.

It is obvious that these chariot-races could not be run without some
danger; for as the motion(146) of the wheels was very rapid, and it was
requisite to graze against the boundary in turning, the least error in
driving would have broken the chariot in pieces, and might have
dangerously wounded the charioteer. An example of which we find in the
_Electra_ of Sophocles, who gives an admirable description of a
chariot-race run by ten competitors. The pretended Orestes, at the twelfth
and last round, which was to decide the victory, having only one
antagonist, the rest having been thrown out, was so unfortunate as to
break one of his wheels against the boundary, and falling out of his seat
entangled in the reins, the horses dragged him violently forwards along
with them, and tore him to pieces. But this very seldom happened. To avoid
such danger, Nestor gave the following directions to his son Antilochus,
who was going to dispute the prize in the chariot-race.(147) "My son,"
says he, "drive your horses as near as possible to the boundary; for which
reason, always inclining your body over your chariot, get the left of your
competitors, and encouraging the horse on the right, give him the rein,
whilst the near horse, hard held, turns the boundary so close that the
nave of the wheel seems to graze upon it; but have a care of running
against the stone, lest you wound your horses, and dash the chariot in
pieces."

Father Montfaucon mentions a difficulty, in his opinion of much
consequence, in regard to the places of those who contended for the prize
in the chariot-race. They all started indeed from the same line, and at
the same time, and so far had no advantage of each other; but he, whose
lot gave him the first place, being nearest the boundary at the end of the
career, and having but a small compass to describe in turning about it,
had less way to make than the second, third, fourth, &c. especially when
the chariots were drawn by four horses, which took up a greater space
between the first and the others, and obliged them to make a larger circle
in coming round. This advantage twelve times together, as must happen,
admitting the Stadium was to be run round twelve times, gave such a
superiority to the first, as seemed to assure him infallibly of the
victory against all his competitors. To me it seems, that the fleetness of
the horses, joined with the address of the driver, might countervail this
odds; either by getting bef