ἀπὸ δὲ Ἀκακησίου τέσσαρας σταδίους ἀπέχει τὸ ἱερὸν τῆς Δεσποίνης. πρῶτα μὲν δὴ αὐτόθι Ἡγεμόνης ναός ἐστιν Ἀρτέμιδος καὶ χαλκοῦν ἄγαλμα ἔχον δᾷδας —ποδῶν ἓξ εἶναι μάλιστα αὐτὸ εἰκάζομεν—, ἐντεῦθεν δὲ ἐς τὸν ἱερὸν περίβολον τῆς Δεσποίνης ἐστὶν ἔσοδος. ἰόντων δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν ναὸν στοά τέ ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ καὶ ἐν τῷ τοίχῳ λίθου λευκοῦ τύποι πεποιημένοι, καὶ τῷ μέν εἰσιν ἐπειργασμέναι Μοῖραι καὶ Ζεὺς ἐπίκλησιν Μοιραγέτης, δευτέρῳ δὲ Ἡρακλῆς τρίποδα Ἀπόλλωνα ἀφαιρούμενος· ὁποῖα δὲ ἐς αὐτοὺς ἐπυνθανόμην γενέσθαι, δηλώσω καὶ τοῦτο, ἢν ἐς τοῦ Φωκικοῦ λόγου τὰ ἔχοντα ἐς Δελφοὺς ἀφικώμεθα.
ἐν δὲ τῇ στοᾷ τῇ παρὰ τῇ Δεσποίνῃ μεταξὺ τῶν τύπων τῶν κατειλεγμένων πινάκιόν ἐστι γεγραμμένον, ἔχον τὰ ἐς τὴν τελετήν· Νύμφαι δέ εἰσι καὶ Πᾶνες ἐπὶ τῷ τρίτῳ, ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ τετάρτῳ Πολύβιος ὁ Λυκόρτα· καί οἱ ἐπίγραμμά ἐστιν ἐξ ἀρχῆς τε μὴ ἂν σφαλῆναι τὴν Ἑλλάδα, εἰ Πολυβίῳ τὰ πάντα ἐπείθετο, καὶ ἁμαρτούσῃ διʼ ἐκείνου βοήθειαν αὐτῇ γενέσθαι μόνου. πρὸ δὲ τοῦ ναοῦ Δήμητρί τέ ἐστι βωμὸς καὶ ἕτερος Δεσποίνῃ, μετʼ αὐτὸν δὲ μεγάλης Μητρός.
θεῶν δὲ αὐτὰ τὰ ἀγάλματα, Δέσποινα καὶ ἡ Δημήτηρ τε καὶ ὁ θρόνος ἐν ᾧ καθέζονται, καὶ τὸ ὑπόθημα τὸ ὑπὸ τοῖς ποσίν ἐστιν ἑνὸς ὁμοίως λίθου· καὶ οὔτε τῶν ἐπὶ τῇ ἐσθῆτι οὔτε ὁπόσα εἴργασται περὶ τὸν θρόνον οὐδέν ἐστιν ἑτέρου λίθου προσεχὲς σιδήρῳ καὶ κόλλῃ, ἀλλὰ τὰ πάντα ἐστὶν εἷς λίθος. οὗτος οὐκ ἐσεκομίσθη σφίσιν ὁ λίθος, ἀλλὰ κατὰ ὄψιν ὀνείρατος λέγουσιν αὐτὸν ἐξευρεῖν ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβόλου τὴν γῆν ὀρύξαντες. τῶν δὲ ἀγαλμάτων ἐστὶν ἑκατέρου μέγεθος κατὰ τὸ Ἀθήνῃσιν ἄγαλμα μάλιστα τῆς Μητρός·
Δαμοφῶντος δὲ καὶ ταῦτα ἔργα. ἡ μὲν οὖν Δημήτηρ δᾷδα ἐν δεξιᾷ φέρει, τὴν δὲ ἑτέραν χεῖρα ἐπιβέβληκεν ἐπὶ τὴν Δέσποιναν· ἡ δὲ Δέσποινα σκῆπτρόν τε καὶ τὴν καλουμένην κίστην ἐπὶ τοῖς γόνασιν ἔχει, τῆς δὲ ἔχεται τῇ δεξιᾷ τῆς κίστης. τοῦ θρόνου δὲ ἑκατέρωθεν Ἄρτεμις μὲν παρὰ τὴν Δήμητρα ἕστηκεν ἀμπεχομένη δέρμα ἐλάφου καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων φαρέτραν ἔχουσα, ἐν δὲ ταῖς χερσὶ τῇ μὲν λαμπάδα ἔχει, τῇ δὲ δράκοντας δύο. παρὰ δὲ τὴν Ἄρτεμιν κατάκειται κύων, οἷαι θηρεύειν εἰσὶν ἐπιτήδειοι.
