Games — Ball
Borg. Have you also in France, public grounds for games like ours?
Scin. As to other French cities, I cannot answer you. I know that there is none in Paris, but there are many private grounds, for example, in the suburbs of St. James, St. Marcellus, and St. Germanus.
Caban. And in the city itself the most famous, which is called Braccha.
Borg. Is the game played in the same way as here?
Scin. Exactly so, except that the teacher there furnishes playing shoes and caps.
Borg. What sort are they?
Scin. The shoes are made of felt.
Borg. But they would not be of any use here.
Caban. That is, on a stony road. In France indeed, and in Belgium, they play on a pavement, covered over with tiles, level and smooth.
Scin. The caps worn are lighter in summer, but in winter, thick and deep, with a band under the chin, so that as the player moves about, the cap shall not fall off the head or fall down over the eyes.
Borg. We don’t here use a band, except when there is a pretty strong wind. But what kind of balls do they use?
Scin. Not such light wind-balls as here, but smaller balls than yours, and much harder, made of white leather. The stuffing of the balls is not, as it is in yours, wool torn from rags, but chiefly dogs’ hair. For this reason the game is rarely played with the palm of the hand.
Borg. In what way, then, do they strike the ball? with the fist, as we do the leather ball?
Scin. No, but with a net.
Borg. Woven from thread?
Scin. From somewhat thicker strings, such as are found for the most part on the six-stringed lyre. They have a stretched rope, and, as to the rest, the game is played as in the houses here. To send the ball under the rope is a fault, or loss of a point. There are two signs or, if you prefer, limits. The counting goes fifteen, thirty, forty-five or (advantage), equality of numbers and victory, which is twofold, as when it is said: “We have won a game” or “We have won a set.” The ball, indeed, is either sent back whilst in its flight or thrown back after the first bound. For on the second bound, the stroke is invalid, and a mark is made where the ball was struck.
Borg. Are there no other games there except tennis?
Scin. In the city as many or more than here, but amongst scholars, no other is permitted by the masters. But sometimes, secretly, they play at cards and dice, the little boys with the knuckle-bones (tali), the worse sort of boys with dice (taxilli). We have a teacher Anneus who used to allow card-playing at festival times (obscoeno die). For that and for games in general, he composed six laws written on a tablet which he hung in his bed-chamber.
Borg. If it is not burdensome, may I ask you to tell them to us, in the same way as you have told us of other matters.
Scin. But let us continue our walk, for I am possessed by an inconceivably keen desire to behold my country which I have not seen for so long a period.
Borg. Let us mount mules, so that we may move along pleasantly, as well as with more dignity.
Scin. I would not give a snap of the fingers for this dignity!
Borg. And I, if I may confess the truth, would not move my hand for it. Nor do I know why riding on mules seems to be more becoming for us.
Caban. This is rightly said; we are three, and in the narrow streets or concourse of men we should get parted from one another, whence our talk would necessarily be interrupted, or many remarks made by some one of us would not be thoroughly heard or understood by the others.
Borg. So let it be; let us proceed on foot. Enter through this narrow lane on to the Pegnarogii Street.