Cynosarges, a gymnasium outside the city of Athens sacred to Heracles, for the use of those who were not of pure Athenian blood. Antisthenes is said to have started teaching there, and on this has been based an alternative explanation for the name ‘Cynic’ (see CYNIC PHILOSOPHERS).
Cynosarges
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Cynosarges (Κυνόσαργες) was a public gymnasium located just outside the walls of Ancient Athens on the southern bank of the Ilissos river.
Its name derives from Cynos-argos and means white or swift dog. The legend goes that on one occasion when Didymos, an Athenian, was performing a lavish sacrifice, a white (or swift) dog appeared and snatched the offering; Didymos was alarmed, but received an oracular message saying that he should establish a temple to Heracles in the place where the dog dropped the offering.[1]
Herodotus mentions a shrine there in 490/89 BC,[2] and it became a famous sanctuary of Heracles which was also associated with his mother Alcmena, his wife Hebe and his helper Iolaus.[3] A renowned gymnasium was built there;[4] it was meant especially for nothoi, illegitimate children.[5] The Cynosarges was also where the Cynic Antisthenes was said to have lectured, a fact which was offered as one explanation as to how the sect got the name of Cynics.[6]
References
- ^ Suda, κ2721, ε3160. In another account, (Suda, ει290) a white dog was being sacrificed, and an eagle stole and dropped the offering.
- ^ Herodotus, 6.116
- ^ Pausanias, 1.19.3.
- ^ Plutarch, Themistocles, 1; Diogenes Laërtius, vi.13; Steph. Byz., 393, 24
- ^ Demosthenes 23.213; Athenaeus, Deipnosophists, 6.234E; Plutarch, Themistocles, 12
- ^ Diogenes Laërtius, vi.13
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