Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.4.1 Class: Skeptical

λέγεται δὲ καὶ ἄλλο ἐπὶ τῷ Ὀξύλῳ τοιόνδε, ὡς τοὺς παῖδας ὑποπτεύσειε τοῦ Ἀριστομάχου, μὴ τὴν Ἠλείαν τε ἰδόντες ἀγαθὴν οὖσαν καὶ ἐξειργασμένην διὰ πάσης οὐκ ἐθελήσωσιν ἔτι αὐτῷ διδόναι τὴν γῆν, καὶ τοῦδε ἕνεκα διὰ τῶν Ἀρκάδων καὶ οὐ διὰ τῆς Ἠλείας τοῖς Δωριεῦσιν ἡγήσατο. Ὀξύλῳ δὲ σπεύσαντι ἀμαχεὶ λαβεῖν τὴν Ἠλείων ἀρχὴν Δῖος οὐκ εἶκε, πρόκλησιν δὲ ἐποιεῖτο μὴ σφᾶς παρασκευῇ τῇ πάσῃ διακινδυνεῦσαι, προκριθῆναι δὲ ἀφʼ ἑκατέρων στρατιώτην ἕνα ἐς τὴν μάχην·

Proper Nouns:

Δωριεῖς Ζεύς Ἀριστόμαχος Ἀρκάδες Ἠλεία Ἠλεία Ἠλεῖοι Ὀξύλος

Another story is also told regarding Oxylus, namely that he distrusted the sons of Aristomachus, suspecting that if they saw Elis, fertile and entirely cultivated, they would no longer wish to grant him the land. For this reason Oxylus guided the Dorians through Arcadia rather than through Elis. When Oxylus sought to seize the rule over the Eleans without a fight, Dius would not yield; instead, he proposed a challenge—rather than risking their entire armies, each side should select a single warrior for the battle.

Passage 5.4.2 Class: Non-skeptical

καί πως συνήρεσε ταῦτα ἀμφοτέροις, οἱ δὲ ἐς τὸ ἔργον προταχθέντες Δέγμενός τε Ἠλεῖος ἦν τοξότης καὶ παρὰ τῶν Αἰτωλῶν Πυραίχμης σφενδόνην δεδιδαγμένος. κρατήσαντος δὲ τοῦ Πυραίχμου τήν τε βασιλείαν ἔσχεν Ὄξυλος καὶ Ἐπειοὺς τοὺς ἀρχαίους τὰ μὲν ἄλλα εἴασεν ἐπὶ τοῖς αὑτῶν μένειν, συνοίκους δέ σφισι τοὺς Αἰτωλοὺς ἐπὶ ἀναδασμῷ τῆς χώρας ἐπεισήγαγε. καὶ Δίῳ τε ἀπένειμε γέρα καὶ ἥρωσι τοῖς τε ἄλλοις κατὰ τὰ ἀρχαῖα ἐφύλαξε τὰς τιμὰς καὶ Αὐγέᾳ τὰ ἐς τὸν ἐναγισμὸν ἔτι καὶ ἐς ἡμᾶς αὐτῷ καθεστηκότα.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰτωλοί Αἰτωλοί Αὐγείας Δέγμενος Ζεύς (Δίας) Πυραίχμης Πυραίχμης Ἐπειοί Ἠλεῖος Ὄξυλος

And somehow these events served the interests of both parties. Those appointed beforehand for the contest were Degmenos, an Elean archer, and Pyraichmes, an Aetolian skilled with the sling. When Pyraichmes prevailed, Oxylos gained the kingdom; while in all other respects he allowed the original inhabitants, the Epeians, to remain in their positions, he settled the Aetolians among them through a redistribution of the land. He assigned honorary rites to Diós, and preserved for the other heroes the ancient honours due to them; indeed, the commemorative rites for Augeas continue to our own day.

