Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.21.6

← 5.21.5 5.21.7 →

Passage 5.21.6: Six Zeus statues with elegiac inscriptions honoring Elean pentathlon victors.

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

οὕτω δὴ ἀποδόντων ἐποιήθη τῷ Διὶ ἀγάλματα, ἓξ μὲν καὶ ταῦτα, γέγραπται δὲ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς ἐλεγεῖα οὐδέν τι δεξιώτερα ἐς ποίησιν ἢ τὰ ἔχοντα τὴν ζημίαν τὴν Εὐπώλου. γνῶμαι δέ εἰσι τῶν ἐπιγραμμάτων, πρῶτον μὲν ἀνατεθῆναι τὰ ἀγάλματα μαντείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ τιμήσαντος τὰ ἐς τοὺς πεντάθλους δόξαντα Ἠλείοις, τὸ δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ καὶ ὡσαύτως ἐπὶ τῷ τρίτῳ Ἠλείους ἐπαινοῦντά ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῶν πεντάθλων τῇ ζημίᾳ·

English Translation

Thus, when the fines had been paid, statues dedicated to Zeus were made—these also numbering six. Upon them are inscribed elegiac verses, poems by no means inferior in skill to those commemorating the fine of Eupolus. The substance of the inscriptions is as follows: first, that the statues were dedicated by command of the oracle, thus honoring those athletes deemed victorious in the pentathlon by the Eleans; the second as well as the third similarly praises the Eleans for imposing such a penalty concerning the pentathlon.

Proper Nouns

Zeus (Ζεύς) deity
Eupolos (Εὔπωλος) person Q22978072
Also in: 5.21.3 5.21.5
Eleans (Ἠλεῖοι) person
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