OLYMPIC GAMES

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 88, 14 April 1930, Page 15

OLYMPIC GAMES

HISTORICAL LECTURE

Reports of Olympic Games all have seen,, but last week the members of the Women's University Club were carried back to the Oiympia of Grecian fame. Pictures of the valley where two streams meet, Of the arched entrance to the ground where the contests were held, ancl of the restored temples in tho surrounding country were shown by Professor Rankine Brown to illustrate a most interesting lecture on Olympia and Olympic Games. The great points of difference between the ancient and modern, he said, were that the contestants, although all Greek, were representatives of the various sections that made a congeric.rathor than a nation. For the'most part these people were in a constant state of war, and the preparation for the Games was intended to flt the men to defend their countries. At the time of the contests a general truce was declared and safe passage guaranteed to competitors. A simple crown of laurels was the only reward for the victor. To win that crown general excellence in wrestling, throwing the jjtvelin, and running mußt have been shown. Records of those Games extended over a period from. 77b B.C. to 373 A.D. In the beginning they were part of a religious ritual, "Begin evorything with God and end everything with God," and their religion aid enter into'every phase of their life.- As time went on professionalism crept in, and instead of the most beautiful and graceful competitor, a much lower type with specially developed muscles for particular branches of sport only came to the fore. Olympia was not only the scene of the Games.. It be; came the political and intellectual clearing house of Greece. There Herodotus first read his history. j , , Tor some reason not yet understood women wero not allowed to attend the Games. No clothes were worn by the men, but since the Greek attitude towards nudity contained no hint of im-l propriety that was not likely to have caused the ban. In the late days' of the Empire women had a separate set Of Games. One fresco showed two j figures engaged in a game like hockey, and many figures in ball games were ■found in frescoes that had been recover'efl by archeologists. ■A, hearty vote of thanks was accorded .fthe Professor for his lecture.