were exhibited racing, the gymnastic combats, and the
contentions for the prizes of music and poetry. Ten commissaries, elected
from the ten tribes, presided on this occasion, to regulate the forms, and
distribute the rewards to the victors. This festival continued several
days.

In the morning of the first day a race was run on foot, in which each of
the runners carried a lighted torch in his hand, which they exchanged
continually with each other without interrupting their race. They started
from the Ceramicus, one of the suburbs of Athens, and crossed the whole
city. The first that came to the goal, without having put out his torch,
carried the prize. In the afternoon they ran the same course on horseback.

The gymnastic or athletic combats followed the races. The place for that
exercise was upon the banks of the Ilissus, a small river, which runs
through Athens, and empties itself into the sea at the Piraeus.

Pericles first instituted the prize of music. In this dispute were sung
the praises of Harmodius and Aristogiton who, at the expense of their
lives, delivered Athens from the tyranny of the Pisistratidae; to which was
afterwards added the eulogium of Thrasybulus, who expelled the thirty
tyrants. The prize was warmly disputed, not only amongst the musicians,
but still more so amongst the poets; and it was highly glorious to be
declared victor in this contest. AEschylus is reported to have died with
grief upon seeing the prize adjudged to Sophocles, who was much younger
than himself.

These exercises were followed by a general procession, wherein was
carried, with great pomp and ceremony, a sail, embroidered with gold, on
which were curiously delineated the warlike actions of Pallas against the
Titans and Giants. This sail was affixed to a vessel which bore the name
of the goddess. The vessel, equipped with sails, and with a thousand oars,
was conducted from the Ceramicus to the temple of Eleusis, not by horses
or beasts of draught, but by machines concealed in the bottom of it, which
put the oars in motion, and made the vessel glide along.

The march was solemn and majestic. At the head of it were old men, who
carried olive-branches in their hands, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GR