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Glite Dictionary
Pythian Games

Pythian Games

1 9.9
A Greek festival at Delphi every four years with sports and music contests honoring Apollo
  • proper noun
  • /ˈpɪθiən ɡeɪmz/
  • Literature
: Juegos Píticos
  • It was built for the Pythian Games, which took place every four years to honor Apollo.

Examples

  • The ancient Greeks participated in various athletic events during the Pythian Games held in Delphi.

  • Plays were performed here during the Pythian Games.

    Blog text (11)

  • One of its celebrated exhibits is the Bronze Charioteer, which commemorates the victory of the Pythian Games in the 4th century BC.

    Blog text (11)

  • Musicians often showcased their talents at the Pythian Games to honor the god Apollo.

  • Every four years, the Pythian Games attracted competitors from across Greece to celebrate their cultural heritage.

Surface Forms

Pythian Games main

Morphology

Pythian + game

Although 'games' signals competitive events, the adjective 'Pythian' refers to a specific mytho-historical reference (Delphi/Apollo/Pythia) that a B1 learner who only knows the literal constituents is unlikely to recognize. The full meaning — an ancient Panhellenic festival with athletic and musical contests — is historically and culturally specific and not predictable from the parts, so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Pythian Games was named after the priestess Pythia at Delphi, who spoke for the god Apollo. Because Apollo was the god of music as well as sport, people came to compete in music, poetry and athletics 'to honor Apollo', so the name explains why the games mixed art and sport.