Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.2.2

← 8.2.1 8.2.3 →

Passage 8.2.2: Mythic origins of the Olympic contests (Cronus, Zeus, and the Curetes)

Mythic Skeptical

Greek Text

ὁ δὲ ἀγὼν ὁ Ὀλυμπικὸς---ἐπανάγουσι γὰρ δὴ αὐτὸν ἐς τὰ ἀνωτέρω τοῦ ἀνθρώπων γένους, Κρόνον καὶ Δία αὐτόθι παλαῖσαι λέγοντες καὶ ὡς Κούρητες δράμοιεν πρῶτοι---τούτων ἕνεκα ἐκτὸς ἔστω μοι τοῦ παρόντος λόγου. δοκῶ δὲ ἔγωγε Κέκροπι ἡλικίαν τῷ βασιλεύσαντι Ἀθηναίων καὶ Λυκάονι εἶναι τὴν αὐτήν, σοφίᾳ δὲ οὐχ ὁμοίᾳ σφᾶς ἐς τὸ θεῖον χρήσασθαι.

English Translation

The Olympic contest—for indeed they carry it back into ages earlier than the human race, saying that Cronus and Zeus wrestled there and that the Curetes first ran races—for these reasons let it be aside from my present account. I believe myself that Cecrops, who ruled the Athenians, and Lycaon were contemporaries, although they did not have the same wisdom concerning divine matters.

Proper Nouns

Zeus (Ζεύς) deity
Cronus (Κρόνος) deity
Kouretes (Κούρητες) other
Also in: 10.31.3
Olympic (Ὀλυμπικός) other
Cecrops (Κέκροψ) person
Lycaon (Λυκάων) person
Athens (Ἀθῆναι) place Q844930
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