ving fuffer'd great Loffes by War with the Arcadians, and being reduc'd to eight Tribes, the Prefidents were also reduc'd to that Number: In the CVth Olympiad they were increas'd by the Addition of one more; and in the CVIth another was join'd to them, whereby they were made Ten; which Number continued till the Reign of Adrian, the Roman Emperor. Thefe Perfons were called Elwofine, and affembled together in a Place nam'd Exodiato, in the Elean Forum, where they were obliged to refide ten Months before the Celebration of the Games, to take care that fuch as offer'd themselves to contend perform'd their προγυμ vasμm, or preparatory Exercises, and to be inftructed in all the Laws of the Games, by certain Men call'd Nouscuñanas, i. e. Keepers of the Laws: Farther, to prevent all unjuft Practices, they were oblig'd to take an Oath, that they would act impartially, would take no Bribes, nor difcover the Reafon, for which they diflik'd or approv'd of any of the Contenders: At the Solemnity they fat naked, having before them the Victoral Crown till the Exercifes were finished, and then it was prefented to whomfoever they adjudged it. Nevertheless there lay an Appeal from the Hellanodice to the Olympian Senate. Thus, when two of the Hellanodice adjudged the Prize to Eupolemus the Elean, and the third (they being then only three in Number) to Leon the Ambracian, the latter of thefe appealed to the Olympian Senate, who condemned the two Judges to pay a confiderable Fine. To preferve Peace and good Order, there were certain Officers appointed to correct fuch as were unruly. These were by the Eleans term'd AUT, which Word fignifies the fame Perfon with those, who by the reft of the Greeks were called padopoen, or μasizobe, and Lictores by the Romans. Over these there was a Prefident, to whom the rest were fubject, call'd dλváns . Women were not allow'd to be prefent at thefe Games; nay, so feverely were the Elean Laws, that if any Woman was found fo much as to have paffed the River Alpheus during the time of the Solemnity, the was to be tumbled headlong from a Rock: But it is reported, that none was ever taken thus offending, except Callipatera, whom others call Pherenice, who ventur'd to usher her Son Pifidorus, call'd by fome Eucleus, into the Exercises, and being difcover'd, was apprehended, and brought before the Prefidents, who, notwithstanding the Severity of the Laws, acquitted her, out of Refpect to her Father, Brethren, and Son, who had all won Prizes in the Olympian Games. But my Author reports in another Place", that Cynifca, the Daughter of Archidamus, with manly Courage and Bravery contended in the Olympian Games, and was the firft of her Sex that kept Horfes, and won a Prize there ; and that afterwards feveral others, especially fome of the Macedonian Women imitated her Example, and were crown'd at Olympia. Perhaps neither of these Reports may be altogether groundlefs, fince innumerable Alterations were made in these Games, according to the Exigencies of Times and Change of Circumstances, all which are fet down at large in Paufanias, Natalis Comes, and other Mythologifts. All fuch as defign'd to contend were oblig'd to repair to the publick Gymnafium, at Elis, ten Months before the Solemnity, where they prepar'd themselves by continual Exercifes ; we are told indeed by Phavorinus, that the Preparatory Exercifes were only perform'd thirty Days before the Games; but this must be understood of the Performance of the whole and entire Exercises in the fame manner they were practis'd at the Games, which feems to have been only enjoin'd in the Îaft Month, whereas the nine antecedent Months were fpent in more light and eafy Preparations. No Man, that had, omitted to prefent himfelf in this manner, was allow'd to put in for any of the Prizes; nor were the accuftom'd Rewards of Victory given to fuch Perfons, if by any Means they infinuated themselves, and overcame their Antagonifts: Nor would any Apology, tho' feemingly ever fo reasonable, ferve ta excufe their Abfence. In the CCVIIIth Olympiad Apollonius was rejected, and not fuffer'd to contend, because he had not prefented himfelf in due time, tho' he was detain'd by contrary Winds in the Iflands call'd Cyclades; and the Crown was given to Heraclides without performing any Exercife, becaufe no juft and duly qualify'd Adverfary appear'd to oppofe him. No Perfon that was himself a notorious Criminal, or nearly related to any fuch, was permitted to contend. Farther, to prevent underhand Dealings, if