Kitap 8
42.4
The image, they say, was made after this fashion. It was seated on a rock, like to a woman in all respects save the head. She had the head and hair of a horse, and there grew out of her head images of serpents and other beasts. Her tunic reached right to her feet; on one of her hands was a dolphin, on the other a dove. Now why they had the image made after this fashion is plain to any intelligent man who is learned in traditions.They say that they named her Black because the goddess had black apparel.
42.5
They cannot relate either who made this wooden image or how it caught fire. But the old image was destroyed, and the Phigalians gave the goddess no fresh image, while they neglected for the most part her festivals and sacrifices, until the barrenness fell on the land. Then they went as suppliants to the Pythian priestess and received this response:—
42.6
Azanian Arcadians, acorn-eaters, who dwellIn Phigaleia, the cave that hid Deo, who bare a horse,You have come to learn a cure for grievous famine,Who alone have twice been nomads, alone have twice lived on wild fruits.It was Deo who made you cease from pasturing, Deo who made you pasture againAfter being binders of corn and eatersWith the reading ἀναστοφάγους “made you pasture again, and to be non-eaters of cakes, after being binders of corn.” of cakes,Because she was deprived of privileges and ancient honors given by men of former times.And soon will she make you eat each other and feed on your children,Unless you appease her anger with libations offered by all your people,And adorn with divine honors the nook of the cave.
