Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.10.6

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Passage 5.10.6: Pediment depicting the chariot race of Pelops and Oenomaus.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

τὰ δὲ ἐν τοῖς ἀετοῖς, ἔστιν ἔμπροσθεν Πέλοπος ἡ πρὸς Οἰνόμαον τῶν ἵππων ἅμιλλα ἔτι μέλλουσα καὶ τὸ ἔργον τοῦ δρόμου παρὰ ἀμφοτέρων ἐν παρασκευῇ. Διὸς δὲ ἀγάλματος κατὰ μέσον πεποιημένου μάλιστα τὸν ἀετόν, ἔστιν Οἰνόμαος ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ Διὸς ἐπικείμενος κράνος τῇ κεφαλῇ, παρὰ δὲ αὐτὸν γυνὴ Στερόπη, θυγατέρων καὶ αὕτη τῶν Ἄτλαντος· Μυρτίλος δέ, ὃς ἤλαυνε τῷ Οἰνομάῳ τὸ ἅρμα, κάθηται πρὸ τῶν ἵππων, οἱ δέ εἰσιν ἀριθμὸν οἱ ἵπποι τέσσαρες. μετὰ δὲ αὐτόν εἰσιν ἄνδρες δύο· ὀνόματα μέν σφισιν οὐκ ἔστι, θεραπεύειν δὲ ἄρα τοὺς ἵππους καὶ τούτοις προσετέτακτο ὑπὸ τοῦ Οἰνομάου.

English Translation

On the gables, in front, the chariot race between Pelops and Oenomaus is depicted as yet impending, with the preparations for the action by both participants still underway. Zeus is portrayed exactly in the middle of the pediment, and immediately to the right of Zeus stands Oenomaus wearing a helmet on his head. Beside him is his wife Sterope, herself one of the daughters of Atlas. Myrtilus, who served as Oenomaus’s charioteer, sits before the horses, which number four. Behind him are two men whose names are unknown, but who are evidently appointed by Oenomaus to tend to the horses.

Proper Nouns

Zeus (Ζεύς) deity
Myrtilus (Μυρτίλος) person
Oinomaos (Οἴνομαος) person
Pelops (Πέλοψ) person
Sterope (Στερόπη) person
Atlas (Ἄτλας) person
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