ἐν μέσῳ δὲ τῆς ἀγορᾶς ἐστιν Ἀθηνᾶ χαλκῆ· τῷ βάθρῳ δὲ αὐτῆς ἐστι Μουσῶν ἀγάλματα ἐπειργασμένα. ὑπὲρ δὲ τὴν ἀγοράν ἐστιν Ὀκταβίας ναὸς ἀδελφῆς Αὐγούστου βασιλεύσαντος Ῥωμαίων μετὰ Καίσαρα τὸν οἰκιστὴν Κορίνθου τῆς νῦν.
ἐκ δὲ τῆς ἀγορᾶς ἐξιόντων τὴν ἐπὶ Λεχαίου προπύλαιά ἐστι καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτῶν ἅρματα ἐπίχρυσα, τὸ μὲν Φαέθοντα Ἡλίου παῖδα, τὸ δὲ Ἥλιον αὐτὸν φέρον. ὀλίγον δὲ ἀπωτέρω τῶν προπυλαίων ἐσιοῦσιν ἐν δεξιᾷ ἐστιν Ἡρακλῆς χαλκοῦς. μετὰ δὲ αὐτὸν ἔσοδός ἐστι τῆς Πειρήνης ἐς τὸ ὕδωρ. ἐπὶ δὲ αὐτῇ λέγουσιν ὡς ἥ Πειρήνη γένοιτο ὑπὸ δακρύων ἐξ ἀνθρώπου πηγή, τὸν παῖδα ὀδυρομένη Κεγχρίαν ὑπὸ Ἀρτέμιδος ἀκούσης ἀποθανόντα.
κεκόσμηται δὲ ἡ πηγὴ λίθῳ λευκῷ, καὶ πεποιημένα ἐστὶν οἰκήματα σπηλαίοις κατὰ ταὐτά, ἐξ ὧν τὸ ὕδωρ ἐς κρήνην ὕπαιθρον ῥεῖ πιεῖν τε ἡδὺ καὶ τὸν Κορίνθιον χαλκὸν διάπυρον καὶ θερμὸν ὄντα ὑπὸ ὕδατος τούτου βάπτεσθαι λέγουσιν, ἐπεὶ χαλκός γε οὐκ ἔστι Κορινθίοις. ἔτι γε δὴ καὶ Ἀπόλλωνος ἄγαλμα πρὸς τῇ Πειρήνῃ καὶ περίβολός ἐστιν, ἐν δὲ αὐτῷ γραφὴ τὸ Ὀδυσσέως ἐς τοὺς μνηστῆρας ἔχουσα τόλμημα.
αὖθις δʼ ἰοῦσιν ἐπὶ Λεχαίου τὴν εὐθεῖαν χαλκοῦς καθήμενός ἐστιν Ἑρμῆς, παρέστηκε δέ οἱ κριός, ὅτι Ἑρμῆς μάλιστα δοκεῖ θεῶν ἐφορᾶν καὶ αὔξειν ποίμνας, καθὰ δὴ καὶ Ὅμηρος ἐν Ἰλιάδι ἐποίησεν υἱὸν Φόρβαντος πολυμήλου, τόν ῥα μάλιστα / Ἑρμείας Τρώων ἐφίλει καὶ κτῆσιν ὄπασσε· / τὸν δὲ ἐν τελετῇ Μητρὸς ἐπὶ Ἑρμῇ λεγόμενον καὶ τῷ κριῷ λόγον ἐπιστάμενος οὐ λέγω. μετὰ δὲ τὸ ἄγαλμα τοῦ Ἑρμοῦ Ποσειδῶν καὶ Λευκοθέα καὶ ἐπὶ δελφῖνός ἐστιν ὁ Παλαίμων.
