The modern village of Olympia is nothing extraordinary, but the people were very hospitable and kind! The museum at Olympia was my favorite of the whole week mostly because we were guided by the sculpture professor, Anne Stewart, who has a wonderful, engaging teaching style for on-site lectures. She told a story that really attested to the connection between modern Greeks and the ancient Greeks that I don’t want to forget:
Some years ago (I forget how many) she was watching the Greek news and saw the headline, “Ancient Olympia Museum in Flames.” As a specialist, she was very upset by this, but luckily the townspeople came to the rescue. Apparently, as the fire spread through the town and had reached most of the residents’ homes, it approached the museum. When the townspeople saw that the fire was almost at the museum, they abandoned their homes to go save the museum! The government gave the town a hefty amount of money for rebuilding their homes as repayment for their public service!
The first tableau I have above only includes the central figures of the frieze from the Temple of Zeus. It shows the scene of the chariot race between Pelops and Oinomaos. They stand on either side of Zeus to swear their honor and that they will not cheat (Pelops does not keep this promise). Pelops’ wife and daughter stand close by worrying about the coming race. It’s fitting that Pelops and Oinomaos were promising not to cheat in Olympia where the Olympic games began and drew many athletes who all took the same pledge! I saw the row of statues necessarily dedicated by the cheaters line the entrance to the ancient stadium!
Next are the statues of Hermes with Dionysos on his arm and the Nike of Paeonios. Notice the turtle under Nike’s foot!
Next is an illustration of Herakles’ labor to get the golden apples of the Hesperides by holding up the sky for Atlas while Atlas does the task for him. At the moment of the frieze, Herakles is holding up the sky and Atlas is holding the apples. Herakles looks at the apples as Atlas looks at Herakles, both acknowledging that Atlas could take the apples and be free of his horrible task!
Next is the workshop of Pheidius, the renowned Athenian sculptor who is supposedly the sculptor of the colossal gold and ivory statue of Zeus. Then is a toppled column from the Temple of Zeus, which housed this legendary statue of Zeus. Its drums fell just like dominoes and remained there ever since!
My friend Kristin is next to a fallen capital of one of the columns of the Temple of Zeus behind her. The capital matches exactly (in size and design) the capital at the top of the standing column in the background of the picture!
Next is the Temple of Hera, and then Kristina and Fiona in the workshop of Pheidius.
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