BRITISH TURF. 13 



chariots, distributed by lot to the competitors ; 

 in front of these was suspended a rope. About 

 the middle of the prow stood an altar of unburnt 

 brick, which was fresh plastered at every re- 

 newal of the games. Upon it was a brazen 

 eagle, with outspread wings, w^hich at a parti- 

 cular time, worked by some ingenious ma- 

 chinery, flew upwards, while the dolphin before 

 mentioned sank below. At this moment the 

 barriers were let down, and the horses and cha- 

 riots moved forward from their particular stands, 

 according to the order of their lot, till they were 

 ranged in an even line at the point of the beak ; 

 the race then began. One side of the course 

 stretched along a hill ; the other, which was the 

 larger of the two, was formed by a cause- 

 way." 



'' We will here relate an anecdote of a mare 

 called Aura, the property of one Phidolas, a 

 Corinthian, which threw her jockey in the race, 

 but continued her course as if he had kept his 

 seat, increasing her pace at the sound of the 

 trumpet, which was used as the signal of the 

 coming in, and having been first at the winning 

 goal, presented herself to the judges, as if con- 

 scious of having won. The Elians declared her 

 the wanner, contrary to the present custom in 

 such cases. These judges, called Hallanodics, 



