Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.24.1 Class: Historical

παρὰ δὲ τοῦ Λαοίτα Διὸς καὶ Ποσειδῶνος Λαοίτα δὲ , παρὰ τούτων τὸν βωμὸν Ζεὺς ἐπὶ χαλκοῦ βάθρου δῶρον μὲν τοῦ Κορινθίων δήμου, Μούσου δέ ἐστι ποίημα, ὅστις δὴ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Μοῦσος. ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ βουλευτηρίου πρὸς τὸν ναὸν ἐρχομένῳ τὸν μέγαν ἔστιν ἄγαλμα ἐν ἀριστερᾷ Διός, ἐστεφανωμένον δὲ οἷα δὴ ἄνθεσι, καὶ ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ κεραυνὸς πεποίηται. τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν Ἀσκάρου τέχνη Θηβαίου, διδαχθέντος παρὰ τῷ Σικυωνίῳ Κανάχῳ· τὸ δὲ ἐπίγραμμα τὸ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ δεκάτην ἀπὸ τοῦ πολέμου Φωκέων καὶ Θεσσαλῶν φησιν εἶναι.

Proper Nouns:

Ζεύς Ζεύς Ζεύς Θεσσαλοί Θηβαῖος Κάναχος Κόρινθος Λαοῖτας Μοῦσος Μοῦσος Ποσειδῶν Σικυών Φωκεύς βουλευτήριον Ἄσκαρος

Next to Zeus surnamed Laoites and Poseidon Laoites—and beside the altar belonging to them—is Zeus standing upon a bronze pedestal, a gift dedicated by the people of Corinth. This statue is the work of Musus, whoever this Musus may be. As one goes from the council-chamber towards the great temple, there is another statue of Zeus on the left hand; he is crowned, as it appears, with flowers, and in his right hand he holds a crafted thunderbolt. This statue is the work of Ascarus, a Theban, who was the pupil of Canachus of Sicyon. The inscription on it states that it was dedicated as a tithe from the war between the Phocians and the Thessalians.

Passage 5.24.2 Class: Historical

εἰ δὲ Φωκεῦσιν ἐς πόλεμόν τινα οὗτοι κατέστησαν καὶ ἔστιν ἀπὸ Φωκέων αὐτοῖς τὸ ἀνάθημα, οὐκ ἂν ὅ γε ἱερὸς καλούμενος εἴη πόλεμος, ὃν δὲ πρότερον ἔτι ἐπολέμησαν πρὶν ἢ Μήδους καὶ βασιλέα ἐπὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα διαβῆναι. τούτου δὲ οὐ πόρρω Ζεύς ἐστιν, ὅντινα ἀναθεῖναι Ψωφιδίους ἐπὶ πολέμου κατορθώματι τὸ ἔπος τὸ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ γεγραμμένον δηλοῖ.

Proper Nouns:

Ζεύς Μῆδοι Φωκεῖς Φωκεῖς Ψωφίδιοι Ἑλλάς

But if these men engaged in war with the Phocians, and the dedication resulted from their contest with the Phocians, the conflict at least could not be one called "sacred"; rather, it must have been some earlier war they undertook before the Persians and their king made their expedition against Greece. Not far from this is a statue of Zeus, which, as the inscription upon it makes clear, was dedicated by the people of Psophis as a thanksgiving for success in war.

Passage 5.24.3 Class: Historical

τοῦ ναοῦ δέ ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ μεγάλου Ζεὺς πρὸς ἀνατολὰς ἡλίου, μέγεθος μὲν δυόδεκα ποδῶν, ἀνάθημα δὲ λέγουσιν εἶναι Λακεδαιμονίων, ἡνίκα ἀποστᾶσι Μεσσηνίοις δεύτερα τότε ἐς πόλεμον κατέστησαν· ἔπεστι δὲ καὶ ἐλεγεῖον ἐπʼ αὐτῷ, Δέξο ἄναξ Κρονίδα Ζεῦ Ὀλύμπιε καλὸν ἄγαλμα ἱλάῳ θυμῷ τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις.

Proper Nouns:

Ζεύς Ζεύς Κρονίς Λακεδαιμόνιοι Λακεδαιμόνιοι Μεσσήνιοι Ὀλύμπιος

To the right of the great temple there is a statue of Zeus facing eastward, twelve feet in height. They say it was dedicated as an offering by the Lacedaemonians at the time of their second declaration of war against the revolting Messenians. Upon it is also inscribed an elegiac couplet: "Receive, Olympian Zeus, son of Cronus, graciously in your spirit This noble image from the Lacedaemonians."

