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TWELFTH CHAPTER.
The true advantages of the Olympic victors. A brief summary of them by Tertullian. The first, the dowry or gift, which was small. Furthermore, gold and copper crowns. Also, public privileges. Freedom from all civil and public burdens, etcetera. Meals at the expense of the country or city in the prytaneum. What this was and among which peoples it was found. Hercules as a trailblazer for this. When these meals took place. An annual allowance in food was also given. Sometimes in money. A provision made about this. The right to mint money was granted. Also, the right of free asylum. Cities of refuge. From among them, generals or admirals were often chosen. Conclusion.
§. I.
Until now, we have looked at various honors, most of which, and the last in particular, are foolish and vain. What remains is that we now address the true advantages of the Olympic victors: advantages which, although they are also merely earthly, must, however, for those who judge correctly, lend the most luster and esteem to the vain crown and fleeting honors. (lib. 3. c. 7. §. 6.)
§. II.
It has already been said that Tertullian called these advantages dowry, public privileges, and civil pensions, that is, GIFT, PUBLIC PRIVILEGES, CIVIL PENSIONS. (Tertullian at the cited place)
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For we believe that under these [names] from that learned African everything that may be called a privilege or advantage of the Olympic victors is included. And therefore, on this occasion, we will present to the enthusiast and reader of these matters, if not all, then at least several, as they come to mind.
§. III.
The first advantage, then, among the Greeks, was the so-called gift or offering, among the Latins, dowry, the same, according to Faber's explanation, as a gratuity, that is, a present, or a gift of a little copper or money; (Faber Agon. book 2. chapter 9.) which did not make the victor richer than the steward of a rich man, as the same Faber asserts and as we have said elsewhere on another occasion. Because it was such a trifle and enriched so little, it was considered by the Romans merely a gratuity, an alms. Yet it was still something.
§. IV.
Upon returning home, the victors were presented with gold and copper crowns, which were indeed valuable. Paschalius confirms this (Paschalius, de Coronis, book 6, chapter 8.) from Aemilius Probus, for whom we prefer to cite Cornelius Nepos, (C. Nepos in Alcibiades chapter 6.) who speaks as follows with regard to ALCIBIADES: when he disembarked, although Theramenes and Thrasybulus had commanded the same matters and arrived at Piraeus at the same time, he alone was followed by everyone, and what had never happened before, except for the victors of Olympia, he was universally presented with gold and copper crowns by the people. That is: This (ALCIBIADES), having stepped out of the ship, although Theramenes and Thrasybulus had commanded the same expedition and arrived at the harbor at the same time, was honored by everyone alone, and, what was never the custom except for the Olympic victors, he was generally presented with gold and
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copper crowns. I know that some read headbands instead of copper ones (Muretus, Variae Lectiones 15. 7.), that is, instead of copper crowns, bandages, ribbons, because it seems absurd that Nepos descends from (Boeclerus in Noten bij Nepos in Alcibiades) gold to copper. But to this we can reply that Nepos, in speaking so, does so with a distinction between richer and poorer people: for without a doubt the richer ones gave golden crowns, and the poor, to show their respect, what they could afford, namely copper ones. Be that as it may, it is at least clear from this passage that the Olympic victors were presented with golden crowns. This could be called an advantage: and perhaps father Tertullian also understands this crown under the word dowry, GIFT.
§. V.
Furthermore, they obtained public privileges, PUBLIC PRIVILEGES, which not only the aforementioned Tertullian, but also Suetonius mentions, (Suetonius in Augustus chapter 45.) saying about AUGUSTUS: He both retained and expanded the privileges of the athletes. That is: And He allowed and increased the privileges of the champions. So also the emperors HONORIUS and THEODOSIUS, speaking about these matters, called them a privilege: (Codex Theodosianus book 1. on who etc.) just as ANTONINUS called it a benefit.
§. VI.
Among these public privileges, the following stand out.
