NAUPLIA. 431 
breeches, well soaked in oil ; in other respects CHAP. 
their bodies were stark-naked, except being ' 
anointed with oil 2 , and rubbed over with dust 3 . 
To gain the victory, it was necessary not only 
that one of the combatants should throw the 
other, but that, having thrown him, he should 
be able to keep his adversary lying upon 
his back until he, the conqueror, regained 
his feet; for in the struggle they always fell 
together 4 . We had also the satisfaction of 
seeing that most antient military dance the 
Pyrrhica, as it had perhaps existed in Greece 
from the time of its introduction by the Son of 
Achilles, or by the Corybantes. In fact, it was a 
Spartan dance, and therefore peculiarly appro- 
priate at a neighbouring Nauplian festival. It 
consisted of men armed with sabres and 
shields, who came forward in a kind of broad- 
sword exercise, exhibiting a variety of martial 
(2) " Exercent patrias oleo labente palre-stras 
Nudati socii." Ibid. 281. 
(3) Vid. Ovid. Met. \\. 35. Slat. Theb. vi. 846. Lucian. tie Gymn. 
p. 270. Among the Antients, the dust for the wrestlers was kept in a 
particular place. Plutarch. Symp. II. Prob. 4. p. 639. C. fitruv. V. 1 1. 
Leisner's Notes to Bos. 
(4) The same rule, according to Mr. Thornton, is observed in other 
parts of Turkey. (See T/iornton's Turkey, vol. II. p. 207. Land. 1809,) 
In antient wrestling, the prize was obtained by throwing an adversary 
three times. 
