Niki Filopoulou
1st special Olympic award
20th Pan-Hellenic Story Competition 20ος
“Sikeliana 2004”
Award date: 31 October
2004
The day was full of aromas, joyful. The golden wings of the sun had
hugged Rhodes tight, the emerald island of Aegean Sea Athens
to take pride in Peisidoros, his daughter’s Kallipateira’s son, who
for the first time would participate in the prestigious Olympic Games. Diagoras
had instilled in his children and grandchildren the Olympic ideals. Winner in
the Pan-Hellenic and local athletic games, he had been crowned with the branch
of the sacred Hercules’s olive tree, but also with laurel, with palm tree
leaves, with wild celery and myrtle.
Inside the manor for months they were all busy preparing all that was
necessary for the big trip. Kallipateira, widowed at a very young age, cared
for and thought only of her son. She educated him as well as she could and
willed him to follow in the steps of her father, Diagoras, the Olympic Games winner.
Her dream was to see him crowned with victory’s wild olive branch. For this
reason from break of dawn till sunset she was present at his training. She even
had bet that she would enter at the Stadium in Olympia
To hear the pointless words she was saying, young and old men shook
their heads in sorrow. For sure, they thought, her husband’s death had deprived
her of her sanity and made her believe that the impossible could happen.
Because it was known that the sacred law of Ilida would not permit the married
women come close to Olympia Typaion
Mountain
Agasos, Kallipateira's nurse, was deeply sad for the decision her
‘daughter’ had carelessly taken. Her soul tore to pieces because she had raised
her since she was a baby. But the lady did not pay any attention to the old
nurse’s fears, nor would she listen to her words. So, from that day the old
nurse, with a heavy heart, supervised the preparations for the long journey.
What else could she do!
Three months before the beginning of the Olympic Games, trumpeters and
libation-priests, heralds of Olympia Greece
In the manor’s big parlour a respectable old man, close family friend,
was offered his advice as the nurse eavesdropped .
- Kallipateira, you need to have your eyes open and your ears bended
when you set your foot on the sacred Alti of Olympia.
- My dear Ionas, thank you for caring for me. But don’t think something
bad will happen, because, if something goes wrong I will immediately leave, but
don’t worry. I will enter freely in the Stadium since during the month of the
athletes’ preparation everyone in Olympia
Hearing to those words, Agaso, makes her presence noticed and enters the
conversation.
- My daughter, what has entered your mind and you are not willing to
change it, demands guts and a lion’s heart.
- Agaso, I want to take pride of my only son too, when the olive branch
will worthily adorn his head. Only for that sacred moment I defy Helias’ laws,
even death. And since Kallianaktas, his father, has passed away, all the time
it has been I who trained him hard. Don’t I have the right to be beside the
winner? Don’t I have the right to share his joy? Where did you see the opposite
written ?
- You are right, but in that place the laws demand hard things and
commit ever worse. Why lose your life?
- No matter what you say, I am not changing my mind.
- My little Kallipateira, daughter of my heart, I nursed you, I bred
you, you are tearing my insides.
- Don’t muddle with her and do right by her. The immeasurable love she
has for you makes her talk like that. And take care, my lady, not to be seen by
eye evil and revengeful.
- Thank you, ‘mother’, for you wishes, and you, Ionas, for your advice,
but the fear is eating your inside for no reason. I have everything in my mind,
I will act with caution. I will cut my hair like men do and I will wear clothes
of a gymnast. You worry for no reason for my life.
- You spoke well my daughter. So far, it is enough and more. But how
will you hide the wild pigeons that flutter at your bosom?
- I have thought of that too, the first thing above all. I will girdle
myself on a tight belt and so my sex’s sign will hide well.
- Daughter of my heart, I wish in your journey the god of the sea, the
great Poseidon, launches a tail wind and Hera, the first goddess to bring
everything favourable and auspicious, to have good return.
