Athletics

A T H L E T I C S . CHAPTER 1. HISTORICAL. " A THLETICS," as we nowadays interpret the word,has but a brief history, scarce reaching over a singlegeneration. If we accept the wider significance, andfor " Athletics" read " Manly Sports and Pastimes," we strike a productive and inexhaustible lode, whichwould carry us back through all time, andan ambitious author might display his knowledge of the classics by plentiful quotations from ancient writers with which he might bestrew the path of sport's history. However interesting such a record might be, it would be quite impossiblein a work of the modest dimensions ofthe present volume. The games of Olympus, first, according to some authorities, founded by the Idsei Dactyli, B.C. 1453, but generally supposed to have been established by Hercules in honour of Jupiter Olympius, aftera victory over Augeas, B.C. 1222 (or 3113 years ago), are generally acceptedas the starting point of athleticism. They were re-instituted by Iphitus in B.C. 884. At these Olympic games, which took place at Olympia every fourth year, there were five chief events, termed B