ity. This may indicate the practice among the an- cient Israelites of games somewhat similar to the jousts and tournaments of the Middle Ages. On the subject of dancing, see Michaelis, Mosuhche Eecht, article 197. No trace is found in Hebrew antiq- uity of any of the ordinary' games of skill or hazard which are so numerous in the Western world. Dice are mentioned by the Talmudists (Mishna, Sanhedr. iii, 3; Shahb. xxiii, 2), probably introduced from Egypt (Wilkinson, ii, 424); and, if we assume that the He- brews imitated, as not improbably they did, other amusements of their neighbors, we might add such games as odd and even, viora (the viicare digltis of the Komans), draughts, hoops, catching balls, etc. (Wilkin- son, i, 188). If it be ol)jected that such trifling amuse- ments were inconsistent with the gravity of the He- brews, it may be remarked that the amusements of the Arabians at the present daj' are equally trifling, such as blind man's bufl^", hiding the ring, etc. (Wcllsted's Arabia, i, IGO). See Spokt.
2. AVith regard to manly games, the)' were not much followed up by the Hebrews ; the natural earnestness of their character and the influence of the climate alike indisposed them to active exertion. The chief amuse- ment of the m?n appears to have consisted in conver- sation and joking (Jer. xv, 17; Prov. xxvi, 19). The military exercise noticed above in 2 Sam. ii, 14, if in- tended as a sport, it must have resembled the jerid, with the exception of the combatants not being mount- ed ; Ijut it is more consonant to the sense of the pas- sage to give the term there used the sense oT fencing or Jir/hting (Thenius, Comm. ad loc). Even among the ac- tive Egyptians, however, whose games have been fig- ured on their mural taljlets, we find little that sug- gests a comparison with the vigorous contests of the Grecian games. One of the most remarkable is the following, showing what appears to be play with the single-stick (Wilkinson, i, 206). In some instances
.\ncient Egyptians Ftnciug.
wrestling or similar athletic exercises are exhibited on the Egj-ptian monuments, and even women are rep- resented as tuml)ling in like sportive manner ; but
Ancient Egyptian Men swinging Women round by the Arms.
GAMES
Y31
GAMES
their favorite sport appears to have been the more ss- date t^aine of draughts, which even royalty did not dis- dain to share (Wilkinson, i, 189 sq.). Sec Play.
3. Public games were altoj;ether foreign to tlie spirit of Hebrew institutions; the great religious festivals supplied the pleasurable excitement and the feelings of national union -which rendered the games of Greece so popular, and at the same time inspired the persua- sion that such gatherings should be exclusively con- nected with religious duties. Accordingly', the erec- tion of a fjymnasium by Jason, in which the discus was chiefly practised, was looked upon as a heathenish pro- ceeding (1 Mace, i, 14 ; 2 Mace, iv, 12-14), and the sub- sequent erection by Herod of a theatre and amphithe- atre at Jerusalem (Josephus, Ant. xv, 8, 1), as well as at Ca;sarea {Ant. xv, 9, G ; War, i, 21, 8) and at Bery- tus {Ant. xix, 7, 5), in each of which a quinquennial festival in honor of Cassar was celebrated with the usual contests in gymnastics, chariot-races, music, and with wild beasts — was viewed with the deepest aversion by the general body of the Jews (.4?^^ xv, 8, 1). In tlie Old Testament two passages contain a clear reference to games : Psa. xix, 5, " Eejoiceth as a strong man to run a race ;" Eccl. ix, 11, "I said that the race is not to the swift." The entire absence of verbal or historical reference to this subject, however, in the Gospels shows how little it entered into the life of the Jews. Some of the foreign Jews, indeed, im- bibed a taste for theatrical representations ; Josephus {Life, 3) speaks of one Aliturus, an actor of farces (/<(- /(oXdyor), who was in high favor with Nero. (See Eich- horn, De Jmkeor. re scenica, in the Comment. Gcetting. Sec.)
(II.) Among the Greeks, on the other hand, and subsequently among the Romans likewise, the rage for theatrical exhibitions was such that every city of any size possessed its theatre and stadium. At Ephesus an annual contest (ayoJi' ica'i yvi^wiKOQ icai uovaiKoc, Thuc3'd. iii, 104) was held in honor of Diana, which was superintended by officers named 'Aaidpxai (Acts xix, 31 ; A. V. "chief of Asia"). See Asiarch. It is possible that Paul was present when tliese games were proceeding, as thej' were celebrated in the month of May (see Conybeare and Howson's St. Paul, ii, 82) ; but this hardly agrees with the notes of time in Acts x>-, 1-3, IG.
1. Roman Beast-fights and Gladiatorial Shows.- — (1.) A direct reference to the exhibitions that took place on such occasions is made in the term t0/;p o/(a'Y'//(Ta, "I fought with beasts" (1 Cor. xv, 32). The yjjpic- l-inxia or beast-fight {venatio in Latin) constituted among the Romans a part of the amusements of the circus or amphitheatre. It consisted in the combat of human beings with animals. The persons destined to this barbarous kind of amusement were termed Bi]ow- {.laxoi, bestiarii. They were generally of two classes : 1. Voluntary, that is, persons who fought either for amusement or for pay : they were clothed and provi- ded with offensive and defensive weapons. 2. Con-