any Perfon was convicted of bribing his Adverfary, a fevere Fine was laid upon him: Nor was this alone thought a fufficient Guard against evil and dishonourable Contracts and unjuft Practices, but the Contenders were oblig'd to fwear, they had spent ten whole Months in preparatory Exercifes: And farther yet, both they, their Father and Brethren took a folemn Oath, that they would not, by any finister or unlawful Means, endeavour to stop the fair and juft Proceedings of all Games. The Order of Wrestlers was appointed by Lots, in this manner: A Silver Urn, call'd λm, being plac'd, into it were put little Pellets, in fize about the Bignefs of Beans, upon every one of which was infcrib'd a Letter, and the fame Letter belong'd to every Pair: Now thofe, whofe Fortune it was to have the fame Letters, wreftled together; if the Number of the Wrestlers was not even, he that happen'd to light upon the odd Pellet wrestled laft of all with him that had the Mastery; wherefore he was call'd pede, as coming after the rcft: This was accounted the most fortunate Chance that could be, because the Person that obtain'd it was to encounter one already wearied, and fpent with conquering his former Antagonist, himself being fresh, and in full Strength i. The most fuccefsful in his Undertakings, and magnificent in his Expences, of all that ever contended in thefe Games, was Alcibiades the Athenian, as Plutarch reports in his Life: "His Expences (faith he) in Horfes kept for the publick Games, and in the Number of his Cha"riots, were very magnificent; for never any one befide, either pri"vate Perfon or King, fent feven Chariots to the Olympian Games. "He obtain'd, at one Solemnity, the firft, fecond, and fourth Prizes, Calius Rhodiginus Antiq. Lect. lib. xxii. cap. xvi), Alexand, ab Alexandro Genial. Dier, lib. v. cap. viii. as Thucydides, or third, as Euripides reports; wherein he surpass'd all "that ever pretended in that Kind.” T Of the Pythian Games. HE Pythian Games were celebrated near Delphi, and are by fome thought to have been first instituted by Amphidyon, the Son of Deucalion, or by the Council of Amphityones. Others refer the first Inftitution of them to Agamemnon *; Paufanias to Diomedes, the Son of Tydeus, who, having escap'd a dangerous Tempeft as he returned from Troy, dedicated a Temple at Trazen to Apollo firnam'd E6αThe, and inftituted the Pythian Games to his Honour: But the most common Opinion is, that Apollo himself was the firft Author of them, when he had overcome Python, a Serpent, or cruel Tyrant: Thus Ovid ", Neve operis famam poffit delere vetaftas, Then to preferve the Fame of fuch a Deed, Mr. Dryden. At their firft Inftitution, they were only celebrated once in nine Years, but afterwards every fifth Year, according to the Number of the Par nafian Nymphs, that came to congratulate Apollo, and brought him Prefents after his Victory. The Rewards were certain Apples confecrated to Apollo, according to Ifter", and the fore-cited Epigram of Archias, in which he thus enumerates the Prizes in this, and the other three facred Games: Αθλα 5 7 κότινος, μῆλα, σέλινα, πίτυς. Where Brodeus will have unλa to fignify the Delphian Laurel, which, he tells us, brought forth Berries ftreak'd with red and green, and almoft as large as Apples; but this Interpretation is by no means genuine or natural, fince the Word unλa is never us'd in that Sense: However that be, 'tis certain the Victors were rewarded with Garlands of Laurel, as appears from the exprefs Words of Pindar, who tells us, that Ariftomenes was crown'd with ia Пa pracías, or Laurel that flou rifh'd upon Mount Parnaffus: Whence fome imagine that the Reward was double, confifting both of the facred Apples, and Gar. lands of Laurel. But, at the first Institution of these Games, the Vic Etymologici Auctor, Phavorinus. 1 Corinthiacis. de Coronis. m Metam.i. Libro tors tors were crown'd with Garlands of Palm, or (according to fome) of Beech leaves, as Ovid reports, who immediately after the Verfes beforecited adds, may His juvenum quicunque, manu, pedibufve, rotave Here noble Youths for Mastership did strive } Others P report, that in the firft Pythian Solemnity the Gods contended; Caftor obtain'd the Victory by Race-horfes, Pollux at Boxing, Calais at Running, Zetes at Fighting in Armour, Peleus at throwing the Difcus, Telamon at Wrestling, Hercules in the Pancratium; and that all of them were honour'd by Apollo with Crowns of Laurel. But others again are of a different Opinion 9, and tell us, that at