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CHAPTER SEVEN.
Various games in which enthusiasts were
trained, enumerated:
§ I.
The enthusiasts were trained in the exercise schools by means of these, namely in running, boxing, wrestling, long jump, and discus throwing, which made up the solemn games, or which were mainly practiced during the Olympic Games. But besides these, there were various others, which were not as famous and solemn, and were partly later inventions. Hofmannus collected most of them from Mercurialis and others and presented them in the following mixed form. (Hofmannus, Lexicon Universale, under the entry Gymnastica)
§ II.
FINGER WRESTLING, a wrestling with the ends of the hands, so that no other part of the body but the fingers was touched. In this game Sostratus once excelled, so that he bore the title FINGER WRESTLER, according to Pausanias. (Pausanias, Eliaca I, 6) This kind of combat game was also widely used among the ancient Celts, according to Posidonius. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 3, chap. 5)
§ III.
IRON BALL GAME, which Avicenna mentions, a game in which the ball was bounced back and forth with woven iron rackets; from which the MALLET BALL GAME did not differ much, because in this, the ball was bounced with wooden mallets. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 3, chap. 8)
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§ IV.
BOXING, being one of the five Olympic games; therefore, it is dealt with in more detail in the relevant place.
§ V.
WALKING, which was governed with great care and precision. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 2, chap. 2)
§ VI.
WHEEL RACING, which is the driving of a wheel, with which the wheel game was the same or similar. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 3, chap. 8)
§ VII.
RUNNING, also one of the five main Olympic games; therefore, we will also deal with this in more detail in the relevant place.
§ VIII.
PULLING AWAY, in which someone stood still and the opponent tried to pull him from his spot; in which the strong Milo proved to be a master, as he could not be moved from the discus on which he stood by any opposing force. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 3, chap. 5)
§ IX.
TUGGING GAME, a training game for boys, in which they tug against each other. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 3, chap. 5) (Julius Pollux, book 9, chap. 7)
§ X.
DISCUS THROWING, playing with it was also one of the five famous types of games and is therefore dealt with elsewhere. Throwing with stones, spears, and so on, was almost the same. (Plato in Theaetetus)
§ XI.
EXERCISE, so-called separately, in which one person attacked another, who was bending towards him, from the side and grabbed him around the soft part of the abdomen; or, in which one person pushed an lifted weight back and forth against the other. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 3, chap. 5)
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abdomen; or, which pushed an lifted weight back and forth against the other.
§ XII.
ROPE CLIMBING and ROPE DANCING; with this, the game called JUMPING ROPE was the same. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 3, chap. 5; Hesychius under the entry) (Julius Pollux, book 3, chap. 5)
§ XIII.
CARRYING, which was done on a stretcher, a sedan chair, on hanging beds, and in cradles. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 3, chap. 11, 12)
§ XIV.
SWORD FIGHTING.
§ XV.
DUMBBELL GAME, the game with the dumbbells. However, because this is partly similar to discus throwing, we will explain it when we deal with that.
§ XVI.
ARMED MOCK COMBAT, or mock weapon combat and duel.
§ XVII.
WRESTLING. This is also one of the five famous types of games. So see elsewhere.
§ XVIII.
LONG ROPE: a swinging device. Perhaps the same as the SPRINGBOARD and the SWING. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 3, chap. 8)
§ XIX.
FIRM HANDSHAKE, the firm squeezing of the hand, while the opponent tried to break it open. The aforementioned Milo again proved to be the master in this, as he could hold a pomegranate so tightly in his clenched hand without damaging it, that no one could snatch it from him, except for his mistress, who was also experienced in the art. (Aelianus, Varia Historia, book 2, chap. 24)
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§ XX.
The combat game of interlocked and hooked fingers. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 3, chap. 5, towards the end)
§ XXI.
DANCE, being of three kinds. The first was called ACROBATIC DANCE, in which one jumped while bending the hands and legs to the head in different ways. The second, BALL JUMPING, in which one played with the ball while jumping. (Aristotle, Poetics) The third, the separately so-called DANCE, a graceful movement of the limbs, in a certain way and measure, to imitate the customs, inclinations, and deeds of people. The WEAPON DANCE can also be counted here. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 2, chap. 7)
§ XXII.
ALL-AROUND COMBAT: a mixed game, consisting of boxing and wrestling, and therefore belonging to the five great and customary Olympic games.
§ XXIII.
VOICE EXERCISE: exercise of the voice. The trainers were called VOICE COACHES.
§ XXIV.
PENDULUM RUN: when someone in the sixth part of the race track, the so-called FURLONG, ran back and forth, each time shortening the distance, until he stood still. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 3, chap. 5)
§ XXV.
GESTURE GAME: magical-like movement of the hands and feet. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 3, chap. 5)
§ XXVI.
LAUGHTER and SHOUTING: the exercise in laughter and shouting. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 3, chap. 7)
§ XXVII.
MOCK COMBAT: the fight against the shadow, air, wall, column, and so on.
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§ XXVIII.
BREATH HOLDING: the controlling and holding of the breath.
§ XXIX.
WRESTLING: which was also one of the famous five.
§ XXX.
To this are added the SEA COMBAT GAME, FISHING, and suchlike, which we will not now discuss one by one.
§ XXXI.
The BATHS, with their anointings, rubbings, currying, etc., are also to be counted among the exercises of the exercise school.
§ XXXII.
However, since in these types of games various have been named that we will not or will hardly encounter again later, we have decided to present the images of them, which can be found in Mercurialis, according to the letters A, B, C to the reader for clarification.
A. Shows the ball game. There were four types of balls; namely: the AIR BALL, made of chamois leather and filled with pure air; the TRIANGLE BALL; the VILLAGE BALL; the TUG BALL, a ball with which one played in the heavy sand, which was a man's job and surpassed the strength of women. (Mercurialis, De Arte Gymnastica, book 2, chap. 5)
B. The WHEEL: this has a bell, eight rings, nine in-and-out shooting teeth, to make more noise.
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C. PULLING AWAY. For example, Milo stood so firmly on the discus that he could not be pulled or pushed off it by anyone.
D. ROPE CLIMBING and rope dancing.
E. THE SWINGING GAME.
F. WEAPON DANCE, sword dance.
G. THE CONTROLLING and holding of the breath.
H. THE BATH with the curry combs and various other tools.