the son of Demetrius, who was king in Macedonia . After a despotism of six months Aristotimus was deposed, a rising against him having been organized by Chilon, Hellanicus, Lampis and Cylon; Cylon it was who with his own hand killed the despot when he had sought sanctuary at the altar of Zeus the Saviour.
Such were the wars of the Eleans, of which my present enumeration must serve as a summary.

[2] The land of Elis contains two marvels. Here, and here only in Greece , does fine flax grow; and secondly, only over the border, and not within it, can the mares be impregnated by asses. The cause of this is said to have been a curse. The fine flax of Elis is as fine as that of the Hebrews, but it is not so yellow.

[3]
As you go from Elis there is a district stretching down to the sea. It is called Samicum, and above it on the right is what is called Triphylia, in which is the city Lepreus. The citizens of this city wish to belong to the Arcadians, but it is plain that from the beginning they have been subject to the Eleans. Such of them as have won Olympic victories have been announced by the herald as Eleans from Lepreus, and Aristophanes¹ in a comedy calls Lepreus a town of the Eleans. Leaving the river Anigrus on the left there is a road leading to Lepreus; from Samicum another leads to it from Olympia and a third from Elis . The longest of them is a day's journey.

[4] The city got its name, they say, from its founder Lepreus the son of Pyrgeus. There was also a story that Lepreus contended with Heracles: that he was as good a trencherman. Each killed an ox at the same time and prepared it for the table. It turned out, even as Lepreus maintained, that he was as powerful a trencherman as Heracles. Afterwards he made bold to challenge him to a duel. Lepreus, they say, lost, was killed, and was buried in the land of Phigaleia . The Phigalians, however, could not show a tomb of Lepreus.

[5] I have heard some who maintained that Lepreus was founded by Leprea, the daughter of Pyrgeus. Others say that the first dwellers in the land were afflicted with the disease leprosy,² and that the city received its name from the misfortune of the inhabitants. The Lepreans told me that in their city once was a temple of Zeus Leucaeus (Of the White Poplar), the grave of Lycurgus, son of Aleus, and the grave of Caucon, over which was the figure of a man holding a lyre.

[6] But as far as I could see they had no tomb of distinction, and no sanctuary of any deity save one of Demeter. Even this was built of unburnt brick, and contained no image. Not far from the city of the Lepreans is a spring called Arene , and they say that it derives its name from the wife of Aphareus.

[7]
Returning again to Samicum, and passing through the district, we reach the mouth of the Anigrus. The current of this river is often held back by violent gales, which carry the sand from the open sea against it and stop the onward flow of the water. So whenever the sand has become soaked on both sides, by the sea without and by the river within, beasts and still more travellers on foot are in danger of sinking into it.

[8] The Anigrus descends from the mountain Lapithus in Arcadia , and right from its source its water does not smell sweet but actually stinks horribly. Before it receives the tributary Acidas it plainly cannot support fish-life at all. After the rivers unite, the fish that come down into the Anigrus with the water are uneatable, though before, if they are caught in the Acidas, they are eatable.

[9] I heard from an Ephesian that the Acidas was called Iardanus in ancient times. I repeat his statement, though I have nowhere found evidence in support of it. I am convinced that the peculiar odor of the Anigrus is due to the earth through which the water springs up, just as those rivers beyond Ionia , the exhalation from which is deadly to man, owe their peculiarity to the same cause. Some Greeks say that Chiron,

[10] others that Pylenor, another Centaur, when shot by Heracles fled wounded to this river and washed his hurt in it, and that it was the hydra's poison which gave the Anigrus its nasty smell. Others again attribute the quality of the river to Melampus the son of Amythaon, who threw into it the means he used to purify the daughters of Proetus.

[11]
There is in Samicum a cave not far from the river, and called the Cave of the Anigrid Nymphs. Whoever enters it suffering from alphos or leuke³ first has to pray to the nymphs and to promise some sacrifice or other, after which he wipes the unhealthy parts of his body. Then, swimming through the river, he leaves his old uncleanness in its water, coming up sound and of one color.

