Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-04-23


the Main Features In the Earlier Festi
vals-Races For Boys and Girls-Hov
They Were Conducted.
In the April number of Century Their,
is an article by Professor Allan Mar
quand on "Tbe Old Olympic Games,
apropos Of the attempt to revive thu
festival at Athens. Professor MarquanC
says III part
The foot races were three in number
called respectively the dromos or sta
dion, the diaulos, and the dolichos, &C
cording as the course was ~traverset
once, twice or a number of times. The
dromos was a straightaway dash Of
about 900 yards, OF exactly 1872. % me
tiers. A long line of f~iagstones, .roovet
so as to be firmly gripped by the feet,
was laid at each end of the course. Thi!
permitted the finish for both long anG
short races TO take place at the same
end of the stadium. Along these flag.
stones posts were erected, dividing the
line so that 90 runner might start al
once, for there seems to have been an
all corners race, from which the victors
were selected to contend on the follow,
ing day in groups of four.
The diaulos was not a straightaway
race, but involved a quick turn az the
farther end of the course and a return
to the starting point. The dolichos was
a long race, the length of which is vari.
ously stated as 6, z, s, ~, 20 and "a
stadia. At the longest this race did not
reach three miles, but the quick turns
and heavy sand made it a contest in en-.
durance of quite different character from
running the same distance ON a modern
cinder track. Such physical endurance
proved most useful at times, as when
Phidippides, sent to notify the Spartans
of the approach Of the Persians, ran from
Athens to Sparta and back (l35 miles)
in two days. But all the feats recorded
OF long distance ruDners in Greece have
been eclipsed by the six days. running
and walking matches of modern times.
The military value of speed was recog-
nized in the Olympic festival by the
hoplitodromos, or race for armed SOL
diers, who ran the length Of the course
and back in heavy armor At first they
seem to have carried the helmet, spear,
shield and greaves, but later the vase
paintings indicate that only helmets and
shields were carried. Twenty five bra
zen shields were preserved in the temple
of Zeus for this purpose.
The races for boys were not q revival
Of ancient usage. but were instituted by
the people of Ellis because the idea
pleased them" These races were over q
shorter course than that for the men, as
were also the races for young girls. The
races for girls were not a portion of the
great Zeus festival, but took place IN
der the auspices Of the goddess Hera ON
another occasion. Pausanias thus de.
scribes them: Every fourth year 16
m%atrops yea q shawl for Hera, and
the same number preside over the games.
And the contest is a race for maidens OF
various ages. In the first race are the
youngest, and lei those slightly older,
and last Of all the eldest. And they all
run with their hair down their back, q
short tuuic below the knee, and their
right shoulder bare to the breast. They
use in this contest the regular race
course in Olympia, but make it a sixth
part of a stade shorter. And the victors
receive crowns Of olive and part Of the
heifer sacrificed TO Hera, and paintings
of them are made for Hera. And the le
matrons who preside over the games
have as many landmarks.
Severer and more dangerous, but more
popular, were the contests in wrestling.
boxing and the pancratium. Wrestling,
however, since the days of mythical
Theseus, had ceased to be a contest Of
brute force. and had become a trial OF
skill. Pindar praised the victor Ephar'
mostus as being "deft handed, nimble
limbed. with the light of valor in his
eyes" and Plutarch regarded wrestling
as the most scientific of all the games.
Quickness of eye to detect a weakness
in tho stand of the opponent. activity
in the use Of arms and body and legs,
and the timely application Of muscular
strength brought into play q harmony
Of. athletic qualities which made the
contest an object of beauty to the plastic
mind Of the Greeks. Few were the re
strictions. such as the rules against
striking and biting. Many were the
stratagems which were permitted. such
as choking. squeezing. tripping, clam
bering upon an opponents back, OF
breaking his fingers. Thrice must IN op
ponent throw bis adversary so that both
shoulders touched the ground before h
could be declared victor. and il we may
Judge from the figured representation
the final overthrow was by no means &
| gentle act.