the first there was nothing but a mufical Contention, wherein he, that fung beft the Praises of Apollo, obtain'd the Prize, which at firft was either Silver or Gold, or fomething of Value, but afterwards chang'd into a Garland. Here be obferv'd the different Names given to Games from the Diverfity of the Prizes; for where the Prize was Money, the Games were call'd αγώνες αργυρίται; where only a Garland αγώνες σεφανίται, Mival, &c. The firft that obtain'd the Victory by Singing, was Chryfothemis a Cretan, by whom Apollo was purify'd, after he had kill'd Python: The next Prize was won by Philamon; the next after that, by his Son Thamyris. Orpheus having raised himself to a Pitch of Honour almoft equal to the Gods, by inftructing the profane and ignorant World in all the Mysteries of Religion, and Ceremonies of divine Worship, and Mufeus, who took Orpheus for his Example, thought it too great a Condefcenfion and inconfiftent with the high Characters they bore, to enter into the Contention. Eleutherus is reported to have gain'd a Victory purely upon the Account of his Voice, his Song being the Compofition of another Perfon: Hefiod was repuls'd, because he could not play upon the Harp, which all the Candidates were oblig'd to do. There was likewise another Song, call'd Пnds vóμ; to which a Dance was perform'd: It confifted of these five Parts, wherein the Fight of Apollo and Python was reprefented; 1. Avexpos, which contain'd the Preparation to the Field. 2. ET, or the firft Effay towards it. 3. Karunendouòs, which was the Action itself, and the God's Exhortation to himself to ftand out with Courage. 4. Ιαμβοι και Jan Tuho, or the infulting Sarcafms of Apollo over vanquish'd Python. 5. Everyss, which was an Imitation of the Serpent's Hifling, when he P Natalis Comes Mythol. lib. v. cap. ii. 9 Strabo lib. xi. Paufan. Phocicis. Gg 2 ended ended his Life. Others make this Song to confift of the fix following Parts: 1. Пeg, or the Preparation. 2. Idub, wherein Apollo dar'd Python to engage him by Reproaches, for aplicav fignifies to Reproach, Iambick Verfes being the common Form of Invectives. 3. DánTAG, which was fung to the Honour of Bacchus, to whom those Numbers were thought moft acceptable: This part belong'd to him, becaufe he had (as fome fay) a Share in the Delphian Oracle, or poffefs'd it before Apollo. 4. Kpands, to the Honour of Jupiter, because he was Apollo's Father, and thought to delight moft in fuch Feet, as being educated in Crete, where they were us'd. 5. Marpov, to the Honour of Mother Earth, because the Delphian Oracle belong'd to her, before it came into Apollo's Hands. 6. Everyμès, or the Serpent's Hiffing. But by others it is thus defcrib'd; eg, an Imitation of Apollo, preparing himself for the Fight with all the Circumfpection of a prudent and cautious Warrior. 2. Καλακαλισμός, a Challenge given to the Enemy. 3. Iap6inds, a Representation of the Fight, during which the Trumpets founded a Point of War: It was fo call'd from Iambick Verfes, which are the moft proper to exprefs Paffion and Rage. 4. Exorda, fo call'd from the Feet of that Name, or from swéder, i. e. to offer a Libation, because it was the Celebration of Victory; after which, it was always cuftomary to return Thanks to the Gods, and offer Sacrifices. 5. Kalaxós dois, a Representation of Apollo's Dancing after his Victory'. Afterwards, in the third Year of the XLVIIIth Olympiad, the Amphictyones, who were Prefidents of thefe Games, introduc'd Flutes, which till that time had not been us'd at this Solemnity; the first that won the Prize was Sacadas of Argos: But because they were more proper for Funeral Songs and Lamentations, than the merry and jocund Airs at Festivals, they were in a short time laid aside. They added likewife all the Gymnical Exercises us'd in the Olympian Games, and made a Law, that none fhould contend in Running but Boys. At, or near the fame Time, they chang'd the Prizes, which had before been of Value, into Crowns or Garlands; and gave these Games the Name of Pythia, from Pythian Apollo, whereas till that time (as fome fay) they had either another Name, or no peculiar Name at all. Horfe-races alfo, or Chariot-races, were introduc'd about the Time of Clifthenes, King of Argos, who obtain'd the first Victory in them, riding in a Chariot drawn by four Horses; and feveral other Changes were by degrees made in these Games, which I fhall not trouble you with. Julius Scaliger Poetices lib. i. cap. xxiii, iv. cap. x. Julius Pollux Onomaft. lib. CHAP. |