Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.15.4

← 5.15.3 5.15.5 →

Passage 5.15.4: Altars of Artemis, Despoina, Zeus, Apollo and Dionysos at Olympia.

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

Καλλιστεφάνους ὀνομάζουσι καὶ ταύτας. ἔστι δὲ τοῖς ἐκτὸς τῆς Ἄλτεως μὲν Ἀρτέμιδος Ἀγοραίας βωμός, ἐν δεξιᾷ δὲ τοῦ Λεωνιδαίου, πεποίηται δὲ καὶ Δεσποίναις ---τὰ δὲ ἐς τὴν θεὸν ἥντινα ὀνομάζουσι Δέσποιναν διδάξει μοι τοῦ λόγου τὰ ἐς Ἀρκάδας---, μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον ἔστιν Ἀγοραίου Διὸς βωμός, πρὸ δὲ τῆς καλουμένης Προεδρίας Ἀπόλλωνος ἐπωνυμίαν Πυθίου καὶ μετʼ αὐτὸν Διονύσου· τοῦτον οὔτε πάλαι τὸν βωμὸν καὶ ὑπὸ ἀνδρῶν ἰδιωτῶν ἀνατεθῆναι λέγουσιν.

English Translation

They call these also Kallistephanous ("Beautifully Crowned"). Outside the Altis there is an altar of Artemis Agoraia; it is located on the right side of the Leonidaeum. There is also an altar made for the Despoinai—but what pertains to the goddess whom they call Despoina, I shall explain in my account of Arcadia. Next to this altar is an altar of Zeus Agoraeus, and in front of the so-called Proedria is an altar dedicated to Apollo, surnamed Pythios, and after him, one to Dionysos. It is said that this altar of Dionysos was neither ancient nor dedicated officially, but was set up privately by individuals.

Proper Nouns

Despoina (Δέσποινα) deity
Dionysus (Διόνυσος) deity
Agoraios Zeus (Ἀγοραῖος Ζεύς) deity
Also in: 9.25.4
Apollo (Ἀπόλλων) deity
Artemis (Ἄρτεμις) deity
Pythios (Πύθιος) other
Also in: 2.31.6 8.15.8
Agoraia (Ἀγοραία) other
Arcadians (Ἀρκάδες) person
Leonidaion (Λεωνίδαιον) place Q3271682
Also in: 5.15.2 5.15.3
Proedria (Προεδρία) place
Altis (Ἄλτις) place Q2400346
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