Note 52 — Chapter I · EARLY GREEK GAMES AND PRIZES.

Cf. Frazer, II, pp. 549–50; Krause, p. 9, n. 3; from these two many of the following examples are taken. Cf. also Rouse, pp. 4 and 10; Koerte, Die Entstehung der Olympionikenliste, Hermes, XXXIX, 1904, pp. 224 f.; Krause, Die Pythien, Nemeen und Isthmien, 1841, pp. 9 f. (Pythian), 112 f. (Nemean), 170 f. (Isthmian); Gardiner, pp. 27 f.; see also Ridgeway, Origin of Tragedy, 1910, pp. 36, 38, and cf. J. H. S., XXXI, 1911, p. XLVII. Since the simple theory of the origin of the Olympic Festival in the funeral games in honor of Pelops does not explain all the legends of the games nor all the peculiar customs of the festival, and because of the inadequate character of the literary evidence (the earliest mention of it being a Delphic oracle quoted by Phlegon, F. H. G., p. 604; cf. Clem. Alex., Protrept, II, 34, p. 29), it has been attacked by F. M. Cornford (in Miss Harrison’s Themis, pp. 212 f.) and others. These scholars have tried to find the origin of the Olympic games rather in a ritual contest of succession to the throne, the honors extended to a victor being held to prove his kingly or divine character. The theory was first proposed by A. B. Cook, The European Sky God, Folk Lore, 1904, and has recently been elaborated by Frazer in his Golden Bough,3 III, pp. 89 f., who has attempted to harmonize it with his earlier funeral theory. The inadequacy of the newer theory has been shown by E. N. Gardiner, The Alleged Kingship of the Olympic Victor, B. S. A., XXII, 1916–18, pp. 85 f. For a review of his paper, see also J. H. S., XXXVIII, 1918, pp. XLVII.