Page 12 - Olympism in Socialism

OLYMPIC GAMES

ANCIENT OLYMPIC GAMES

The Olympic Games were held once in four
years on the full moon day in the month of August
or September at Olympia in Greece in honour of
their God Zeus. Poets tell tales of Zeus who was
considered the most important of all the Olympic
Gods. He was originally worshipped as a God of
meteorological change. He quickly became the
God of fertility however and was worshipped as
Zeus the “infernal” (khthonios) or “farmer”
(georgos). As Zeus the possessor (ktesios), he
offered a good harvest; As Zeus the father (pater),
he protected the family and all who lived nearby.
He was thus honoured on the altar in the
courtyard. As Zeus the brother (fratius), he
protected blood relations and as Zeus the patron
saint (poliouhos), the whole town. Before long
Zeus was worshipped as a supreme being of
prudence and wisdom who determined the fate of
man and justly set the moral order of the world.
Homer sings of pelops, Zeus, winning the hand of
Hippodamia in a near fatal chariot race and
celebrating which were inaugurated by kindling a
sacrificial fire in worship of Zeus with a torch
which was lit by the rays of the Sun. Later the
sacrifice and eating of a small boy was also
introduced to induce patroclus, the Trojan war
hero to resurrect. The games in ensuing years

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