τῶν δὲ ἀνδριάντων τοῦ Παυσανίου πλησίον ἐστὶν Ἀμβολογήρας Ἀφροδίτης ἄγαλμα ἱδρυμένον κατὰ μαντείαν, ἄλλα δὲ Ὕπνου καὶ Θανάτου· καὶ σφᾶς ἀδελφοὺς εἶναι κατὰ τὰ ἔπη τὰ ἐν Ἰλιάδι ἥγηνται.
ἰόντι δὲ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ Ἀλπίον καλούμενον ναός ἐστιν Ἀθηνᾶς Ὀφθαλμίτιδος· ἀναθεῖναι δὲ Λυκοῦργον λέγουσιν ἐκκοπέντα τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὸν ἕτερον ὑπὸ Ἀλκάνδρου, διότι οὓς ἔθηκε νόμους οὐκ ἀρεστοὺς συνέβαινεν εἶναι τῷ Ἀλκάνδρῳ. διαφυγὼν δὲ ἐς τοῦτο τὸ χωρίον Λακεδαιμονίων ἀμυνάντων μὴ προσαπολέσθαι οἱ καὶ τὸν λειπόμενον ὀφθαλμόν, οὕτω ναὸν Ὀφθαλμίτιδος Ἀθηνᾶς ἐποίησε.
προελθόντι δὲ ἐντεῦθεν ἱερόν ἐστιν Ἄμμωνος· φαίνονται δὲ ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς Λακεδαιμόνιοι μάλιστα Ἑλλήνων χρώμενοι τῷ ἐν Λιβύῃ μαντείῳ. λέγεται δὲ καὶ Λυσάνδρῳ πολιορκοῦντι Ἄφυτιν τὴν ἐν τῇ Παλλήνῃ νύκτωρ ἐπιφανέντα Ἄμμωνα προαγορεύειν ὡς ἄμεινον ἐκείνῳ τε ἔσοιτο καὶ τῇ Λακεδαίμονι πολέμου πρὸς Ἀφυταίους παυσαμένοις· καὶ οὕτω τὴν πολιορκίαν διέλυσεν ὁ Λύσανδρος καὶ Λακεδαιμονίους τὸν θεὸν σέβειν προήγαγεν ἐς πλέον, Ἀφυταῖοι δὲ τιμῶσιν Ἄμμωνα οὐδὲν ἧσσον ἢ οἱ Ἀμμώνιοι Λιβύων.
τὰ δὲ ἐς τὴν Κναγίαν Ἄρτεμίν ἐστιν οὕτω λεγόμενα· Κναγέα ἄνδρα ἐπιχώριον στρατεῦσαί φασιν ἐς Ἄφιδναν ὁμοῦ τοῖς Διοσκούροις, ληφθέντα δὲ αἰχμάλωτον ἐν τῇ μάχῃ καὶ πραθέντα ἐς Κρήτην δουλεύειν ἔνθα ἦν Ἀρτέμιδος τοῖς Κρησὶν ἱερόν, ἀνὰ χρόνον δὲ αὐτόν τε ἀποδρᾶναι καὶ παρθένον τὴν ἱερωμένην ἔχοντα οἴχεσθαι τὸ ἄγαλμα ἀγομένην. ἐπὶ τούτῳ δὲ λέγουσιν ὀνομάζειν Κναγίαν Ἄρτεμιν·
ἐμοὶ δὲ οὗτος ὁ Κναγεὺς ἄλλως ἀφικέσθαι πως ἐς Κρήτην φαίνεται καὶ οὐχ ὡς οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοί φασιν, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ γενέσθαι δοκῶ πρὸς Ἀφίδνῃ μάχην Θησέως τε ἐν Θεσπρώτοις ἐχομένου καὶ Ἀθηναίων οὐχ ὁμονοούντων ἀλλὰ ἐς Μενεσθέα ῥεπόντων μᾶλλον ταῖς εὐνοίαις. οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ ἀγῶνος συμβάντος πείθοιτο ἄν τις αἰχμαλώτους ληφθῆναι παρὰ τῶν κρατησάντων, ἄλλως τε καὶ παρὰ πολὺ γενομένης τῆς νίκης, ὥστε ἁλῶναι καὶ αὐτὴν Ἄφιδναν.