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.) — 5.5 focus

[1] Later on, Aristotīmos, the son of Damaretos, the son of Etymon, became despot of Elis, being aided in his attempt by Antigonos, the son of Demetrios, who was king in Macedonia. After a despotism of six months Aristotīmos was deposed, a rising against him having been organized by Khilon, Hellanikos, Lampis and Kylon; Kylon it was who with his own hand killed the despot when he had sought sanctuary at the altar of Zeus the Savior. Such were the wars of the Eleians, of which my present enumeration must serve as a summary.

[2] The land of Elis contains two marvels. Here, and here only in Greece, does fine flax grow; and secondly, only over the border, and not within it, can the mares be impregnated by asses. The cause of this is said to have been a curse. The fine flax of Elis is as fine as that of the Hebrews, but it is not so yellow.

[3] As you go from Elis, there is a district stretching down to the sea. It is called Samikon, and above it on the right is what is called Triphylia, in which is the city Lepreus. The citizens of this city wish to belong to the Arcadians, but it is plain that from the beginning, they have been subject to the Eleians. Those that have won Olympic victories have been announced by the herald as Eleians from Lepreus, and Aristophanes in a comedy calls Lepreus a town of the Eleians. Leaving the river Anigros, on the left there is a road leading to Lepreus; from Samikon, another leads to it from Olympia and a third from Elis. The longest of them is a day’s journey.

[4] The city got its name, they say, from its founder Lepreus, the son of Pyrgeus. There was also a story that Lepreus contended with Hēraklēs: that he was as good a trencherman. Each killed an ox at the same time and prepared it for the table. It turned out, even as Lepreus maintained, that he was as powerful a trencherman as Hēraklēs. Afterwards, he made bold to challenge him to a duel. Lepreus, they say, lost, was killed and was buried in the land of Phigaleia. The Phigalians, however, could not show a tomb of Lepreus.

[5] I have heard some who maintained that Lepreus was founded by Leprea, the daughter of Pyrgeus. Others say that the first dwellers in the land were afflicted with the disease leprosy and that the city received its name from the misfortune of the inhabitants. The Lepreans told me that in their city once was a temple of Zeus Leukaios (of the White Poplar), the tomb of Lycurgus [Lykourgos], son of Aleus, and the tomb of Kaukon, over which was the figure of a man holding a lyre.

[6] But as far as I could see they had no tomb of distinction and no sanctuary of any deity, save one of Demeter. Even this was built of unburned brick and contained no image. Not far from the city of the Lepreans is a spring called Arene, and they say that it derives its name from the wife of Aphareus.

[7] Returning again to Samikon, and passing through the district, we reach the mouth of the Anigros. The current of this river is often held back by violent gales, which carry the sand from the open sea against it and stop the onward flow of the water. So whenever the sand has become soaked on both sides, by the sea without and by the river within, beasts and still more travelers on foot are in danger of sinking into it.

[8] The Anigros descends from the mountain Lapithos in Arcadia, and right from its source, its water does not smell sweet but actually stinks horribly. Before it receives the tributary Akidas, it plainly cannot support fish life at all. After the rivers unite, the fish that come down into the Anigros with the water are uneatable, though before, if they are caught in the Akidas, they are eatable.

[9] I heard from an Ephesian that the Akidas was called Iardanos in ancient times. I repeat his statement, though I have nowhere found evidence in support of it. I am convinced that the peculiar odor of the Anigros is due to the earth through which the water springs up, just as those rivers beyond Ionia, the exhalation from which is deadly to man, owe their peculiarity to the same cause. Some Greeks say that Kheiron,

[10] others that Pylenor, another Centaur, when shot by Hēraklēs fled wounded to this river and washed his injury in it and that it was the hydra’s poison which gave the Anigros its nasty smell. Others again attribute the quality of the river to Melampos, the son of Amythaon, who threw into it the means he used to purify the daughters of Proitos.

[11] There is in Samikon a cave not far from the river and called the Cave of the Nymphs of Anigros. Whoever enters it suffering from alphos or leuke first has to pray to the nymphs and to promise some sacrifice or other, after which he wipes the unhealthy parts of his body. Then, swimming through the river, he leaves his old uncleanness in its water, coming up sound and of one color.

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 5.5

ed. Friedrich Spiro

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