First, freedom from all civil and public burdens, as well as from all payments, and exemption and release from every profession, office, trade; according to this law which is cited by Faber: (Faber Agon. book 1. chapter 1.) Athletes are granted exemption from civil duties only when it is proven that they have fought their whole life, been crowned with no fewer than three crowns from the sacred competition, including at least once in Rome or in ancient Greece, and that by merit, without bribing or persuading opponents, according to custom. That is: Only then are the champions, according to custom, granted the exemption from all civil burdens, if it is proven that they have fought their whole life, have been crowned with no fewer than three
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crowns of the sacred struggle, either in Rome or in ancient Greece, and that by merit, without bribery or scheming by the adversaries. See also from the same Faber elsewhere on this: (The same, at the same place, book 2, chapter 17.) who first notes in the words of the law that, because such an exemption was to the detriment of the community, therefore the further provisions and requirements are added, namely that one must have fought their whole life, have been crowned with three crowns, and so on, and must not have committed bribery: so that in this way this favor would not fall to deceivers, of whom there are many, but to sincere, legitimate claimants, and thus to few, so that the state would suffer all the less damage.
§. VII.
Secondly, they were publicly fed () at the expense of the country and the city in the house that the Greeks called the prytaneum, which word means something like a large city hall or council house, in which not only the council chambers, but also other rooms for other purposes were found, and in particular also for feeding prominent people, to honor them greatly.
() When Revelation 2:17 speaks of the hidden manna and of the white stone, some believe that this alludes to this feeding at the expense of the community, whereby such a white stone was given to the victor as a pledge that he was granted such an allowance. See Polus on Revelation 2:17, from Pererius, Grotius, Hammondus.
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Such a dining hall in the great city hall was had not only by the Eleans, but also by the Athenians, Spartans, and others. As for the Eleans, Pausanias notes this: (Pausanias book 5.)
The Eleans have a dining room, and that is inside the council house opposite the hearth; in this house they feed those who have won the Olympic Games. That is: The Eleans have a dining room, and that is inside the council house opposite the hearth, in this house they feed those who have won the Olympic Games. This is appropriate to what Athenaeus recounts from a certain old Greek poet, as follows:
Lest I waste the day in vain, I will tell the greatest praises of the flatterers; they go to meals fearlessly and feast cheerfully, as if they are eating as Olympic victors in the prytaneum. etcetera.
That is:
Lest I needlessly squander the day,
I will briefly tell the greatest things people ever knew
In praise of flatterers,
They go, without shame, to all tables
And feast there cheerfully, they are seated,
Like Olympic victors who eat at the city hall.
HERCULES had paved the way for this in ancient times, when he, in the beginning, in accordance with the simplicity of things, arranged a demarcated square as an eating place to entertain the Olympic victors. Pindar recalls this in his ode in honor of the Locrian AGESIDAMUS, a boxer, when he sings about HERCULES: (Pindar Ode 10.)
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That is:
However, he immediately designed
A very spacious square all around,
As a dining hall to entertain
The victorious Olympic Lords.
Faber notes (Faber Agon. book 2. chapter 17.) that this public entertainment in the Olympic prytaneum was offered to the victors not throughout the year, but at each Olympiad, and perhaps for as long as the games lasted. We may also think, first, that there, for the first time, the victor, of whatever nationality he was, as soon as he had won, was received in the company of previous victors. Second, that on that day, when the new victor was entertained, the entertainment for all would have been all the more magnificent. Third, that then every victor was further splendidly entertained in his own city at the city hall upon his first arrival, and perhaps also annually, or after the fourth year, when the Olympiad took place again, in memory of his victory and the fame that had been brought to the state thereby. For example again at ATHENS, SPARTA, and elsewhere.
§. VIII.
In addition to the meals at the city hall, the Olympic victors were usually given an annual allowance in food, which the Greeks called feeding and the Latins annual provisions. And these provisions were given not only to the strong and flourishing victors, but also to the very old and decrepit until their last breath, and sometimes even to their descendants. This is proven by Faber (Faber Agon. book 2. chapter 18.)
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from Dionysius of Halicarnassus, (Dionysius of Halicarnassus) and Aelianus (Aelianus, on animals, book 6, chapter 49.) Paschalius (Paschalius, book 6, chapter 7.) from Plato. (Plato, the republic, book 5.)
§. IX.
