Athenaeus, pp. 153, 154. The true Hoplomachia, as described in Homer and practised apparently by the Mantineans and Cyrenaeans, must not be confounded with the later so-called Hoplomachia, competitions in which were held at the Athenian Thesea between boys of all ages as well as men, and which was regularly taught in the gymnasia by officials known as Hoplomachoi. The latter was merely a military training in the use of arms, and the competitions therein were probably as harmless as modern fencing competitions. The Spartans at all events regarded the Hoplomachia as unpractical and useless for a nation of soldiers, and Plato, though he recommends the armed combat between men in heavy or light armour as preferable to the pankration for his ideal state, yet has no great regard for the fashionable exponents and teachers of the art in his time. Plato, _Laches_ 182, _Gorg._ 456, _Leg._ 834. Cp. Dar.-Sagl, _s.v._ “Hoplomachia.” Footnote 14: _Od._ xxi. 4, 61. Footnote 15: _Il._ xi. 385. Footnote 16: _Od._ viii. 186 sq. Footnote 17: _Il._ v. 302. Footnote 18: _Il._ xii. 445. Footnote 19: _Il._ xvi. 774. In Professor Furtwängler’s reconstruction of the Aegina pediment one of the fallen warriors holds a stone which he is about to hurl. Stone-throwing by hand and with the sling is mentioned as part of the peltast’s training by Plato, _Leg._ 834 A. Footnote 20: _Il._ xxiii. 431; but cp. _Od._ viii. 189; _Il._ xxiii. 840. Footnote 21: For this interpretation of καλαῦροψ, and for the discussion of the terms diskos and solos, _vide infra_, p. 313. Footnote 22: _Il._ xxiii. 431, 529; xvi. 589. Footnote 23: _Od._ vi. 100, viii. 370. Footnote 24: _Il._ xviii. 605 (= _Od._ iv. 18). Footnote 25: _Il._ xvi. 742, 750. Footnote 26: _Il._ xv. 679. CHAPTER III THE RISE OF THE ATHLETIC FESTIVAL