BOOK2-Unit2TheOlympicGames全國公開課一等獎

Athletes'Stories

Liketheirmoderncounterparts,ancientathleteshadawayofcapturingthepublic'simagination.SeveralancientauthorssuchasPindar,Pausanias,Strabo,andDioChrysostomrecordthenoteworthyexploitsofsomeofthebest-knownOlympicvictorsofancienttimes.

PhiladelphiaMS4842

Tondo:seatedyouth,upperhalf.

PhotographbyMariaDaniels,courtesyofTheUniversityofPennsylvaniaMuseumofArchaeologyandAnthropology

MiloofKroton

Wrestler

Six-timeOlympicvictor:

Wononceinboys'wrestling,60thOlympiad,540BCE

five-timewrestlingchampionfrom62ndto66thOlympiad,532to516BCE

Themostillustriousofathletes...Strabo,Geography,

6.1.12

Itisnogreatthingtopossessstrength,whateverkinditis,buttouseitasoneshould.ForofwhatadvantagetoMiloofKrotonwashisenormousstrengthofbody?...DiodorusSiculus,HistoricalLibrary,

9.14.1

Oneofthemostlegendaryathletesintheancientworld,MiloofKroton,worethevictor'scrownatOlympianolessthansixtimes.BorninsouthernItaly,whereGreecehadmanycolonies,Milowontheboys'wrestlingcontestin540BCE.

Boston

SideA:boyvictorandman.

FromCaskey&Beazley,plateL.WithpermissionoftheMuseumofFineArts,Boston.

Hereturnedeightyearslatertowinthefirstoffiveconsecutivewrestlingtitles,afeatthatseemsincrediblebymodernstandards.Rarelydomodern-dayOlympianscompeteinmorethantwoorthreeOlympiadsoverthecourseofacareer.MuchliketheboxerGeorgeForeman,Miloresistedretirement:Bythetimeofthe67thOlympiadin512BCE,Milowasprobablyfortyormoreyearsoldbuthecompetedanyhow.ThechallengerwonnotbyoverpoweringMilo,butbyavoidingtheolderwrestlerandwearinghimout.

Accordingtoourancientsources,Miloenjoyedshowingoffhisunrivaledstrength.Forinstance,hewouldclaspapomegranateinhishandandhaveotherstrytotakeitawayfromhim.Eventhoughhewasholdingitsotightlythatnoonecouldremoveit,heneverdamagedthefruit.Sometimes,hewouldstandonagreasedirondiskandchallengeotherstopushhimoffofit.Anotherofhisfavoriteexhibitionswastyingacordaroundhisforehead,holdinghisbreath,andbreakingthecordwithhisbulgingforeheadveins.Othertimes,thewrestlerwouldstandwithhisrightarmathisside,hiselbowagainsthim,andholdouthishandwiththumbpointedupwardsandfingersspread.Noonecouldsuccessfullybendevenhislittlefinger.

OlympiaL191

StoneoftheweightlifterBybonwithinscription"BybonsonofPhola(?),hasliftedmeover[his]headwithonehand."316lbs.,sandstone.Early6thcenturyBC.

PhotographbyMariaDaniels,courtesyoftheArchaeologicalMuseumofOlympiaandtheGreekMinistryofCulture.

Miloexcelledeveninwarfare.WhenaneighboringtownattackedKroton,MiloenteredthebattlewearinghisOlympiccrownsanddressedlikeHerakles,inlion'sskinandbrandishingaclub,andledhisfellowcitizenstovictory.

Tampa

SideA:Heraklesatleft.

PhotographbyMariaDaniels,courtesyoftheTampaMuseumofArt

AfollowerofthefamousphilosopherPythagoras,Milooncesavedhisfriends.IthappenedthattheroofofthehallwherethePythagoreansweremeetingbegantocollapse.Milostoodandsupportedthecentralpillaruntiltheothersescapedtosafetyandthendashedout,savinghimself.

Intheend,however,allofthisfameandstrengthdidnotsaveMilofromalessthangloriousdeath.Milowaswanderingthroughtheforestwhenhefoundanoldtreetrunkwithwedgesinsertedintoit.Inanattempttotesthisstrength,Miloplacedhishandsand,perhapshisfeet,intothecleftofthetrunkan