τάδε μὲν ἐς τοσοῦτον ἐξητάσθω· ἐς Ἀμύκλας δὲ κατιοῦσιν ἐκ Σπάρτης ποταμός ἐστι Τίασα· θυγατέρα δὲ νομίζουσιν εἶναι τοῦ Εὐρώτα τὴν Τίασαν, καὶ πρὸς αὐτῇ Χαρίτων ἐστὶν ἱερὸν Φαέννας καὶ Κλητᾶς, καθὰ δὴ καὶ Ἀλκμὰν ἐποίησεν. ἱδρύσασθαι δὲ Λακεδαίμονα Χάρισιν ἐνταῦθα τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ θέσθαι τὰ ὀνόματα ἥγηνται.
τὰ δὲ ἐν Ἀμύκλαις θέας ἄξια ἀνὴρ πένταθλός ἐστιν ἐπὶ στήλης ὄνομα Αἴνητος· τούτῳ νικήσαντι Ὀλυμπίασι καὶ ἔτι στεφανουμένῳ γενέσθαι τοῦ βίου τὴν τελευτὴν λέγουσι. τούτου τε οὖν ἐστιν εἰκὼν καὶ τρίποδες χαλκοῖ· τοὺς δὲ ἀρχαιοτέρους δεκάτην τοῦ πρὸς Μεσσηνίους πολέμου φασὶν εἶναι.
ὑπὸ μὲν δὴ τῷ πρώτῳ τρίποδι Ἀφροδίτης ἄγαλμα ἑστήκει, Ἄρτεμις δὲ ὑπὸ τῷ δευτέρῳ, Γιτιάδα καὶ αὐτοὶ τέχνη καὶ τὰ ἐπειργασμένα, ὁ τρίτος δέ ἐστιν Αἰγινήτου Κάλλωνος· ὑπὸ τούτῳ δὲ ἄγαλμα Κόρης τῆς Δήμητρος ἕστηκεν. Ἀρίστανδρος δὲ Πάριος καὶ Πολύκλειτος Ἀργεῖος ὁ μὲν γυναῖκα ἐποίησεν ἔχουσαν λύραν, Σπάρτην δῆθεν, Πολύκλειτος δὲ Ἀφροδίτην παρὰ Ἀμυκλαίῳ καλουμένην. οὗτοι δὲ οἱ τρίποδες μεγέθει τε ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἄλλους εἰσὶ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς νίκης τῆς ἐν Αἰγὸς ποταμοῖς ἀνετέθησαν.
Βαθυκλέους δὲ Μάγνητος, ὃς τὸν θρόνον ἐποίησε τοῦ Ἀμυκλαίου, ἀναθήματα ἐπʼ ἐξειργασμένῳ τῷ θρόνῳ Χάριτες καὶ ἄγαλμα δὲ Λευκοφρυήνης ἐστὶν Ἀρτέμιδος. ὅτου δὲ οὗτος ὁ Βαθυκλῆς μαθητὴς ἐγεγόνει καὶ τὸν θρόνον ἐφʼ ὅτου βασιλεύοντος Λακεδαιμονίων ἐποίησε, τάδε μὲν παρίημι, τὸν θρόνον δὲ εἶδόν τε καὶ τὰ ἐς αὐτὸν ὁποῖα ἦν γράψω.
ἀνέχουσιν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτόν, κατὰ ταὐτὰ δὲ καὶ ὀπίσω, Χάριτές τε δύο καὶ Ὧραι δύο· ἐν ἀριστερᾷ δὲ Ἔχιδνα ἕστηκε καὶ Τυφώς, ἐν δεξιᾷ δὲ Τρίτωνες. τὰ δὲ ἐπειργασμένα καθʼ ἕκαστον ἐπʼ ἀκριβὲς διελθεῖν ὄχλον τοῖς ἐπιλεξομένοις παρέξειν ἔμελλεν· ὡς δὲ δηλῶσαι συλλαβόντι, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ ἄγνωστα τὰ πολλὰ ἦν, Ταϋγέτην θυγατέρα Ἄτλαντος καὶ ἀδελφὴν αὐτῆς Ἀλκυόνην φέρουσι Ποσειδῶν καὶ Ζεύς. ἐπείργασται δὲ καὶ Ἄτλας καὶ Ἡρακλέους μονομαχία πρὸς Κύκνον καὶ ἡ παρὰ Φόλῳ τῶν Κενταύρων μάχη.