λουτρὰ δὲ ἔστι μὲν πολλαχοῦ Κορινθίοις καὶ ἄλλα, τὰ μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ κοινοῦ, τὸ δὲ βασιλέως Ἀδριανοῦ κατασκευάσαντος· τὸ δὲ ὀνομαστότατον αὐτῶν πλησίον τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος. τοῦτο δὲ Εὐρυκλῆς ἐποίησεν ἀνὴρ Σπαρτιάτης λίθοις κοσμήσας καὶ ἄλλοις καὶ ὃν ἐν Κροκεαῖς χώρας τῆς Λακωνικῆς ὀρύσσουσιν. ἐν ἀριστερᾷ δὲ τῆς ἐσόδου Ποσειδῶν καὶ μετʼ αὐτὸν Ἄρτεμις θηρεύουσα ἕστηκε. κρῆναι δὲ πολλαὶ μὲν ἀνὰ τὴν πόλιν πεποίηνται πᾶσαν ἅτε ἀφθόνου ῥέοντός σφισιν ὕδατος καὶ ὃ δὴ βασιλεὺς Ἀδριανὸς ἐσήγαγεν ἐκ Στυμφήλου, θέας δὲ μάλιστα ἀξία ἡ παρὰ τὸ ἄγαλμα τὸ τῆς Ἀρτέμιδος· καί οἱ Βελλεροφόντης ἔπεστι καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ διʼ ὁπλῆς ἵππου ῥεῖ τοῦ Πηγάσου.
ἑτέραν δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἀγορᾶς τὴν ἐπὶ Σικυῶνα ἐρχομένοις ἔστιν ἰδεῖν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς ὁδοῦ ναὸς καὶ ἄγαλμα χαλκοῦν Ἀπόλλωνος καὶ ὀλίγον ἀπωτέρω κρήνη καλουμένη Γλαύκης· ἐς γὰρ ταύτην ἔρριψεν αὑτήν, ὡς λέγουσι, τῶν Μηδείας ἔσεσθαι φαρμάκων τὸ ὕδωρ νομίζουσα ἴαμα. ὑπὲρ ταύτην πεποίηται τὴν κρήνην καὶ τὸ καλούμενον Ὠιδεῖον, παρὰ δὲ αὐτὸ μνῆμά ἐστι τοῖς Μηδείας παισίν· ὀνόματα μέν σφισι Μέρμερος καὶ Φέρης, καταλιθωθῆναι δὲ ὑπὸ Κορινθίων λέγονται τῶν δώρων ἕνεκα ὧν τῇ Γλαύκῃ κομίσαι φασὶν αὐτούς·
ἅτε δὲ τοῦ θανάτου βιαίου καὶ οὐ σὺν τῷ δικαίῳ γενομένου, τὰ τέκνα Κορινθίων τὰ νήπια ὑπʼ αὐτῶν ἐφθείρετο, πρὶν ἢ χρήσαντος τοῦ θεοῦ θυσίαι τε αὐτοῖς ἐπέτειοι κατέστησαν καὶ Δεῖμα ἐπεστάθη. τοῦτο μὲν δὴ καὶ ἐς ἡμᾶς ἔτι λείπεται, γυναικὸς ἐς τὸ φοβερώτερον εἰκὼν πεποιημένη· Κορίνθου δὲ ἀναστάτου γενομένης ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων καὶ Κορινθίων τῶν ἀρχαίων ἀπολομένων, οὐκέτι ἐκεῖναι καθεστήκασιν αὐτοῖς αἱ θυσίαι παρὰ τῶν ἐποίκων οὐδὲ ἀποκείρονταί σφισιν οἱ παῖδες οὐδὲ μέλαιναν φοροῦσιν ἐσθῆτα.
Μήδεια δὲ τότε μὲν ἐλθοῦσα ἐς Ἀθήνας συνῴκησεν Αἰγεῖ, χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον φωραθεῖσα ἐπιβουλεύειν Θησεῖ καὶ ἐξ Ἀθηνῶν ἔφυγε, παραγενομένη δὲ ἐς τὴν λεγομένην τότε Ἀρίαν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἔδωκε τὸ ὄνομα καλεῖσθαι Μήδους ἀπʼ αὐτῆς· τὸν δὲ παῖδα, ὃν ἐπήγετο φεύγουσα ἐς τοὺς Ἀρίους, γενέσθαι λέγουσιν ἐξ Αἰγέως, ὄνομα δέ οἱ Μῆδον εἶναι· Ἑλλάνικος δὲ αὐτὸν Πολύξενον καλεῖ καὶ πατρὸς Ἰάσονός φησιν εἶναι.