So Kallipateira began her journey with her father’s companion, the three
brothers, her sister, her nephew and her son, who trained well as was, he was
going to claim the victory in Olympia harbour of Kyllini Peloponnesus ,
with no obstructions. They anchored, unloaded their belongings, harnessed mules
and horses and started with chariots drawn by four horses for Ilida.
The first night they stopped at an inn for resting. The hospitality was
exceptional distinguished. Soft coverlets, well cooked food and wine from musk
grapes, capable to raise even the dead. When the dawn painted the sky rose,
they started their trip again. The road till Olympia
- Out city was built by Latreas, son of king Pelopas and Ippodameia. It
was named after him. I am one of the lucky ones here, because there are many
stadiums and travellers spend the night in my inn, because you cannot reach Olympia
The next day they woke up light hearted and in good mood. Before they
departed, they had fruits and bread to eat. When they finished eating they took
the Sacred Road Olympia
The month of preparation for the athletes and their gymnasts was
laborious, cruel, and for Kallipateira even more so. She had to take care not
only of the curious eyes, but also pretend very well. Diagoras was watching his
grandson train, as were his uncles and his cousin. The 30 days went by and when
the much desired day arrived, it dawned with dreams and full of plans. The agony
was trickling drop by drop with the sweat on the well trained bodies of the
athletes. All the athletes believed that they would be the winners and the
branch of the Hercules’s wild olive tree would adorn their own hair.
On the first day of the games after they went to the altar of the
goddess Estia making their offers, they were headed to Vouleftirio. In front of
the sacrificed animals, on the altar of Orkios Zeus, who was holding in each
hand one golden thunder bolt, the famous Hellanodics, athletes, gymnasts and
charioteers began saying their vows swearing solemnity, proclaiming honesty.
The Hellanodics swore to keep the rules of the games and judge the athletes
fairly. The trainers, that they would perform correctly the training and the
athletes that they are free Greek people, and that they would fight fairly and
that the state has not condemned them neither for murder nor for disrespect. In
the end the athletes sprinkled the altars and the statues of the gods adorned
with flowers and branches with the blood of the sacrificed animals. For the
children and the teenagers the vows were given by their father, brother or
whoever was escorting them. Diagoras, the grandfather, took the vows for
Peisidoros. Afterwards began the registration of the athletes according to
their game, as well as the drawing of the position each athlete would take
during the oath taking.
At the entrance that leads to the Stadium and in front of an altar that
no sacrifice to any god would take place, the games of the trumpeters and the
heralds began. The trumpeters competed to the sound of the trumpet and the
heralds to the strength of the voice. The herald imposed silence to the
spectators and with a thunderous voice began saying the name of each athlete
and the name of his father and the place he was born. One by one the athletes
took one step forward and when all of them were lined, the herald asked the
people one question:
- Is there anyone that wants to report that someone of the athletes has
broken the laws of his country?
The breathing stopped at once and a deadly silence spread everywhere.
Because, if one man was there saying any accusations, the disgrace for the
athlete and the city he was born was really great. Finishing, they headed
toward the Stadium for the beginning of the games. The young - athletes would
fight without a girdle, completely naked. The same day, the Hellanodics lead to
the backward a sibling boy - who had both his parents - to cut with a golden
sickle from the Best Chaplet of Hercules’s wild olive tree many branches for
the winners’ crowns as were the number of the games. The day closed with poems
reciting, offerings to the gods and philosophical discussions.
The second day, early in the morning, the people filled the hippodrome.
The chariot race was an impressive game, founded by the same king Pelopas. All
the chariots raced at the same time the distance of fourteen stadiums,
completing twelve times the hippodrome’s circle. Horse races followed, where
according to the regulations the winner was not the charioteer or the jockey,
but the owner of the horses. In the afternoon the athletes had to compete in
five games. Running, jumping, disc throwing, javelin and wrestle. The day
finished with offerings in favour of Pelopas, protector of the chariot race
game.
