Early Western Civilization A Gift Of Peace From The Past, The Ancient

Early Western Civilization A Gift of Peace from the Past, The Ancient Olympics Since 1896, the year the Olympics were resurrected from ancient history, the Olympics have been a symbol of the camaraderie and harmony possible on a global scale. The gathering of athletic representatives, the pride of the pack, from participating governments, even throughout the recent Cold War period, is proof that world unity is possible; just as it was in Ancient Greece with the polis or city-states. Olympic Games were held throughout Ancient Greece, but the most famous are the games that were held in Olympia in honor of Zeus every four years from August 6th to September 19th. The first record of these games is of one Coroebus of Elis, a cook, winning a sprint race in 776 BC. Most historians believe the games to have been going on for approximately 500 years before this. In the year Coroebus was made a part of history, there was apparently only one simple event, a race called the stade. The tr ack was said to be one stade long or roughly 210 yards. In subsequent games, additional events were to be added, most likely to increase the challenge to these amazing athletes. In 724 BC, the diaulos, a two stade race, was added, followed by a long distance race, about 2 ? miles and called the dolichos, at the next games four years later. Wrestling and the famous Pentathlon were introduced in 708 BC. The Pentathlon consisted of five events; the long jump, javelin throw, discus throw, foot race, and wrestling. The Pentathlons, especially the successful ones, were often treated and even worshipped like gods. Because of their exquisite physiques, they were used as the models for statues of the Greek Gods. The superior athletic ability of these athletes affects the games even today. The twisting and throwing method of the discus throw, which originated in Ancient Greece, is still used today. The original events were even more challenging than those of today. The modern discus w eighs in at just 5 pounds, one-third of the original weight, and the long jumps were done with the contestant carrying a five pound weight in each hand. The pit to be traversed in this jump allowed for a 50 foot jump, compared to just over 29 feet in our modern Olympics. Apparently, the carried weights, used correctly, could create momentum to carry the athlete further. Legend has it that one Olympian cleared the entire pit by approximately 5 feet, breaking both legs as he landed. One significant difference between the modern and ancient games; the original Olympians competed in the nude. Because of this, the 45,000 spectators consisted of men and unwed virgin women only. The only exception to this would be the priestess of Demeter who was also the only spectator honored with a seat. The young unwed women were allowed to watch to introduce them to men in all their splendor and brutality whereas it was felt that married women should not see what they could not have. In addition, the virgins had their own event which occurred on the men's religious day of rest. Called the Haria, in honor of Hara the wife of Zeus, the young women would race dressed in a short tunic which exposed the right breast. Traditionally, Spartan women dominated this event, being trained from birth for just this purpose. The religious undertones of the events became extremely apparent on the third day of the games when a herd of 100 cows were killed as a sacrifice to Zeus. In actuality, only the most useless parts were burned in honor of Zeus; most of the meat would be cooked and eaten that day. The sacrifices were conducted on a huge cone-shaped alter built up from the ashes of previously sacrificed animals. The mound was so large, the Greeks would cut steps into the cone after discovering it could be hardened by adding water and drying. Another ingenious invention was a system to prevent early starts in the foot races. It consisted of a bar in front of the runners to ensure th ey all start at the same time. This most likely was viewed as a blessing by

