Pausanias Analysis

Passage 6.20.7

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Passage 6.20.7: The Hippodameion at Olympia: an enclosure for women's annual sacrifices to Hippodameia.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ἔστι δὲ ἐντὸς τῆς Ἄλτεως κατὰ τὴν πομπικὴν ἔσοδον Ἱπποδάμειον καλούμενον, ὅσον πλέθρου χωρίον περιεχόμενον θριγκῷ· ἐς τοῦτο ἅπαξ κατὰ ἔτος ἕκαστον ἔστι ταῖς γυναιξὶν ἔσοδος, αἳ θύουσι τῇ Ἱπποδαμείᾳ καὶ ἄλλα ἐς τιμὴν δρῶσιν αὐτῆς. τὴν δὲ Ἱπποδάμειάν φασιν ἐς Μιδέαν τὴν ἐν τῇ Ἀργολίδι ἀποχωρῆσαι, ἅτε τοῦ Πέλοπος ἐπὶ τῷ Χρυσίππου θανάτῳ μάλιστα ἐς ἐκείνην ἔχοντος τὴν ὀργήν· αὐτοὶ δὲ ὕστερον ἐκ μαντείας κομίσαι φασὶ τῆς Ἱπποδαμείας τὰ ὀστᾶ ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ.

English Translation

Within the Altis, near the processional entrance, is an enclosure called the Hippodameion, a piece of ground about one plethron in area, surrounded by a stone fence. Women may enter this place once every year, when they sacrifice to Hippodameia and perform other rites in her honour. It is said that Hippodameia withdrew to Midea in Argolis, because Pelops felt great anger toward her over the death of Chrysippus; later, however, they themselves say an oracle instructed them to recover Hippodameia’s bones and bring them back to Olympia.

Proper Nouns

Pelops (Πέλοψ) person
Chrysippus (Χρύσιππος) person
Also in: 1.29.15
Hippodameia (Ἱπποδάμεια) person
Midea (Μιδέα) place Q502897
Argolis (Ἀργολίς) place Q12649101
Altis (Ἄλτις) place Q2400346
Hippodameion (Ἱπποδάμειον) place Q1619976
Olympia (Ὀλυμπία) place Q38888 Pleiades
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