Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.18.6

← 1.18.5 1.18.7 →

Passage 1.18.6: Hadrian's temple and colossal ivory-and-gold statue of Olympian Zeus in Athens.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

πρὶν δὲ ἐς τὸ ἱερὸν ἰέναι τοῦ Διὸς τοῦ Ὀλυμπίου ---Ἀδριανὸς ὁ Ῥωμαίων βασιλεὺς τόν τε ναὸν ἀνέθηκε καὶ τὸ ἄγαλμα θέας ἄξιον, οὗ μεγέθει μέν, ὅτι μὴ Ῥοδίοις καὶ Ῥωμαίοις εἰσὶν οἱ κολοσσοί, τὰ λοιπὰ ἀγάλματα ὁμοίως ἀπολείπεται, πεποίηται δὲ ἔκ τε ἐλέφαντος καὶ χρυσοῦ καὶ ἔχει τέχνης εὖ πρὸς τὸ μέγεθος ὁρῶσιν---, ἐνταῦθα εἰκόνες Ἀδριανοῦ δύο μέν εἰσι Θασίου λίθου, δύο δὲ Αἰγυπτίου· χαλκαῖ δὲ ἑστᾶσι πρὸ τῶν κιόνων ἃς Ἀθηναῖοι καλοῦσιν ἀποίκους πόλεις. ὁ μὲν δὴ πᾶς περίβολος σταδίων μάλιστα τεσσάρων ἐστίν, ἀνδριάντων δὲ πλήρης· ἀπὸ γὰρ πόλεως ἑκάστης εἰκὼν Ἀδριανοῦ βασιλέως ἀνάκειται, καὶ σφᾶς ὑπερεβάλοντο Ἀθηναῖοι τὸν κολοσσὸν ἀναθέντες ὄπισθε τοῦ ναοῦ θέας ἄξιον.

English Translation

Before entering the sanctuary of Olympian Zeus—it was Hadrian, emperor of the Romans, who dedicated the temple and the statue worthy of viewing. In its size, apart from the colossi of the Rhodians and Romans, it surpasses all other statues; it is crafted from ivory and gold, and the skill demonstrated in its creation is worthy of admiration for such a scale.—Before this sanctuary stand four statues of Hadrian, two made of Thasian stone, two of Egyptian marble; and bronze figures, called "colonies" by the Athenians, stand in front of the columns. The entire enclosure measures approximately four stades in circumference and is full of statues: for every city has dedicated a likeness of the emperor Hadrian. The Athenians themselves surpassed them in erecting the colossal statue behind the temple, one worthy indeed of being seen.

Proper Nouns

Olympian Zeus (Ζεύς Ὀλύμπιος) deity
Also in: 5.13.8 7.20.3
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) other
Romans (Ῥωμαῖοι) other
Rhodians (Ῥόδιοι) other
Hadrian (Ἀδριανός) person
Egyptian (Αἰγύπτιος) place
Thasian (Θάσιος) place Q2409197
Athens (Ἀθῆναι) place Q844930
← 1.18.5 1.18.7 →