05 Hi, Zeus

Chapter 05 Hi, Zeus “ This is the very first day of the games, ” Plato told Jack, “ the day of the chariot races. ” “ Oh, wow, ” whispered Jack. He couldn’t believe he was going to see a chariot race. The modern Olympic Games didn’t have chariot races. They walked toward the race track. Plato pointed to a large building near the road. “ That is the gymnasium, ” he said. “ It is where our athletes train. They practice running and throwing the javelin and discus. ”

“ We have a gymnasium at our school in Frog Creek, ” said Jack. “ We call it a gym. ” “ People all over the world copy us Greeks, ” Plato said. “ Wait, ” said Jack. “ I have to take notes for Annie. ” He pulled out his notebook and wrote: Ancient Greeks invented gyms “ Okay, we can go, ” said Jack. He tucked his notebook under his arm. As they moved along, Plato pointed to a beautiful tree nearby. “ The olive tree is our sacred tree, ” he said. “ The winners of the games will wear crowns made from its branches. ”

“ Oh, wow, ” said Jack. And he wrote: Olive tree is sacred Next they passed a beautiful statue of a winged lady. “ Who’s that?” said Jack. “ She’s Nike, the goddess of victory, ” said Plato. Jack quickly wrote: Nike is goddess of victory “ Nike is important to the games, ” said Plato. “ But the most important Olympic god is in there. ” He took Jack to a brick building with huge columns. They stepped through the door. It was a temple. Jack gasped.

In front of them loomed the biggest statue he had ever seen. The statue was at least two stories high. It was a bearded man sitting on a throne. “ This is the temple of Zeus. And that is a statue of Zeus himself, ” said Plato. “ The Olympic Games are played in his honor. He is the chief god of the Greek gods and goddesses. ”

“ Oh, man, ” whispered Jack. “ Yesterday all the athletes came here, ” said Plato. “ They swore to Zeus that they had trained for ten months. And they promised to obey the rules of the games. ” The statue of the mighty Greek god stared down at Jack. Jack felt very small. “ Hi, Zeus, ” he said. His voice was small, too. Suddenly, trumpet sounds came from outside. “ The hour has come, ” said Plato. “ We must hurry. The Olympic parade begins! ”