ἔπη δὲ ἔστιν ἐν Ἕλλησι Ναυπάκτια ὀνομαζόμενα· πεποίηται δὲ ἐν αὐτοῖς Ἰάσονα ἐξ Ἰωλκοῦ μετὰ τὸν Πελίου θάνατον ἐς Κόρκυραν μετοικῆσαι καί οἱ Μέρμερον μὲν τὸν πρεσβύτερον τῶν παίδων ὑπὸ λεαίνης διαφθαρῆναι θηρεύοντα ἐν τῇ πέραν ἠπείρῳ· Φέρητι δὲ οὐδέν ἐστιν ἐς μνήμην προσκείμενον. Κιναίθων δὲ ὁ Λακεδαιμόνιος—ἐγενεαλόγησε γὰρ καὶ οὗτος ἔπεσι —Μήδειον καὶ θυγατέρα Ἐριῶπιν Ἰάσονι εἶπεν ἐκ Μηδείας γενέσθαι· πέρα δὲ ἐς τοὺς παῖδας οὐδὲ τούτῳ πεποιημένα ἐστίν.
Εὔμηλος δὲ Ἥλιον ἔφη δοῦναι τὴν χώραν Ἀλωεῖ. μὲν τὴν Ἀσωπίαν, Αἰήτῃ δὲ τὴν Ἐφυραίαν· καὶ Αἰήτην ἀπιόντα ἐς Κόλχους παρακαταθέσθαι Βούνῳ τὴν γῆν, Βοῦνον δὲ Ἑρμοῦ καὶ Ἀλκιδαμείας εἶναι, καὶ ἐπεὶ Βοῦνος ἐτελεύτησεν, οὕτως Ἐπωπέα τὸν Ἀλωέως καὶ τὴν Ἐφυραίων σχεῖν ἀρχήν· Κορίνθου δὲ ὕστερον τοῦ Μαραθῶνος οὐδένα ὑπολιπομένου παῖδα, τοὺς Κορινθίους Μήδειαν μεταπεμψαμένους ἐξ Ἰωλκοῦ παραδοῦναί οἱ τὴν ἀρχήν.
βασιλεύειν μὲν δὴ διʼ αὐτὴν Ἰάσονα ἐν Κορίνθῳ, Μηδείᾳ δὲ παῖδας μὲν γίνεσθαι, τὸ δὲ ἀεὶ τικτόμενον κατακρύπτειν αὐτὸ ἐς τὸ ἱερὸν φέρουσαν τῆς Ἥρας, κατακρύπτειν δὲ ἀθανάτους ἔσεσθαι νομίζουσαν· τέλος δὲ αὐτήν τε μαθεῖν ὡς ἡμαρτήκοι τῆς ἐλπίδος καὶ ἅμα ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰάσονος φωραθεῖσαν—οὐ γὰρ αὐτὸν ἔχειν δεομένῃ συγγνώμην, ἀποπλέοντα δὲ ἐς Ἰωλκὸν οἴχεσθαι—, τούτων δὲ ἕνεκα ἀπελθεῖν καὶ Μήδειαν παραδοῦσαν Σισύφῳ τὴν ἀρχήν.
In the middle of the market-place is a bronze Athena: on its pedestal are figures of the Muses in relief. Above the marketplace is a temple of Octavia, sister of Augustus. Augustus was Emperor of Rome after Caesar, the founder of the present city of Corinth.
Leaving the market-place by the road that leads to Lechaeum we come to a portal. Above it are two gilded chariots, one bearing Phaethon, child of the Sun, the other the Sun himself. A little way beyond the portal, on the right as you go out, is a bronze Hercules.
