e of
having the prizes allotted to the victors set up there. St.
Chrysostom(133) draws a fine comparison from this custom. "As the judges,"
says he, "in the races and other games, expose in the midst of the
Stadium, to the view of the champions, the crowns which they are to
receive; in like manner the Lord, by the mouth of his prophets, has placed
in the midst of the course, the prizes which he designs for those who have
the courage to contend for them."

At the extremity of the Stadium was a goal, where the footraces ended, but
in those of chariots and horses they were to run several times round it
without stopping, and afterwards conclude the race by regaining the other
extremity of the lists, from whence they started.

There were three kinds of races, the chariot, the horse, and the footrace.
I shall begin with the last, as the most simple, natural, and ancient.

1. Of the Foot-race.

The runners, of whatever number they were, ranged themselves in a line,
after having drawn lots for their places. Whilst they waited the signal to
start, they practised, by way of prelude, various motions to awaken their
activity, and to keep their limbs pliable and in a right temper.(134) They
kept themselves in wind by small leaps, and making little excursions, that
were a kind of trial of their speed and agility. Upon the signal being
given they flew towards the goal, with a rapidity scarce to be followed by
the eye, which was solely to decide the victory. For the Agonistic laws
prohibited, under the penalty of infamy, the attaining it by any foul
method.

In the simple race the extent of the Stadium was run but once, at the end
of which the prize attended the victor, that is, he who came in first. In
the race called {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, the competitors ran twice that length; that is,
after having arrived at the goal, they returned to the barrier. To these
may be added a third sort, called {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, which was the longest of all,
as its name implies, and was composed of several Diauli. Sometimes it
consisted of twenty-four Stadia bac