Physical culture . akes place about noon onAugust or July days, under a hot sun,yet the bridges are crowded with spec-tators sufficiently enthusiastic to defyheat and sunstrokes, and contact withthe burning stones of bridges, wherethere is not the least shade. Another exercise which often excitesgeneral hilarity is a ball game. The RariNautes, the oldest sporting club of Rome, do not confine themselves tosummer games, but assemble in theriver every day, even in winter. Romeenjoys a mild climate, but when thenorth wind blows the river is oftencoated with ice. Yet many swimmerscourageously go in
Physical culture . akes place about noon onAugust or July days, under a hot sun,yet the bridges are crowded with spec-tators sufficiently enthusiastic to defyheat and sunstrokes, and contact withthe burning stones of bridges, wherethere is not the least shade. Another exercise which often excitesgeneral hilarity is a ball game. The RariNautes, the oldest sporting club of Rome, do not confine themselves tosummer games, but assemble in theriver every day, even in winter. Romeenjoys a mild climate, but when thenorth wind blows the river is oftencoated with ice. Yet many swimmerscourageously go into the water at a tem-perature of possibly 38 degrees Fahren-heit. They have also a strange mannerof greeting the dawn of the New the night of the thirty-first ofDecember the Tiber, usually flowing ingloomy silence beneath the bridges, re-flecting only a few lights, is unusuallyilluminated with torches which one seesmoving along its banks or on the sur-face of the water. The young swimmers, like the ancient. A HUNT IN THE WATER ROMAN WATER SPORTS 59 Spartans, who were forced to throwthemselves into icy water, anxiouslyawait midnight, which is the given sig-nal for them to throw themselves intothe river and swim for a hundred yardsor so, and then emerge with chattering teeth. Some mothers are terrified bythis habit, and style it barbarous. Whenthey are unable to keep their sons athome, they go to assist anxiously at thiswinter ceremony. At midnight a boun-teous supper is served the participants.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookde, booksubjectphysicaleducationandtraining
