Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.13.1

← 5.12.8 5.13.2 →

Passage 5.13.1: The Pelopion, Pelops' precinct in the Altis at Olympia

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἔστι δὲ ἐντὸς τῆς Ἄλτεως καὶ Πέλοπι ἀποτετμημένον τέμενος· ἡρώων δὲ τῶν ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ τοσοῦτον προτετιμημένος ἐστὶν ὁ Πέλοψ ὑπὸ Ἠλείων ὅσον Ζεὺς θεῶν τῶν ἄλλων. ἔστιν οὖν τοῦ ναοῦ τοῦ Διὸς κατὰ δεξιὰν τῆς ἐσόδου πρὸς ἄνεμον Βορέαν τὸ Πελόπιον, ἀφεστηκὸς μὲν τοῦ ναοῦ τοσοῦτον ὡς μεταξὺ καὶ ἀνδριάντας καὶ ἀναθήματα ἄλλα ἀνακεῖσθαι, παρήκει δὲ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸν ὀπισθόδομον ἀπὸ μέσου μάλιστα ἀρξάμενον τοῦ ναοῦ· καὶ λίθων τε θριγκῷ περιέχεται καὶ δένδρα ἐντὸς πεφυκότα καὶ ἀνδριάντες εἰσὶν ἀνακείμενοι,

English Translation

Within the Altis there is also a precinct set apart for Pelops. Among all the heroes honored at Olympia, Pelops is held by the Eleans in as great esteem as Zeus himself is among the other gods. The Pelopion is situated to the right of the entrance to the temple of Zeus, toward the north wind. It stands at such a distance from the temple that statues and other dedications can be placed between the two; it extends from approximately the middle of the temple roughly to the rear chamber (opisthodomos). It is enclosed by a perimeter wall of stones, and inside grow trees and stand statues set up as dedications.

Proper Nouns

Boreas (Βορέας) deity Q109220
Zeus (Ζεύς) deity
Pelops (Πέλοψ) person
Eleans (Ἠλεῖοι) person
Pelopion (Πελόπιον) place Q7161678
Altis (Ἄλτις) place Q2400346
Olympia (Ὀλυμπία) place Q38888 Pleiades
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