Pausanias Analysis

Passage 1.44.1

← 1.43.8 1.44.2 →

Passage 1.44.1: Orsippus, who won the Olympic foot-race running naked.

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

Κοροίβου δὲ τέθαπται πλησίον Ὄρσιππος, ὃς περιεζωσμένων ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσι κατὰ δὴ παλαιὸν ἔθος τῶν ἀθλητῶν Ὀλύμπια ἐνίκα στάδιον δραμὼν γυμνός, φασὶ δὲ καὶ στρατηγοῦντα ὕστερον τὸν Ὄρσιππον ἀποτεμέσθαι χώραν τῶν προσοίκων· δοκῶ δέ οἱ καὶ ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ τὸ περίζωμα ἑκόντι περιρρυῆναι, γνόντι ὡς ἀνδρὸς περιεζωσμένου δραμεῖν ῥᾴων ἐστὶν ἀνὴρ γυμνὸς.

English Translation

Next to the tomb of Coroebus is buried Orsippus. It was he who, when the athletes in competitions formerly wore loin-cloths according to ancient custom, won the Olympic victory in the foot-race while running naked. They say also that afterwards, while commanding as general, Orsippus annexed territory from his neighbors. I myself suppose that at Olympia he intentionally let his loin-cloth slip off, realizing that a naked man could run with much greater ease than one encumbered by clothing.

Proper Nouns

Koroibos (Κόροιβος) person
Orsippos (Ὄρσιππος) person
Olympia (Ὀλυμπία) place Q38888 Pleiades
Olympia (Ὀλύμπια) place Q38888 Pleiades
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