A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

—;
Future Life; the Erechtheum 239
amine the leader of the great Trojan expedition; or
Odysseus, or Sisyphus, or numberless others, men and
women, too! What infinite delight would there be in
conversing with them and asking them questions! In
another world they do not put a man to death for asking
questions: assuredly not. For besides being happier than
we are, they will be immortal, if what is said is true. . . .
The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways
I to die, and 3'ou to live. Which is better God only knows.
IX.
The Erechtheum and the Worship of Athena
There is also a building called the Erechtheum.
Before
the entrance is an altar of Supreme Zeus, where they sacrifice
no living thing; but they lay cakes on it, and having
done so they are forbidden by custom to make use of wine.
Inside of the building are altars: one of Poseidon, on which
they sacrifice also to Erechtheus in obedience to an oracle
one of the hero Butes; and one of Hephaestus. On the
walls are paintings of the family of the Butads.
Within,
for the building is double, there is sea-water in a well.
This is not surprising, for the same thing may be seen in
inland places, as at Aphrodisias in Caria. But what is
remarkable about this well is that, when the south wind
has been blowing, the well gives forth a sound of waves;
and there is the shape of a trident in the rock. These
things are said to have been the evidence produced by
Poseidon in support of his claim to the country.
The rest of the city and the whole land are equally
sacred to Athena; for although the worship of other gods
is established in the townships, the inhabitants none the
less hold Athena in honor. But the object which was
universally deemed the holy of holies many years before
the union of the townships, is an image of Athena in what
Interior of
the temple.
Pausanias, i.
26.
Ancient
World, 239.
The Butads
were the
priestly gens
which attended
to the
worship of
Poseidon.
Ancient
World, 93.