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the educated wrestler society

When Gods Walked With Men

Titian 

In all early cultures gods and men interacted.  The story behind this picture starts with Theseus, who was the son of Aegeus, King of Athens.  Theseus went to Crete to kill the Minotaur, who lived in the Labyrinth and dined on Athenian youths.  The Labyrinth was built by Daedalus and Icarus under the orders of King Minos (how did they escape?)  Theseus got help in his quest to kill the Minotaur from Ariadne, who was the daughter of King Minos.  She gave Theseus string so he could find his way out of the Labyrinth after killing the Minotaur.  Ariadne ran off with Theseus, but when they were sailing home they stopped at the Island of Naxos, where the god Dionysus (also called Bacchus) claimed Ariadne as his wife.   

When you look at this picture think about keeping your feet on the ground, and don’t turn your back on your opponent (except during some throws when good technique may require turning your back).

 

Rembrandt

Abraham is considered to be the original founder of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.   One day his god told him to kill his son.  Abraham meekly went about doing what he was told (note that in another story Abraham argued with his god to spare the few good people of Sodom and Gomorrah).  When Abraham was ready to kill Isaac an angel (what is an angel?) held back Abraham’s hand, and a ram that was conveniently caught in a nearby bush was sacrificed instead.   Some anthropologists say that this story is merely a parable about when people stopped making human sacrifices. 

Elements of this story have a Greek equivalent. Agamemnon was advised that he would have to sacrifice his daughter, Iphiginia, before the proper winds would blow to allow the Greeks to sail to Troy (to rescue Helen from Paris and the Trojans).  After much deliberation he agreed to sacrifice her, but at the last minute a goddess appeared and replaced the daughter with a ram. 

As wrestlers you must make sacrifices, but you must not sacrifice either school work, wrestling practices, or chores at home.

 

Rembrandt - Jacob and the Angel (1660)

Abraham’s son Isaac became the father of Esau and Jacob.  They wrestled together in the womb of their mother, Rebecca.  Jacob was the younger brother but through trickery he acquired Esau’s “birthright” and the blessing of the old blind Isaac.  Jacob then had to escape his brother’s wrath.  He went back to Mesopotamia, but eventually returned with his two wives.   The night before he was to meet his brother for the first time in many years he met an angel and had the world’s most famous wrestling match.  They battled to a draw.  The scene has been painted many times by many famous artists.  Jacob had twelve sons, including Joseph (coat of many colours), who became the number-two in command of Egypt.

We question whether Rembrandt knew anything about freestyle wrestling.  Unless of course Abraham has just shot an inside single and is caught at the moment he switched to a double.      

 

 

Titian

Gods and mortals often mated to produce a “hero”.  Zeus and Alcmena produced Hercules.  Thetis and Peleus produced Achilles. Zeus and Semele produced Bacchus (he was elevated to the status of an immortal by helping the Olympians in the battle of the Titans).  Zeus and Danae produced Perseus, who became famous for cutting off the head of Medusa and for rescuing Andromeda.    Zeus came to Danae as a shower of gold.  Wrestlers don’t have to think about gold (or silver or bronze).  Just think about improving “technique”, and the medals will look after themselves. 

 

 

Leonardo

An angel told Mary that a god would father her child.    When this happened to a woman in Greek mythology she usually figured it out for herself. 

Wrestlers could use some angels and demons of their own.  A little angel on your left shoulder to tell you when you have done a good takedown, and a little demon on your right shoulder to bite your ear when you do a lousy one (usually caused by using a swimmer’s technique rather than a wrestler’s technique).