Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-11-17
CLASSIC PUGILISM.
HOMER WAS THE FORERUNNER OF
THE MODERN REPORTER.

Would BE Rejected by the Average
I Sporting Editor-His Wrestling Bouts.
There was time-between 1000 and
5000 years ago-when it was as well
worth while for man to be champion
pugilist as it is now. Such man was
then appreciated at his full value, even
taking as the measure of that value his
own opinion of himself. He who could
meet all corners at the Olympian games
ceased thereafter TO be an ordinary NOR
tai. The government supported him for
life, he was exempt from taxes, he had |
free pass to all public entertainments,
his name was engraved on marble tab
lets and his statue was erected in the
sacred grove of Ellis, beside the gold and
ivory Jupiter of Phidias. The games
themselves in which he had won honor
formed epochs in history. by reference
| to which the dates of other events were
fixed.
Homer. in describing the games held
by Achilles at the funeral of his friend,
Patroclus, tells how the hero put up as
''prizes of the violent boxing match"
valuable mule, warranted sound, for the
victor and for the vanquished two
handled cup. 1t was to be free to all,
go-as-you-please fight, and from all that
appears no betting was allowed.
Homer continues: Forthwith arose
man great and valiant and skilled in
l no Of DonnraI1a nd
laid his hand ON the sturdy mule and
said aloud: Let any one come and take
the two handled cup, but the mule say
none other of the Achaians shall take
for victory with his fists, for / claim to
be the best man here. / will utterly
bruise mine adversary's flesh and break
his bones; so let his friends abide to-
gether here and bear him forth when
vanquished by my hands,"
Our modern gladiator has publicly
voiced practically the same sentiment,
thus: 81 am John L. Sullivan and 1 can
lick any man in this crowd"
The poet goes on: "Alone arose against
, him Euryalus, a godlike man, son of
King Mecisteus. Tydides, famous with
the spear, made ready Euryalus for the
fight, cheering him with speech and
! greatly desired for him victory. And
first he cast about him a girdle, and
next gave him the well cut thongs Of
the hide of an OK of the field, and the
two boxers, being girt, went into the
midst Of the ring, and both, lifting up
their stalwart hands, fell to, and their
: hands Joined battle grievously. Then
! was there terrible grinding of teeth, and
l sweat flowed from all their limbs. And
noble Epeos came on, and, as the other
spied for an opening, smote him on the
cheek, nor could he longer stand, for his
b fair limbs failed straightway under him
And as when beneath the north wind'i
ripple fish leapeth on a tangle covered
q beach, and then the black wave hidetl
it, so leaped up Euryalus at that blow
But great hearted Epeos took him in hi
hands and set him upright and his dea
= comrades stood around him and Dor
him from the ring with trailing feet
y splitting out clotted blood, dropping hi
st head awry, and they set him down in hi
l. swoon among them and themselves wen
10 back and fetched the two handled cup.
s, Euryalus was knocked out in on
,e round. Such description Of the simila
New Orleans contest would perhap
NJ serve people better than the elaborat
10 work of art which was prepared 70
as them. The poet does not descend to dc
tails-he does not give information
y. enough. But then perhaps Homer doe
not aim to give information merely. ii
:, seeks rather to present picture an
the picture is there.
It will be noticed that there were n
ii "clinches" in this struggle, but it i
a. otherwise in the next game which tn
D. greatest of epic bards goes on to dc
scribe. Achilles offers tripod for us
" before the fire as prize for the WHINE
in the "grievous wrestling match" and
"a speaking to the assembled Greeks
Or opens the contest with these words
lie Rise all who would enter this combat.
ne "Thereupon arose great Ajax, son G
as lebanon, and Odysseus, of many wilei
r. the crafty minded. And the two bein
grit went into the midst of the ring an
clasped each other in their arms wit
- mighty hands like gable rafters of
~ lofty house which some famed craft
man joineth, that he may battle I'll
u winds force. And their backs creaket
3D. gripped firmly under the vigorous hand
nd and sweat ran down in streams, an
ly many weals along their ribs and shou
ders sprang up red with blood, viii
nd ever they strove amain for victory,
Its win the wrought tripod"
After this sort of thing had gone {
,el for awhile it "began to irk the We
lbs greaved Achaians'-i. e., it made Il
,at crowd tired. To settle matters, Ala
S. by agreement, first lifts Odysseus al
,o. tries to throw him, but he "struck def
~ ly from behind the hollow of Alas KIN
Ta and loosed his limbs and threw hi
~ down backward, and Odysseus fell up
his chest, and the people stared al
wv wondered. Then in his turn much e
iel during, noble Odysseus tried to lift, al