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The Messenian, was second to none of the Messenians in wealth and birth,[1] and by his athletic achievements in his prime became the most celebrated of the competitors for the crown in gymnastic contests. Indeed, in his appearance and in the splendour of his general mode of life, besides the quantity of the crowns [he had won],[2] he was second to none of his contemporaries. What is more, when he had given up athletics and turned to politics and the service of his country, he acquired in this sphere too a reputation not inferior to his previous one, appearing to be very far removed from the characteristic struggling of athletes;[3] instead, he was thought to be very able and intelligent in his political doings.

*go/rgos, o( *messh/nios, ou)deno\s h)=n deu/teros *messhni/wn plou/tw| kai\ ge/nei, dia\ de\ th\n a)/qlhsin kata\ th\n a)kmh\n pa/ntwn e)ndoco/tatos e)gego/nei tw=n peri\ tou\s gumnikou\s a)gw=nas filostefanou/ntwn. kai\ ga\r kata\ th\n e)pifa/neian kai\ kata\ th\n tou= loipou= bi/ou prostasi/an, e)/ti de\ kata\ to\ plh=qos tw=n stefa/nwn, ou)deno\s e)lei/peto tw=n kaq' au(to/n. kai\ mh\n o(/te katalu/sas th\n a)/qlhsin e)pi\ to\ politeu/esqai kai\ to\ pra/ttein ta\ th=s patri/dos w(/rmhse, kai\ peri\ tou=to to\ me/ros ou)k e)la/ttw do/can e)fe/reto th=s pro/teron u(parxou/shs au)tw=|, plei=ston me\n a)pe/xein dokw=n th=s toi=s a)qlhtai=s parepome/nhs a)gwni/as, praktikw/tatos de\ kai\ nounexe/statos ei)=nai nomizo/menos peri\ th\n politei/an.

From Polybius 7.10.2-5. Time: c.215 BCE. See also iota 626.
[1] Perhaps a descendant of Gorgos the son of the Messenian-War hero Aristomenes (for whom see Pausanias 4.19.4; Web address 1).
[2] For Gorgos as an Olympic pentathlon victor see Pausanias 6.14.11 (Web address 2).
[3] Editors of Polybius have replaced a)gwni/as - physical struggle or mental anguish - here with a)nagwgi/as, "boorishness, vulgarity" (Toup); the note in Walbank collects evidence for this commonplace.

David Whitehead on 3 September 2002@06:09:32.
Elizabeth Vandiver (Added links; added italics) on 29 September 2003@16:38:36.
David Whitehead (more keywords) on 16 November 2005@07:47:08.
David Whitehead (more keywords; cosmetics) on 11 June 2012@03:43:10.
Catharine Roth (upgraded links) on 16 September 2012@02:00:56.
Catharine Roth (cross-reference) on 19 January 2013@19:31:48.

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