Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.21.16

← 5.21.15 5.21.17 →

Passage 5.21.16: Damonikos bribes opponent's father to fix an Olympic wrestling victory in the 192nd Olympiad.

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

θαῦμα μὲν δὴ καὶ ἄλλως ἐν οὐδενὸς λόγῳ τὸν θεὸν θέσθαι τὸν ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ καὶ δέξασθαί τινα ἢ δοῦναι δῶρα ἐπὶ τῷ ἀγῶνι· μείζονος δὲ ἔτι θαύματος, εἴ γε καὶ αὐτῶν ἐτόλμησεν ἤδη τις Ἠλείων. λέγεται δὲ ὡς Δαμόνικος τολμήσειεν Ἠλεῖος δευτέρᾳ πρὸς ταῖς ἑκατὸν καὶ ἐνενήκοντα Ὀλυμπιάδι· συνεστηκέναι μὲν γὰρ παλαίοντας ἐπὶ τῷ στεφάνῳ τόν τε τοῦ Δαμονίκου παῖδα Πολύκτορα καὶ Σώσανδρον γένος Σμυρναῖον, ὁμώνυμον τῷ πατρί· Δαμόνικον δέ, ἅτε περισσῶς ἐπιθυμοῦντα γενέσθαι τῷ παιδὶ τὴν νίκην, δοῦναι τοῦ Σωσάνδρου τῷ πατρὶ χρήματα.

English Translation

It is indeed a wonder, in general, that one should count the god at Olympia so lightly as to either receive or give bribes concerning the contest; but it is still more astonishing if even someone among the Eleans themselves has dared to do this. It is said that Damonikos, an Elean, ventured such a thing in the one hundred and ninety-second Olympiad. His son Polyktor and Sosandros, a native of Smyrna who bore the same name as his own father, had reached the final wrestling bout for the crown. Damonikos, excessively desirous for his son to gain the victory, is said to have paid money to the father of Sosandros.

Proper Nouns

Olympiad (Ὀλυμπιάς) other
Damonikos (Δαμόνικος) person Q106785086
Polyktor (Πολύκτωρ) person
Also in: 6.23.4
Smyrnaean (Σμυρναῖος) person
Also in: 6.13.6 7.5.3
Sosandros (Σώσανδρος) person
Also in: 6.23.4
Eleans (Ἠλεῖοι) person
Eleians (Ἠλεῖος) person
Olympia (Ὀλυμπία) place Q38888 Pleiades
← 5.21.15 5.21.17 →