I am free-born, and of noble race, my father himself has told me so, and I am certainly no feebler in body than the citizens' sons in the town with whom I went from the baths to the wrestling-school." "Did you go to the Palaestra ?" asked Paulus in surprise.
"To the wrestling-school of Timagetus," cried Hermas, coloring.

"From outside the gate I watched the games of the youths as they wrestled, and threw heavy disks at a mark.

My eyes almost sprang out of my head at the sight, and I could have cried out aloud with envy and vexation, at having to stand there in my ragged sheep-skin excluded from all competition.

If Pachomius had not just then come up, by the Lord I must have sprung into the arena, and have challenged the strongest of them all to wrestle with me, and I could have thrown the disk much farther than the scented puppy who won the victory and was crowned." "You may thank, Pachomius," said Paulus laughing, "for having hindered you, for you would have earned nothing in the arena but mockery and disgrace.

You are strong enough, certainly, but the art of the discobolus must be learned like any other.