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 other athlete in all the world's history can show such a finish as that?

In Michael Angelo's renowned statue we see a man of towering size and almost colossal strength. His body even looking large for his head; but the most remarkable feature of that body is the enormous forearm and wrist. Indeed the fore-arm looks as large as the upper arm itself, which is not in accord with the idea so general now among athletic men, that the upper arm flexed should be about a fifth larger than the forearm in its greatest girth. It will also be observed, as in most of the famous statues, that there is little or no spare flesh anywhere. But the whole is made of excellent material; of bone and sinew; of power which lifts and carries; not of freight which has to be lifted and carried.

Three thousand years ago, not far from the eastern shore of the blue Mediterranean a herdsman's son in odd moments thrummed a harp; and he came to do it so well that he had to play before the king. A venerable prophet had sought him out in his quiet home; told him that he would one day be king; and then anointed him. The strong king, then in active rule, heard of this; and hunted him down to kill him. Friends flocked to his side; and soon the struggle between the Royalists and his little band became a civil war. He won. The king was slain. Then this man took the throne; and began a series of wars with tribes; and then with nations; which lasted for years; and he never ceased until, from a small, weak State, he extended the borders of his father-land till they stretched from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates; from Syria to Egypt; and were peopled by many millions.

He fostered navigation and trade; taught his people art; organized them into provinces; appointed governors to oversee and report to him their condition; impressed all with the importance of law and order; established superior and inferior courts of justice; and secured the stability of his power by the formation of a large standing army. He was exceedingly careful of both