Pausanias Analysis

Passage 5.26.1

← 5.25.13 5.26.2 →

Passage 5.26.1: Messenian Victory statue by Paeonius at Olympia

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

Μεσσηνίων δὲ τῶν Δωριέων οἱ Ναύπακτόν ποτε παρὰ Ἀθηναίων λαβόντες ἄγαλμα ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ Νίκης ἐπὶ τῷ κίονι ἀνέθεσαν· τοῦτό ἐστιν ἔργον μὲν Μενδαίου Παιωνίου , πεποίηται δὲ ἀπὸ ἀνδρῶν πολεμίων, ὅτε Ἀκαρνᾶσι καὶ Οἰνιάδαις ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν ἐπολέμησαν. Μεσσήνιοι δὲ αὐτοὶ λέγουσι τὸ ἀνάθημά σφισιν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἔργου τοῦ ἐν τῇ Σφακτηρίᾳ νήσῳ μετὰ Ἀθηναίων πραχθέντος εἶναι , καὶ οὐκ ἐπιγράψαι τὸ ὄνομα τῶν πολεμίων σφᾶς τῷ ἀπὸ Λακεδαιμονίων δείματι, ἐπεὶ Οἰνιαδῶν γε καὶ Ἀκαρνάνων οὐδένα ἔχειν φόβον.

English Translation

The Messenians, who are Dorians, once received Naupactus from the Athenians, and dedicated at Olympia upon a pillar an image of Victory. This statue is a work by Paeonius of Mende, and was made from spoils taken from enemy forces—I believe at the time they fought against the Acarnanians and the Oeniadae. But the Messenians themselves say that the dedication is connected with the action carried out together with the Athenians on the island of Sphacteria. They say further that their omission of their enemies' name in the inscription was due to fear of the Spartans, while they felt no such fear concerning the Oeniadae or Acarnanians.

Proper Nouns

Nike (Νίκη) deity
Dorians (Δωριεῖς) person
Lacedaemonians (Λακεδαιμόνιοι) person
Mendaeus (from Mende) (Μένδαιος) person
Messenians (Μεσσήνιοι) person
Oeniadae (Οἰνιάδαι) person
Paeonius (Παιώνιος) person
Also in: 5.10.8
Athenians (Ἀθηναῖοι) person
Acarnanians (Ἀκαρνᾶνες) person
Naupactus (Ναύπακτος) place Q56398924
Sphacteria (Σφακτηρία) place Q1303524
Olympia (Ὀλυμπία) place Q38888 Pleiades
← 5.25.13 5.26.2 →