Passage 5.24.4 Class: Historical

Ῥωμαίων δὲ οὔτε ἄνδρα ἰδιώτην οὔτε ὁπόσοι τῆς βουλῆς οὐδένα Μομμίου πρότερον ἀνάθημα ἴσμεν ἐς ἱερὸν ἀναθέντα Ἑλληνικόν, Μόμμιος δὲ ἀπὸ λαφύρων ἀνέθηκε τῶν ἐξ Ἀχαΐας Δία ἐς Ὀλυμπίαν χαλκοῦν· οὗτος ἕστηκεν ἐν ἀριστερᾷ τοῦ Λακεδαιμονίων ἀναθήματος, παρὰ τὸν πρῶτον ταύτῃ τοῦ ναοῦ κίονα. ὃ δὲ ἐν τῇ Ἄλτει μέγιστον τῶν χαλκῶν ἐστιν ἀγαλμάτων τοῦ Διός, ἀνετέθη μὲν ὑπὸ αὐτῶν Ἠλείων ἀπὸ τοῦ πρὸς Ἀρκάδας πολέμου, μέγεθος δὲ ἑπτὰ καὶ εἴκοσι ποδῶν ἐστι.

Proper Nouns:

Ζεύς Ζεύς Λακεδαιμόνιοι Μόμμιος Μόμμιος Ἀρκάδες Ἀχαΐα Ἄλτις Ἑλληνικόν Ἠλεῖοι Ὀλυμπία Ῥωμαῖοι

Of the Romans, neither any private individual nor any senator is known to us to have made a dedication in a Greek sanctuary before Mummius. Mummius, however, dedicated from the spoils he took from Achaea a bronze statue of Zeus at Olympia; it stands to the left of the Spartan offering, near the first pillar of the temple on this side. The largest bronze statue of Zeus in the Altis was dedicated by the Eleans themselves from the spoils of war against the Arcadians; its height is twenty-seven feet.

Passage 5.24.5 Class: Mythic

παρὰ δὲ τῷ Πελοπίῳ κίων τε οὐχ ὑψηλὸς καὶ ἄγαλμα Διός ἐστιν ἐπʼ αὐτῷ μικρόν, τὴν ἑτέραν τῶν χειρῶν προτεῖνον. τούτου δὲ ἀπαντικρὺ ἄλλα ἐστὶν ἀναθήματα ἐπὶ στοίχου, ὡς δὲ αὔτως Διὸς καὶ Γανυμήδους ἀγάλματα· ἔστι δὲ Ὁμήρῳ πεποιημένα ὡς ἁρπασθείη τε ὑπὸ θεῶν Γανυμήδης οἰνοχοεῖν Διὶ καὶ ὡς Τρωὶ δῶρα ἵπποι δοθεῖεν ἀντʼ αὐτοῦ. τοῦτο ἀνέθηκε μὲν Γνᾶθις Θεσσαλός, ἐποίησε δὲ Ἀριστοκλῆς μαθητής τε καὶ υἱὸς Κλεοίτα.

Proper Nouns:

Γανυμήδης Γανυμήδης Γνᾶθις Θεσσαλός Ζεύς Ζεύς Ζεύς Κλεόιτας Πέλοπιον Τρώς Ἀριστοκλῆς Ὅμηρος

Beside the Pelopion, there is a not very tall pillar, and upon it a small statue of Zeus, holding forth one hand. Opposite this are other votive offerings arranged in a row, among which similarly appear figures of Zeus and Ganymede. These were created according to Homer's account, depicting how Ganymede was seized by the gods to serve as cupbearer to Zeus, and how horses were given to Tros as compensation for him. This dedication was offered by Gnathis, a Thessalian, and was crafted by Aristocles, who was both the pupil and son of Cleoetas.

Passage 5.24.6 Class: Historical

ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλος Ζεὺς οὐκ ἔχων πω γένεια, κεῖται δὲ ἐν τοῖς ἀναθήμασι τοῖς Μικύθου. τὰ δὲ ἐς Μίκυθον, γένος τε ὁποῖον ἦν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀνθʼ ὅτου τὰ ἀναθήματα ἐς Ὀλυμπίαν τὰ πολλὰ ἀνέθηκεν, ὁ ἐφεξῆς μοι λόγος δηλώσει. ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ ἀγάλματος τοῦ εἰρημένου προελθόντι ὀλίγον κατʼ εὐθεῖαν ἄγαλμά ἐστι Διὸς οὐκ ἔχον γένεια οὐδὲ αὐτό, Ἐλαϊτῶν δὲ ἀνάθημα, οἳ καταβάντι ἐκ Καΐκου πεδίου ἐς θάλασσαν πρῶτοι ἐν τῇ Αἰολίδι οἰκοῦσι.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰολίς Ζεύς Ζεύς Καΐκος Μίκυθος Μίκυθος Ἐλαῖται Ὀλυμπία

