Xenophanes formulated his critique on the rewards for the athletes as follows:

If someone wins a victory by the swiftness of his feet, or in the pentathlon, there where the sanctuary of Zeus stand near the rivers of Pisa at Olympia, or in the wrestling, or in the hard boxing, or in the pankration, a dangerous sport, he is considered by his fellow-citizens as someone with more glory: he can sit publicly in front at the games, the city pays his food and gives him an expensive gift. If he wins in the horse races, he also receives all of this, though he does not deserve it as much as I do. For our wisdom is better than the strength of men or horses.

Greek