Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-06-23
PUGHISM.
v The Ancie''t Origin of the So-Called Manly
Art,

Pu9liiSV comes from the Latin pugitG-
tbs, the art of fighting with the fists, as
also does patg71otS, a fight. The anti
putty ofpugilism is acknowledged by all
writers. The first renowned exponent
OF the manly art is mentioned among
the heroes of Greek mythology. His
name was Pollux, and he had twin
brother named Castor, who excelled as
horse-tamer. They were said to be
sons of Jupiter, their mother being the
wife of Tyndarus, King of Sparta; and
Helen of Troy was their sister. Pollux
is designated as the protecting deity of
the boxers. Helen, the beautiful, hay
ing been stolen away by Theseus, the
twins attacked and ravaged Attica and
recovered their sister. They accom-
panied the expedition of Argonauts,
and, on touching at the port of Amycus,
the giant King Of Bebryces, on their way
to Colchis, were Hospitality entertained.
There were no soft gloves in those DAYS.
but Amycus, fancying that he was ex-
pert III the use of his arms and fists.
amused himself by DOMINIC the castus
and knocking people out. It was like
being struck with a cannon ball to re-
celve left-hander with a castus, and
Amycns knew the vulnerable spots of all
his opponents. Knocking his own sub
Jects out did not amuse him so much as a
set-to with stranger, and he had post
ed standing challenge offering to en-
gage any stranger who came his way in
a trial Of skill. PolIux heard of the
Boosting Amycus, and decided to ''put
on the mttens" with and take the con-
ceit out of the King. Amycus soon
found he had met a John L. Sullivan.
and he endeavored to trick Pollux, but
whether by striking below the belt or
otherwise does not appear. Pollux OBJ
jected to fighting an unfair battle, and,
gathering himself together, he knocked
AmycHS out in less than four rounds.
and the Bebryces threw up the sponge
and lad to get another King, because
Amycus never recovered from the eff
fects Of the blow which knocked him
out. At last, associated with Idas
and Lynceus, Castor and Pollux plum
dered Arcadia, and, a dispute arising
over the division of the spoils, Lynceus
and Castor quarreled. Castor was
good hOrse-tamer, and no doubt had
taken a few lessons in boxing from his
twin-brother, the then champion Pollux.
but he was not built Of the right stuff
for q pugilist Jupiter got wind of the
battle, and, Judging from the result Of
the encounter, he must have assumed
the position Of referee, while Idas
acted as second for Lynceus, and the
champion did like service for his brother.
The details of the fight are not in print
neither IS it known how many rounds
were fought, but it appears that Lyn-
ceus, by fair or foul means, got in
clean hit on Castor and killed him.
PolluZ objected to the mode Of fighting
INDUCED in by Lynceus, and, flushed
with his victory over one Of the twals,
Lynceus Unwisely said offensive things,
and tainted the surviving brother,
whereupon, breaking into the ring,
POliUE gave the victor set-to, and
knocked him out in a single round with
out recourse to rules. Both OF the
original cOmbatants having been killed,
the quarrel should then have ended but
Idas, in all probability, abused the
referee, who thereupon shot thunder
bolt probably his good right ARM at
him, and knocked Idas out of time. The
ancients worshiped Castor and Pollux
not only as the protecting gods of gym
nastic exercises, but also as the gods of
hospitality and the mighty helpers of
man. EryX was another heaven-de-
scended pugilist, and his desire for box
ing was probably inherited, as he was
descendant of Amycus, whom Pollux
knocked out Eryx thought he would
follow the example of his illustrious
ancestor, and issued and kept standing
challenge which Hercules heard of
and accepted. The result was slug
ging match, in which Eryx was prepared
for the undertaken. Next came Ant2us,
boxer Of some renOwn. He was a son
Of Terra, by Neptune, and the old lady,
his mother, helped him in all his en-
counters by giving him new strength
every time he went to grass. Ant@us,
therefore, must have been a Tug"
Wilson of the old school, as he found it
convenient to drop" very often. Her
cules engaged him in battle, cross-but-
locked him, and held him off the bosom
OF mother earth until the life was
squeezed out Of him. There were several
other clever pugilists among the an
clients, but those already mentioned
were most renowned