FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71  
72   73   >>  
under Timon's arms. He wriggled from between his hands. The benches rang with cheers and laughs. "He is an eel," cried one man. Suddenly Creon ducked under Timon's arms, caught him by his legs and tripped him. The two boys were even. In the next bout Timon ran at Creon like a wild bull. He caught him around the waist in his strong arms to whirl him to the ground. But with a crook of his leg Creon tripped him and wriggled out of his arms before he fell. Menon caught up Charmides and threw him to his shoulder laughing and stamping his feet. "Do you see, lad?" he cried. "He has won two games. Only the race is left, and we know how he can run." And how he did run! He threw back his head and leaped out like a deer, skimming over the ground in long strides and leaving his dust to the others. He had the three games out of five and was winner of the pentathlon. Then there was no holding the crowd. They poured down off the seats and ran to Creon. Some lifted him upon their shoulders and carried him out of the stadion, for this was the end of the games for that day. And those who could not come near Creon and his waving palms crowded around Menon. So they went, shouting, out of the gate and among the statues and on to the river. There they put Creon down, and his father and Charmides led him away to camp. That was the happiest night of Charmides' life. He heard his wonderful brother talk for hours of the life in the gymnasium. He heard new tales of Creon's favorite god, Hermes. He heard of the women's games that were held once a year at Olympia in honor of Hera. He heard a hundred new names of boys and cities, for there had been, athletes from every corner of Greece in training here. He held the victor's palms in his own hands. He slept beside this double winner of Olympic crowns. He dreamed that Apollo and Hermes came hand in hand and gazed down at him and Creon as they lay sleeping and dropped a great garland over them both. It was twined of Olympic olive leaves and Apollo's own laurel. On the next day there were games for the men, like those the boys had played. On the day after that there were chariot races in a wide place outside the walls. Every night there was still the gay noise of the fair. But instead of going to see it, Charmides stretched himself under the trees on Mount Kronion and gazed up at the moon and dreamed. Then came the last day, with its great procession again and its sacrifices at e
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71  
72   73   >>  



Top keywords:

Charmides

 

caught

 

tripped

 

Olympic

 

winner

 

dreamed

 

Apollo

 

Hermes

 

wriggled

 

ground


brother
 

training

 

victor

 
gymnasium
 
happiest
 
Greece
 

wonderful

 
hundred
 

Olympia

 

favorite


athletes

 

cities

 

corner

 

leaves

 

stretched

 

procession

 

sacrifices

 

Kronion

 

sleeping

 

dropped


garland
 
double
 
crowns
 

played

 

chariot

 

laurel

 

twined

 

shoulders

 
stamping
 
laughing

shoulder

 

laughs

 
cheers
 

benches

 
Suddenly
 

ducked

 
strong
 

leaped

 

waving

 
crowded