τὸν δὲ Μίνω καλούμενον Ταῦρον οὐκ οἶδα ἀνθʼ ὅτου πεποίηκε Βαθυκλῆς δεδεμένον τε καὶ ἀγόμενον ὑπὸ Θησέως ζῶντα· καὶ Φαιάκων χορός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῷ θρόνῳ καὶ ᾄδων ὁ Δημόδοκος· Περσέως τε τὸ ἔργον πεποίηται τὸ ἐς Μέδουσαν. παρέντι δὲ Ἡρακλέους μάχην πρὸς Θούριον τῶν γιγάντων καὶ Τυνδάρεω πρὸς Εὔρυτον, ἔστιν ἁρπαγὴ τῶν Λευκίππου θυγατέρων· Διόνυσον δὲ καὶ Ἡρακλέα, τὸν μὲν παῖδα ἔτι ὄντα ἐς οὐρανόν ἐστιν Ἑρμῆς φέρων, Ἀθηνᾶ δὲ ἄγουσα Ἡρακλέα συνοικήσοντα ἀπὸ τούτου θεοῖς.
παραδίδωσι δὲ καὶ Πηλεὺς Ἀχιλλέα τραφησόμενον παρὰ Χίρωνι, ὃς καὶ διδάξαι λέγεται· Κέφαλος δὲ τοῦ κάλλους ἕνεκα ὑπὸ Ἡμέρας ἐστὶν ἡρπασμένος, καὶ ἐς τὸν γάμον τὸν Ἁρμονίας δῶρα κομίζουσιν οἱ θεοί. καὶ Ἀχιλλέως μονομαχία πρὸς Μέμνονα ἐπείργασται, Διομήδην τε Ἡρακλῆς τὸν Θρᾷκα καὶ ἐπʼ Εὐήνῳ τῷ ποταμῷ Νέσσον τιμωρούμενος. Ἑρμῆς δὲ παρʼ Ἀλέξανδρον κριθησομένας ἄγει τὰς θεάς, Ἄδραστος δὲ καὶ Τυδεὺς Ἀμφιάραον καὶ Λυκοῦργον τὸν Πρώνακτος μάχης καταπαύουσιν.
Ἥρα δὲ ἀφορᾷ πρὸς Ἰὼ τὴν Ἰνάχου βοῦν οὖσαν ἤδη, καὶ Ἀθηνᾶ διώκοντα ἀποφεύγουσά ἐστιν Ἥφαιστον. ἐπὶ δὲ τούτοις Ἡρακλέους πεποίηται τῶν ἔργων τὸ ἐς τὴν ὕδραν καὶ ὡς ἀνήγαγε τοῦ Ἅιδου τὸν κύνα. Ἀναξίας δὲ καὶ Μνασίνους, τούτων μὲν ἐφʼ ἵππου καθήμενός ἐστιν ἑκάτερος, Μεγαπένθην δὲ τὸν Μενελάου καὶ Νικόστρατον ἵππος εἷς φέρων ἐστίν. ἀναιρεῖ δὲ καὶ Βελλεροφόντης τὸ ἐν Λυκίᾳ θηρίον, καὶ Ἡρακλῆς τὰς Γηρυόνου βοῦς ἐλαύνει.
τοῦ θρόνου δὲ πρὸς τοῖς ἄνω πέρασιν ἐφʼ ἵππων ἑκατέρωθέν εἰσιν οἱ Τυνδάρεω παῖδες· καὶ σφίγγες τέ εἰσιν ὑπὸ τοῖς ἵπποις καὶ θηρία ἄνω θέοντα, τῇ μὲν πάρδαλις, κατὰ δὲ τὸν Πολυδεύκην λέαινα. ἀνωτάτω δὲ χορὸς ἐπὶ τῷ θρόνῳ πεποίηται, Μάγνητες οἱ συνειργασμένοι Βαθυκλεῖ τὸν θρόνον.
