The road to Olympia : origins of the Olympic Games / by Andre Bernand

London : Periplus, 2003. First Edition. Hardcover. An exceptional copy; fine in an equally fine dw, now mylar-sleeved. Particularly and surprisingly well-preserved; tight, bright, clean and especially sharp-cornered. Literally as new.; 300 pages; Physical desc. : 300 p. : col. ill., map ; 32 cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. 287-293) and index. Translated from the French by John Flower and Rima Devereaux. Subject: Sport --Greece --History --Olympic games (Ancient). Summary: The Olympic Games invented and organised by the Ancient Greeks teach us important lessons. An Olympic truce suspended hostilities and bloodletting for their duration. A whole idea of what it means to be a man, a whole culture and philosophy, was shaped by these competitions, which testified above all to man's overwhelming ambition, his need to push the limits of his abilities and surpass himself. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of ancient texts and iconography, Professor Bernard makes the case for the festive, brotherly and spectacular side of the competitions, where both physical and mental attributes were equally important to the underlying ideals of beauty and courage. The winner brought honour to himself, his family, his city and to the gods. The Games became a national as well as local institution, developing in an atmosphere of goodwill and joy where only one competitor could hope for glory the victor.