Explanations on the Marathon by Claude Hardel
Dear all,
All those and those which were pleased to make Bore-holes-Épône last year still remember the speech inénarrable of the father of Anne-Marie telling us by the detail the battle of Marathon. Some lost a little their illusions this disastrous day, when it added that the famous history of the runner of Marathon was probably a myth, not to say one of the journalistic first bidonnages of the history of humanity. The Greeks definitely have a a little special relationship to the Marathon since it is almost acquired that Spiridon Louis, the first winner of the Olympic marathon, that of which so many runners retained the first name, would not have run the totality of the distance but would have made a part in the vehicle of it!
Despite everything, I had announced that this history of Marathon had been the framework of an exploit even more fantastic, that of a race not-stop of 250 km carried out at the time by certain Pheidippides between Athens and Sparte, where it was to go to seek helps...
I finally found the document of Herodote which attests this authentic exploit. I extracted the page from it where, in a completely unexpected way, it benefits from it to address all its wishes of success in the joy and good mood to the members of a certain JDM. The hellenists will appreciate!
With those who would be still a little skeptics, I join some complementary explanations left by the barbarians.
As for the borrowed way, here is an outline:
It should be said that at that time, as a certain Auguste Lespinas will report it later, the dispach riders were pedestrians, because more enduring that horses. Pheidippides in question was not simple basic Hoplite (that which one envoit Sunday morning to seek of the crescents) but a truth Hemerodrome (a ultrarunner to some extent).
Good, but will you say to me, that it occurred? I put the question and I answer it at once, to avoid an exchange of mail.
"Herodote says to us that Pheidippides left Athens at daybreak to arrive at Sparte the following day at laying down sun. Sparte was at 1160 stages is approximately 250 km [ note of the editor: here one realizes of the devastations which the translations in the precision of the facts can cause... ]. Discouraged with the foot of the Parthenon Mount, Pan was shown with him and gave him the force to go to deliver soon message with King de Sparte Leonidas. As in Sparte, one was in full religious festival, it took six days to join together the army and three days to join Athens [ not insane, Greeks! ]. Leonidas will arrive too late, the following day of the victory of Marathon. However, the day before, the defeat was not any doubt for the Athenian people, then in the fear of the army of Darius. It should be said that the Greeks were only 10000 against 70000 Persians. But the Persian army, while undoubtedly mésestimant its rival, will make an error of strategy [ reported well in Épône ] and will see its loss. The legend says to us that another herald, Philippides [ you see the nuance... ] was still sent covered of its weapons, to warn the magistrates of Athens. With general amazement and in an indescribable enthusiasm [ which, unfortunately, prevented with the journalists present on the spot from taking the photographs which would have avoided any later controversy ], it arrives streaming of sweat and white of dust. It collapses with the feet of the Powerful orators, brought together with the Agora, and before expiring, it has time to proclaim "Hello, we overcame" "
It should be said that this history of Pan god is a little odd. But, like certain runners of the JDM, Pheidippides did not have an irreproachable hygiene of life. For any statement, it deceived a sometimes little the oil-can.
In short, with those which would regret not having been registered in time with the UTMB, I say: test Spartathlon! That, at least, it is not a race of weaklings out of little skirts and sandals!
And to return on the subject which worries us, I thus wish a very good year with everyone, the pytheas announce it to us appears it aqueous at the beginning of year...