70+ Plot Twist Ideas and Examples To Blow Your Readers Away

70+ Plot Twist Ideas and Examples To Blow Your Readers Away 70+ Plot Twist Ideas and Examples Guaranteed to Blow Your Mind Away As R.L. Stine once said, â€Å"Every story ever told can be broken down into three parts. The beginning. The middle. And the plot twist.†The legendary plot twist is a staple in almost every genre and medium of storytelling - one that’s fun to read but hard to write. To help you become a veritable Chubby Checker, here's a definitive resource that's all about the art of the twist.What is a plot twist?A plot twist is a story development that readers do not expect in which either something shocking happens or something shocking is revealed. Generally, the storyteller will set up expectations and then "twist" those expectations by revealing new information through subsequent plot points.The criteria for a plot twist tends to be made up of the following:It must be narratively sound,It must be unexpected, andIt might be foreshadowed.To no-one’s surprise, plot twists are particularly prevalent in mysteries, thrillers, and suspense fiction. However, the twist takes no pr isoners and has reared its head in almost every genre out there, which brings us to†¦Want to read some of the best, most twisted thrillers and suspense books out there? Check out these 50 best suspense books of all time, or our list of  23 psychological thrillers that will make your head spin.50+ plot twist ideas in pop cultureIf you seek inspiration for crafting your own twists, there’s no better place to start than with some of the most popular unexpected plot-turns in film and literature. But be warned: there be spoilers ahead. With that in mind, here are over 50 examples of plot twists in film and literature. Just in: SEVENTY plot twist ideas to fuel your story! I Am Your FatherMum’s the word when it comes to family secrets, right? Not so fast. This is the plot twist that concerns a revelation about the key character’s family. It could be that there is a surprising reveal regarding parentage - or perhaps it’s uncovered that the protagonist was an orphan all along.Made legendary by Star Wars, this type of plot twist is nevertheless widespread in all genres and mediums, as there’s no drama quite like family drama. As George Carlin once said: â€Å"The other night I ate at a real nice family restaurant. Every table had an argument going.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. In a pivotal battle, Luke discovers that Darth Vader, his ultimate nemesis, is actually his father.Angels Demons. Robert Langdon is shocked by the revelation that the late pope’s aide is actually His Holyness’s’s son - conceived through artificial insemination.Shutter Island. During an investigation of a disap pearance from a remote asylum, U.S. Marshal Edward â€Å"Teddy† Daniels realizes that he himself is the missing patient - and the husband and murderer of the woman that he had been trying to locate.More plot twist examples of this flavor:The Man From Earth. Right before he dies from a heart attack, Will learns that the unaging Professor John Oldman is actually his father.Oldboy.   Mysteriously imprisoned for 15 years, Oh Dae-su falls in love with a young restaurant chef who is later revealed to be his daughter.The Kite Runner. Amir has mixed feelings when he discovers that his closest childhood friend, Hassan, is his half-brother.The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy is befuddled to discover that the Wizard of Oz is a middle-aged man using a microphone.The Prestige. Robert Angier, a rival stage magician, doesn’t realize that â€Å"Alfred Borden† is actually a double act of twin brothers until it’s too late.Gossip Girl. The end of the series pans to a shot of Dan H umphrey, revealing that he was Gossip Girl all along.Did we say that there were only 55 examples in this list? Well, how about THIS twist: here are 15 more!10+ plot twist ideas for youNow that you have an idea of what plot twists look like, you might find it easier to write your own. But in case you’re still struggling to come up with a twist, here are some hypothetical scenarios to jumpstart your thinking.56. CHARACTER A is persuaded by CHARACTER B that it is all a dream - when it’s actually not.57. A gift from CHARACTER B to CHARACTER A is really a trap.58. It is revealed that the NARRATOR is Death.59. An ARCHAEOLOGIST at a dig comes across his own skeleton.60. CHARACTER A discovers the real identity of CHARACTER B through an old yearbook.61. It is revealed that all the sounds that CHARACTER A has heard throughout his life has been inside his own head.62. CHARACTER A believes he is in Hell. It’s actually Earth.63. It is revealed that CHARACTER A and CHARACTER B are not themselves because they were body-swapped.64. CHARACTER A is informed that the previous events were actually part of an alternate reality simulation.65. It is revealed that SANTA CLAUS is real.66. A promise that CHARACTER A and CHARACTER B made when they were children is not really what they think it to be.67. CHARACTER A is set up with CHARACTER B, a rich politician, and finds herself falling in love with CHARACTER B’S GIRLFRIEND.68. CHARACTER A goes on a series of blind dates without realizing that it is all being filmed for the next experimental season of The Bachelor.69. A key strength of CHARACTER A becomes a key weakness.70. CHARACTER A experiences puzzling and unexplained flashbacks because she is the reincarnation of GEORGE WASHINGTON.Now, over to youA well-written plot twist makes for some of the most exciting, mind-blowing, and dramatic stories in history, which is why it’s so important to get it right. Here’s the second plot twist for this post: it’s now up to you to write your own.And before you go, here’s one more: you don’t have to be alone when writing it. Leave your best (or favorite) plot twists below in the comments, and we’ll reply to every one of them!Are you writing your own plot twists? How is it going? If you'd like to share your experiences or bounce ideas off of us, just comment below.