Solomon 161
was expected to arrange for a horse race, and once a year74 a race took place in which the competitors were ten thousand youths, mainly of the tribes of Gad and Naphtali, who lived at the court of the king year in, year out, and were maintained by him. For the scholars, their disciples, the priests, and the Levites, the races were held on the last of the month ; on the first day of the month the residents of Jerusalem were the spectators, and, on the second day, strangers. The hippodrome occupied an area of three para- sangs square, with an inner square measuring one parasang on each side, around which the races were run. Within were two grilles ornamented with all sorts of animals. Out of the jaws of four gilded lions, attached to pillars by twos, perfumes and spices flowed for the people. The spectators were divided into four parties distinguished by the color of their garb: the king and his attendants, the scholars and their disciples, and the priests and Levites were attired in light blue garments ; all the rest from Jerusalem wore white ; the sight-seers from the surrounding towns and villages wore red, and green marked the heathen hailing from afar, who came laden with tribute and presents. The four colors corresponded to the four seasons. In the autumn the sky is brilliantly blue ; in winter the white snow falls ; the color of spring is green like the ocean, because it is the season favor- able to voyages, and red is the color of summer, when the fruits grow red and ripe.7*-
As the public spectacles were executed with pomp and splendor, so the king's table was royally sumptuous. Re- gardless of season and climate, it was always laden with the delicacies of all parts of the globe. Game and poultry, ii
