449 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 Exercises; 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 Exercifes in the fame manner they were practis'd at the Games, which feems to have been only enjoyn'd in the laft Month, whereas the nine antecedent Months were spent 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 accustom'd Rewards of Victory given to fuch Perfons, if by any means they infinuated themfelves, and overcame their Antagonists: Nor would any Apology, tho feemingly never fo reasonable, serve to 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 Islands call'd Cyclades; and the Crown was given to Heraclides without performing any Exercise, because no juft and duly qualify'd Adverfary appear'd to oppofe him. No Person that was himself a notorious Cri minal, 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 difhonourable Contracts and unjust Practices, but the Contenders were oblig'd to fwear, they had spent ten whole Months in preparatory Exercises: and farther yet, both they, their Fathers, and Brethren took a folemn Oath, that they would not, by any finifter, or unlawful means, endeavour to ftop the fair and juft Proceedings of the Games. The Order of Wreftler's was appointed by Lots, in this manner: A Silver Urn, call'd Ams, 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 whose Fortune it was to have the fame Letters, wrestled together, if the number of the Wreftlers 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 pepos, as coming after the reft: This was accounted the moft fortunate Chance that could be, because the Per- ́. fon that obtain'd it, was to encounter one already weary'd, and fpent with conquering his former Antagonist, himfelf being fresh, and in full Strength (a). 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, (a) Calius Rhodiginus Antiq. Lect. lib. XXII, cap. XVII. Alexand, ab Alexandro Genial. Dier. lib. V. cap. VIII. Gg "as "as Thucydides, or third, as Euripides reports; wherein he surpass'd all "that ever pretended in that kind." Of the Pythian Games. HE Pythian Games were celebrated near Delphi, and are by fome thought to have been firft inftituted by Amphictyon, the Son of Deucalion, or by the Council of Amphictyones. Others refer the first Inftitution of them to Agamemnon (a); Paufanias (b) to Diomedes, the Son of Tydeus, who having efcap'd a dangerous Tempest as he returned from Troy, dedicated a Temple at Trazen to Apollo sirnam'd Emba Tigios, and inftituted the Pythian Games to his Honour: But the most common Opinion is, that Apollo himself was the first Author of them, when he had overcome Python, a Serpent, or cruel Tyrant: Thus Ovid (c), Neve operis famam poffit delere vetuftas 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. naffian Nymphs, that came to congratulate Apollo, and brought him Prefents after his Victory. The Rewards were certain Apples confecrated to Apollo, according to Ifter (d), and the fore-cited Epigram of Archias, in which he thus enumerates the Prizes in this, and the other three facred Games, Αθλα * « κότινος, μῆλα, σέλινα, πίτυς Where Brodeus will have una 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 una is never us'd in that Senfe: 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 oia agrarias, or Laurel that flourifhed upon Mount Parnaffus (e): Whence fome imagine that the Reward was double, confifting both of the facred Apples, and Garlands of Laurel. But at the firft Inftitution of these Games, the Vi (a) Etymologici Au&tor. Phavorinus. (b) Corinthiacis. (c) Metam. I. (d) Libro de Coronis. (e) Fythion. Od. VIII. v. 28. &tors Яors were crown'd with Garlands of Palm, or (according to fome) of Beech-leaves, as Ovid reports, who immediately after the Verfes beforecited, adds, His juvenum quicunque, manu, pedibufve, rotave Here Noble Youths for Mafter fhip did ftrive } Others (4) report, that in the first 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 (b), 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 first was either Silver or Gold, or fomething of Value, but afterwards chang'd into a Garland. Here may be obferv'd the different Names given to Games from the diversity of the Prizes; for where the Prize was Money, the Games were call'd aves dsqueira; where only a Garland, αγώνες σεφανίται, φυλλίναι, &c. The frft that obrain'd 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 rais'd himfelf to a pitch of Honour almoft equal to the Gods, by inftructing the profane and ignorant World in all the Myfteries 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. Eleuthe rus 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 likewife another Song, call'd Пunds rojos; to which a Dance was perform'd: It confifted of these five Parts, wherein the Fight of Apollo and Python was reprefented; 1. Avaxsus, which contain'd the Preparation to the Fight. 