OF HORSEMANSHIP. 5-3 



mitted to pofterity, would have given a more certain 

 account of many articles relative to thefe famous exer- 

 cifes, and have enabled the reader to form a furer opi- 

 nion concerning them. 



The piece of grotmd on which the chariot and horfe- 

 races were performed (for the fame fpot fervcd for both) 

 was called the Hippodrome. The Olympian Hippodrome, 

 or horfe-courfe, was a fpace of ground of fix hundred 

 paces long, furrounded with a wall, iituated near the 

 city EUs, and on the banks of the river Alpheus. It v?as 

 imeven, and in fome degree irregular, owing to the 

 lituation ; in one part was an hill of a moderate 

 height, and the circuit was adorned with temples, al- 

 tars, and other embellifliments. 



This Jiadium^ or race-ground, confilled of two parts ; 

 the firft refembled in fliape the -proiis of a Ihip, and 

 was called the barrier. In this place, were the Hands 

 for the horfes and chariots, and here they were 

 matched and prepared for the courfe. The next par- 

 tition was the lifts, or the fpot on which the races 

 were to be run. At the end of the courfe flood a pillar, 

 which was the goal, round which the candidates were 

 obliged to turn, in order to come-back to the place 

 where they had izx. out ; and that rider or driver, who 

 could make the narroweft turn, and approach neareft 

 to it, every thing elfe being equal, had the faireft chance 

 offurpaffing his rivals. In doing this, the fkill of the 

 men, and the fupplenefs and obedience of the horfes, 

 were put to the fevereft proofs; inafmuch as that there 



was 



