The Cruise of the Branwen

THE OLYMPIC GAMES shown on a Lekythos in the British Museum (B. 576), and it may be noted that the winner at Athens raised his discus in both hands straight above his head, evidently with the object of still further increasing the swing, as is shown in the bronze figure in the British Museum (675). All this time the right foot has been advanced, and in cases where the left foot has been shown advanced (on classical vases) it always has to be withdrawn (or the right foot advanced in turn, if the left remains stationary) before anything further happens. From the position, then, in which the discus is held by both hands in front of the thrower, the next motion shows it swung down– wards towards the ground and lying flat on the extended right forearm, held by the crooked fingers. Then comes the momentary position of Myron's statue, in which the right foot is still to the front, the right arm is swung back as far as it will go, the knees are bent, and the whole body is bent forward and to the right to assist the swing.* From this position (which lasts so short a time that only the eyes of Myron would enable you to see it in a thrower of to-day) the right hand swings forward, • The left hand rests across the right knee, which comes to the wrist, because (as Mr. C. B. Fry explained) the left shoulder is so far down and round as to be almost perpendicularly beneath the raised right shoulder; and thus the left arm helps to balance the right in a preliminary movement which could not possibly last long. The left foot only touches the ground with the toe because it is about to swing forward, while the right is almost flat upon the ground, and seems to be held firm by the bent toes, because it is about to be the pivot of the swing. 70