πρὸς δὲ τῆς Δεσποίνης τῷ ἀγάλματι ἕστηκεν Ἄνυτος σχῆμα ὡπλισμένου παρεχόμενος· φασὶ δὲ οἱ περὶ τὸ ἱερὸν τραφῆναι τὴν Δέσποιναν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀνύτου, καὶ εἶναι τῶν Τιτάνων καλουμένων καὶ τὸν Ἄνυτον. Τιτᾶνας δὲ πρῶτος ἐς ποίησιν ἐσήγαγεν Ὅμηρος, θεοὺς εἶναι σφᾶς ὑπὸ τῷ καλουμένῳ Ταρτάρῳ, καὶ ἔστιν ἐν Ἥρας ὅρκῳ τὰ ἔπη· παρὰ δὲ Ὁμήρου Ὀνομάκριτος παραλαβὼν τῶν Τιτάνων τὸ ὄνομα Διονύσῳ τε συνέθηκεν ὄργια καὶ εἶναι τοὺς Τιτᾶνας τῷ Διονύσῳ τῶν παθημάτων ἐποίησεν αὐτουργούς.
τὰ μὲν δὴ ἐς τὸν Ἄνυτον ὑπὸ Ἀρκάδων λέγεται· Δήμητρος δὲ Ἄρτεμιν θυγατέρα εἶναι καὶ οὐ Λητοῦς, ὄντα Αἰγυπτίων τὸν λόγον Αἰσχύλος ἐδίδαξεν Εὐφορίωνος τοὺς Ἕλληνας. τὰ δὲ ἐς Κούρητας—οὗτοι γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγαλμάτων πεποίηνται—καὶ τὰ ἐς Κορύβαντας ἐπειργασμένους ἐπὶ τοῦ βάθρου—γένος δὲ οἵδε ἀλλοῖον καὶ οὐ Κούρητες—, τὰ ἐς τούτους παρίημι ἐπιστάμενος.
τῶν δὲ ἡμέρων οἱ Ἀρκάδες δένδρων ἁπάντων πλὴν ῥοιᾶς ἐσκομίζουσιν ἐς τὸ ἱερόν. ἐν δεξιᾷ δὲ ἐξιόντι ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ κάτοπτρον ἡρμοσμένον ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ τοίχῳ· τοῦτο ἤν τις προσβλέπῃ τὸ κάτοπτρον, ἑαυτὸν μὲν ἤτοι παντάπασιν ἀμυδρῶς ἢ οὐδὲ ὄψεται ἀρχήν, τὰ δὲ ἀγάλματα τῶν θεῶν καὶ αὐτὰ καὶ τὸν θρόνον ἔστιν ἐναργῶς θεάσασθαι.
παρὰ δὲ τὸν ναὸν τῆς Δεσποίνης ὀλίγον ἐπαναβάντι ἐν δεξιᾷ Μέγαρόν ἐστι καλούμενον, καὶ τελετήν τε δρῶσιν ἐνταῦθα καὶ τῇ Δεσποίνῃ θύουσιν ἱερεῖα οἱ Ἀρκάδες πολλά τε καὶ ἄφθονα. θύει μὲν δὴ αὐτῶν ἕκαστος ὅ τι κέκτηται· τῶν ἱερείων δὲ οὐ τὰς φάρυγγας ἀποτέμνει ὥσπερ ἐπὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις θυσίαις, κῶλον δὲ ὅ τι ἂν τύχῃ, τοῦτο ἕκαστος ἀπέκοψε τοῦ θύματος.
