download - IOA

Ancient Isthmia
After speeding along the new motor highway along the shores of
the Saronic Gulf, the party crossed over the Corinth Canal and branched
immediately to the left to visit Isthmia where Prof. Oscar Broneer was
waiting for the party and gave it an absorbing talk on the ancient legends
and a detailed description of the starting device for the running
events of the earlier stadium which he had discovered and the intricacies
of which he had solved. ·
Mycenae
From Isthmia the route followed was into the interior of the Peloponese
and the party was given a chance of stopping at Mycenae, made
famous by the Homeric epics about Agamemnon and "Helen of Troy".
Epidaurus
From Mycenae the coaches made a detour through ancient Argos
and Nauplia in order to visit Epidaurus, dedicated of old to the God
of Healing, Asklepios, not only famous for its ancient theatre where the
modern festival of ancient drama is held every summer, but where
also lie the ruins of an ancient stadium.
From Epidaurus the party returned to Nauplia where lunch was
held at the Hotel Xenia, overlooking the sea. Later the party proceeded
to Olympia along the route which traverses through the mountain
passes of central Peloponese from east to west. Olympia was reached
when hardly any daylight was left, after a journey from Athens totalling
some two hundred and fifty miles.
The Return Journey - Delphi
It was considered that most of the participants would not have
liked to have visited Greece and to have missed the chance of seeing
Delphi, famed centre of the Pythian Oracle of Apollon and of the Pythian
Games, next to those of Olympia, the most important of antiquity.
The journey, however, is somewhat ambitious for it includes
a three hour crossing by ferry boat across the Gulf of Corinth to Itea,
the port of Delphi, which latter was reached only just before 5 p.m.
The ancient stadium, the ancient theatre, the Temple of Apollon and
the interesting museum were visited under the guidance of the experts
who accompanied the party. Delphi was not left until after 7 p.m. and
Athens not reached till around eleven at night.
The Programme at Olympia
Every morning after the 7 o'clock call the participants indulged
19