……Greek history as a whole follows a very different course from that supposed by Eherenberg. We have to put the significance of the agonistic principle for culture in quite another way. There was no transition from ‘battle to play’ in Greece, nor from play to battle, but a development of culture in play-like contest. In Greek as elsewhere the play-element was present and significant from the beginning. Our point of departure must be the conception of an almost childlike play-sense expressing itself in various play-forms, some serious, some playful, but all rooted in ritual and productive of culture by allowing the innate human need of rhythm, harmony, change, alternation, contrast and climax, etc. to unfold in full richness.