ταύτην μάλιστα θεῶν σέβουσιν οἱ Ἀρκάδες τὴν Δέσποιναν, θυγατέρα δὲ αὐτὴν Ποσειδῶνός φασιν εἶναι καὶ Δήμητρος. ἐπίκλησις ἐς τοὺς πολλούς ἐστιν αὐτῇ Δέσποινα, καθάπερ καὶ τὴν ἐκ Διὸς Κόρην ἐπονομάζουσιν, ἰδίᾳ δέ ἐστιν ὄνομα Περσεφόνη, καθὰ Ὅμηρος καὶ ἔτι πρότερον Πάμφως ἐποίησαν· τῆς δὲ Δεσποίνης τὸ ὄνομα ἔδεισα ἐς τοὺς ἀτελέστους γράφειν.
ὑπὲρ δὲ τὸ καλούμενον Μέγαρόν ἐστιν ἄλσος τῆς Δεσποίνης ἱερὸν θριγκῷ λίθων περιεχόμενον, ἐντὸς δὲ αὐτοῦ δένδρα καὶ ἄλλα καὶ ἐλαία καὶ πρῖνος ἐκ ῥίζης μιᾶς πεφύκασι· τοῦτο οὐ γεωργοῦ σοφίας ἐστὶν ἔργον. ὑπὲρ δὲ τὸ ἄλσος καὶ Ἱππίου Ποσειδῶνος, ἅτε πατρὸς τῆς Δεσποίνης, καὶ θεῶν ἄλλων εἰσὶ βωμοί· τῷ τελευταίῳ δὲ ἐπίγραμμά ἐστι θεοῖς αὐτὸν τοῖς πᾶσιν εἶναι κοινόν.
ἐντεῦθεν δὲ ἀναβήσῃ διὰ κλίμακος ἐς ἱερὸν Πανός· πεποίηται δὲ καὶ στοὰ ἐς τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ ἄγαλμα οὐ μέγα, θεῶν δὲ ὁμοίως τοῖς δυνατωτάτοις καὶ τούτῳ μέτεστι τῷ Πανὶ ἀνθρώπων τε εὐχὰς ἄγειν ἐς τέλος καὶ ὁποῖα ἔοικεν ἀποδοῦναι πονηροῖς. παρὰ τούτῳ τῷ Πανὶ πῦρ οὔ ποτε ἀποσβεννύμενον καίεται. λέγεται δὲ ὡς τὰ ἔτι παλαιότερα καὶ μαντεύοιτο οὗτος ὁ θεός, προφῆτιν δὲ Ἐρατὼ Νύμφην αὐτῷ γενέσθαι ταύτην ἣ Ἀρκάδι τῷ Καλλιστοῦς συνῴκησε·
μνημονεύουσι δὲ καὶ ἔπη τῆς Ἐρατοῦς, ἃ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπελεξάμην. ἐνταῦθα ἔστι μὲν βωμὸς Ἄρεως, ἔστι δὲ ἀγάλματα Ἀφροδίτης ἐν ναῷ, λίθου τὸ ἕτερον λευκοῦ, τὸ δὲ ἀρχαιότερον αὐτῶν ξύλου. ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ Ἀπόλλωνός τε καὶ Ἀθηνᾶς ξόανά ἐστι· τῇ δὲ Ἀθηνᾷ καὶ ἱερὸν πεποίηται.