Passage 5.4.3 Class: Non-skeptical

λέγεται δὲ ὡς καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐκ τῶν κωμῶν, ὅσοι τοῦ τείχους οὐ πολὺ ἀφεστήκεσαν, κατελθεῖν ἔπεισεν ἐς τὴν πόλιν καὶ πλήθει τε οἰκητόρων καὶ μείζονα καὶ εὐδαιμονεστέραν ἐς τὰ ἄλλα ἀπέφηνε τὴν Ἦλιν. ἀφίκετο δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ ἐκ Δελφῶν χρησμός, τὸν Πελοπίδην ἐπάγεσθαι συνοικιστήν· Ὄξυλος δὲ τὴν ζήτησιν ἐποιεῖτο σπουδῇ καὶ ἀναζητῶν εὗρεν Ἀγώριον τὸν Δαμασίου τοῦ Πενθίλου τοῦ Ὀρέστου, καὶ αὐτόν τε ἐξ Ἑλίκης τῆς Ἀχαιῶν καὶ σὺν τῷ Ἀγωρίῳ μοῖραν τῶν Ἀχαιῶν ἐπηγάγετο οὐ πολλήν.

Proper Nouns:

Δαμάσιος Δελφοί Πένθιλος Πελοπίδης Ἀγώριος Ἀχαιοί Ἑλίκη Ἦλις Ὀρέστης Ὄξυλος

It is said that he persuaded even the inhabitants from the villages, those which were situated not far from the wall, to move down into the city, thus making Elis both greater in population and larger and wealthier in all respects. Indeed, an oracle came to him from Delphi instructing him to bring in a descendant of Pelops as co-founder. Oxylus eagerly undertook the search, and in seeking he discovered Agorius, son of Damasius, son of Penthilus, son of Orestes; and from Helice of Achaea Oxylus brought Agorius himself, along with a small company of Achaeans.

Passage 5.4.4 Class: Non-skeptical

τῷ δὲ Ὀξύλῳ Πιερίαν μὲν τῇ γυναικὶ ὄνομα εἶναι λέγουσι, πέρα δὲ τὰ ἐς αὐτὴν οὐ μνημονεύουσιν. Ὀξύλου δὲ γενέσθαι παῖδάς φασιν Αἰτωλὸν καὶ Λαΐαν· προαποθανόντος δὲ Αἰτωλοῦ θάπτουσιν αὐτὸν οἱ γονεῖς ἐν αὐτῇ ποιησάμενοι τῇ πύλῃ τὸ μνῆμα, ἥτις ἐπʼ Ὀλυμπίαν καὶ τὸ ἱερὸν ἄγει τοῦ Διός· ἔθαψαν δὲ αὐτὸν οὕτω κατὰ μαντείαν, ὡς μήτε ἐκτὸς τῆς πόλεως μήτε ἐντὸς γένοιτο ὁ νεκρός. ἐναγίζει δὲ ὁ γυμνασίαρχος ἔτι καὶ ἐς ἐμὲ καθʼ ἕκαστον ἔτος τῷ Αἰτωλῷ.

Proper Nouns:

Αἰτωλός Αἰτωλός Ζεύς Λαΐας Πιερία Ὀλυμπία Ὀξύλος

They say the name of Oxylus' wife was Pieria, but beyond this they do not mention anything regarding her. Oxylus is said to have had two sons, Aetolus and Laias. Aetolus died before his parents, and they buried him within the very gate that leads towards Olympia and the sanctuary of Zeus, constructing his tomb within it. They buried him thus according to an oracle, so that the corpse might be neither outside nor inside the city. The Gymnasiarch even in my own time continues to perform annual offerings for Aetolus.

Passage 5.4.5 Class: Skeptical

μετὰ δὲ Ὄξυλον Λαΐας ἔσχεν ὁ Ὀξύλου τὴν ἀρχήν. οὐ μὴν τούς γε ἀπογόνους αὐτοῦ βασιλεύοντας εὕρισκον, καὶ σφᾶς ἐπιστάμενος ὅμως παρίημι· οὐ γάρ τί μοι καταβῆναι τὸν λόγον ἠθέλησα ἐς ἄνδρας ἰδιώτας. χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον Ἴφιτος, γένος μὲν ὢν ἀπὸ Ὀξύλου, ἡλικίαν δὲ κατὰ Λυκοῦργον τὸν γράψαντα Λακεδαιμονίοις τοὺς νόμους, τὸν ἀγῶνα διέθηκεν ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ πανήγυρίν τε Ὀλυμπικὴν αὖθις ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐκεχειρίαν κατεστήσατο, ἐκλιπόντα ἐπὶ χρόνον ὁπόσος δὴ οὗτος ἦν· αἰτίαν δὲ διʼ ἥντινα ἐξέλιπε τὰ Ὀλύμπια, ἐν τοῖς ἔχουσιν ἐς Ὀλυμπίαν τοῦ λόγου δηλώσω.

