Pausanias, Description of Greece, ed. Friedrich Spiro, 6.19

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

View: By Section

← Previous Next →

[1]
ἔστι δὲ λίθου πωρίνου κρηπὶς ἐν τῇ Ἄλτει πρὸς ἄρκτον τοῦ Ἡραίου, κατὰ νώτου δὲ αὐτῆς παρήκει τὸ Κρόνιον· ἐπὶ ταύτης τῆς κρηπῖδός εἰσιν οἱ θησαυροί, καθὰ δὴ καὶ ἐν Δελφοῖς Ἑλλήνων τινὲς ἐποίησαν τῷ Ἀπόλλωνι θησαυρούς. ἔστι δὲ θησαυρὸς ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ Σικυωνίων καλούμενος, Μύρωνος δὲ ἀνάθημα τυραννήσαντος Σικυωνίων·

[2] τοῦτον ᾠκοδόμησεν ὁ Μύρων νικήσας ἅρματι τὴν τρίτην καὶ τριακοστὴν Ὀλυμπιάδα. ἐν δὲ τῷ θησαυρῷ καὶ θαλάμους δύο ἐποίησε, τὸν μὲν Δώριον, τὸν δὲ ἐργασίας τῆς Ἰώνων. χαλκοῦ μὲν δὴ αὐτοὺς ἑώρων εἰργασμένους· εἰ δὲ καὶ Ταρτήσσιος 0 χαλκὸς λόγῳ τῷ Ἠλείων ἐστίν, οὐκ οἶδα.

[3] Ταρτήσσιον δὲ εἶναι ποταμὸν ἐν χώρᾳ τῇ Ἰβήρων λέγουσι στόμασιν ἐς θάλασσαν κατερχόμενον δυσὶ καὶ ὁμώνυμον αὐτῷ πόλιν ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ ποταμοῦ τῶν ἐκβολῶν κειμένην· τὸν δὲ ποταμὸν μέγιστόν τε ὄντα τῶν ἐν Ἰβηρίᾳ καὶ ἄμπωτιν παρεχόμενον Βαῖτιν ὠνόμασαν οἱ ὕστερον, εἰσὶ δʼ οἳ Καρπίαν Ἰβήρων πόλιν καλεῖσθαι νομίζουσι τὰ ἀρχαιότερα Ταρτησσόν.

[4] ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ δὲ ἐπιγράμματα ἐπὶ τῷ ἐλάσσονί ἐστι τῶν θαλάμων, ἐς μὲν τοῦ χαλκοῦ τὸν σταθμόν, ὅτι πεντακόσια εἴη τάλαντα, ἐς δὲ τοὺς ἀναθέντας, Μύρωνα εἶναι καὶ τὸν Σικυωνίων δῆμον. ἐν τούτῳ τῷ θησαυρῷ δίσκοι τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἀνάκεινται τρεῖς, ὅσους ἐς τοῦ πεντάθλου τὸ ἀγώνισμα ἐσκομίζουσι· καὶ ἀσπίς ἐστιν ἐπίχαλκος γραφῇ τὰ ἐντὸς πεποικιλμένη καὶ κράνος τε καὶ κνημῖδες ὁμοῦ τῇ ἀσπίδι· ἐπίγραμμα δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς ὅπλοις, ἀκροθίνιον τῷ Διὶ ὑπὸ Μυάνων ἀνατεθῆναι. οἵτινες δὲ οὗτοι ἦσαν, οὐ κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ παρίστατο ἅπασιν εἰκάζειν·

[5] ἐμὲ δὲ ἐσῆλθεν ἀνάμνησις ὡς Θουκυδίδης ποιήσειεν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις Λοκρῶν τῶν πρὸς τῇ Φωκίδι καὶ ἄλλας πόλεις, ἐν δὲ αὐταῖς εἶναι καὶ Μυονέας. οἱ Μυᾶνες οὖν οἱ ἐπὶ τῇ ἀσπίδι κατά γε ἡμετέραν γνώμην ἄνθρωποι μέν εἰσιν οἱ αὐτοὶ καὶ Μυονεῖς οἱ ἐν τῇ Λοκρίδι ἠπείρῳ· τὰ δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ ἀσπίδι γράμματα παρῆκται μὲν ἐπὶ βραχύ, πέπονθε δὲ αὐτὸ διὰ τοῦ ἀναθήματος τὸ ἀρχαῖον.