2. EMT, or the first Effay to wards it. 3. Kalanendous, which was the Action itself, and the God's Exhortation to himself to ftand out with Courage. 4. Iapos Januλo, or the infulting Sarcafms of Apollo over vanquish'd Python. 5. Zúpyes, which was an imitation of the Serpent's Hiffing, when he (a) Natalis Comes Mythol, lib. V. cap. II. (b) Strabo lib. XI. Paufan. Phocicis. ended Gg 2 ended his Life. ing Parts 1. Others make this Song to confift of the fix followeg, or the Preparation. 2. Iapos, wherein Apollo dar'd Python to engage him by Reproaches, for iaubice fignifies to reproach, lambick Verfes being the common Form of Invectives. 3. AdxTUλos, which was fung to the Honour of Bacchus, to whom thofe 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. Kennnès, to the Honour of Jupiter, becaufe he was Apollo's Father, and thought to delight moft in fuch Feet, as being educated in Crete, where they were us❜d. 5. MnTgwor, to the Honour of Mother Earth, because the Delphian Oracle belong'd to her, before it came into Apollo's Hands. 6. Zugyuds, or the Serpent's hiffing. But by others it is thus defcrib'd (a); II, an Imitation of Apollo, preparing himself for the Fight with all the Circumfpection of a pru dent and cautious Warriour. 2. Καζακελοσμος, a Challenge given to the Enemy. 3. Iaubinòs, 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. Evde, fo call'd from the Feet of that Name, or from VJew, i. e. to offer á Libation, because it was the Celebration of Victory; after which, it was always cuftomary to return Thanks to the Gods, and offer Sacrifices. 5. Kaladors, a Representation of Apol lo's Dancing after his Victory (b). 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 becaufe they were more proper for Funeral Songs and Lamentations, than the merry and jocund Airs at Feftivals, they were in a fhort time laid aside. They added likewife all the Gymnical Exercifes 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. Horferaces 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 Horfes; and feveral other Changes were by degrees made in these Games, which I fhall not trouble you with. (a) Julius Scaliger.Poetices lib. I. cap. XXIII. (b) Julius Pollux Onomast. lib. IV. cap. X. С Н А Р. CHA P. XXIV. .... Of the Nemean Games. HE Nemean Games (a) were fo call'd from Nemea, a Village and T Grove between the Cities Cleona and Phlius, where they were cele brated every third Year, upon the twelfth of the Corinthian Month* Haveu, call'd fometimes lepounvia, which is the fame with the Athenian Boedromion. The Exercifes were Chariot-races, and all the parts of the Pentathlum. The Prefidents were elected out of Corinth, Argos, and Cleona, and apparell'd in black Clothes, the habit of Mourners, because these Games were a Funeral-folemnity inftituted in Memory of Opheltes, otherwife call'd Archemorus, from de, i. e. a beginning, and og, i. e. Fate, or Death, because Amphiaraus foretold his Death foon after he began to live: Or, according to Statius (b), because that' Misfortune was a Prelude to all the bad Succefs that befel the Theban' Champions; for Archemorus was the Son of Euphetes and Creufa, or Lycurgus, a King of Nemea, or Thrace, and Eurydice, and nurs'd by Hyp. fipyle, who leaving the Child in a Meadow, whilft fhe went to fhew the Befiegers of Thebes a Fountain, at her return found him dead, and a Serpent folded about his Neck, whence the Fountain before call'd Langia, was nam'd Archemorus; and the Captains to comfort Hypfipyle for her Lofs, inftituted these Games, (c). Una tamen tacitas, fed juffu Numinis, undas Langia alone, and fhe fecurely hid Lurk'd in a dark, and unfrequented shade, A Grove, and Riv'let it alone fupplies; (a) Strabo lib. VIII. Paufanias Corinth. Eliac. B. Pindari Schol. Nemeon. (b) Thebaid, lib, V. (c) Statius Tbebaid. lib. IV, |