The third day of the games is the most important one. By procession, the
Hellanodics, the Priests, the Sacristans, the officials and the athletes offered
their sacrifices at the altar of Orkios Zeus. The nobles of Ilia offered the hecatomb,
that is, a hundred oxes, followed by the sacristans, and the representatives of
various cities. The running games would take place in the Stadium, so everyone
headed there. The running was a game of speed and endurance lasting one stadium,
six hundred feet. The Diaulos was a distance of 2 stadiums and Dolichos a race
of 12 Diaulos, 24 stadiums.
Phoebos, leading the chariot of the Sun, circled the Sacred Alti,
casting bright rays and sending in the area of Olympia
The fourth day was dedicated to the hard games; to boxing, wrestling and
to Pagratio which was the most dangerous of all the games, because it combined
wrestle with boxing. Pagration’s athletes were also called Pammachos (i.e. ultimate
fighters). The athletes need to have bodily strength and speed. They say that Pagratio
was established by the son of king Aegeas, Thisseas, who when he was in Crete , in Labyrinth, he fought the Minotaur, the giant
monster that had a human body and a bull’s head.
In the Stadium the spectators were like ants in the line, and heroic
words of courage filled the mouths and the air. The people rushed early in the
morning to find a good spot, to sit cosily and to be able to watch the games in
the best way. The sun was burning strong and the sweat formed small rivulets on
their faces and their bodies. They didn’t even notice the beardless trainer that
entered the Stadium along with the athletes and sat in the area of the trainers,
as thousand unknown languages were heard, and no one were understanding; because
there were athletes, gymnasts, friends, relatives and spectators that had come
from distant places, outside Greece.
In a few moments the boy’s fist fighting would begin. Peisidoros would
have Damarhos the Paraseios as his opponent, an athlete from Arkadia. The fight
between them was difficult, tough, but in the end the winner was Kallipateira’s
son. His uncles, full of joy, took him in their hands and lifted him up in the
air. Nearby, the victorious Diagoras was admiring the fact that his child’s
child was the winner in the game and he would be announced an Olympic Champion.
Kallipateira, because of the unexpected victory could not hold herself
and run to embrace her child. She jumps over the barrier that was dividing the area
of the trainers from the arena, but in her haste she tangled, the belt got
loose and the tunic fell down. Everyone stood and gazed, because the naked body
that appeared was not of a man’s build, but of the Aphrodite!
The winner’s trainer is a woman! The sin was serious and the disrespect
great. There was a big murmur; voices were heard, serious accusations,
blasphemies and curses. The umpire enforced discipline and two Hellanodics
covered Kallipateira’s naked body and lead her to Vouleftirion.
The commotion settled down when the Oplitodromi, fully armed runners,
entered the Stadium. The athletes wore helmet, armour, leggings and they hold on
the right hand a sword and on the left a copper shield. Deep silence prevailed
and everything was forgotten when the armed running began. The people were
watching with great attention the athletes who were running the Diaulos running
distance in full armour and completely naked. When the games ended the Hellanodics
wrote an official paper with the names of the winners and their respective
victories. So, the Olympic winners would remain immortal for ever in the
history of the Olympic Games.
With respect but also excess courage, Diagoras’ daughter talks at the
Vouleftirion for the glory of her generation. And asks the Ilian nobles and the
Hellanodics for a ‘privilege’, because she is not, she says, like the other
women and demands to waive the rule of the sacred law she violated.
- My name is
Kallipateira and I have a glorious father with an honoured name. He is Diagoras
of Damagitos, king of Ialysos, grandson of the Eratides royal generation. A renowned
boxer. He was crowned by a worthy Olympic champion’s and Lykaion winner’s hands.
He was the winner at the games of Pythia, Isthmia, Nemea
and Lykaion. His statue, a work of Kallikles from Megara Nemea and one at Pythia. Apart
from that, he had three Olympic victories at Pagratio. A famous Periodonikis,
as our father was. I have a nephew, Eukleas, who was crowned Olympic champion
in the boys’ fist game. What else to say? Which other Greek generation is
crowned with the olive branch of Victory and Glory so many times as the
generation of Diagorides?
