ἐν Θεράπνῃ δὲ κρήνην τὴν Μεσσηίδα ἰδὼν οἶδα. Λακεδαιμονίων δὲ ἑτέροις ἐστὶν εἰρημένον τὴν Πολυδεύκειαν ὀνομαζομένην ἐφʼ ἡμῶν, οὐ τὴν ἐν Θεράπνῃ Μεσσηίδα καλεῖσθαι τὸ ἀρχαῖον· ἡ δὲ Πολυδεύκειά ἐστιν αὐτή τε ἡ κρήνη καὶ Πολυδεύκους ἱερὸν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς ἐς Θεράπνην ὁδοῦ.
Θεράπνης δὲ οὐ πόρρω Φοιβαῖον καλούμενόν ἐστιν, ἐν δὲ αὐτῷ Διοσκούρων ναός· καὶ οἱ ἔφηβοι τῷ Ἐνυαλίῳ θύουσιν ἐνταῦθα. τούτου δὲ οὐ πολὺ Ποσειδῶνος ἀφέστηκεν ἱερὸν ἐπίκλησιν Γαιαόχου. καὶ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ προελθόντι ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ Ταΰγετον ὀνομάζουσιν Ἀλεσίας χωρίον, Μύλητα τὸν Λέλεγος πρῶτον ἀνθρώπων μύλην τε εὑρεῖν λέγοντες καὶ ἐν ταῖς Ἀλεσίαις ταύταις ἀλέσαι. καί σφισι Λακεδαίμονος τοῦ Ταϋγέτης ἐνταῦθά ἐστιν ἡρῷον.
διαβᾶσι δὲ αὐτόθεν ποταμὸν Φελλίαν, παρὰ Ἀμύκλας ἰοῦσιν εὐθεῖαν ὡς ἐπὶ θάλασσαν Φᾶρις πόλις ἐν τῇ Λακωνικῇ ποτε ᾠκεῖτο· ἀποτρεπομένῳ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς Φελλίας ἐς δεξιὰν ἡ πρὸς τὸ ὄρος τὸ Ταΰγετόν ἐστιν ὁδός. ἔστι δὲ ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ Διὸς Μεσσαπέως τέμενος· γενέσθαι δέ οἱ τὴν ἐπίκλησιν ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς λέγουσιν ἱερασαμένου τῷ θεῷ. ἐντεῦθέν ἐστιν ἀπιοῦσιν ἐκ τοῦ Ταϋγέτου χωρίον ἔνθα πόλις ποτὲ ᾠκεῖτο Βρυσίαι· καὶ Διονύσου ναὸς ἐνταῦθα ἔτι λείπεται καὶ ἄγαλμα ἐν ὑπαίθρῳ. τὸ δὲ ἐν τῷ ναῷ μόναις γυναιξὶν ἔστιν ὁρᾶν· γυναῖκες γὰρ δὴ μόναι καὶ τὰ ἐς τὰς θυσίας δρῶσιν ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ.
ἄκρα δὲ τοῦ Ταϋγέτου Ταλετὸν ὑπὲρ Βρυσεῶν ἀνέχει. ταύτην Ἡλίου καλοῦσιν ἱερὰν καὶ ἄλλα τε αὐτόθι Ἡλίῳ θύουσι καὶ ἵππους· τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ καὶ Πέρσας οἶδα θύειν νομίζοντας. Ταλετοῦ δὲ οὐ πόρρω καλούμενός ἐστιν Εὐόρας, θηρία καὶ ἄλλα τρέφων καὶ αἶγας μάλιστα ἀγρίας. παρέχεται δὲ καὶ διʼ ὅλου τὸ Ταΰγετον τῶν αἰγῶν τούτων ἄγραν καὶ ὑῶν, πλείστην δὲ καὶ ἐλάφων καὶ ἄρκτων.
Ταλετοῦ δὲ τὸ μεταξὺ καὶ Εὐόρα Θήρας ὀνομάζοντες Λητώ φασιν ἀπὸ τῶν ἄκρων τοῦ Ταϋγέτου Δήμητρος ἐπίκλησιν Ἐλευσινίας ἐστὶν ἱερόν· ἐνταῦθα Ἡρακλέα Λακεδαιμόνιοι κρυφθῆναί φασιν ὑπὸ Ἀσκληπιοῦ τὸ τραῦμα ἰώμενον· καὶ Ὀρφέως ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτῷ ξόανον, Πελασγῶν ὥς φασιν ἔργον. καὶ τόδε δὲ ἄλλο δρώμενον ἐνταῦθα οἶδα·
ἐπὶ θαλάσσῃ πόλισμα Ἕλος ἦν, οὗ δὴ καὶ Ὅμηρος ἐμνημόνευκεν ἐν καταλόγῳ Λακεδαιμονίων· οἵ τʼ ἄρʼ Ἀμύκλας εἶχον Ἕλος τʼ ἔφαλον πτολίεθρον. / τοῦτο ᾤκισε μὲν Ἕλιος νεώτατος τῶν Περσέως παίδων, Δωριεῖς δὲ παρεστήσαντο ὕστερον πολιορκίᾳ, καὶ πρῶτοί τε ἐγένοντο οὗτοι Λακεδαιμονίων δοῦλοι τοῦ κοινοῦ καὶ εἵλωτες ἐκλήθησαν πρῶτοι, καθάπερ γε καὶ ἦσαν· τὸ δὲ οἰκετικὸν τὸ ἐπικτηθὲν ὕστερον, Δωριεῖς Μεσσηνίους ὄντας, ὀνομασθῆναι καὶ τούτους ἐξενίκησεν εἵλωτας, καθότι καὶ Ἕλληνας τὸ σύμπαν γένος ἀπὸ τῆς ἐν Θεσσαλίᾳ ποτὲ καλουμένης Ἑλλάδος.