Four furlongs distant from Acacesium is the sanctuary of the Mistress. Here there is first a temple of Leader Artemis, with a bronze image holding torches: we guessed the height of the image to be about six feet. Thence there is an entrance into the sacred close of the Mistress. On the way to the temple there is a colonnade on the right with reliefs in white marble on the wall. The first relief represents the Fates and Zeus, surnamed Guide of Fate; the second represents Hercules wresting the tripod from Apollo. The facts which I ascertained about the latter incident I will narrate in that part of my description of Phocis which relates to Delphi, if I ever get so far. In the colonnade which stands in the sanctuary of the Mistress there is a tablet between the aforesaid reliefs, and on this tablet are painted pictures of the mysteries. On the third relief are represented nymphs and Pans. On the fourth is Polybius, son of Lycortas, with an inscription saying that Greece would not have fallen if she had entirely followed the advice of Polybius, and that in her misfortune he alone had succoured her. In front of the temple is an altar to Demeter, and another to the Mistress, and after it one to the Great Mother.
The images of the goddesses, namely, the Mistress and Demeter, as well as the throne on which they sit and the footstool under their feet, are all made of a single block of stone. None of the drapery or work about the throne is made of a different stone, attached with iron clamps or cement: all is of one block. This block was not fetched from outside: they say that, following directions given in a dream, they found it by digging within the enclosure. The size of each of the two images is about that of the image of the Mother at Athens. They are also works of Damophon. Demeter carries a torch in her right hand, the other hand is laid on the Mistress. The Mistress has a sceptre, and the basket, as it is called, on her knees: she holds the basket with her right hand. On either side of the throne are images. Beside Demeter stands Artemis clad in a deer-skin and with a quiver on her shoulders: she is holding a torch in one hand and two serpents in the other: beside her a bitch, of the hunting sort, is lying down.
Beside the image of the Mistress stands Anytus in the likeness of an armed man. The attendants of the sanctuary say that the Mistress was reared by Anytus, and that he was one of the so-called Titans. Homer was the first who introduced the Titans into poetry, representing them as gods in what is called Tartarus: the verses occur in the oath of Hera. Onomacritus borrowed the name of the Titans from Homer, and in the orgies which he composed for Dionysus he represented the Titans as the authors of Dionysus’ sufferings. That is what the Arcadians say about Anytus. It was Aeschylus, son of Euphorion, who taught the Greeks the Egyptian legend that Artemis is a daughter of Demeter and not of Latona. The Curetes are represented under the images, and the Corybantes (a different race from the Curetes) are sculptured in relief on the pedestal: I know the stories told about both of them, but I pass them over.
The Arcadians bring into the sanctuary the fruits of all cultivated trees except the pomegranate. On the right as you leave the temple there is a mirror fitted into the wall. Any one who looks into this mirror will see himself either very dimly or not at all, but the images of the gods and the throne are clearly visible.
Beside the temple of the Mistress a little higher up on the right is what is called the Hall. Here the Arcadians perform mysteries, and sacrifice victims to the Mistress in great abundance. Each man sacrifices what he has got. They do not cut the throats of the victims as in the other sacrifices, but each man lops off a limb of the victim, it matters not which.
This Mistress is worshipped by the Arcadians above all the gods, and they say she is a daughter of Poseidon and Demeter. Mistress is her popular surname, just as the daughter of Demeter by Zeus is surnamed the Maid. The real name of the Maid is Proserpine, as it occurs in the poetry of Homer and of Pamphos before him ; but the true name of the Mistress I fear to communicate to the uninitiated.
Above the Hall is a grove sacred to the Mistress and surrounded by a stone wall. Amongst the trees inside the wall are an olive-tree and an evergreen oak growing from the same root: this is not a product of the gardener’s art. Above the grove are altars of Horse Poseidon, as father of the Mistress, and of other gods: on the last of the altars is an inscription stating that it is common to all the gods.
Thence you will ascend by a staircase to a sanctuary of Pan. The sanctuary contains a colonnade and a small image. This Pan, equally with the most powerful of the gods, possesses the power of accomplishing men’s prayers and requiting the wicked as they deserve. In his sanctuary burns a fire that is never quenched. 9. It is said that of old this god also gave oracles, and that his prophetess was the nymph Erato, who married Arcas, son of Callisto. They still remember some of Erato’s verses, which I have myself read. Here there is an altar of Ares, also a temple with two images of Aphrodite, the one of white marble, the other and older of wood. Likewise there are wooden images of Apollo and Athena; and there is also a sanctuary of Athena.
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