And these provisions were not always given in actual grain and food, but often also in money, which the victors could then use as they wished. And this sum of money, intended for the victors, became over time so large and excessive in some states, and in particular in Athens, that SOLON withdrew a part of it, and made a regulation and proper provision for the rest regarding the victors of all four Greek games: nevertheless so, that he allocated more to the Olympic victors than to the Isthmian and so on. Diogenes Laërtius shows this (Diogenes Laërtius in Solon.) with these words:
He set five hundred drachmas for the Olympic victor, one hundred for the Isthmian, and for the others in proportion. That is: He set five hundred drachmas for the Olympic victor, one hundred for the Isthmian, and so on in proportion for all the others. Plutarch also recounts the same, saying: (Plutarch in Solon.)
The Isthmian victor received one hundred drachmas, the Olympic five hundred. That is: He determined that the Isthmian victor received one hundred drachmas, the Olympic victor five hundred. This is what CALLISTHENES also means, (The same in Aristides.) when he voted that POLICRITA, daughter of LYSIMACHUS, would be given as much food or allowance as the Olympic victors, therefore five hundred drachmas.
§. X.
When this annual allowance was given in money, we may think that this is what Tertullian means in particular with CIVIL PENSIONS, although perhaps other money gifts and income are also included.
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§. XI.
But furthermore: among the privileges was also this, that the Olympic victors, at least some of them, were allowed to mint money and stamp signs of their victory on it. Paschalius confirms this (Paschalius, de Coronis, book 6, chapter 7.) from Pollux (Pollux book 5. chapter 12.) with the example of ANAXILAS of Rhegium: for this man, having won with the four-horse chariot races, had the chariot struck on one side of the coin, and a hare on the other side: for the reason, they say, that it was considered an honor for him to have brought the first hare to Sicily. Minting money is still a royal prerogative or a privilege of the highest government of the country.
§. XII.
Here was added the right of asylum, the right of free refuge and safety, so that the victor could cover and protect fleeing criminals: which was in ancient times among the pagans the privilege of consecrated forests, temples, altars, tombs, effigies of the emperors, the houses of kings, and the like: as is evident from what has been noted about this by Rittershusius (G. Rittershusius, on the right of asylum, chapter 31.) and other writers. However, this is not the place to deal with it more extensively, nor to speak of the cities of refuge that the Lord, as Moses reports, (Moses, Numbers 35: 10.) ordained under the Old Testament, so that someone who had accidentally, unintentionally, killed another, might flee to one of those cities and hide themselves. That the Olympic victors also enjoyed this privilege of free refuge is evident from what Plutarch testifies about the Nemean victors, namely that they were honored with this privilege. All the more so the Olympic victors, who far surpassed the others in esteem and worth, and therefore also in honors and privileges. See Paschalius. (Paschalius at the cited place)
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§. XIII.
Finally, it gave the victors a great advantage when from their number generals and admirals or fleet commanders were often chosen to command entire armies and fleets, and the entire command of the war was entrusted to them, as Paschalius again testifies, (Paschalius book 6. chapter 8.) who confirms his assertion from Strabo, (Strabo book 13.) Aristides, (Aristides in Panathenaicus) Diodorus Siculus (Diodorus Siculus book 12.) and others with the example of PHRYNO, of crowned victors who fought in the front rank against the army of Darius, and of MILO, as follows, saying: From the list of such victors etc.
That is: from the list of such victors, the generals were sometimes chosen, who were put in command of the entire war effort. Following which example the Athenians appointed the Olympic victor PHRYNO as commander of the fleet to conquer SIGAEUM. From those troops, which the same Athenians sent against the approaching army of DARIUS, the prize-winning crowned ones (that is, Olympic victors) are named as the first, so that they would fight all the better, as they showed higher courage. Diodorus Siculus reports that that very famous warrior of the Crotoniates, who went to war against the Sybarites, was chosen as general because he had been honored with six Olympic crowns. Add to that that he had carried a lifted bull through the middle of the field. This man, then, decked out with a club and lion skin, and boasting of six crowns, has, when he came to the flat field, defeated and routed the mutineers.
§. XIV.
See, what advantages the crown brought! For they rose to the high rank of generalship, and consequently to those profits that fall to the leaders of the armies and the commanders of the troops. Having now considered this high pinnacle of the victor's advantage,
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and having already trodden in so many arenas, and tired from viewing so many crowns, honors, and showpieces, and high advantages, we no longer have the desire to look for and show others of a similar kind, believing that the reader will also admit to having seen enough to satisfy his curiosity. And herewith taking our leave, we wish the same prosperity.
END