ἐκ τούτου δὴ τοῦ Ἕλους ξόανον Κόρης τῆς Δήμητρος ἐν ἡμέραις ῥηταῖς ἀνάγουσιν ἐς τὸ Ἐλευσίνιον. πεντεκαίδεκα δὲ τοῦ Ἐλευσινίου σταδίους ἀφέστηκε Λαπίθαιον καλούμενον ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς ἐγχωρίου Λαπίθου· τοῦτό τε οὖν τὸ Λαπίθαιόν ἐστιν ἐν τῷ Ταϋγέτῳ καὶ οὐ πόρρω Δέρειον, ἔνθα Ἀρτέμιδος ἄγαλμα ἐν ὑπαίθρῳ Δερεάτιδος, καὶ πηγὴ παρʼ αὐτῷ ἣν Ἄνονον ὀνομάζουσι. μετὰ δὲ τὸ Δέρειον σταδίους προελθόντι ὡς εἴκοσιν ἔστιν Ἅρπλεια καθήκοντα ἄχρι τοῦ πεδίου.
τὴν δὲ ἐπʼ Ἀρκαδίας ἰοῦσιν ἐκ Σπάρτης Ἀθηνᾶς ἕστηκεν ἐπίκλησιν Παρείας ἄγαλμα ἐν ὑπαίθρῳ, μετὰ δὲ αὐτὸ ἱερόν ἐστιν Ἀχιλλέως· ἀνοίγειν δὲ αὐτὸ οὐ νομίζουσιν· ὁπόσοι δʼ ἂν τῶν ἐφήβων ἀγωνιεῖσθαι μέλλωσιν ἐν τῷ Πλατανιστᾷ, καθέστηκεν αὐτοῖς τῷ Ἀχιλλεῖ πρὸ τῆς μάχης θύειν. ποιῆσαι δέ σφισι τὸ ἱερὸν Σπαρτιᾶται λέγουσι Πράκα ἀπόγονον τρίτον Περγάμου τοῦ Νεοπτολέμου.
προϊοῦσι δὲ Ἵππου καλούμενον μνῆμά ἐστι. Τυνδάρεως γὰρ θύσας ἐνταῦθα ἵππον τοὺς Ἑλένης ἐξώρκου μνηστῆρας ἱστὰς ἐπὶ τοῦ ἵππου τῶν τομίων· ὁ δὲ ὅρκος ἦν Ἑλένῃ καὶ τῷ γῆμαι προκριθέντι Ἑλένην ἀμυνεῖν ἀδικουμένοις· ἐξορκώσας δὲ τὸν ἵππον κατώρυξεν ἐνταῦθα. κίονες δὲ ἑπτὰ τοῦ μνήματος τούτου διέχουσιν οὐ πολύ, κατὰ τρόπον οἶμαι τὸν ἀρχαῖον, οὓς ἀστέρων τῶν πλανητῶν φασιν ἀγάλματα. καὶ Κρανίου τέμενος κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἐπίκλησιν Στεμματίου καὶ Μυσίας ἐστὶν ἱερὸν Ἀρτέμιδος.
τὸ δὲ ἄγαλμα τῆς Αἰδοῦς τριάκοντά που στάδια ἀπέχον τῆς πόλεως Ἰκαρίου μὲν ἀνάθημα εἶναι, ποιηθῆναι δὲ ἐπὶ λόγῳ φασὶ τοιῷδε. ὅτʼ ἔδωκεν Ὀδυσσεῖ Πηνελόπην γυναῖκα Ἰκάριος, ἐπειρᾶτο μὲν κατοικίσαι καὶ αὐτὸν Ὀδυσσέα ἐν Λακεδαίμονι, διαμαρτάνων δὲ ἐκείνου δεύτερα τὴν θυγατέρα ἱκέτευε καταμεῖναι καὶ ἐξορμωμένης ἐς Ἰθάκην ἐπακολουθῶν τῷ ἅρματι ἐδεῖτο.
Ὀδυσσεὺς δὲ τέως μὲν ἠνείχετο, τέλος δὲ ἐκέλευε Πηνελόπην συνακολουθεῖν ἑκοῦσαν ἢ τὸν πατέρα ἑλομένην ἀναχωρεῖν ἐς Λακεδαίμονα. καὶ τὴν ἀποκρίνασθαί φασιν οὐδέν· ἐγκαλυψαμένης δὲ πρὸς τὸ ἐρώτημα, Ἰκάριος τὴν μὲν ἅτε δὴ συνιεὶς ὡς βούλεται ἀπιέναι μετὰ Ὀδυσσέως ἀφίησιν, ἄγαλμα δὲ ἀνέθηκεν Αἰδοῦς· ἐνταῦθα γὰρ τῆς ὁδοῦ προήκουσαν ἤδη τὴν Πηνελόπην λέγουσιν ἐγκαλύψασθαι.
