Callipatira
Also known as: Pherenice · Family: Elis · Role: mother of Pisirodus · First appears: Book 5 · Chapter 6
After her husband’s death, Callipatira dressed as an athlete and brought Pisirodus to compete at Olympia. She leapt over the barrier between athletes and spectators, exposing herself; although her sex was discovered, she escaped punishment. The officials then required athletes to compete naked from then on.
At another Olympic contest, Pisirodus competed disguised as a man, while Callipatira disguised herself as his trainer. She was the daughter of Diagoras and mother of Eucles.
Relationship record
Life events
- Callipatira was exposed as a woman but escaped punishment after bringing Pisirodus to compete.(Book 5 · Chapter 6 · 📍 Olympia)
- With: Pisirodus
- “Callipatira in leaping over the fence which parted the athletes from the spectators, exposed her person, and though her sex was detected they let her go without punishment”
- A law required all athletes to compete naked after Callipatira’s disguise was discovered.(Book 5 · Chapter 6 · 📍 Olympia)
- With: Pisirodus
- “but they passed a law that henceforth all athletes should come to the contests naked.”
- Pisirodus competed disguised as a man, while Callipatira disguised herself as his trainer.(Book 6 · Chapter 7 · 📍 Olympia)
- With: Pisirodus
- “Pisirodus, whose mother dressed him up like a man and brought him to the Olympian games, herself disguised as a trainer.”
Book 5 · Chapter 6
- child: Pisirodus “She after the death of her husband dressed herself up like an athlete, and brought her son as a combatant to Olympia.”
Book 6 · Chapter 7
- parent: Diagoras “among the men Eucles the son of Callianax and Callipatira (the daughter of Diagoras), and among the boys Pisirodus,”
- child: Eucles “among the men Eucles the son of Callianax and Callipatira (the daughter of Diagoras), and among the boys Pisirodus,”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.