ASSIMILATION OF OLYMPIC VICTOR STATUES. is 
examples of the conversion of statues will be given in our treatment of 
assimilation. 
ATHLETE STATUES ASSIMILATED TO Types oF HERMES. 
Hermes was one of the principal évayawvior or aymviot Geol, 7. 2., 
gods who presided over contests, or who were overseers of gymnasia 
and palestre, or were teachers of gymnastics (yuuaorat).! Greek 
writers often mention these athletic gods. ‘Thus Aischylos? often uses 
the term, not in the sense of ayopator Oeot, “the great assembled 
gods,” (ayav=ayopa),? but in the sense of gods who presided over 
contests.4 This is evident from the fact that Zeus, Apollo, Poseidon, 
and Hermes are the gods especially mentioned ie Aischylos in this 
sense, and the first three correspond with the Olympian and Nemean 
games (Zeus), the Pythian (Apollo), and the Isthmian (Poseidon), 
while Hermes is concerned in them all. Thus the epithet dyavor, 
in the Agamemnon of Aischylos refers to Zeus,® Apollo,® and Hermes.’ 
If the word referred to the twelve greater gods, as some have thought, 
other deities more important than Hermes would have been included. 
Elsewhere the word &ywvios always refers to contests. Hermes was 
worshipped at Athens and elsewhere as a god of contests.? The agon- 
istic character of this god is shown by the fact that statues and altars 
were erected to him all over Greece.!° He was sometimes coupled with 
Herakles as the protector of contests,!! and the images of the two 
often stood in gymnasia.’” A fragmentary votive relief of the second 
century A. D. isinscribed with a dedication to both by a certain Hora- 
rios, victor in torch-racing. Athenian ephebes made offerings to 
Hermes,'* and to Hermes and Herakles in common, after their train- 
ing was over. Thus Dorykleides of Thera, a victor in boxing and 
1Cf. Ph., 16, (the palzstra of Hermes, the first known); Babr., 48,5 (waXacorpirns beds). A 
trainer of professional athletes was called a yvuvaorns (a term sometimes applied to athletic 
gods): Xen., Mem., II, 1.20; Plato, de Leg., 720 E; etc. 
2B. g., Suppl., 189, 333; Agam., 513. 
3As in Iliad, XV, 428; XVI, 500; XXIV, 1. Eustathius in a scholion on the latter passage 
wrongly says that Aischylos called the &yopaior Oeot “ayavior Heol.” 
4As in Hesychios, who says aywvwe Oeol = ol Trav ayivwyv mpoerTares. 
5509, traros x&pas, “lord of Nemea.” 67 bid., 6 TliOcos avaé. 7515: 
8F. g. Plato, de Leg., 783 A; Pindar, Isthm., I, 60, Ol., VI, 79, and Pyth., II, 10 (of Hermes); 
Soph., Trach., 26 (of Zeus, the decider of contests); C. J. G., Il, 1421 (of Hermes); cf. also Simon- 
ides, quoted by Athenzus, XI, 90 (p. 490); Aischyl., fragm. 384 (of Hermes); Aristoph., Plut., 
1161 (of Hermes); C. J. G., I, 251; etc. 
9See Preller-Robert, Griech. Mythol.4, 1894, p. 415, n. 3. 
10Cf. Krause, pp. 169 f.; Preller-Robert, op. cit., pp. 415 f.; Urlichs, Skopas, p. 42; Nissen, 
Pompej. Stud., p. 168; Roscher, Lex., I, 2, p. 2369; S. Eitrem, in Pauly-Wissowa, VIII, 
pp. 786-7. 
Pindar, Nem., X, 52-3; Oxy. Pap., VII, 1015, 8. 
2. g., at Messene, P., IV, 32.1 (along with that of Theseus). 
3B. M. Sculpt., III, 2156; C. J. G., 1, 250, and Neubauer, Hermes, XI, 1876, p. 146, no. 12; 
for the dedication of a torch to Hermes, see 4. G., VI, 100. 
eet 391225-6; LV, 2, 1225b; 1226, b, c, d. 
