Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.23.6

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Passage 5.23.6: Zeus statue offered by the Hyblaeans at Olympia.

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

πρὸς δὲ τῷ ἅρματι τῷ Γέλωνος Ζεὺς ἕστηκεν ἀρχαῖος ἔχων σκῆπτρον, Ὑβλαίων δέ φασιν εἶναι ἀνάθημα· αἱ δὲ ἦσαν ἐν Σικελίᾳ πόλεις αἱ Ὕβλαι, ἡ μὲν Γερεᾶτις ἐπίκλησιν, τὴν δὲ---ὥσπερ γε καὶ ἦν ---ἐκάλουν Μείζονα. ἔχουσι δὲ καὶ κατʼ ἐμὲ ἔτι τὰ ὀνόματα, ἐν τῇ Καταναίᾳ δὲ ἡ μὲν ἔρημος ἐς ἅπαν, ἡ δὲ κώμη τε Καταναίων ἡ Γερεᾶτις καὶ ἱερόν σφισιν Ὑβλαίας ἐστὶ θεοῦ, παρὰ Σικελιωτῶν ἔχον τιμάς. παρὰ τούτων δὲ κομισθῆναι τὸ ἄγαλμα ἐς Ὀλυμπίαν ἡγοῦμαι· τεράτων γὰρ σφᾶς καὶ ἐνυπνίων Φίλιστος ὁ Ἀρχομενίδου φησὶν ἐξηγητὰς εἶναι καὶ μάλιστα εὐσεβείᾳ τῶν ἐν Σικελίᾳ βαρβάρων προσκεῖσθαι.

English Translation

Beside Gelon's chariot stands an ancient statue of Zeus, holding a scepter. They say it was an offering from the Hyblaeans. Now there were regions in Sicily called Hybla, one surnamed Gereatis, while the other was called the Greater—as indeed it was. Even in my day they still retained these names. In Catanaean territory, one Hybla is utterly deserted, while the Gereatis Hybla is now a village of the Catanaeans and has a sanctuary of the goddess Hyblaea, honored by the Sicilians. I believe the statue was brought from these people to Olympia, for according to Philistus, the son of Archomenides, they were interpreters of omens and dreams, and among the barbarians of Sicily, they excelled most of all in reverence toward the gods.

Proper Nouns

Zeus (Ζεύς) deity
Hyblaean (sc. god) (Ὑβλαῖος) deity
Catanians (Καταναῖοι) other
Sicilians (Σικελιώται) other
Gelo (Γέλων) person Q87192169
Philistus (Φίλιστος) person
Also in: 1.13.9 1.29.12
Archomenides (Ἀρχομενίδης) person
Gereatis (Γερεᾶτις) place
Catanaea (Καταναία) place
Major (Hybla Major) (Μείζων) place
Sicily (Σικελία) place Q1460
Olympia (Ὀλυμπία) place Q38888 Pleiades
Hyblae (Ὕβλαι) place
Also in: 5.23.7
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