fi ATHLETIC EXERCIS£S. 



Fxercifes-, ' They wfere regularly exercised for many hours, daity, in 

 •nwatinj, c, ^yej-y variety of muscular elfort. Before engaging in the 

 combat of the pancratium, or wrestling and boxing, the 

 skin was anointed either wiih oil, or with a mixture ot oil 

 t and wax, termed ceroma. This was supposed" to prevent 



too great a loss by perspiration, as well as to supple the 

 limbs, to grapple a man whose skin was covered with an 

 unctuous matter of this kind was impossible ; they there- 

 fore rubbed thesmelves with the dust that covered the pa* 

 lasstra. When people of rank engaged iii these contests, 

 they made use of odoriferous unguents, and rubbed them- 

 selves with a peculiar kind of pulverable earth brought 

 from a certain cavern near Puteoli, or what was reckoned 

 still preferable, with a kind of dust named haphe, which 

 was imported from Egypt. 



When their exercises were finished they had recourse to 

 f ^ ufhTn"^ ^^^'i^opotherapia, or methods of refreshment.' They were 

 rubbing, an- immersed in a tepid bath, where the perspiration and sordes 

 -iming, food, ^^,g^g carefully removed from the surface of the body by the 

 use of the strygil. The skin was then diligently rubbed dry, 

 and again anointed with oil. If thirsty they were permitted' 

 to drink a small quantity of warm water*. They then took 

 their principal repast, after which they never used any exer- 

 cise. They occasionally also went into the cold bath in the 

 morning. They were permitted to sleep as many hbiirs as 

 they chose ; and great increase of vigour, as well as of bulk 

 was supposed to be derived from long continued and sound 

 ^ repose, 



* Nothing can afford a ftronger proof of the attention paid by the antl- 

 ents to the effects of exercile, than the prohibition of cold drink to peifona 

 who had been thus fatigued. Wtien heated and exhaufted by violent muf- 

 <;ular exertion, it is not only much more fafe, but even more refrcihing, to 

 take fome warm fluid, as tea, into the ftomach, than to drink any cold li- 

 quor. Immediate death has not feldom been the confequence of drinking 

 aglafsof cold warer or beer, after having been heated and fatigued b/ 

 cancing, or anyothtr violent cxercife .To thofe who may inadvertently 

 be guilty of fiich imprudeJice, it may be well to knpw, that to. fvirallow im- 

 mediately a glafs of brandy, or a tea-fpoonful of hudanum,is th« befi means 

 of cou'.iterafting its baneful coiifcouencej. 



In 



