Pedestrianism

222 ON TRAINING. sobriety, and regularity in living, were indis­ pensably requisite. The candidates, at the same time, weresubjected to dailyexercise in the GYMNASIUM for ten months, which, with the prescribed regimen,constituted the pre­ paratory course of training adopted by the ATHLETE of ancient Greece. Among the Romans, the exercises of the PALAESTRA degenerated from the rank of a liberal art, and became a profession, which was embraced onlyby the lowestof mankind. The exhibitions of the GLADIATORS were bloody and ferocious spectacles, which evin­ ced the barbaroustaste of the people. The combatants, however, were regularly'trained by proper exercise, and a strict observance of regimen. In the moreearly stages, theirdiet consisted of dried figsn, ew cheese, and boiled grain. But afterwards, animal food was in­ troduced as a part of the athletic regimen, and PORK was preferred to any other. GALEN asserts, that " pork contains morereal nutri­ ment thanthe flesh of any other animawl hich is used as foodby man : thisfact," he adds, " i s