U) You decide to turn left to go to the Olympic Games. You remember that the Olympic Games began in Greece in 776 B.C. You soon find yourself in an open field. You begin to wonder if you read the sign correctly. The ground is moist and the imprint of wagon wheels and hooves can clearly be seen. People must have passed this way. Eventually, after walking several miles, you hear the sound of horns and cheering. You see a field filled to capacity with excited fans. As you near the open plain, you see why they are cheering. Close to one hundred athletes slowly walk out into the middle of field. Their bodies are glistening in the sunlight, obviously covered in oil. An altar to Zeus, king of the gods, stands at the far end of the field. The games begin. You see competitors from every city-state. Athletes from Sparta, Corinth, Thebes, Mycenae, Troy, and of course, your city-state of Athens, push the limits of the human body.

You see track and field events, such as the discus throw and running events. Javelins fly through the air and wrestlers throw each other to the ground. Boxers, with leather straps around their fists, pound their opponents into submission. You notice that the long jumpers carry special stone weights in their hands while they are preparing to jump. As soon as they swing their arms to jump, the stones are dropped. A spectator tells you that they use these weights to increase the distance of their jump.

Evening quickly approaches, and the sky grows dark. It is now time for the final event, the relay races. Teams from Athens, Sparta, Troy, and Thebes compete for the prize. The lead runners carry torches to light their way. The race begins and the crowd goes wild! They stomp their feet, whistle, and cheer. The final runners race toward the altar of Zeus, where a pile of dried wood and leaves has been placed. The runner from Sparta is in the lead with the Athenian runner close behind. You find yourself cheering for your home team of Athens. The Athenian runner strains and strides and manages to pass the Spartan! You feel a sense of pride when you see a fellow citizen of Athens light the altar at the temple of Zeus. The crowd goes wild! The light reflects off a statue of Zeus that is nearly three stories tall! The enormous statue of Zeus reminds you of the small golden statue of Athena that you are searching for. You hope that as your adventure continues, you too will find the courage that these Olympic athletes possess.

THE END