Arriving in Syracuse

Abstract

Chapter 1 focuses on the cult and mythical narratives of Arethusa and the related goddess, Artemis Alpheioa. It begins with a survey of the historical and material evidence for Arethusa in sixth- and fifth-century Syracuse. As a civic symbol for the polis, Arethusa endures despite political volatility in the period. Pindar, the chapter argues, recognizes the importance of Arethusa as a civic symbol and evokes the relationship between Arethusa and Alpheos in nearly every poem for Syracuse, signaling stability and continuity. Furthermore, it proposes that links between the cults in Syracuse and related worship of Artemis Alpheioa in the Peloponnese suggest that Pindar’s references to the cult highlight a mythic tradition shared by the Peloponnesians and Syracusans.