Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-05-12
FAMOUS FgATs OF STRENGTH

FAMOUS FgATs OF STRENGTH
s0MH or TiiE REMARKABLE ATilLgfE'
81 ANCIENT AND MopRpN rIMrS'
Among the Greeks tho successful
athlete was crowned with laHrcls and
loaded down with wealth aud honOrs
When EgeuetuS in The nlncty'sccond
Olympiad, triumphant IN games, en-
tered Agrigcntum, his native home
he was attended by M escort OF three
hundred chariots, each drawn by two
white horses, aud followed by the pop
ulacc, cheering and waving banners.
Milo six times won the palm nj both
the Olympic and Pythian games. lie
Is said 10 have run mile with u four
ycnr.old on upon his shoulders aud
ai,crwarl killed the animal with q
blow oi his fist. and ate the entire car
cass in one day So great vas his
muscular power that he would some
! times bind n cord around his head and
break il by the swelling aud pressure
Of the veins. An ordinary meal Tor
Milo was twenty pounds OF meat. rs
much bread, and fifteen pintS Of wine.
Polydamus, of Thcssalia, was OF pro-
digious strength and colossal hight, Land
| il is said. alone aud without weapons
killed an enormous and cnragcd lion.
One dnv CT i SO recordcd) he seized a
bull by one Of its hind feet, and the
animal escaped only by leaving the
hoof in the gasp OF the athlete. The
Roman Emperor MaXimnns was up
ward Of eight lect in height. and, like
Milo. of Crotonc, could squeeze TO
powder the hardest stone with his fin
gers, and break the leg or jaw OF a
horse by kick. His wife's bracelet
served him as ring, and his every
day meal was sixty pounds OF meat
and an amphora of wine.
While prisoner in Germany, Rich
ard |. accepted an invitation to a box.
ING match with the son OF his jailor.
He received ihe FIRST blow, which
made him stagger; but recovering,
with a blow of his fist killed his an.
tagonist on the spot. Topham, who
was born in London in ITO, was po-
ssessed of astonishing strength: His
armpits, hollow in the case OF ordinary
men, were with him full of muscles
and tcndons. lie would take bar Of
iron with its two ends held in his two
hands. place the middle of the bar
behind the nape Of his neck, and then
bend the extremlties by main force
until they met together, and bend
back the iron straight again. One
night, perceiving the Waterman asleep
in his box, he carried both the man
and his shell to a great distance, and
deposited them on the wall ola church
yard. Owing to domestic troubles, he
committed suicide in the prime of life.
The famous Scanderberg, king of
Albania. who was born in l4l4 was
man of great stature, and his feats in
sword exercise have never been equal
ed. On one occasion, with selmitar
he struck his antagonist. such Il terri
BILE blow that its tremendous force
cleaved him to the waist. He is said
to have often cloven in two, men who
were clad in armor from head to foot.
Ca one occasion the -brother and
nephew of a certain Ballaban, who
had been convicted of crnelties
toward the Albanians, were brought
to him bound together. Transported
with rage, he cut them in two with
one stroke of his weapon. Maurice
count of Saxony, the hero OF FoDtenoy
inherited the physical vigor Of his ia
Their, and was especially noted for the
surprising muscular power, or grip"
of his hands. On one occasion, need
ing a corkscrew, he twisted a long,
nail .round into the required shape
with his fingers, and with this extern
ported implement opened half
dozen Bottles OF wine. Another time
when stopping at village blacksmith
shop to have his horse shod, he picked
up number of new horseshoes, and
with his hands snapped them in two
as readily az if they were glass, much
to the y sarprise "aud disgust of tho
smith.
If history is to be believed. Play.
Illus of Crotoua, could jump distance
of fifty-six feet. The exercise was prac-
ticed at the Olympic games, and
! formed part of the course of. Pautath.