| Eubotas of Cyrene | |
| Birth Place: | Cyrene |
| Sport: | Athletics |
Eubotas of Cyrene was a two-time Olympic champion from the city of Cyrene.
As predicted by an oracle, Eubotas made history by winning the stadion (running race) at the 93rd Olympic Games in 408 BC. This victory marked the beginning of his legendary career in one of the most prestigious Games events. Forty-four years later, in 364 BC, at the 104th Games, he was awarded a second Olympic crown as owner of a carriage for the four-horse chariot race, the quadriga.
As Eubotas of Cyrene prepared for the stadion (about 192m) at the 93rd Olympic Games in 408, the oracle of Libya announced that he would win the event. In anticipation of this outcome, the athlete commissioned a statue to commemorate his victory.
Eubotas' life took an unexpected turn in the months before the Games when he met a Corinthian hetairia named Laïs. She expressed a strong romantic interest in him and proposed marriage. Eubotas agreed to marry her but explained that he needed to focus on his Olympic preparations. He also declined her offer of services for the same reason.
His victory in the stadion at the 93rd Olympic Games was not just a typical win. It was a unique triumph, made even more impressive by the oracle's prophecy. Thanks to the oracle, he was among the few athletes to receive the olive wreath of victory and dedicate his statue on the same day.
However, following his victory at the stadion, Eubotas was obliged to honor his oath to Laïs. At this juncture, he commissioned a life-size portrait of the young woman. By transporting the portrait to Cyrene, he demonstrated that he had fulfilled his oath. In playing with the polysemy of the verb "to bring", which could mean "to marry"[1] or "to draw", Eubotas was able to create a subtle but effective narrative device. Some years later, his lawful wife commissioned a statue of Eubotas in Cyrene, celebrating his ability to resist temptation.
The τέθριππον / tethrippon, approximately 14 km long, was one of the oldest events at the ancient Olympic Games,[2] dating back to 680 BC. It was one of the most prestigious events and, above all, one of the most expensive. For this reason, the name of the carriage owner was kept, not that of the auriga (charioteer). At the 104th Games in 364 BC, Eubotas of Cyrene was crowned a second time in Olympia, forty-four years after his first victory, as the owner of the winning carriage.
However, the city of Elis, which had organized the Games, did not recognize the 104th Games. Indeed, in 364 BC, the Games were controlled by Pisa, a neighboring city allied with the Arcadians. Upon regaining control of the sanctuary, the Eleans declined to recognize the victories of the 104th Games, citing the unqualified status of the Arcadian referees.
Epigram 86 from the Milan papyrus, generally attributed to Posidippus of Pella (2nd century BC), mentions a horse owner named Eubotas, who offers high praise for his horse, Aithon. Aithon won four races at the Nemean Games and two at the Pythian Games. This horse owner is often referred to as Eubotas of Cyrene. These six victories would, therefore, be added to his list of achievements.
In 2000, the Italian archaeological mission unearthed a badly damaged marble head while excavating at the sanctuary of Demeter in Cyrene. The head, measuring 9.5 cm in height, is believed to have represented a mortal. Through various details, the head is linked to Lysippus' "Hagias", a copy preserved in Delphi. The "Hagias", which celebrated a victorious pancratist at numerous Panhellenic games, was dedicated in Pharsalus for the original and in Delphi for the copy by the athlete's son, Daochos. This was done in honor of his father's victories.[3] Oscar Mei suggests that it is possible to conjecture that this Cyrenaic copy of Lysippus' "Hagias" may have been dedicated by Eubotas' son towards the end of the fourth century BC in honor of his father.