[6] κεῖνται δὲ καὶ ἄλλα ἐνταῦθα ἄξια ἐπιμνησθῆναι, μάχαιρα ἡ Πέλοπος χρυσοῦ τὴν λαβὴν πεποιημένη, καὶ 0 εἰργασμένον ἐλέφαντος κέρας τὸ Ἀμαλθείας, ἀνάθημα Μιλτιάδου τοῦ Κίμωνος, ὃς τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔσχεν ἐν χερρονήσῳ τῇ Θρᾳκίᾳ πρῶτος τῆς οἰκίας ταύτης· καὶ ἐπίγραμμα ἐπὶ τῷ κέρατί ἐστιν ἀρχαίοις Ἀττικοῖς γράμμασι,

Ζηνί μʼ ἄγαλμʼ ἀνέθηκαν Ὀλυμπίῳ ἐκ χερονήσου

τεῖχος ἑλόντες Ἀράτου· ἐπῆρχε δὲ Μιλτιάδης σφίν.

κεῖται δὲ καὶ ἄγαλμα πύξινον Ἀπόλλωνος ἐπιχρύσου τὴν κεφαλήν· ἀνατεθῆναι δὲ ὑπὸ Λοκρῶν φησι τῶν πρὸς Ζεφυρίῳ τῇ ἄκρᾳ, Πατροκλέα δὲ εἶναι Κατίλλου Κροτωνιάτην τὸν εἰργασμένον.

[7]
ἐφεξῆς δὲ τῷ Σικυωνίων ἐστὶν ὁ Καρχηδονίων θησαυρός, Ποθαίου τέχνη καὶ Ἀντιφίλου τε καὶ Μεγακλέους· ἀναθήματα δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ Ζεὺς μεγέθει μέγας καὶ θώρακες λινοῖ τρεῖς ἀριθμόν, Γέλωνος δὲ ἀνάθημα καὶ Συρακοσίων Φοίνικας ἤτοι τριήρεσιν ἢ καὶ πεζῇ μάχῃ κρατησάντων.

[8]
ὁ δὲ τρίτος τῶν θησαυρῶν καὶ ὁ τέταρτος ἀνάθημά ἐστιν Ἐπιδαμνίων ἔχει μὲν πόλον ἀνεχόμενον ὑπὸ Ἄτλαντος, ἔχει δὲ Ἡρακλέα καὶ δένδρον τὸ παρὰ Ἑσπερίσι, τὴν μηλέαν, καὶ περι ελειλιγμένον τῇ μηλέᾳ τὸν δράκοντα, κέδρου μὲν καὶ ταῦτα, Θεοκλέους δὲ ἔργα τοῦ Ἡγύλου· ποιῆσαι δὲ αὐτὸν ὁμοῦ τῷ παιδί φησι τὰ ἐπὶ τοῦ πόλου γράμματα. αἱ δὲ Ἑσπερίδες —μετεκινήθησαν γὰρ ὑπὸ Ἠλείων—αὗται μὲν ἔτι καὶ ἐς ἐμὲ ἦσαν ἐν τῷ Ἡραίῳ· τὸν δὲ θησαυρὸν τοῖς Ἐπιδαμνίοις Πύρρος καὶ οἱ παῖδες Λακράτης τε καὶ Ἕρμων ἐποίησαν. 0

[9]
ᾠκοδόμησαν δὲ καὶ Συβαρῖται θησαυρὸν ἐχόμενον τοῦ Βυζαντίων· ὁπόσοι δὲ περὶ Ἰταλίας καὶ πόλεων ἐπολυπραγμόνησαν τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ, Λουπίας φασὶ κειμένην Βρεντεσίου τε μεταξὺ καὶ Ὑδροῦντος μεταβεβληκέναι τὸ ὄνομα, Σύβαριν οὖσαν τὸ ἀρχαῖον· ὁ δὲ ὅρμος ταῖς ναυσὶ χειροποίητος καὶ Ἀδριανοῦ βασιλέως ἐστὶν ἔργον.

