Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/936

* OLYMPIAS. 800 OLYMPIC GAMES. Keoptolemus I., ICiiig of Epirus, and mother of Altxauder the Greiil. She was married to Philip in B.C. 359. When Philip, after neglecting her, separated from her and married Ckoijatra, niece of .ttalus (B.C. 337), she withdrew from ^Macedonia and went to reside with her brother Alexander, King of Epirus. It is gen- erally believed that she was implicated to a greater or less degree in the assassination of Philip (B.C. 330 )■ After Philip's death she returned to ^Macedonia, where she enjoyed great inlluence under Alexander and helped to bring about the death of Cleopatra and her infant daughter. After the death of Alexander (B.C. 323) she again withdrew from ilaccdonia to Epirus, where she stayed several years, imtil the deatli, in B.C. 310, of Antipater, who had been at the head of affairs in Macedonia, brought her a new opportunity to assert her pretensions to the Macedonian throne. Joining forces with the new regent, Polysperchon, she invaded Macedonia and in B.C. 317 defeated Arrhida>us, the weak- minded stepbrother and successor of Alexander, and his wife. Eurydice, both of whom she caused to be put to death. Being now in power, she followed up her vengeance and executed whole- sale slaughter on the Macedonian nobles who had shown themselves hostile to her. Thereupon C'assander (q.v.), her principal adversary, who had previously been in alliance with Eurydice and whose brother Nicanor was one of those put to death by Olympias, marched northward from the Pelopoimesus, forced her to take refuge in Pydna, aiul there besieged her throughout the winter. In the spring of B.C. 31G she was at length comi)elled to surrender, and was immedi- ately after put to death. Olympias was a woman of tierce and ungovernable passions, jealous, am- bitious, and cruel, but having withal something of the sjiirit and impetuosity of her son Alex- ander. OLYMPIC GAMES. The most famous of the four great natinual festivals of the (ireeks. They were celebrated in the sanctuary of Zeus at (Hympia (q.v.) every f(mr years, but. owing to the (luetiuitions of the Greek lunar calendar, the time varied from the beginning of August to the middle of Se])teinber. At lirst the contests only occupied a single day. but in later times five or six days were needed to complete the sports. The origin of the games was lost in antiquity, and legend attributed the foundation to Hercules, IVlops, who was worshiped with special honor as a liero at Olympia. and other mythical cl'.ar- acters. They were said to have fallen into neg- lect until King l])liitus of Elis and Lycnrgus of Sparta established the 'truce of God' at the celebration of the games and restored them to honor. It was not till much later, however, that the official list of victors began with Cornebiis, who won the foot-race in B.C. 77C. The authority of the list, however, is small for any jieriod before the fifth century, as it does not seem to havo been compiled before that time, and there are many indications that it was not based on ancient records. According to the accepted belief, the earliest and for long the only contest was the Klniliim or short foot-raee. Tn Olympiad 14 (B.C. 724) the (liaiiln.i, or race of two .itadia. was in- troduced. and at the next celebration the fjoliclios, or long run. Tn the same year the contestants abamloned the loin cloth and appeared naked, a custom which prevailed ever after. In B.C. 708 the pciittitliloii and wrestling were introduced, in B.C. (iS8 boxing, and in B.C. USO the race for four-horse chariots, to which were added in B.C. U48 the race for ridden horses, and the paiicia- liidit, a combination of boxing and wrestling. In B.C. 032 contests for boys were established, which from B.C. 616 consisted of running, wrestling, and boxing. In B.C. 520 the foot-race for men in armor was added, and in the fourth and third centuries other novelties, especially in horse-racing, were from time to time at- tempted. From B.C. 396 there was a contest of trumpeters and heralds, and the successful competitor in the latter was allowed to show his skill in annoimcing the victors in the other contests. During the greater part of their existence the games were in charge of the Eleans, though the city of Pisa, in whose ancient terri- tory Olympia was situated, frequently disputed this right, until early in the sixth century Pisa was destroyed by Elis and Sparta. The chief officials were the HeUenocUkai, whose numl)er varied from one or two to twelve, though the usual number seems to have been ten. Early in the year of the games envoys from Elis were sent through- out the Greek world to invite the States to join in honor to Olympian Zeus, but at first the games seem to have had merely a local char- acter, though they soon became a national fes- tival. To them the States sent Thcorice, sacred embassies, to bring their ofl'erings and vie with one another in the splendor of their equipment and entertainment. The crowd of spectators in- cluded representatives of all branches of the Greek race, and many barbarians were drawn by the reputation of the spectacle. Merchants and traders were there in abundance, while poets, orators, and artists exhibited their powers to a gathering which could easily secure a world- wide fame to a successful display. The com])etitions were open only to those of (ireek descent, anle that this was only required of novices. .Inst before the games the list of entries was i)repared, and from that time withdrawal was punished with hea-y fines. The order of the events is uncertain, and possil)ly varied at different times, but the first athletic contest was almost certainly the stadion, and the name of this victor served to designate the Olympiad. The first day of the festival was given to sacrifices, especially to Zeus, while the oilicials and contestants took a solenm oath, the former to judge fairly, the latter that they had observed the prescribed training and would eom- ])ete with fairness. The second day probably began with the foot-races, and for these the irowd gathered in the Stadion, an oblong plain inclosed by sloping banks of earth. The course was marked at both ends by a marble sill, about SO feet long and 18 inches wi.le. in which were two grooves to give a foothold in starting. The finish was always at one end. but the starting point varied for the single and doulde courses. The length of the course was CiOO Olympic feet of 0,32045 meter, or about 630 English feet. Tn the long run the double course seems to have