ὑπελθόντι δὲ ὑπὸ τὸν θρόνον τὰ ἔνδον ἀπὸ τῶν Τριτώνων ὑός ἐστι θήρα τοῦ Καλυδωνίου καὶ Ἡρακλῆς ἀποκτείνων τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς Ἄκτορος, Κάλαϊς δὲ καὶ Ζήτης τὰς Ἁρπυίας Φινέως ἀπελαύνουσιν· Πειρίθους τε καὶ Θησεὺς ἡρπακότες εἰσὶν Ἑλένην καὶ ἄγχων Ἡρακλῆς τὸν λέοντα, Τιτυὸν δὲ Ἀπόλλων τοξεύει καὶ Ἄρτεμις·
Ἡρακλέους τε πρὸς Ὄρειον Κένταυρον μάχη πεποίηται καὶ Θησέως πρὸς Ταῦρον τὸν Μίνω. πεποίηται δὲ καὶ ἡ πρὸς Ἀχελῷον Ἡρακλέους πάλη καὶ τὰ λεγόμενα ἐς Ἥραν, ὡς ὑπὸ Ἡφαίστου δεθείη, καὶ ὃν Ἄκαστος ἔθηκεν ἀγῶνα ἐπὶ πατρὶ καὶ τὰ ἐς Μενέλαον καὶ τὸν Αἰγύπτιον Πρωτέα ἐν Ὀδυσσείᾳ. τελευταῖα Ἄδμητός τε ζευγνύων ἐστὶν ὑπὸ τὸ ἅρμα κάπρον καὶ λέοντα καὶ οἱ Τρῶες ἐπιφέροντες χοὰς Ἕκτορι.
Near the statues of Pausanias is an image of Aphrodite Ambologera (‘she who staves off old age’). It was set up at the behest of an oracle. There are also images of Sleep and Death, whom, in harmony with the lines in the Iliad, they believe to be brothers. Going towards what is called the Alpium, we come to a temple of Athena Ophthalmitis (‘goddess of eyes’). They say that it was dedicated by Lycurgus when Alcander knocked out one of his eyes because he happened not to like the laws which Lycurgus made. Lycurgus escaped to this place, and the Lacedaemonians saved him from losing the other eye also. So he built a temple of Athena Ophthalmitis.
Going farther on, you come to a sanctuary of Ammon. From the earliest times the Libyan oracle is known to have been consulted by the Lacedaemonians more frequently than by the rest of the Greeks. It is said that when Lysander was besieging Aphytis in Pallene, Ammon appeared to him by night and foretold him that it would be better for him and for Lacedaemon to desist from the war with the Aphytaeans. So Lysander raised the siege and induced the Lacedaemonians to revere the god more than ever; and the Aphytaeans are not a whit behind the Libyans of Ammon themselves in their respect for Ammon. 3. The story of Cnagian Artemis is as follows. They say that Cnageus, a native of Laconia, marched with the Dioscuri to Aphidna. In the battle he was taken prisoner and sold into slavery in Crete. Now in the place of his bondage there was a sanctuary of Artemis; and in course of time he made his escape, carrying off with him the virgin priestess, who took the image with her. They say that is why they name the goddess Cnagian Artemis. But it seems to me that this Cnageus must have come to Crete in some other way than the Lacedaemonians say he did; for I do not believe that there was a battle at Aphidna at all. How could there be, when Theseus was a prisoner in Thesprotis, and the Athenians were not unanimous for him, but leaned rather to the side of Menestheus ? Even if a battle did take place, it is incredible that some of the victors were taken prisoners, especially as their victory proved so decisive that Aphidna itself fell into their hands. But enough of this. 4. On the way down from Sparta to Amyclae we come to a river Tiasa. They think Tiasa is a daughter of the Eurotas. Beside it is a sanctuary of the Graces, Phaenna and Cleta, as the poet Alcman calls them. They believe that it was Lacedaemon who founded the sanctuary of the Graces here and gave them their names.