Respectful old men of Ilida and you Hellanodics, do not allow the blood
of an Olympic champion’s mother to be spilled and stain the Olympic Games.
And saying those words the brave Rhodian woman she lofty moved out.
Peisidoros encouraged her by holding her tight in his arms, and the bystanders
respectfully gave her space to walk by. In one corner was standing her father
sorrowful and a bit further her brothers and her nephew, all sunk in sorrow. As
the day began to descend the sky’s stairwell, Ilida’s nobles and the
Hellanodics came to a decision.
- Their opinion was unanimous and not divided in two. So, the Sacred
Council decided not to apply Ilida’s law, announced the oldest Hellanodic.
Everyone’s heart was relieved with a sigh of joy and said that the state
and its nobles took a righteous decision. Diagoras shed tears of emotion, so
the children and his grandchildren, and after a while all together were headed
to the altar of Zeus for benedictive offerings.
The incident with Kallipateira made the Ilian nobles to form a law
specifying that on the days of the Olympic Games apart of the athletes that
entered the Stadium naked, so would their trainers.
After dinner the men retreated to Leonidaio, the women went to the women’s
hostelry and Peisidoros at the athletes’ quarter.
The fifth day would be the crowning of the Olympic Games winners. The
morning began with offerings as the first day. In the Stadium the people waited
anxiously. The Gymnasiarch was leading the way and the Hellanodics were
following, all dressed with scarlet chlamys. The Priests and the Sacristans
were following. The crowd with impetuous enthusiasm was cheering the appearance
of the winners. The Umpire raises his sceptre high and the Herald opens his month
and the names of the Olympic Winners rise in the skies.
The oldest Hellanodic crowns the heads of the worthy champions with the
Olive Branch, which is thallium, that is, a branch from the Hercules’s wild
olive tree tied with blond hair. In the end the winners were lead to the altar
of the goddess Hestia for the bloodless sacrifice. And before the sun retrieved
to the rooms of the west, the state of Ilida set a table at Prytaneio. They held
a dinner with all the goods of Zeus for the Olympic Winners, the Hellanodics
and Priests, the Judges and Sacristans, the officials and the past Olympic champions.
The abundant night was brightened with paeans and hymns with the accompaniment
of flute, and lasted till the first light of the new day.
The news of Peisidoros’ winning already had reached the port of Kyllini Rhodes ! And it was not only that. They would raise his
statue in the Sacred Alti, next to the one of her glorious father.
The next dawn they lifted their anchor and set the sails. The steer man
began to sing a sea-song and the oarsmen pulled at the oars rhythmic, singing
happy songs. The return journey seemed like an endless eon. When Rhodes appeared in the distance they lighted the torches
and raised white sails. Both, were signs of victory.
Peisidoros walks proudly wearing on his blond hair the Olive Branch of
Glory. On his right Diagoras, his mother at the side of his heart, his uncles,
his aunt and his cousin, all, one step behind. The wind was full of cheers,
cries of joy and triumphs. As the Olympic Winner was passing by they were
throwing at him fragrant flowers and the young men were breaking down the walls
so the four horse-chariot of the winner would get through them. Really, why
would they need the walls since the island had an Olympic Winner? In the face
of the brave mother tears of pride were shinning as the world was welcoming
with so much love and such admiration her only son.
Really, how this had escaped her mind? What she had asked from the
Heavens, was given to her. They had to go first of all to the temple of Zeus
So Kallipateira did what she had to do. She gathered them and all together
took the road for the Temple
On the road while they were walking she heard behind her a familiar
voice saying:
- What best could you ask from the Heavens this holy moment that you
live, my daughter?
The tearful eyes of the old nurse were saying it all. Kallipateira tilts
on her embrace and utterly happy whispers:
- Nothing else, mother, nothing else...
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