hellenistic period, while a single inscription from late fifth-century Thasos gives us a
‘‘sanctuary of Persuasion’’ alone (IGxii 8.360). Another ‘‘sanctuary of Persuasion’’ is
located in the agora at Sicyon in the Argolid, though Pausanias’ account (2.7.7–8) of
the purification ritual enacted there may indicate that the sanctuary was dedicated to
Apollo and Artemis ‘‘the Persuaded’’ rather than Persuasion herself. Most other
evidence, however, puts Persuasion in close association with Aphrodite, the two
even appearing in one or two locations as a single deity, ‘‘Aphrodite Persuasion.’’
Most extensively documented is the cult of Persuasion at Athens, where she is
worshiped alongside Aphrodite Pandemos, ‘‘of All the People.’’ A small sanctuary
on the southwest slope of the Acropolis can be identified as that of Aphrodite
Pandemos and Persuasion on the basis of Pausanias’ mention of their statues
(1.22.3) and of several inscriptions found in the vicinity. It is a matter of debate
how early either goddess became established there: an ancient tradition attributes the
establishment of Aphrodite Pandemos’ cult to Solon, which is not entirely implaus-
ible, but Persuasion was probably a later addition, arriving in the late sixth century
(Pirenne-Delforge 1991) or towards the end of the fifth (Stafford 2000:121–9). We
have unequivocal evidence for Persuasion’s cult status from the mid-fourth century,
when state sacrifices to her are mentioned by Isocrates (Antidosis259) and Demos-
thenes (Prooimia54). The importance of persuasion as a concept in the classical
period can certainly be demonstrated by a study of fifth-century literature (Buxton
1982), which naturally tends to emphasize its rhetorical aspect, but in vase-painting,
as in cult, Persuasion personified consistently appears in the company of Aphrodite,
bringing to the fore the more erotic side of her character. That this ‘‘seductive’’ aspect
was important in cult is further suggested by Plutarch’s assertion that Persuasion is
one of the five gods invoked by those getting married (Roman Questions,Moralia
264b), and that she and the Graces used to be worshiped after marriage ‘‘so that
couples might persuade each other to do what they want, and not fight or be
contentious’’ (Advice to the Bride and Groom,Moralia138d; Stafford 1999).
Unlike all the figures we have considered so far, Fair Fame (Eukleia) has no
mythological profile in archaic literature and art, but her earliest appearance in cult
does link her closely with an Olympian goddess. Pausanias (9.17.1) reports a temple
of ‘‘Artemis Fair Fame’’ at Thebes, with a statue by the fourth-century sculptor
Scopas, and the goddess’ cult was already well established in Boeotia by the early
fifth century according to Plutarch (Aristides20). He tells the story of a man called
Euchidas, who ran from Plataia to Delphi and back in a day in order to fetch new fire,
a ritual purification after the final defeat of the Persians; having run 125 miles in a
single day, Euchidas promptly collapsed and died, but was honored by burial within
the sanctuary of Artemis Eukleia. Even if the anecdote is not entirely reliable, Plutarch
is likely to have been well informed about sanctuaries in his native Boeotia. He goes
on to comment that ‘‘most people believe Eukleia to be Artemis, and call her by that
name,’’ although some say that she is the daughter of Heracles and Myrto, worshiped
in Boeotia and Locris; ‘‘there is an altar and statue established to her in every
marketplace, and brides and grooms sacrifice to her.’’ On the basis of Plutarch’s
generalization, scholars have assumed that a festival called simply ‘‘the Eukleia,’’
attested at Delphi and at Corinth and further implied by the month name Eukleios
at Corcyra (a Corinthian colony), was in honor of Artemis. Some details of
the Corinthian festival are incidentally supplied by Xenophon’s indignant account
Ogden / Companion to Greek Religion 1405120541_4_004 Revise Proof page 79 30.10.2006 4:25pmPersonification 79