[10]
πρὸς δὲ τῷ Συβαριτῶν Λιβύων ἐστὶ τῶν ἐν Κυρήνῃ θησαυρός· κεῖνται δὲ βασιλεῖς ἐν αὐτῷ Ῥωμαίων. Σικελιώτας δὲ Σελινουντίους ἀνέστησαν μὲν Καρχηδόνιοι πολέμῳ· πρὶν δὲ ἢ τὴν συμφορὰν γενέσθαι σφίσι, θησαυρὸν τῷ ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ Διὶ ἐποίησαν. Διόνυσος δέ ἐστιν ἐνταῦθα πρόσωπον καὶ ἄκρους πόδας καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἐλέφαντος εἰργασμένος.

[11]
ἐν δὲ τῷ Μεταποντίνων θησαυρῷ—προσεχὴς γὰρ τῷ Σελινουντίων ἐστὶν οὗτος—ἐν τούτῳ πεποιημένος ἐστὶν Ἐνδυμίων· πλὴν δὲ ἐσθῆτός ἐστι τὰ λοιπὰ καὶ τῷ Ἐνδυμίωνι ἐλέφαντος. Μεταποντίνους δὲ ἥτις μὲν ἐπέλαβεν ἀπολέσθαι πρόφασις, οὐκ οἶδα· ἐπʼ ἐμοῦ δὲ ὅτι μὴ θέατρον καὶ περίβολοι τείχους ἄλλο ἐλείπετο οὐδὲν Μεταποντίου.

[12] Μεγαρεῖς δὲ οἱ πρὸς τῇ Ἀττικῇ θησαυρόν τε ᾠκοδομήσαντο καὶ ἀναθήματα ἀνέθεσαν ἐς τὸν θησαυρὸν κέδρου ζῴδια χρυσῷ διηνθισμένα, τὴν πρὸς Ἀχελῷον Ἡρακλέους μάχην· Ζεὺς δὲ ἐνταῦθα καὶ ἡ Δηιάνειρα καὶ Ἀχελῷος καὶ Ἡρακλῆς ἐστιν, Ἄρης τε τῷ Ἀχελῴῳ βοηθῶν. εἱστήκει δὲ καὶ Ἀθηνᾶς ἄγαλμα ἅτε οὖσα τῷ Ἡρακλεῖ σύμμαχος· αὕτη παρὰ τὰς Ἑσπερίδας ἀνάκειται νῦν τὰς ἐν τῷ Ἡραίῳ.

[13] τοῦ θησαυροῦ δὲ ἐπείργασται τῷ ἀετῷ ὁ γιγάντων καὶ θεῶν πόλεμος· 0 ἀνάκειται δὲ καὶ ἀσπὶς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀετοῦ, τοὺς Μεγαρέας ἀπὸ Κορινθίων ἀναθεῖναι τὸν θησαυρὸν λέγουσα. ταύτην Μεγαρεῦσιν ἡγοῦμαι τὴν νίκην Ἀθήνῃσιν ἄρχοντος γενέσθαι Φόρβαντος, ἄρχοντος δὲ διὰ τοῦ αὑτοῦ βίου παντός· ἐνιαύσιαι γὰρ οὐκ ἦσάν πω τότε Ἀθηναίοις αἱ ἀρχαί, οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ ὑπὸ Ἠλείων ἀνεγράφοντό πω τηνικαῦτα αἱ Ὀλυμπιάδες.

[14] λέγονται δὲ καὶ Ἀργεῖοι μετασχεῖν πρὸς τοὺς Κορινθίους Μεγαρεῦσι τοῦ ἔργου. τὸν δὲ ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ θησαυρὸν ἔτεσιν ὕστερον τῆς μάχης ἐποίησαν οἱ Μεγαρεῖς· τὰ δὲ ἀναθήματα ἐκ παλαιοῦ σφᾶς ἔχειν εἰκός, ἅ γε ὁ Λακεδαιμόνιος †Δόντας Διποίνου καὶ Σκύλλιδος μαθητὴς ἐποίησε.