Proper Nouns:

Λαΐας Λακεδαιμόνιοι Λυκοῦργος Ἴφιτος Ὀλυμπία Ὀλυμπία Ὀλυμπικός Ὀλύμπια Ὄξυλος Ὄξυλος

After Oxylus, Laias, the son of Oxylus, succeeded to the throne. However, I did not find any of his descendants continuing as kings; though aware of them, I intentionally pass them over, as I have no wish to descend my narrative to common individuals. Much later, Iphitus—a descendant of Oxylus and a contemporary of Lycurgus, who composed the laws for the Spartans—restored the contest at Olympia, renewing from the start the Olympic festival and reestablishing the sacred truce, which had lapsed for a considerable period of time. I will explain the reason why the Olympic games fell into disuse in the section concerning Olympia.

Passage 5.4.6 Class: Skeptical

τῷ δὲ Ἰφίτῳ, φθειρομένης τότε δὴ μάλιστα τῆς Ἑλλάδος ὑπὸ ἐμφυλίων στάσεων καὶ ὑπὸ νόσου λοιμώδους, ἐπῆλθεν αἰτῆσαι τὸν ἐν Δελφοῖς θεὸν λύσιν τῶν κακῶν· καί οἱ προσταχθῆναί φασιν ὑπὸ τῆς Πυθίας ὡς αὐτόν τε Ἴφιτον δέοι καὶ Ἠλείους τὸν Ὀλυμπικὸν ἀγῶνα ἀνανεώσασθαι. ἔπεισε δὲ Ἠλείους Ἴφιτος καὶ Ἡρακλεῖ θύειν, τὸ πρὸ τούτου πολέμιόν σφισιν Ἡρακλέα εἶναι νομίζοντας. τὸν δὲ Ἴφιτον τὸ ἐπίγραμμα τὸ ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ φησὶν Αἴμονος παῖδα εἶναι, Ἑλλήνων δὲ οἱ πολλοὶ Πραξωνίδου καὶ οὐχ Αἴμονος εἶναί φασι· τὰ δὲ Ἠλείων γράμματα ἀρχαῖα ἐς πατέρα ὁμώνυμον ἀνῆγε τὸν Ἴφιτον.

Proper Nouns:

Αἴμων Δελφοί Πραξωνίδης Πυθία Ἑλλάς Ἕλληνες Ἠλεῖοι Ἠλεῖοι Ἡρακλῆς Ἡρακλῆς Ἴφιτος Ἴφιτος Ἴφιτος Ὀλυμπία Ὀλυμπικὸς ἀγών

When Greece was then particularly ravaged by civil strife and an epidemic disease, Iphitos resolved to ask the god at Delphi for relief from these evils. The Pythian priestess commanded Iphitos himself, together with the Eleans, to renew the Olympic festival. Iphitos convinced the Eleans to sacrifice to Herakles, though previously they had regarded Herakles as their enemy. There is an inscription at Olympia which states that Iphitos was a son of Haimon, but most Greeks say that he was the son of Praxonides and not Haimon. However, ancient Elean writings trace Iphitos back to a father of the same name.

