232 
PLTNT'S T^ATUKAL HISTORY. 
[Book VII. 
Lycaon first instituted gymnastic games, in Arcadia ; 
Acastus funereal games/^ at lolcos and, after him, Theseus 
instituted them at the Isthmus.^^ Hercules first instituted 
the athletic contests at Olympia.^* Pythus invented the 
game of hall.^^ Painting was invented in Egypt by Gyges, 
the Lydian,^^ or, according to Aristotle, in Greece, by Euchir, a 
regard the fetters of verse, and to write in desultory language. Pliny, 
however, in B. v. c. 31, has ascribed the invention of prose to Cadmus. 
Hardouin endeavours to reconcile this inconsistency, by supposing that 
Cadmus was the first prose writer of history, and that Pherecydes first 
applied prose to philosophical subjects. But Cicero, De Orat. B. ii. c. 12, 
speaks of Pherecydes as a writer of simple annals. — B. 
There are several persons of this name among the kings and heroes 
of the semi-fabulous periods ; but the one here mentioned is said to have 
been the son of Phoroneus, and to have lived about 1400 B.C. These 
games were celebrated in honour of Pan ; the combatants were naked, and 
hrd the body anointed with oil ; the Lupercalia of the Romans, in many 
respects, resembled the games of Lycaon. We are informed by Livy, B. i. 
c, 5, that the Lupercalia were introduced into Italy by Evander, the Arca- 
dian. — B. Ovid, in the Fasti, B. i., states to the same effect. 
3^ lolcos was a city of Thessaly, from which place the Argonauts em- 
barked on their expedition to Colchis ; Acastus was one of them ; the 
funereal games which he instituted were in honour of his father, Pelias. — B. 
32 See B. iv. c. 10. 
33 The Isthmian games were originally instituted by Sisyphus, king of 
Corinth ; after having been interrupted for some time, they were re- 
established by Theseus, who celebrated them in honour of Neptune. — B. 
3^ These were the celebrated Olympic games ; Diodorus Siculus, B, iv. c. 3, 
Pausanias, and other ancient writers, as well as Pliny, ascribe their origin 
to Hercules ; Pausanias, however, says, that some supposed them to have 
been instituted by Jupiter. — B. 
35 " Pila lusoria." There have been many conjectures respecting the 
person to whom this invention is attributed, as well as respecting the 
nature of the game itself; in either case it appears that we have nothing 
but mere conjecture to direct our opinion. — B. Among the Eomans, the 
games with the "pila, or ball," were those played with the " pila trigonalis," 
so called, probably, from the players standing in a triangle : the " follis" 
was a large ball inflated, and used for football. *' Paganica" was a similar 
ball, but harder, being stuffed with feathers, and used by rustics. " Har- 
pastum" was a small ball, used by the Greeks, and was scrambled for on 
reaching the ground. 
36 The MSS. differ as to the name of the person to whom the invention 
of painting is ascribed ; but, in those which are considered the most worthy 
of credit, he is called Gyges Ludius. Marcus endeavours to prove, that 
the term " Ludius" refers to the country of Lud or Ludim, to the south of 
Egypt ; and he points out some analogies between the name Gyges, 
and some words which are found in ancient inscriptions, or which are still 
in use among the Nubians and Abyssinians. Pliny, B. xxxv. c. o, attri- 
