Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-07-01

! Creeks, aud exclusively used 10y their
/ historians. The Olympiads began to be
! reckoned from the victory Of CoRuEBUs, in
the footrace, B. c. 10. SOCRATES was
murdered upon a false charge Of bias
phemy, in the first year Of the 95th
/ OIympiad, or 3. C-5g&.
These games we're celebrated at Olym-
pia in Ellis, a small plain to the west Of
/ Pisa. bounded on the north and northeast
bv the mountains Crouius and Olym-
pus. and on the south by the river Al
pbeus. These are Hames familiar to all
who have even a ~schoolboy's acquaint-
auce withthe classics.
Duriag the month in which the games
were celebrated, a sacred armistiee was
/ proclaimed by the Peace Herald. AT
drsf this was done in Ellis alone, but
! Afterwards everywhere in Greece Il
nut a stop to all warfare for that month.
4 The territory Of Els itself was consider
ed especially sacred during its continu-
/ snce. and no armed force could enter it
without mourning the guilt Of sacrilege.
when the Spartsds, or n occasion,
sent forces against 8 fortress during the
existence Of the Olympic truce, they
were fined by tbs Cleans, according to
the Olympic law, 1000 misGe.
These games continued 70 be celebrated
I with much spIendour, rel under the
Roman Emperors, by many Of whom
great privileges were awarded TO the
Conquerors. The Olympic festival was
finally abolished in the sixteenth year Of
THEoDosIus, A. D. 89t, in the 293d
Olympiad.
These things interest men very little
now. They only wonder how the
Gent games could have had s1ch sane
tffy. and Lasted over fifteen hundred
Nsrs, when orr Republic S. diseased and
rotten in toe very marrow of its bones,
aud far gone in d~ecadence and decay at
the age Of ninefy-one years. More pro-
ftable pursuits, If not more manly ones,
now engage those Wa find means te live
without Isbour, and u them neither The
soul or tue heart assists in achieving sue
cess.
No one was allowed to contend in the
Olympic games, but persons Of pure Hell
lanic blood. Barbarians might be spec
tators, but slaves were entirely excluded.
During the freedom Of Greece, even
Greeks were sometimes excluded, when
they had been guilty Of sn offence which
appered TO the cleans to deserve this
punishment. The horses Of HERON of
Syracuse were excluded from the Chariot
race, through the iEdueuce Of THE3us-
TOCLEs, because be had not taken part
with the other Greeks against the Per-
slams.
The number Of spectators at The festi-
val was always very great. Deputies
were sent thither to rerre-ent the vari-
Gus States Of Greece and these embas-
sizes We'd with q another in the num-
Der Of their offerings and ohe splerdour OF
their general appearance, in order to
support the honour Of their cities, OF
when they were often the most Hlustri-
Gus citizens.
The festival lasted Eve days, after all
the combats had been introduced, and
wss deemed to be under the immediate
patronage and protection Of the Olym-
pisn JUPITER. Il consisted OF two parts,
the games OF contests, and the festive
rites connected with the sacrifices, with
the professions. and the public banquets
in honour Of the ~conquerors.
There were iu all tw~enCy-f0ur contests,
consisting cf various trials Of strength
and skill, eighteen il which men took
part, and six in which boys engaged,
though all were never exhibited at any
one festival, because some were aboI-
ished almost Immediately after tkeir III
stituiio1, and Others after they had been
in use only a short time. There were
f-oot-races, wrestling, leaping, throwing
the discus or quot, throwing the spear,
boxing, the c~hariot-race with four horses,
the horse-race, the chariot-race with
mules, etc, and contests OF heralds and
trumpeters. The judges Of the games
were from two to twelve IN number. !
An appeal lay from their decision TO the (
Heah Senate. Their office was eonsid-
cred mos honorable. TIE meanest as
well as the noblest citizens t0ok@art In
these contests. ALCTBIADEs sens seven
chariots to one festival, a greater num-
Der than bad ever been entered Wa
vats persQE and she Greek Kffl in
sicily, NIaeedon and other parts Of the
Hsiisnic world commended WITH one
another for the prize in the
contests
All persons about ia contend had 70
Prove to the judges that they were free
Dsn Of pure Hellenic blood, had notfor-
fef5e1 THEN civil Iig6 q been guilty Of
any s~aernegious act fh 6sS further to
prove that they ezddaa fhe pres
psratory training foF ten months pee
vious, and swear to this before the statue
OF JUPITER. ~
The most pesN31E5es considered I
an olympic yc5ry gained by enc Of
their eitizsus TO confer honour upon the
State to which he belouged-and 3 Con-
Usually had immunides and priv
conferred upon him by the graft
tide Of his fellow-eitlzens. The CLEANS
allowed MS statue to be placed in the
Al1is, OF Sacred grove Of Zeus, which
vas adorned With mary sueh statues,
aaeeted by the e~onquerors or their fami-
or At TIE expense Of the States Of
shich they were citizens. On his return
BONE tie victor entered the city in a
7anmphai recession, in which fire.
his praises were celebrated in
rs loaief strains Of poetry. /
lsthmian games were another OF :
he foar great National festivals Of the j
This festival was held on the !
aian Isthmus, near the Temple Of :
uEEi and hence its name. These a
we're celebrated in the erst and c
gear Of eYery 0lympiad, and thew
ssfias,ed 10 be held down 70 a very lafe :
until, Indeed, Christianity he !,
me Inc Slate-geligian Of the Holman +