The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-11-30
CLASSIC PUGILISM,
HOMER WIS THE FORERUNNER OF
TIE MODERN REPORTER.

Sporting Editor-His Wrestling Bouts.
J e was a time-between 1000 and
1900 years agO-when it was as well
worth while for a man to be a champion
puglliSt as it is now. Such a 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
lie, he was exempt from taxes, he had
a free pass to al public entertainments,
bis 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
70 which the dates Of other events were
fixed.
Homer, in describing the games held
by Achilles at the funeral Of his friend,
P~atrOclus, tells how the nero put up as
"prizcs Of the violent boxing match a
valuable mule, warranted sound, for the
victor and for the vanquished a two
handled cup. 1t was to be a free to all,
gO-as-you-please fight, and from all that
appears no betting was allowed.
Homer continues: Forthwith arose
a man great and valiant and skilled in
boxing, EpoOs. son Of Panopeus, and
laid his hand on the sturdy mule and
said aloud: Let any one come and take
the two handled cup, but the mule | say
non other Of the Achaians shall take
for victory with his fists, for | claim to
be the best man here. | will utterly
bruisc mine alyersary'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,
:hus: Il am John l.. Sullivan and | can
lck any man in this crowd"
he poet goes O alone arose against
"a Euryalus, a godlike a son of
ing Mecisteus. Tydides, famous with
he spear, made ready Euryalus for the
fight. cheering him with speech and
greatly desired for him victory. And
first he cast about MIN a girdle, and
next gave him the we'll 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 g~rievously. Then
was there terrible grinding of teeth, and
sweat flowed from all their limbs. And
noble LpcOS came on, and, as the other
! spicd for an opening, smote him on the
check, nor could he longer stand, for his
fair limbs failed straightway under him.
| Aud as when beneath the north winds
| ripple a fish leapeth on a tangle covered
| beach, and then the black wave hideth
it, so leaped up Euryalus at that blow.
| But great hearted EpeOs took him in his
hands and set him upright and his dear
| comrades stood around him and bore
Hin from the ring with trailing feet,
| splitting ont clOtted blood, dropping his
head awry, and they set him down in his
,w0on among them and themselves went
| back and fetched the two handled cup"
Euryalus was knocked ont in one
| round. Such n description Of the similar
| New Orleans contest would perhaps
serve people better than the elaborate
work Of art which was prepared for
| them. The poet does not descend to de-
| tailS-hc does not give information
enough. But then perhaps Homer does
rot aim TO give information merely. He
| seeks rather to present a picture, and
the picture is there.
l I..l1 l. o4;ool 4I.t 1l,-, ~-,-, -,
"clinches" in this struggle, but it is
otherwise in the next game which the
greatest Of epic bards goes on to de-
scribe. Achilles offers y tripod for use
before the fire as II prize for the winner
in the ''grievous wrestling match" and,
speaking to the. assembled Greeks,
opens the contest with these words.
Rise all who would enter this combat"
"Thereupon arose great Ajax, son Of
lebanon, and Odysseus, of many wtles.
the crafty minded. And the two being
girt went into the midst Of the ring and
claspel each other in their arms with
mighty hands like gable rafters of a
lofty house which some famed crafts
man joineth, that he may battle the
winds force. And their backs creaked,
gripped firmly under the vigorous hands,
and sweat ran down in streams, and
many weals along their ribs and Shout
ders sprang up red with blood, while
ever they strove amain for victory, to
win the wrought tripod"
After this sort Of thing had gone on
for awhile it began to irk the we'll
greavcd Achaians'-i. e., it made the
crowd tired. To settle matters, Ajax,
by agreement, first lifts Odysseus and
tries to throw him, but he struck delft
" from behind the hollow of Alas knee
and loosed his limbs and threw him
down backward, and Odysseus fell upon
his chest, and the people stared and
wondered. Then in his turn much en-.
during, noble OdysSeus tried TO lift, and
moved him a little from the ground, but
could not lift him, 81 he crooked his
knee within the others, and both fell on
the ground near to each other and were
soiled with dust"
TI,aD Achilles ipfa-fareS 'sNictOrv i