Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.21.18

← 5.21.17 5.22.1 →

Passage 5.21.18: Alexandrian pancratiast Sarapion punished for cowardice after opponents fled.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

παγκρατιαστὴν δέ φασιν Ἀλεξανδρέα, ὄνομα δὲ εἶναί οἱ Σαραπίωνα, τοῦτον ἐν Ὀλυμπιάδι τῇ πρώτῃ μετὰ τὰς διακοσίας ἐς τοσοῦτο δεῖσαι τοὺς ἀνταγωνιστὰς ὥστε ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ πρότερον ἢ ἐσκληθήσεσθαι τὸ παγκράτιον ἔμελλεν ἀποδράντα οἴχεσθαι. τοῦτον ζημιωθέντα ἐπὶ δειλίᾳ μόνον τῶν τε ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων καὶ αὐτῶν μνημονεύουσιν Αἰγυπτίων. ταῦτα μὲν τὰ κατειλεγμένα ἐπὶ αἰτίαις τοιαῖσδε ποιηθέντα εὕρισκον·

English Translation

They say that a pancratiast from Alexandria, whose name was Sarapion, at the two hundred and first Olympiad aroused such fear among his opponents that they fled and disappeared a day before the pancratium was scheduled to take place. Him alone, among all men, even among the Egyptians themselves, they record as having been penalized for cowardice. Such are the recorded matters which I have found to be committed for reasons of this sort.

Proper Nouns

Olympiad (Ὀλυμπιάς) other
Egyptians (Αἰγύπτιοι) person
Sarapion (Σαραπίων) person
Also in: 6.23.6
Alexander (Ἀλέξανδρος) person
← 5.21.17 5.22.1 →