Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.21.1

← 5.20.10 5.21.2 →

Passage 5.21.1: Dedications and offerings at the Acropolis and the Altis.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ τούτου μοι πρόεισιν ὁ λόγος ἔς τε τῶν ἀνδριάντων καὶ ἐς τῶν ἀναθημάτων ἐξήγησιν. ἀναμῖξαι δὲ οὐκ ἀρεστὰ ἦν μοι τὸν ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς λόγον. ἐν ἀκροπόλει μὲν γὰρ τῇ Ἀθήνῃσιν οἵ τε ἀνδριάντες καὶ ὁπόσα ἄλλα, τὰ πάντα ἐστὶν ὁμοίως ἀναθήματα· ἐν δὲ τῇ Ἄλτει τὰ μὲν τιμῇ τῇ ἐς τὸ θεῖον ἀνάκεινται, οἱ δὲ ἀνδριάντες τῶν νικώντων ἐν ἄθλου λόγῳ σφίσι καὶ οὗτοι δίδονται. τῶν μὲν δὴ ἀνδριάντων ποιησόμεθα καὶ ὕστερον μνήμην· ἐς δὲ τὰ ἀναθήματα ἡμῖν τραπήσεται πρότερα ὁ λόγος, τὰ ἀξιολογώτατα αὐτῶν ἐπερχομένοις.

English Translation

From this point onward, my narrative proceeds to a description of the statues and the offerings. However, I was reluctant to mix together my account of these objects. For indeed, in the Acropolis at Athens, both the statues and all other artifacts alike serve entirely as dedications; whereas in the Altis, some things have been set up in reverence towards the divine, while statues of victors are awarded also to the athletes themselves in recognition of their achievements. Regarding the statues, I will return to a more detailed account later; but my narrative will first turn to the offerings, beginning by surveying those of greatest significance.

Proper Nouns

Athens (Ἀθῆναι) place Q844930
Altis (Ἄλτις) place Q2400346
← 5.20.10 5.21.2 →