Phormis

Also known as: Mænalian Phormis · Family: Arcadian; Syracusan · Role: soldier · First appears: Book 5 · Chapter 27

Phormis crossed from Mænalus to Sicily and served in the armies of Gelon and, afterwards, Hiero the son of Dinomenes, displaying great valour and rising to great fortune.

At Olympia, he dedicated two horses with a charioteer for each, and made other offerings there as well as offerings to Apollo at Delphi. Among the Olympia offerings was a depiction of Phormis fighting three enemies, dedicated by Lycortas.

Relationship record

Life events

• Phormis rose to great fortune after serving in Gelon and Hiero’s armies.(Book 5 · Chapter 27 · 📍 Sicily)
  • With: Gelon Hiero the son of Dinomenes
  • “who crossed over from Mænalus to Sicily to Gelon the son of Dinomenes, and in the army of Gelon, and afterwards in the army of Gelon’s brother Hiero, displayed great valour, and advanced to such a pitch of fortune”
• Phormis dedicated votive offerings at Olympia and additional offerings to Apollo at Delphi.(Book 5 · Chapter 27 · 📍 Olympia)
  • With: Apollo
  • “that he offered these votive offerings at Olympia, and also some others to Apollo at Delphi.”
• Phormis dedicated two horses and two charioteers at Olympia.(Book 5 · Chapter 27 · 📍 Olympia)
  • With: Dionysius Simo
  • “His offerings at Olympia are two horses and two charioteers, a charioteer by each horse.”
• Lycortas dedicated a votive depiction of Phormis fighting multiple enemies.(Book 5 · Chapter 27 · 📍 Olympia)
  • With: Lycortas
  • “And among these votive offerings is Phormis himself contending with an enemy, and fighting with a second and even a third. And there is an inscription stating that the soldier fighting is Mænalian Phormis, and that it is a votive offering of the Syracusan Lycortas”

Book 5 · Chapter 27

• with Gelon (Phormis served in Gelon's army.) “who crossed over from Mænalus to Sicily to Gelon the son of Dinomenes, and in the army of Gelon”
• with Hiero the son of Dinomenes (Phormis served in Hiero's army.) “and afterwards in the army of Gelon’s brother Hiero, displayed great valour”
• with Lycortas (Lycortas dedicated the offering out of affection for Phormis.) “it is a votive offering of the Syracusan Lycortas, who plainly offered it out of affection to Phormis”
• with Apollo (interaction) “and also some others to Apollo at Delphi”
• with Dionysius (interaction) “The first horse and groom is by Dionysius the Argive”
• with Simo (interaction) “the second by the Æginetan Simo”
• with Philesius (Philesius is identified as the maker of nearby votive offerings; the passage does not directly associate him with Phormis.) “And there are two brazen bulls, one the votive offering of the people of Corcyra, the other of the Eretrienses, both by Philesius of Eretria”

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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.