He put his helmet on, and took up his position on the starting line, third from the right side, and waited as the judges set up the starting mechanism again, raising the rope and attaching it to the wooden lever at the end.
The first heat of runners stopped along the sides of the stadium to drink water from the marble basins that were a part of the conduit network that supplied the spectators and athletes with fresh water.
Run like the wind. I run into battle, first to the enemy, Stefanos told himself, popping up and down on the spot, firing his muscles and readying himself.
"You'll lose, you know," said a voice beside him.
Stefanos turned to see Biton, his fellow Argive standing there.
"You don't have a chance. You're too old, son of Talos," he said, glancing at Ocnus and the others
