ily the muscular distortions of the body in the
exercise of the Discus, than the Discobolus of Myron?"(131)

Of the Pentathlum.

The Greeks gave this name to an exercise composed of five others. It is
the common opinion, that those five exercises were wrestling, running,
leaping, throwing the dart, and the Discus. It is believed that this sort
of combat was decided in one day, and sometimes the same morning: and that
to obtain the prize, which was single, it was required that a combatant
should be the victor in all those exercises.

The exercise of leaping, and throwing the javelin, of which the first
consisted in leaping a certain length, and the other in hitting a mark
with a javelin at a certain distance, contributed to the forming of a
soldier, by making him nimble and active in battle, and expert in flinging
the spear and dart.

Of Races.

Of all the exercises which the Athletae cultivated with so much pains and
industry to enable them to appear in the public games, running held the
foremost rank. The Olympic games generally opened with races, and were
solemnized at first with no other exercise.

The place where the Athletae exercised themselves in running was generally
called the _Stadium_ by the Greeks; as was that wherein they disputed in
earnest for the prize. As the lists or course for these games was at first
but one Stadium(132) in length, it took its name from its measure, and was
called the Stadium, whether precisely of that extent, or of a much
greater. Under that denomination was included not only the space in which
the Athletae ran, but also that which contained the spectators of the
gymnastic games. The place where the Athletae contended was called Scamma,
from its lying lower than the rest of the Stadium, on each side of which,
and at the extremity ran an ascent or kind of terrace, covered with seats
and benches, upon which the spectators were seated. The most remarkable
parts of the Stadium were its entrance, middle, and extremity.

The entrance of the course, from whence the competitors started, was
marked at first only by a line drawn on the sand from side to side of the
Stadium. To that at length was substituted a kind of barrier, which was
only a cord strained tight in the front of the horses or men that were to
run. It was sometimes a rail of wood. The opening of this barrier was the
signal for the racers to start.

The middle of the Stadium was remarkable only by the circumstanc