There is also another Zeus without a beard, situated among the offerings dedicated by Mikythos. Concerning Mikythos, his lineage, and the reason for most of his dedications at Olympia, these matters will be explained in my following narrative. A short distance onward in a direct line from the statue just mentioned stands another statue of Zeus, likewise without a beard; this is an offering of the Eleans, who dwell in Aeolis, the first people encountered when going down from the plain of the Kaikos River to the sea.

Passage 5.24.7 Class: Historical

τούτου δὲ αὖθις ἄλλο ἄγαλμα ἔχεται Διός, τὸ δὲ ἐπίγραμμα τὸ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ τοὺς ἐν Κνίδῳ Χερρονησίους ἀπὸ ἀνδρῶν ἀναθεῖναι πολεμίων φησίν· ἀνέθεσαν δὲ ἑκατέρωθεν παρὰ τὸν Δία Πέλοπά τε καὶ τὸν Ἀλφειὸν ποταμόν. Κνιδίοις δὲ τῆς πόλεως τὸ μὲν πολὺ ἐν τῇ ἠπείρῳ πεπόλισται τῇ Καρικῇ, ἔνθα καὶ τὰ λόγου μάλιστα ἄξια αὐτοῖς ἐστιν, ἡ δὲ καλουμένη Χερρόνησός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῇ ἠπείρῳ κειμένη νῆσος γεφύρᾳ διαβατὸς ἐξ αὐτῆς·

Proper Nouns:

Ζεύς Ζεύς Καρία Κνίδος Κνίδος Πέλοψ Χερρόνησος Χερρόνησος Ἀλφειός

Next to this is another statue of Zeus, whose inscription states that the people of Chersonesus in Cnidus set it up after a victory over enemies. On either side of Zeus they dedicated figures of Pelops and the river Alpheius. The city of the Cnidians is built mostly on the mainland in Caria, and there especially are the places most worthy of account. The area called Chersonesus is an island lying near the mainland and joined to it by a bridge, across which one can pass.

Passage 5.24.8 Class: Historical

καὶ τὰ ἀναθήματα ἀνέθεσαν ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ τῷ Διὶ οἱ ἐνταῦθα οἰκοῦντες, ὡς εἰ τῆς Ἐφεσίων πόλεως οἱ ἔχοντες τὸν ὀνομαζόμενον Κόρησον ἀνάθημα φαῖεν ἰδίᾳ τι ἀναθεῖναι τοῦ Ἐφεσίων κοινοῦ. ἔστι δὲ καὶ πρὸς τῷ τείχει τῆς Ἄλτεως Ζεὺς ἐπὶ ἡλίου τετραμμένος δυσμάς, ἐπίγραμμα οὐδὲν παρεχόμενος· ἐλέγετο δὲ καὶ οὗτος Μομμίου τε καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀχαιῶν εἶναι πολέμου.

Proper Nouns:

Ζεύς Ζεύς Κόρησος Μόμμιος Ἀχαιοί Ἄλτις Ἐφέσιοι Ὀλυμπία

And the inhabitants there dedicated offerings to Zeus at Olympia; just as if certain men possessing the so-called sanctuary of Koresos in the city of the Ephesians were to claim that their dedication was something private, distinct from the common dedication of all the Ephesians. Also, near the wall of the Altis stands a Zeus statue facing toward the sunset; it bears no inscription, but this too was said to be an offering by Mummius and from the war against the Achaeans.

Passage 5.24.9 Class: Historical

ὁ δὲ ἐν τῷ βουλευτηρίῳ πάντων ὁπόσα ἀγάλματα Διὸς μάλιστα ἐς ἔκπληξιν ἀδίκων ἀνδρῶν πεποίηται· ἐπίκλησις μὲν Ὅρκιός ἐστιν αὐτῷ, ἔχει δὲ ἐν ἑκατέρᾳ κεραυνὸν χειρί. παρὰ τούτῳ καθέστηκε τοῖς ἀθληταῖς καὶ πατράσιν αὐτῶν καὶ ἀδελφοῖς, ἔτι δὲ γυμνασταῖς ἐπὶ κάπρου κατόμνυσθαι τομίων, μηδὲν ἐς τὸν Ὀλυμπίων ἀγῶνα ἔσεσθαι παρʼ αὐτῶν κακούργημα. οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες οἱ ἀθληταὶ καὶ τόδε ἔτι προσκατόμνυνται, δέκα ἐφεξῆς μηνῶν ἀπηκριβῶσθαί σφισι τὰ πάντα ἐς ἄσκησιν.