[15] τελευταῖος δὲ τῶν θησαυρῶν πρὸς αὐτῷ μέν ἐστιν ἤδη τῷ σταδίῳ, Γελῴων δὲ ἀνάθημα τόν τε θησαυρὸν καὶ τὰ ἀγάλματα εἶναι τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ λέγει τὸ ἐπίγραμμα· οὐ μέντοι ἀνακείμενά γε ἔτι ἀγάλματά ἐστιν.

Description of Greece. Pausanias. ed. Friedrich Spiro. Leipzig. 1903.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Ἑλλάδος Περιηγήσεως (Greek) (Pausanias. Pausaniae Graeciae descriptio, Volumes 1-3. Spiro, Friedrich, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1903.)

Translations (2)

Description of Greece Perseus (Pausanias. Pausanias Description of Greece, Volumes 1-4. Jones, W.H.S. (William Henry Samuel), translator; Ormerod, Henry Arderne, translator. London, New York: W. Heinemann, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1918-1935.) — 6.19 focus

[1]
There is in the Altis to the north of the Heraeum a terrace of conglomerate, and behind it stretches Mount Cronius. On this terrace are the treasuries, just as at Delphi certain of the Greeks have made treasuries for Apollo. There is at Olympia a treasury called the treasury of the Sicyonians, dedicated by Myron, who was tyrant of Sicyon .

[2] Myron built it to commemorate a victory in the chariot-race at the thirty-third Festival.¹ In the treasury he made two chambers, one Dorian and one in the Ionic style. I saw that they were made of bronze; whether the bronze is Tartessian, as the Eleans declare, I do not know.

[3] They say that Tartessus is a river in the land of the Iberians, running down into the sea by two mouths, and that between these two mouths lies a city of the same name. The river, which is the largest in Iberia , and tidal, those of a later day called Baetis, and there are some who think that Tartessus was the ancient name of Carpia, a city of the Iberians.

[4] On the smaller of the chambers at Olympia are inscriptions, which inform us that the weight of the bronze is five hundred talents, and that the dedicators were Myron and the Sicyonian people. In this chamber are kept three quoits, being used for the contest of the pentathlum. There is also a bronze-plated shield, adorned with paintings on the inner side, and along with the shield are a helmet and greaves. An inscription on the armour says that they were dedicated by the Myanians as first-fruits to Zeus. Various conjectures have been made as to who these Myanians were.

[5] I happened to remember that Thucydides² in his history mentions various cities of the Locrians near Phocis , and among them the Myonians. So the Myanians on the shield are in my opinion the same folk as the Myonians on the Locrian mainland. The letters on the shield are a little distorted, a fault due to the antiquity of the votive offering.

[6] There are placed here other offerings worthy to be recorded, the sword of Pelops with its hilt of gold, and the ivory horn of Amaltheia, an offering of Miltiades the son of Cimon, who was the first of his house to rule in the Thracian Chersonesus . On the horn is an inscription in old Attic characters:

To Olympian Zeus was I dedicated by the men of Chersonesus

After they had taken the fortress of Aratus.

Their leader was Miltiades.

There stands also a box-wood image of Apollo with its head plated with gold. The inscription says that it was dedicated by the Locrians who live near the Western Cape, and that the artist was Patrocles of Crotona , the son of Catillus.

[7]
Next to the treasury of the Sicyonians is the treasury of the Carthaginians, the work of Pothaeus, Antiphilus and Megacles. In it are votive offerings—a huge image of Zeus and three linen breast-plates, dedicated by Gelo and the Syracusans after overcoming the Phoenicians in either a naval or a land battle.

[8]
The third of the treasuries, and the fourth as well, were dedicated by the Epidamnians.... It shows the heavens upheld by Atlas, and also Heracles and the apple-tree of the Hesperides, with the snake coiled round the apple-tree. These too are of cedar-wood, and are works of Theocles, son of Hegylus. The inscription on the heavens says that his son helped him to make it. The Hesperides (they were removed by the Eleans) were even in my time in the Heraeum; the treasury was made for the Epidamnians by Pyrrhus and his sons Lacrates and Hermon.