Beyond it is an entrance to the water of Pirene. They say that Pirene was a woman who was turned into a spring of water by the tears she shed in bewailing her son Cenchrias, whom Artemis had unwittingly killed. The spring is adorned with white marble, and there are chambers made like grottos, from which the water flows into a basin in the open air. The water is sweet to drink, and they say that the so-called Corinthian bronze gets its colour by being plunged red-hot into this water; for, in point of fact, Corinth has no bronze of its own. Near Pirene there is also an image of Apollo, and an enclosure containing a painting of Ulysses attacking the suitors.
Proceeding again along the straight road in the direction of Lechaeum, we come to a seated figure of Hermes in bronze : beside him stands a ram, because Hermes above all the gods is thought to watch over and increase the flocks. As Homer says in the Iliad :— The son of Phorbas of the many sheep, whom most Of all the Trojans Hermes loved and gave him wealth. In the mysteries of the Mother there is a story told of Hermes and the ram which I know, but forbear from repeating. After the image of Hermes there are images of Poseidon and Leucothea, and one of Palaemon on a dolphin.
There are baths in many parts of Corinth, some of them built at the public expense, and one by the Emperor Hadrian. The most celebrated is near the image of Poseidon. This bath was built by Eurycles, a Spartan, who adorned it with stones of various sorts, particularly with the stone which is quarried at Croceae, in Laconia. On the left of the entrance stands an image of Poseidon, and beyond it an image of Artemis hunting. There are many water-basins up and down the whole city, for there is plenty of running water, besides the water which the Emperor Hadrian brought from Lake Stymphalus. The water-basin which is best worth seeing is the one beside the image of Artemis: over it is a statue of Bellerophon, and the water flows through the hoof of his horse Pegasus. We now leave the market-place by another road, the one which leads to Sicyon. On the right of the road we see a temple with a bronze image of Apollo, and a little farther on a water-basin called after Glauce; for they say she threw herself into it, thinking the water would be an antidote to Medea’s drugs.
Above this water-basin stands the Music Hall, as it is called. Beside it is the tomb of the children of Medea. Their names were Mermerus and Pheres. They are said to have been stoned to death by the Corinthians on account of the gifts they brought to Glauce. And because their death had been violent and unjust, they caused the infant children of the Corinthians to pine away, till, at the bidding of the oracle, yearly sacrifices were instituted in their honour, and an image of Terror was set up. That image remains to this day: it is a likeness of a woman of terrific aspect. But since the destruction of Corinth by the Romans and the extinction of its old inhabitants, the sacrifices in question have been discontinued by the new inhabitants; and the children no longer poll their hair and wear black garments in honour of the children of Medea.
Medea thereupon went to Athens and married Aegeus ; but afterwards being detected plotting against Theseus she fled from Athens also, and coming to the land which was then called Aria, she caused the people to be called Medes after herself. The child whom she took with her in her flight to the Arians is said to have been her son by Aegeus, and to have been named Medus. But Hellanicus calls him Polyxenus, and says that his father was Jason. There is an epic poem current in Greece called the Naupactia. In this poem it is said that Jason migrated from Iolcus to Corcyra after the death of Pelias, and that his elder son Mermerus was killed by a lioness while he was hunting on the opposite mainland; but of Pheres nothing is recorded. Cinaethon, the Lacedaemonian, who also composed genealogies in verse, said that Jason had a son Medeus and a daughter Eriopis by Medea; but he has said nothing more about the children. Eumelus says that the Sun gave the district of Asopia to Aloeus, and the district of Ephyraea to Aeetes ; and that when Aeetes was departing to Colchis he left the country in charge of Bunus, a son of Hermes and Alcidamea. But when Bunus died, Epopeus, son of Aloeus, thus got possession of the kingdom of Ephyraea also. Afterwards, when Corinthus, son of Marathon, left no child, the Corinthians sent for Medea from Iolcus and committed the government to her. Thus through her means Jason reigned in Corinth. Children were born to Medea, but every child as it was born she took and hid in the sanctuary of Hera, thinking that thus they would be immortal ; but at last she saw that her hopes were vain. At the same time she was detected by Jason, who, rejecting her prayers for forgiveness, sailed away to Iolcus. So she placed the government in the hands of Sisyphus, and took her departure also. Such is the account I have read.
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