Listed 6 sub titles with search on: Monuments reported by ancient authors for wider area of: "AMYKLES Ancient sanctuary SPARTI" .
AMYKLES (Ancient sanctuary) SPARTI
On the altar are wrought in relief, here an image of Biris, there Amphitrite and
Poseidon. Zeus and Hermes are conversing; near stand Dionysus and Semele, with
Ino by her side. On the altar are also Demeter, the Maid, Pluto, next to them
Fates and Seasons, and with them Aphrodite, Athena and Artemis. They are carrying
to heaven Hyacinthus and Polyboea, the sister, they say, of Hyacinthus, who died
a maid. Now this statue of Hyacinthus represents him as bearded, but Nicias, son
of Nicomedes, has painted him in the very prime of youthful beauty, hinting at
the love of Apollo for Hyacinthus of which legend tells. Wrought on the altar
is also Heracles; he too is being led to heaven by Athena and the other gods.
On the altar are also the daughters of Thestius, Muses and Seasons. As for the
West Wind, how Apollo unintentionally killed Hyacinthus, and the story of the
flower, we must be content with the legends, although perhaps they are not true
history.
Amyclae was laid waste by the Dorians, and since that time has remained a village; I found there a sanctuary and image of Alexandra worth seeing. Alexandra is said by the Amyclaeans to be Cassandra, the daughter of Priam.
The part of the throne where the god would sit is not continuous;
there are several seats, and by the side of each seat is left a wide empty space,
the middle, whereon the image stands, being the widest of them. I know of nobody
who has measured the height of the image, but at a guess one would estimate it
to be as much as thirty cubits. It is not the work of Bathycles, being old and
uncouth; for though it has face, feet, and hands, the rest resembles a bronze
pillar. On its head it has a helmet, in its hands a spear and a bow. The pedestal
of the statue is fashioned into the shape of an altar and they say that Hyacinthus
is buried in it.
(Paus. 3,18,9-16).
Below Taygetus, in the interior, lies Sparta, and also Amyclae, where is the temple of Apollo, and Pharis.
Hyacinthus, the youngest and most beautiful of his sons, died before his father, and his tomb is in Amyclae below the image of Apollo.
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