Pausanias Analysis

Passage 6.2.10

← 6.2.9 6.2.11 →

Passage 6.2.10: Damiscus, a Messenian who won an Olympic victory at age twelve.

Historical Skeptical

Greek Text

παρὰ δὲ Μεσσήνιος Δαμίσκος, ὃς δύο γεγονὼς ἔτη καὶ δέκα ἐνίκησεν ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ. θαῦμα δὲ εἴπερ ἄλλο τι καὶ τόδε ἐποιησάμην· Μεσσηνίους γὰρ ἐκ Πελοποννήσου φεύγοντας ἐπέλιπεν ἡ περὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα τύχη τὸν Ὀλυμπικόν. ὅτι γὰρ μὴ Λεοντίσκος καὶ Σύμμαχος τῶν ἐπὶ πορθμῷ Μεσσηνίων, ἄλλος γε οὐδεὶς Μεσσήνιος οὔτε Σικελιώτης οὔτʼ ἐκ Ναυπάκτου δῆλός ἐστιν Ὀλυμπίασιν ἀνῃρημένος νίκην· εἶναι δὲ οἱ Σικελιῶται καὶ τούτους τῶν ἀρχαίων Ζαγκλαίων καὶ οὐ Μεσσηνίους φασί.

English Translation

Next to him is Damiscus, a Messenian, who won his Olympic victory at the age of only twelve. I considered this achievement especially remarkable, among others, since after their exile from the Peloponnese fortune ceased to favor the Messenians in the Olympic competitions. For aside from Leontiscus and Symmachus, Messenians from the Sicilian Strait area, no other Messenian, either from Sicily or from Naupactus, is known to have achieved a victory at Olympia. And even these two, according to the Sicilians, were ancient Zancleans in origin rather than Messenians.

Proper Nouns

Damiskos (Δαμίσκος) person Q20056716
Also in: 6.2.11 6.3.1
Leontiskos (Λεοντίσκος) person
Also in: 6.4.3
Messenians (Μεσσήνιος) person
Siceliotes (Σικελιώτης) person
Also in: 6.19.10
Symmachos (Σύμμαχος) person
Zankle (Ζάγκλαιον) place Q4023782
Naupactus (Ναύπακτος) place Q56398924
Peloponnese (Πελοπόννησος) place Q78967
Olympia (Ὀλυμπία) place Q38888 Pleiades
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