The only vase which could possibly represent this position is a r.-f. skyphos reproduced in _J.H.S._ xxiii. p. 283. It represents a hoplitodromos leaning forward, his right hand resting on the ground. But it will be remarked that his feet are in the usual position, level with the pillar where the starting lines should be. Opposite stands an official in the attitude shown in Fig. 47, and I am now inclined to think that the runner in practising a start has overbalanced himself, and that the official is telling him to get back to his mark. Footnote 481: _J.H.S._ xxiii. pp. 269 ff. Footnote 482: _Jahrb._ 1886, Pl. ix. Cp. Dr. Hauser in _Jahrb._ 1887 and 1895; M. A. de Ridder in _B.C.H._, 1897; criticisms on the same in _J.H.S._ _l.c._ Footnote 483: _Bull. Nap. nouv. sér._ vi. 7; _J.H.S._ _l.c._ p. 270, Fig. 1. Footnote 484: The passages relating to the ὕσπληξ are collected by me in _J.H.S._ xxiii. p. 263. To these may be added, Bekker, _Anecd._ 220, 31 βαλβίς. Ξῦλα δύο τῶν δρομέων ἀφ’ ὧν σχοινίον τί διατέταται, ὃ καλεῖται βαλβίς, ἵνα ἐνεῦθεν ἐκδράμωσιν οἱ ἀγωνιζόμενοι; Fränckel, _Antiq. Pergam._ viii. 1, p. 8, 10, epigram on the victory of Attalus in the chariot-race; Schol. to Aristoph. _Eq._ 1159 βαλβίς· ἡ ὑπὸ τὴν ὕσπληγα γενομένη γράμμη. Footnote 485: _Lysist._ 1000. Footnote 486: Ditt. _Syll._ 2nd Ed., 688; Ἐφ. Ἀρχ., 1884, 169. Footnote 487: Lycophron 13 βαλβῖδα μηρίνθου σχάσας. Footnote 488: _J.H.S._ _l.c._ p. 264. Footnote 489: _Anth. Pal._ ix. 557. Footnote 490: Schol. to Aristoph. _Eq._ 1159 βαλβὶς δὲ καλεῖται τὸ ἐν τῇ ἄρχῃ τοῦ δρόμου κείμενον ἐγκαρσίως ξῦλον, ὃ καὶ ἀφετήριον καλεῖται, ὅπερ μετὰ τὸ ἐτοιμασθῆναι τοὺς δρομέας εἰς τὸ δραμεῖν ἀφαιρούμενοι ἀφίεσαν τρέχειν. Footnote 491: This is the method for drawing the ties for wrestling and boxing described by Lucian, _Hermotim_, 40. Footnote 492: Pausanias, vi. 13, 2. The text of the passage is unfortunately corrupt. Footnote 493: Strabo, vi. 12. Footnote 494: Out of fifteen such vases, one has two runners, three have three, three have five, and eight have four. The number four is more usual also in representations of the longer races. Footnote 495: Krause, _Gym._ p. 363. _J.H.S._ _l.c._ p. 262. In Vergil Nisus trips Salius, _Aen._ v. 335; in Statius, vi. 616, Idas seizes Parthenopaeus by the hair. More important is a passage in Lucian, _Calumn. non temere cred._ 12 ἄναθλος ἀνταγωνιστὴς ἀπογνοὺς τὴν ἐκ τοῦ τάχους ἐλπίδα ἐπὶ τὴν κακοτεχνίαν ἐτράπετο καὶ τοῦτο μόνον ἐξ ἅπαντος σκοπεῖ ὅπως τὸν τρέχοντα ἐπιοχὼν ἣ ἐμποδίσας ἐπιστομιεῖ. Cp. Cicero, _de Officiis_, iii. 10. Footnote 496: It is unnecessary to repeat here the arguments on which these conclusions are based. They are stated fully in _J.H.S._ xxiii. p. 267. Footnote 497: