Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#89657 12/16/02 07:37 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
One of the "engines" episodes mentioned means ancient Greeks made starting of foor races
fair. The "aphetes" = starter, operated a "hyslex" = starting gate" which was a clever device
which used same mechanism as a catapult to whip the starting rope barrier out of the way
of the runners, who had to have both feet in a shallow gutter called "balbis". But the site
says there was a manhole for the starter. I couldn't figure out why that was necessary.
Can you?
http://ist-socrates.berkeley.edu/~cls180/week3/menu3.html


#89658 12/16/02 07:56 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
R
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
R
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
I purely guessing, Bill, but I hypothesise one of two reasons:-

1) He needed his eyes to be down at ground level so that he could see for certain that no one was stepping over the line before the start:

2) The catapult mechanism was so vicious that he needed to be in a protected place, so that it didn't do him irreparable damage.


#89659 12/16/02 08:19 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858


Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 302 guests, and 2 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5