Milford chronicle., 1896-04-24
LIE oLYMPIAN GAMES.
They Were Part and Parcel of the Life Of
tho Ancient Greek.

I
These closing ten years OF tho nineteenth
century may DO called the period OF inter
national games. II the Greek gymnastic
festival of April 1896, signi1ed no more
than a series Of games Offering the hospi-
tality of the country over which the CLAM
our OF a glorious past fingers like a rich
sunset, it would be a notable event. But
1t is more than this, far more. Tho enter
prise revives the nomory and spirit of an
institution which shed a peculiar luster OIL
the history Of classic Greoce. 1t entered
into the life Of the ancient Greek to an ex-
tent which we of today can scarcely real
ize. 1t was associated with his religion,
his civic pride, his ideals OF art and his
highest patriotism. This institution was
the Olympic festival, celebrated every four
years at Olympia, on the river Alpheus,
near the borders Of Ellis and Pisa, and so
kept up for more than / 900 years.
There were other national games Of
similar sort, such as the Pythian, the Ne
mean and the Isthmian games but these,
though highly regarded, were of far less
dignity and interest. When one speaks
then, Of the Olympic games, there arises
in the mind "A picture of those vast gath
erings where all Greece though to the very
time divided by civil wars, remembered
for brief period that its borders bounded
one peOple-a people Of one blood, one
glory and one destiny The hold of the
Olympic festival ON the ancient Hellenic
world is seen In the fact that from 776 B.
G. time was measured by olympiads or
the four year intervals between the games.
The remote origin Of this festival is hid
den In myths. as is the case with so many
customs of the classic ages. In general all
these legends ascribe the games to the
demigod Hercules as founder Sufficient
time had passed for the early form of this
festival to have gone into decay before 1t
was revived and had historic beginning.
This occurred under the patronage Of
Iphitus, king Of Ellis, and Lycurgus, the
celebrated lawglver Of tho Spartan COM
monwealth. 1t is fixed at or about ss4 B.
C. This revival soon lighted a living spark
which fired Greek blood everywhere, and
in less than half a century the festival
became national in character.
Only contestants Of pure Hellenic blood
were allowed to enter their Names As
time rolled on, and the Greeks (who were,
you know, great sailors and merchants)
pushed their maritime enterprises and es-
tablished colonies throughout the whole
length and breadth of the Mediterranean,
oAAAuiOi VI tho BlNttNi OIcooo oNotg Wudio
from the distant borders Of Persia to where |
the city of Marsoilles now stands, assem-
bled to struggle for the prize wreath. The |
Interest of the Greek race in these games |
became passion. TO win victory in |
any of the contests reflected as much glory |
on the athlete and on his community as If |
no had bepn the successful general in |
great battle. His Iame was added to the |
brazen tablets recording the celebrities and |
benofactors Of his native town. II he died |
on this field of honor, as was often the
case, even in the flush of victory, he be-
came almost an idol in the public esteem,
and his family was ennOblod and enriched
by public decreu.-G T. Ferris in St
Nicholas.