ATHLETIC EXEUCISES. 69 



To the individuals who excelled in some particular kinds The ancient 



statue* wetc 



if exQTcise, we learn from Pliny, that a statue was decreed partrairs of the 

 s the appropriate reward ; so that many of those figures improved^ hu- 

 which still remain, that of the PfscoWws, for example, are 

 in fact, individual portraits ; and might almost without a 

 hyperbole* »>vi called living examples of the perfection 

 which the hitman form is capable of attaining. 



The Romans seem to have derived their inclination for Atl.leta of the 

 public combats, as tliey did many other of their arts, from Roni^ns. 

 lie Greeks. But to engage personally in these contests^ 

 appears to have been considered as incompatible with the 

 stern dignity and decorum of the republican character. 

 They therefore hired persons to contend with each other 

 for their amusement. From the victor receiving a pri^e or - . 



reward, they were termed Athlctce. But the warlike genius k. r r, 



of the Roman people soon led them to require exhibitions- 

 of a more sanguinary nature. These were performed 

 by the gladiators, who at first consisted of captives taken Gladiat<»i« 

 in war, who were compelled to fight with each other for 

 the amusement of the populace. Afterwards persons volun- 

 tiiarily, embraced that mode of obtaining a livelihood, and, 

 hired themselves for money to such as chose to court popu- 

 larity, by treating tl)e public with an exhibition of this kind, ,. ,, 

 of which they had becgme extremely fond. The gladiators 

 fought with swords 'and other weapons, and their combats 

 Ijecame mortal at the will of the spectators. 



Kolwithstanding the degradation of the exercises of the Regimen tnl 

 palastra among the Romans from the rank of a liberal art, ^^'^^^^^^* 

 a certain degree of bodily strength and activity was indis- 

 pen&ibly requisite to those by whom they continued to be 

 practised. To acquire this it was requisite to comply with 

 certain ruk's of regimen and exercise, concerning the na- 

 ture of which a consir'erable share of sufficiently accurate 

 information may still be gleaned. 



Horace atequaints us with the kinds of exercise and of 

 privations requisite to fit- a person for contending for the 

 prize, even in the least violent of the gymnastic exercises. 

 " Qui studet optatam cursu contingere metam, 

 Multa tulit, fecitque puer, sudavit et alsit, 

 Abstinuit yenere el Buccho." 



Epictetus 



