Pausanias_Travel_Writing_in_Ancient Greece [Maria_Pretzler]

Pausanias: Travel Writing in Ancient Greece
In this passage Pausanias admits that he could not find out a specific
detail of mythical genealogy. Instead, almost as an excuse for his failure
to provide an answer, he shows just how much research could be involved
in solving such problems. In this context Pausanias has every reason to
present his hard work in the best light, but it is unlikely that all historical
accounts in the Periegesis were researched with similar diligence. In fact,
Pausanias’ explicit statements about his effort (polypragmosynê) in discovering
historical details do not seem to be consistent: for example, in one
case he stresses his diligent research, only to present information which
seems to be based on a simple reference in the Iliad, while the same claim
seems more credible in the case of the material he collected for his
Arkadian genealogy, which includes local tradition gathered on site. 43 It is
often difficult to tell what kind of material Pausanias has in mind when
he talks about his sources and there is rarely a clear distinction between
library research and what he may have heard on site. 44 Like any educated
man of his time Pausanias would know at least the Homeric epics by heart,
and it is likely that he could rely on his memory for extracts from many
other classical texts, particularly Herodotos. The classics provided a good
framework for the myths and history of mainland Greece which could be
complemented by additional reading. The passage quoted above seems to
suggest that Pausanias read several books to solve this particular problem,
but all the authors he mentions are cited in other contexts as well.
Like other writers of his time, Pausanias probably read such works to
mine them for information and then relied on notes or his memory when
he needed a particular detail to back up an argument. 45
Many authors, among them numerous historians, are mentioned in the
Periegesis. 46
Pausanias’ local stories are probably often based on oral
tradition, but literary sources provided additional material, and his longest
historical accounts seem largely compiled from books. Pausanias
frequently provides references when an author is in disagreement with his
own or a third opinion, but the basic sources for a historical account
usually remain anonymous. Not all his sources are credited: Polybios, for
example, appears only as a historical figure, and Plutarch’s name is never
mentioned at all. 47
Where it is possible to identify Pausanias’ sources it
seems that he preferred to use the standard works for the period in
question, often accounts written soon after the events he describes. 48 The
historical accounts in the Periegesis, with their focus on particular regions
or cities, could rarely simply be copied from one particular work, and
Pausanias needed to combine different accounts to produce the narrative
he needed. Literary sources are subjected to scrutiny just as are the stories
collected on site, and he is particularly aware that some written accounts
may be biased. 49 A discussion of the main sources for his Messenian history
offers a rare insight into Pausanias’ approach to the literary evidence. It
was impossible to reconcile the history of the First Messenian War by
Myron of Priene and Rhianos of Bene’s epic about the Second Messenian
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