The things worth seeing at Amyclae are these. On a monument is the likeness of a man named Aenetus, who practised the pentathlum : they say that he won the prize at Olympia, and that even while they were placing the crown on his head he expired. So there is a likeness of him. And there are bronze tripods, the more ancient of which, they say, are a tithe-offering of the spoils of the Messenian war. Under the first tripod stood an image of Aphrodite, and under the second tripod an image of Artemis. The tripods and the reliefs on them are both by Gitiadas. The third tripod is by Callon of Aegina: under it stands an image of the Maid, the daughter of Demeter. There is also an image of a woman, supposed to be Sparta, holding a lyre: it is by Aristander of Paros. Further, there is an image of Aphrodite called ‘the Aphrodite beside the Amyclaean god’: it is by Polyclitus of Argos. These tripods are larger than the others, and were dedicated from the spoils taken at the victory of Aegospotami.
There are offerings by Bathycles the Magnesian, who made the throne of the Amyclaean god. He offered them on the completion of the throne, and they consist of the Graces and an image of Leucophryenian Artemis. From whom Bathycles learned his art, and in the reign of what king of Lacedaemon he made the throne, I omit to inquire. But I saw the throne, and I will describe it as I saw it.
It is supported both in front and behind by two Graces and two Seasons: on the left hand stand Echidna and Typhos, and on the right Tritons. To describe all the reliefs in detail would be tedious to my readers ; but I may say in brief (most of the work being tolerably well known) that Poseidon and Zeus are represented carrying away Taygete, daughter of Atlas, and her sister Alcyone. There are also reliefs representing Atlas, and the single combat of Hercules with Cycnus, and the battle of the Centaurs at the home of Pholus. But why Bathycles represented the Bull of Minos (the Minotaur), as it is called, bound and led along alive by Theseus, I do not know. And on the throne is a troop of Phaeacians dancing and Demodocus is singing. Perseus, too, is represented slaying Medusa. Passing over Hercules’ fight with the giant Thurius, and Tyndareus’ fight with Eurytus, we have the rape of the daughters of Leucippus. Here, too, are Dionysus and Hercules: Hermes is seen bearing the infant Dionysus to heaven, and Athena is leading Hercules to dwell thenceforward with the gods. And Peleus is giving Achilles to be reared by Chiron, who is said to have also taught him. And Cephalus is carried off by Day for the sake of his beauty; and to the wedding of Harmonia the gods are bringing gifts. And Achilles’ combat with Memnon is also wrought, and Hercules punishing Diomede the Thracian, and punishing Nessus, too, at the river Evenus. And Hermes is leading the goddesses to Alexander to be judged. And Adrastus and Tydeus are stopping the fight between Amphiaraus and Lycurgus, son of Pronax. Io, daughter of Inachus, is changed into a cow, and Hera is looking at her. And Athena is fleeing from Hephaestus, who is pursuing her. Besides these there are wrought some of the deeds of Hercules ; what he did to the Hydra, and how he dragged up the hound of hell. And Anaxis and Mnasinus are seated on horseback; but one horse is carrying Nicostratus and Megapenthes, son of Menelaus. And Bellerophon is slaying the Lycian monster, and Hercules is driving the kine of Geryon.
At the upper extremities of the throne are, at either side, the sons of Tyndareus on horseback ; and there are sphinxes under the horses and wild beasts running upwards, on the side of Castor a leopard, and on the side of Pollux a lion. Highest of all a dance is wrought on the throne: the dancers are the Magnesians who helped Bathycles to make the throne.
Going under the throne, you see, inwards from the Tritons, the hunt of the Calydonian boar and Hercules slaying the sons of Actor. And Calais and Zetes are driving the Harpies from Phineus. And Pirithous and Theseus have carried off Helen, and Hercules is throttling the lion. And Apollo and Artemis are shooting arrows at Tityus. Here, too, is wrought Hercules’ fight with Oreus the Centaur, and Theseus’ combat with the Bull of Minos (the Minotaur). And there is represented the wrestling of Hercules with Achelous, and the story how Hera was bound fast by Hephaestus, and the games which Acastus held in memory of his father, and the story of Menelaus and the Egyptian Proteus in the Odyssey. Last of all there is Admetus yoking a boar and a lion to his car, and the Trojans offering libations to Hector.
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