In Therapne I saw the fountain Messeis. Some of the Lacedaemonians, however, have asserted that it is the fountain now named Polydeucia, not the fountain at Therapne, which was called Messeis of old. The fountain Polydeucia and a sanctuary of Pollux ( Polydeuces) are on the right of the road to Therapne. Not far from Therapne is what is called the Phoebaeum, in which is a temple of the Dioscuri ; and here the lads sacrifice to Enyalius.
At no great distance from it is a sanctuary of Poseidon, surnamed Earth-holder. Going on thence in the direction of Taygetus, you come to a place which they name Alesiae: they say that Myles, son of Lelex, was the first man who invented a mill, and that he ground corn (alesai) in this place Alesiae. Here is a shrine of the hero Lacedaemon, son of Taygete.
From this place we cross a river Phellia, and then passing Amyclae and pursuing the straight road in the direction of the sea, we come to the site of Pharis, once a Laconian city. Turning away from the Phellia to the right is the road that goes to Mount Taygetus. In the plain is a precinct of Messapian Zeus. They say that he was so surnamed after a priest of his.
From this point leaving Taygetus we come to a place where once stood the city of Bryseae. There is still left here a temple of Dionysus, and an image under the open sky. But the image in the temple may be seen by women only; for women alone perform in secrecy the sacrificial rites.
Above Bryseae rises Mount Taletum, a peak of Taygetus. They call this peak sacred to the Sun, and amongst the sacrifices which they here offer to the Sun are horses. The same sacrifice, I am aware, is offered by the Persians. Not far from Mount Taletum is a place called Euoras, where wild animals, especially wild goats, are to be found. Indeed, wild goats and boars may be hunted all over Mount Taygetus, and it swarms with deer and bears. Between Taletum and Euoras is a place which they name Therae: they say that Latona from the heights of Taygetus . . . There is a sanctuary of Demeter surnamed Eleusinian. Here, Lacedaemonians say, Hercules was hidden by Aesculapius while he was being healed of his wound. There is a wooden image of Orpheus in it, a work, they say, of Pelasgians.
I know also of the following custom which is observed here. There was a city by the sea called Helos, which Homer mentions in his list of the Lacedaemonians :— Who dwelt in Amyclae and Helos, the city by the sea. It was founded by Heleus, the youngest of the sons of Perseus, and the Dorians afterwards besieged and took it. Its people were the first slaves of the Lacedaemonian commonwealth, and they were the first who were called Helots, as indeed Helots they were. The name Helots was extended to the slaves subsequently acquired, though these were Dorians of Messenia; just as the whole Greek race were called Hellenes from the district in Thessaly once called Hellas. But to return : from this Helos a wooden image of the Maid, the daughter of Demeter, is brought up on stated days to the sanctuary of Eleusinian Demeter.
Fifteen furlongs from this sanctuary is Lapithaeum, so called from a native man of the name of Lapithus. Lapithaeum is in Taygetus, and not far off is Dereum, where is an image of Dereatian Artemis in the open air, and beside it is a spring which they name Anonus. Going on beyond Dereum about twenty furlongs you come to Harplea, which extends to the plain.
On the road from Sparta to Arcadia there stands in the open air an image of Athena surnamed Parea. Beyond it there is a sanctuary of Achilles, which it is not customary to open. But the lads who are about to take part in the combat in Plane-tree Grove are wont to sacrifice to Achilles before the fight. The Spartans say that the sanctuary was made by Prax, a grandson of Pergamus, son of Neoptolemus.
Going on we come to a place called the Horse’s Tomb. For here Tyndareus sacrificed a horse and swore the suitors of Helen, making them stand on the pieces of the horse. The oath was to defend Helen and him who might be chosen to marry her, if ever they should be wronged. Having sworn them he buried the horse here. The seven pillars which are not far from this tomb . . . in accordance, I believe, with an ancient fashion, which they say are images of the planets. On the road is a precinct of Cranius, surnamed Stemmatian, and a sanctuary of Mysian Artemis.
The image of Modesty, distant about thirty furlongs from the city, is said to be an offering of Icarius and to have been made for the following reason. After Icarius had given Penelope in marriage to Ulysses, he tried to induce his son-in-law to take up his abode in Lacedaemon. Failing in the attempt, he next besought his daughter to stay behind. And when she was setting out for Ithaca, he followed the chariot, entreating her. Ulysses stood it for a time, but at last he told Penelope either to follow him freely, or, if she liked her father better, to go back to Lacedaemon. They say that she answered nothing, but simply drew down her veil in reply to the question. So Icarius, seeing that she wished to depart with Ulysses, let her go, and set up an image of Modesty ; for they say that Penelope had reached this point of the road when she drew down her veil.
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