Passage 5.4.7 Class: Non-skeptical

Ἠλείοις δὲ μέτεστι μὲν πολέμου τοῦ πρὸς Ἰλίῳ, μέτεστι δὲ καὶ ἔργων τῶν κατὰ τὴν Μήδων ἐς τὴν Ἑλλάδα ἔφοδον. ὑπερβάντων δὲ ὅσοι σφίσιν ἐγένοντο κίνδυνοι πρὸς Πισαίους τε καὶ Ἀρκάδας ὑπὲρ τῆς διαθέσεως τοῦ ἀγῶνος τοῦ ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ, συν ες έβαλον μὲν Λακεδαιμονίοις ἀκουσίως ἐς τὴν Ἀθηναίων, συνέστησαν δὲ μετὰ οὐ πολὺν χρόνον ἐπὶ Λακεδαιμονίους Μαντινεῦσιν ὁμοῦ καὶ Ἀργείοις, ἐπαγόμενοι καὶ τὸ Ἀττικὸν ἐς τὴν συμμαχίαν.

Proper Nouns:

Λακεδαιμόνιοι Μαντινεῦς Μῆδοι Πισαῖοι Ἀθηναῖοι Ἀργεῖοι Ἀρκάδες Ἀττική Ἑλλάς Ἠλεῖοι Ἰλίον Ὀλυμπία

The Eleans took part both in the Trojan War and in the later struggle of the Greeks against the Persian invasion. After overcoming the many dangers they faced from the Pisatans and Arcadians concerning the administration of the Olympic festival, they unintentionally sided with Sparta against Athens, but soon thereafter allied themselves with the Mantineans and Argives against the Spartans, even drawing Athens into this alliance.

Passage 5.4.8 Class: Non-skeptical

κατὰ δὲ τὴν Ἄγιδος ἐπιστρατείαν ἐς τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν προδοσίαν τὴν Ξενίου μάχῃ μὲν περὶ Ὀλυμπίαν νικῶσιν οἱ Ἠλεῖοι καὶ τροπὴν ἐργασάμενοι τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων ἐκ τοῦ περιβόλου σφᾶς ἐξήλασαν τοῦ ἱεροῦ· χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον ἐπαύθη σφίσιν ὁ πόλεμος κατὰ τὰς συνθήκας ἃς ἐγὼ πρότερον ἔτι ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ ἐς Λακεδαιμονίους ἐδήλωσα.

Proper Nouns:

Λακεδαιμόνιοι Ξένιος Ἄγις Ἠλεῖος Ὀλυμπία

During the military expedition of Agis into their territory and the treachery of Xenias, the Eleans prevailed in battle around Olympia, defeating the Lacedaemonians and driving them in flight from the sacred precinct. Afterward, within a period of time, the war was ended according to the terms of the treaty which I previously explained in my account of the Lacedaemonians.

Passage 5.4.9 Class: Non-skeptical

Φιλίππου δὲ τοῦ Ἀμύντου οὐκ ἐθέλοντος ἀποσχέσθαι τῆς Ἑλλάδος, προσεχώρησαν μὲν ἐς τὴν συμμαχίαν τῶν Μακεδόνων οἱ Ἠλεῖοι στάσει κακωθέντες ὑπὸ ἀλλήλων, μαχεσθῆναι δὲ οὐχ ὑπέμειναν τοῖς Ἕλλησιν ἐναντία ἐν Χαιρωνείᾳ· τῆς δὲ ἐφόδου Φιλίππῳ τῆς ἐπὶ Λακεδαιμονίους μετέσχον κατὰ ἔχθος ἐς αὐτοὺς τὸ ἀρχαῖον, ἀποθανόντος δὲ Ἀλεξάνδρου Μακεδόσι καὶ Ἀντιπάτρῳ μετὰ Ἑλλήνων ἐπολέμησαν.

Proper Nouns:

Λακεδαιμόνιοι Μακεδόνες Μακεδόνες Φίλιππος Φίλιππος Χαιρώνεια Ἀλέξανδρος Ἀμύντας Ἀντίπατρος Ἑλλάς Ἕλληνες Ἠλεῖοι

When Philip, son of Amyntas, was unwilling to abstain from involvement in Greece, the Eleans, weakened by internal strife among themselves, joined the alliance of the Macedonians; yet they did not endure taking the field against the Greeks at Chaeronea. But when Philip advanced against the Lacedaemonians, they participated in the campaign due to their ancient hostility towards them. After Alexander's death, they fought alongside the Greeks against the Macedonians and Antipater.

Legend:

Chapter 5.4