[9]
The Sybarites too built a treasury adjoining that of the Byzantines. Those who have studied the history of Italy and of the Italian cities say that Lupiae , situated between Brundusium and Hydrus , has changed its name, and was Sybaris in ancient times. The harbor is artificial, being a work of the emperor Hadrian.

[10]
Near the treasury of the Sybarites is the treasury of the Libyans of Cyrene . In it stand statues of Roman emperors. Selinus in Sicily was destroyed by the Carthaginians in a war, but before the disaster befell them the citizens made a treasury dedicated to Zeus of Olympia . There stands in it an image of Dionysus with face, feet and hands of ivory.

[11] In the treasury of the Metapontines, which adjoins that of the Selinuntians, stands an Endymion; it too is of ivory except the drapery. How it came about that the Metapontines were destroyed I do not know, but to-day nothing is left of Metapontum but the theater and the circuit of the walls.

[12] The Megarians who are neighbors of Attica built a treasury and dedicated in it offerings, small cedar-wood figures inlaid with gold, representing the fight of Heracles with Achelous. The figures include Zeus, Deianeira, Achelous, Heracles, and Ares helping Achelous. There once stood here an image of Athena, as being an ally of Heracles, but it now stands by the Hesperides in the Heraeum.

[13] On the pediment of the treasury is carved the war of the giants and the gods, and above the pediment is dedicated a shield, the inscription declaring that the Megarians dedicated the treasury from spoils taken from the Corinthians. I think that the Megarians won this victory when Phorbas, who held a life office, was archon at Athens . At this time Athenian offices were not yet annual, nor had the Eleans begun to record the Olympiads.

[14] The Argives are said to have helped the Megarians in the engagement with the Corinthians. The treasury at Olympia was made by the Megarians years³ after the battle, but it is to be supposed that they had the offerings from of old, seeing that they were made by the Lacedaemonian Dontas, a pupil of Dipoenus and Scyllis.

[15] The last of the treasuries is right by the stadium, the inscription stating that the treasury, and the images in it,were dedicated by the people of Gela . The images, however, are no longer there.

English (Jones and Ormerod; retranslated Gregory Nagy, CHS, 2018) (OCR draft) Experimental (CHS Pausanias Reader retranslation by Gregory Nagy, based on Jones and Ormerod, with marked Greek terms, notes, quotations, and bibliographic attributions preserved.) — 6.19 focus

[1] There is in the Altis to the north of the Hēraion a terrace of conglomerate, and behind it stretches [Mount] Kronion. On this terrace are the treasuries, just as at Delphi certain of the Greeks have made treasuries for Apollo. There is at Olympia a treasury called the treasury of the Sikyonians, dedicated by Myron, who was tyrant of Sikyon.

[2] Myron built it to commemorate a victory in the chariot race at the thirty-third Festival. In the treasury he made two chambers, one Dorian and one in the Ionic style. I saw that they were made of bronze; whether the bronze is Tartessian, as the Eleians declare, I do not know.

[3] They say that Tartessus is a river in the land of the Iberians, running down into the sea by two mouths and that between these two mouths lies a city of the same name. The river, which is the largest in Iberia, and tidal, those of a later day called Baetis, and there are some who think that Tartessus was the ancient name of Carpia, a city of the Iberians.

[4] On the smaller of the chambers at Olympia are inscriptions, which inform us that the weight of the bronze is five hundred talents and that the dedicators were Myron and the Sikyonian people. In this chamber are kept three discuss, being used for the contest of the pentathlon. There is also a bronze-plated shield, adorned with paintings on the inner side, and along with the shield are a helmet and greaves. An inscription on the armor says that they were dedicated by the Myanians as first-fruits to Zeus. Various conjectures have been made as to who these Myanians were.

[5] I happened to remember that Thucydides in his history mentions various cities of the people of Lokris who live near Phokis, and among them the Myonians. So the Myanians on the shield are in my opinion the same folk as the Myonians on the mainland of Lokris. The letters on the shield are a little distorted, a fault due to the antiquity of the votive offering.