Proper Nouns:

Ζεύς Ὀλύμπια Ὅρκιος

The statue in the Council-chamber is, among all the images of Zeus, the one particularly fashioned to strike terror into wicked men. It has the epithet "Horkios" (Guardian of Oaths), and holds a thunderbolt in each hand. Beside it there is established a custom for athletes, their fathers and brothers, and also their trainers to swear on the flesh of a boar that they will commit no wrongdoing concerning the Olympic Games. Additionally, the athletes themselves solemnly swear further that for ten successive months they have strictly observed every detail of their training.

Passage 5.24.10 Class: Historical

ὀμνύουσι δὲ καὶ ὅσοι τοὺς παῖδας ἢ τῶν ἵππων τῶν ἀγωνιζομένων τοὺς πώλους κρίνουσιν, ἐπὶ δικαίῳ καὶ ἄνευ δώρων ποιεῖσθαι κρίσιν, καὶ τὰ ἐς τὸν δοκιμαζόμενόν τε καὶ μή, φυλάξειν καὶ ταῦτα ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ. τῷ κάπρῳ δὲ ὅ τι χρῆσθαί σφισι μετὰ τῶν ἀθλητῶν τὸν ὅρκον καθέστηκεν, οὐκ ἐμνημόνευσα ἐπερέσθαι, ἐπεὶ τοῖς γε ἀρχαιοτέροις ἐπὶ ἱερεῖα ἦν καθεστηκός, ἐφʼ ᾧ τις ὅρκον ἐποιήσατο, μηδὲ ἐδώδιμον εἶναι τοῦτο ἔτι ἀνθρώπῳ. δηλοῖ δὲ οὐχ ἥκιστα καὶ Ὅμηρος·

Proper Nouns:

Ὅμηρος

Those who judge the youths or the foals of racing horses swear an oath that they will make their decision justly and without bribes, and that they will safeguard matters concerning both those who pass examination and those who do not, keeping all such information secret. I neglected to inquire why they established the practice of swearing this oath upon a boar together with the athletes; in earlier times, however, it was customary that the animal upon which an oath was sworn should be sacrificed, and thereafter no longer considered edible by humans. Homer above all reveals this clearly:

Passage 5.24.11 Class: Mythic

τὸν γοῦν κάπρον καθʼ ὅτου τῶν τομίων Ἀγαμέμνων ἐπώμοσεν ἦ μὴν εἶναι τὴν Βρισηίδα ἑαυτοῦ τῆς εὐνῆς ἀπείρατον, τοῦτον τὸν κάπρον ἀφιέμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ κήρυκος ἐποίησεν ἐς θάλασσαν· ἦ, καὶ ἀπὸ σφάραγον κάπρου τάμε νηλέι χαλκῷ. τὸν μὲν Ταλθύβιος πολιῆς ἁλὸς ἐς μέγα λαῖτμα ῥῖψʼ ἐπιδινήσας, βόσιν ἰχθύσιν. Hom. Il. 19.266-268 οὕτω μὲν τὸ ἀρχαῖον τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐνόμιζον· ἔστι δὲ πρὸ τῶν ποδῶν τοῦ Ὁρκίου πινάκιον χαλκοῦν, ἐπιγέγραπται δὲ ἐλεγεῖα ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ, δεῖμα ἐθέλοντα τοῖς ἐπιορκοῦσι παριστάναι.

Proper Nouns:

Βρισηίς Ταλθύβιος Ἀγαμέμνων Ὅμηρος Ἰλιάς Ὅρκιος

Indeed, regarding the boar by which Agamemnon swore an oath declaring that Briseis remained untouched by his bed, Homer showed this boar released into the sea by the herald, saying, "Then cut the boar's throat with pitiless bronze; this boar Talthybius, whirling around, cast into the great expanse of the grey sea as food for fishes." (Hom. Il. 19.266–268) Thus did people of old hold such practices sacred. Before the feet of the image of Zeus Horkios there is a bronze tablet, on which elegiac verses have been inscribed; these lines aim to inspire fear in those inclined to perjury.

Legend:

Chapter 5.24