1.26.1 But, later on, a few men brought back to mind [mnēmē] their forefathers [progonoi], and what a transformation [metabolē] of the ancient prestige [axiōma] of the Athenians had come to pass. Then, just like that, they went ahead and elected Olympiodoros to be their general [stratēgos]. He led them, both the old men and the young, against the Macedonians,^* hoping for military success by trusting more in their zeal [prothūmiā] than in their strength [rhōmē]. The Macedonians came out to engage him, but he overcame them, pursued them to the Place of the Muses [Mouseion / Museum], and captured the position.

1.26.2 So Athens was freed [eleutheroûsthai] from the Macedonians, and though all the Athenians did engage-in-the-struggle [agōnizesthai] in a way that is worthy of recording, Leokritos the son of Protarkhos is said to have displayed the greatest boldness [tolmē] in facing the deed-to-be-done [ergon]. For he was the first to scale the fortification for the Place of the Muses [Mouseion / Museum], and the first to rush inside; and when he fell fighting, the Athenians paid him great honors [tīmai], and they even dedicated his shield [aspis] to Zeus Eleutherios [‘of Freedom’] and inscribed on it the name of Leokritos and his success.

1.26.3 This is the greatest deed [ergon] of Olympiodoros, aside from other accomplishments, which include his recovering [anasōzesthai] Peiraieus and Mounukhia; and again, when the Macedonians were raiding Eleusis he collected a force of Eleusinians and defeated the invaders. Still earlier than this, when Kassandros had invaded Attica, Olympiodoros sailed to Aetolia and persuaded the Aetolians to come-and-help [boētheîn]. This allied force was the main reason [aition] why the Athenians escaped war with Kassandros. Olympiodoros has not only honors [tīmai] in Athens, both on the Acropolis and in the Prytaneion [‘City Hall’], but also a portrait-painting [graphē] at Eleusis. Likewise, the people of Phokis who originate from Elateia dedicated at Delphi a bronze statue of Olympiodoros for help in their revolt from Kassandros.

1.26.4 Near the likeness [eikōn] of Olympiodoros stands a bronze statue [agalma] of Artemis with the surname [epiklēsis] Leukophryne, dedicated by the sons of Themistocles. I say-this-because [gar] the Magnesians whom he ruled [arkhein]—and this rule was granted to him by the King [Basileus] [of the Persian Empire]—hold Artemis Leukophryne in honor [tīmē]. But my narrative [logos] must move ahead, with its goal kept in mind, which is, to go through all subjects relating to things Greek [Hellēnika] while-keeping-in-mind-the-similarities [homoiōs]. Endoios was an Athenian by birth and a student of Daidalos, who also, when Daidalos was in exile because of the death of Kálōs, went with him to Crete. His [= of Endoios] is a statue [agalma] of Athena seated, with an inscription [epigramma] saying that Kallias dedicated the image, but Endoios made [poieîn] it.

1.26.5 There is also a building [oikēma] called the Erekhtheion [/Erechtheum]. In front of the entrance is an altar [bōmos] of Zeus Hypatos [‘the Most High’], on which they never sacrifice [thuein] anything alive [empsūkhon] but they deposit [tithenai] baked-goods [pemmata], and they follow-the-custom [nomizein] of not using any wine either. As one goes inside, there are altars [bōmoi], one belonging to Poseidon, on which in following up on an oracular-pronouncement [manteuma] they sacrifice [thuein] also to Erekhtheus; the second [altar belongs] to the hero [hērōs] Boutēs; and the third to Hephaistos. On the walls are paintings [graphai] that depict the Boutadai [‘descendants of Boutēs’]; there is also inside—the building [oikēma] is double—sea-water in a well [phrear]. This is no great wonder [thauma], since other inhabitants of any midland region [mesógaia] also have such wells, in particular the Carians who inhabit Aphrodisias. But this particular well [phrear] [in Athens] lends itself to a scientific-write-up for this reason: it makes the sound of waves when a south wind blows. And on the surface of the rock is the outline [skhēma] of a trident [triaina]. It is said that these things appeared [phanēnai] as evidence [marturia] in support of Poseidon’s claim to the land.

1.26.6 Both the city [polis] [of Athens] and the whole of the land [gē] are alike sacred [hierā] to Athena; for even those who in their demes [dēmoi] have traditions of worshipping [sebein] other gods nevertheless hold Athena in honor [tīmē]. But the thing that was customarily-thought [nomizesthai] to be the most holy [hagion] thing by all in common [en koinōi] already for many years before the demes [dēmoi] came-together [sun-eltheîn] is the statue [agalma] of Athena [Poliás] that is on what is now called the Acropolis, but was in early days [called] the Polis. A tale [phēmē] concerning it says that it [= the wooden statue of Athena Poliás] fell from the sky [ouranos]; but I will not follow up and say whether it was this way or some other way. A golden lamp [lukhnos] for the goddess [theós (feminine)] was made [poieîn] by Kallimakhos.

1.26.7 Having filled the lamp [lukhnos] with olive oil, they wait until the same day next year, and the oil is sufficient for the lamp [lukhnos] during the interval, although it is lit both day and night. The wick in it is made of flax from Karpasia, the only kind of flax that does not get burned up by the fire [of the flame], and a bronze palm above the lamp reaches to the roof and draws off the smoke. The Kallimakhos who made the lamp, although not of the first rank with regard to this craft [tekhnē], was nevertheless the best in cleverness [sophiā], so that he was the first to drill holes through stones, and he gave himself the title of katatēxitekhnos [‘having expertise in the process of melting’], or perhaps others gave the title and he established it as his.