[6] There are placed here other offerings worthy to be recorded, the sword of Pelops with its hilt of gold, and the ivory horn of Amaltheia, an offering of Miltiades, the son of Kimon, who was the first of his house to rule in the Thracian Chersonesus. On the horn is an inscription in old Attic characters:

“To Olympian Zeus was I dedicated by the men of Chersonesus
After they had taken the fortress of Aratos.
Their leader was Miltiades.”

There stands also a box-wood image of Apollo with its head plated with gold. The inscription says that it was dedicated by the people of Lokris who live near the Western Cape, and that the artist was Patrokles of Kroton, the son of Catillus.

[7] Next to the treasury of the Sikyonians is the treasury of the Carthaginians, the work of Pothaios, Antiphilus, and Megakles. In it are votive offerings—a huge image of Zeus and three linen breast-plates, dedicated by Gelo and the Syracusans after overcoming the Phoenicians in either a naval or a land battle.

[8] The third of the treasuries, and the fourth as well, were dedicated by the Epidamnians […]. It shows the sky-vault [ polos] upheld by Atlas, and also Hēraklēs and the apple tree of the Hesperides, with the snake coiled round the apple tree. These too are of cedarwood, and are works of Theokles, son of Hegylus. The inscription on the sky-vault [ polos] says that his son helped him to make it. The Hesperides (they were removed by the Eleians) were even in my time in the Hēraion; the treasury was made for the Epidamnians by Pyrrhos and his sons, Lakrates and Hermon.

[9] The Sybarites too built a treasury adjoining that of the Byzantines. Those who have studied the history of Italy and of the Italian cities say that Lupiae, situated between Brundusium and Hydrus, has changed its name, and was Sybaris in ancient times. The harbor is artificial, being a work of ‘King’ [ basileus] Hadrian.

[10] Near the treasury of the Sybarites is the treasury of the Libyans of Cyrene. In it stand statues of Roman emperors. Selinous in Sicily was destroyed by the Carthaginians in a war, but before the disaster befell them, the citizens made a treasury dedicated to Zeus of Olympia. There stands in it an image of Dionysus with face, feet, and hands of ivory.

[11] In the treasury of the Metapontines, which adjoins that of the Selinuntians, stands an Endymion; it too is of ivory except the drapery. How it came about that the Metapontines were destroyed I do not know, but today nothing is left of Metaponton but the theater and the circuit of the walls.

[12] The Megarians who are neighbors of Attica built a treasury and dedicated in it offerings, small cedarwood figures inlaid with gold, representing the fight of Hēraklēs with Akhelōos. The figures include Zeus, Deianeira, Akhelōos, Hēraklēs, and Ares helping Akhelōos. There once stood here an image of Athena, as being an ally of Hēraklēs, but it now stands by the Hesperides in the Hēraion.

[13] On the pediment of the treasury is carved the war of the giants and the gods, and above the pediment is dedicated a shield, the inscription declaring that the Megarians dedicated the treasury from spoils taken from the Corinthians. I think that the Megarians won this victory when Phorbas, who held a life office, was archon [ arkhōn]in Athens. At this time, Athenian offices were not yet annual, nor had the Eleians begun to record the Olympiads.

[14] The Argives are said to have helped the Megarians in the engagement with the Corinthians. The treasury at Olympia was made by the Megarians years after the battle, but it is to be supposed that they had the offerings from of old, seeing that they were made by the Lacedaemonian Dontas, a pupil of Dipoinos and Skyllis.

[15] The last of the treasuries is right by the stadium, the inscription stating that the treasury, and the images in it, were dedicated by the people of Gela. The images, however, are no longer there.

New Alexandria Commentaries

Gregory Nagy, Editors: Angelia Hanhardt and Keith DeStone, Web producer: Noel Spencer, Consultant for images: Jill Curry Robbins, \[\[Noel gives this a separate URN\]\]

Pausanias Description of Greece 6.19

ed. Friedrich Spiro

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Perseus

New Alexandria Commentaries

Stable identifiers