Cynisca Persuasive Speech

In last week’s Olympic games we bore witness to some returning beloved champions as well as some fresh faces! Let’s not forget why we participate in these games my fellow citizens! Every four years we gather at Olympia to participate in a series of games in honor of Zeus. The days leading up to the commencement of the games, champions must travel from all across the country and in order to do this safely, an Olympic Truce must be called. This is presumably one of the only times it is safe to travel across the country but let’s not get caught up on that! In order to participate in these strenuous games, each young man must pledge an oath to the beloved statue of Zeus that they have been in training for ten months. The training and dedication

brought forth by these athletes is truly a sight to see. From multiple races that demonstrate participants with speed slightly comparable to that of Hermes, boxing, wrestling, pankration, chariot racing, to a pentathlon which consisted of five events; the olympic games are certainly not an event that should be taken lightly!
How bewildering would it have been to see an experienced fighter such as Sostratus of Sicyon be beaten by the newcomer, Aenesidemos? The bout started slow with limited contact from a few sloppy body punches from the newcomer; Aenesidemos seemed to be testing out the waters. Sostratus, a previous champion, had the appearance of a competent fighter. Surely bets were placed upon this participant based solely off his hulking physique and reputation! Momentum began to build following Aenesidemos landing his first successful strike to Sostratus’ jaw, knocking him to the ground and making him vulnerable to ground attacks. Every successive blow caused blood and sweat to fly from Sostratus’ battered face. In an attempt to regain ground, Sostratus rolled out from beneath Aenesidemos and drew upon his fighting experience to land a blindingly fast combination, causing his opponent to lose balance for a brief moment. As the fighting continued Sostratus, a seasoned fighter, wore Aenesidemos down with each passing minute; finally he made his move. Although a steady stream of crimson was still flowing from his head wounds, he moved in to put an end to the match at hand. Sostratus lurched forward and grabbed his opponent’s arm then proceeded to wretch down with all his might while simultaneously pulling Aenesidemos to the ground. There was an audible pop followed by a scream of sheer agony. Aenesidemos, with a broken arm and dislocated shoulder, surrendered; thus making Sostratus the champion for a second time.
While pankration is lively, it cannot compare to the chariot races!

It is widely known that women were simply not allowed to attend these games, however, we all bore witness to Cynisca of Sparta become the first woman to win an olympic event! Women are typically only allowed to attend the games in regards to equestrian events and even then they were not allowed to run in the games; women were only permitted to attend if they owned or trained the horses that would be in the game. Cynisca’s participation, and eventual win, has now seemingly become the symbol for societal progress for women. As the chariots neared the disastrous turns at the end of the hippodrome, sections of the crowd held their breath while others cheered from sheer excitement. Every team knew that each approach to a turn could be the end of the race for them, possibly even the end of their lives. As Cynisca’s chariot rounded the first turn, her horses strained forward, accelerating and reaching a dangerous speed. We witnessed numerous teams get taken out while advancing towards the turns by crashing with opposing teams; were these crashes intentional? Although purposefully crashing into an opponent is illegal, we all know it has happened at one point or another! Steadily yet rapidly, Cynisca’s team overtook their opponents and showed no signs of letting up. As they passed the last chariot, the wheels bumped and squealed against those of her opponent. The audience shot to their feet in awe and disbelief; they had just bore witness to the first female winner of the chariot

races.