Todos los hombres de la aldea embarcan con rumbo a Grecia para participar en los Juegos Olímpicos y darles nuevamente una paliza a los romanos. Pero las cosas se complicarán cuando descubran que no pueden usar la poción mágica para ganar.

Because my Greek isn't too good I have not more than sampled it and so can't judge how good a translation it is but I can say that you shouldn't expect an easy read. ( )

Well, this one picked up somewhat with a few more laugh out loud moments, as well as the typical on running joke (such as Obelix trying to get his share of the magic potion – he tries so much to get a taste and no matter what he does he always gets knocked back). One of the best jokes was when Obelix says to Fulliautomatix that Dogmatix is so much better because he can scratch his ear with his hind leg, and a few windows later we hear a cry 'so can I' and we see Fulliautomatix scratching his ear with his hind leg (it is much better in graphics, but I tried to find an image on Google and couldn't).
There are a few of what I call 'in jokes' in this one – not in the sense that you need to be familiar with the Asterix comics to understand them (though there are a few, such as Obelix and the magic potion) but rather ones that you probably would not understand unless you knew about the Ancient Greek world. In fact there are probably quite a few throughout the Asterix comics, though I remember still enjoying them as a kid despite not understanding the context in which they were written.
Mind you they are quite bad with anacronisms, but then again this is forgiveable because this is Asterix. For instance the Spartans win all of the competitions because, well, they are Spartans. However, the Spartans of Ancient Rome were not the Spartans of the Classical period because they were inbred so much that when they were finally defeated by the Romans it was discovered that they paled in comparison to their noble ancestors. I knew a modern Spartan once, and I must say that I did want to marry her, even if it is because Spartan women produce strong children (though that is my helophilia coming through). Also, because of my helophilia, I tend to prefer Greek women who come from places that are identifiable with the Classical period, and most of the Greek women that I know come from the North.
As for the Olympic Games themselves, I guess there are a few comments, and relations, to the modern Olympics, though in many cases this album is more looking at the Ancient Games as opposed to the modern. Mind you there is the question of the use of the magic potion which is strictly banned. In fact the album ends up dealing with the issue of drugs in sport which, at the time, I did not think was a huge issue. It is only lately that the issue of drugs in sports seems to be battering our airwaves (and in fact one of the AFL teams at this time is under investigation, and has been charged with, conduct unbecoming of the game, though no actual drug related charges have been laid).
However, I suspect that the whole issue of drugs in sports has been going on since professional sport came about and winning became a very profitable enterprise. I am also sure that the use of drugs in sport have been around for as long as medicine has been around. Mind you professional sport is still a very modern phenomena. While they did have professional sports back in Ancient Rome, and such events and participants were considered celebrities, the idea of spectator sports is really only a new thing, and with the exception of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece, sports were generally played for fun, rather than prestige and money. ( )

Soon we see the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London, and after what I saw on national news last night, I am not holding out much hope for the opening ceremony.

Anyway, to the book. The 12th volume of the series sees Astrerix, Obelix and Getafix head to Athens to compete in the Olympics which at the time was limited only to Greeks and Romans. The Gauls consider themselves Romans by virtue of being occupied by the invaders which suddenly has some of Rome's top athletes and administrators worried due to the magic potion.

In what is a funny view into the inner-sanctum of sporting prowess, Greek philosophy and European politics the ROmans become increasingly unconcerned with attempting to take on the Gauls, and there world-famous orgies and feasts soon infiltrate the Greek camp living off olives and vine leaves which in turn concerns the Olympic Committee (which at this point in time does not seem to be susceptible to backhanders and other bribes).

It is worked out that banned substances that increase sporting prowesses are not allowed which then has Obelix banned from competing and Asterix is forced to train So it goes on with some skullduggery (the Greeks seem to be cleaning up everywhere) and the Committee, not wanting to alienate the Romans, creates a new event for non-Greeks only.

This book was printed to coincide with the Mexico Games of 1968 (into English in 1972 to coincide with Munich) and then into a film aligned with the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It also has been adapted into a video game which I believe is a first for the franchise.

Also of note, the two authors make a guest appearance as officials in registering athletes, although their nameplates are in Greek. This is the first time they have appeared in one of their stories. ( )

Gallien, år 50 før Kristus
I den lille romerske udpost Akvarium er der kommet bud fra Rom. Centurion Timeo Daneos har satset rigtigt på at få legionær Mollusculus udvalgt til at repræsentere romerriget ved de olympiske lege. Mollusculus får dog sin kampmoral stækket, da han bliver overhalet af Asterix og Obelix på sin morgenløbetur. Det bliver endnu værre, da Majestix meddeler at gallerne også vil deltage i OL. I første omgang bliver de afvist, fordi legene kun er for grækerne (og deres romerske besættere), men det holder jo ikke, for gallerne er også romere i kraft af deres besættelse.
Gallerne udtager Asterix og Obelix til legene og drager ellers alle mand - men ikke kvinder - af huse for at støtte de udvalgte. De lejer en chartergalej og ignorerer sørøverne undervejs, da entring koster ekstra. Sørøverne sænker dog for en sikkerheds skyld selv skibet.
Vel ankommet til Piræus mæsker både romerne og gallerne sig i vellevned, mens grækerne træner hårdt og lider afsavn.
Grækerne klager over romerne og dommerne indskærper at man ikke må være påvirket af stimulanser.
Romerne vejrer morgenluft, for nu kan gallerne jo ikke være med. Asterix beslutter at være med i løbekonkurrencen uden trylledrik. Samtidigt røber Miraculix og Asterix for romerne, at trylledrikken står i hytten allernederst nede, hvor døren ikke kan lukkes og hvor vagten aldrig kommer.
Romerne vinder stort i løbekonkurrencen (der er uden deltagelse af grækere), men de bliver diskvalificerede fordi de har blå tunger efter at have drukket fuptrylledrik. Asterix vinder, men giver i det skjulte prisen videre til centurion Timeo Daneos og legionær Mollusculus, fordi han synes at de har mere brug for den.
For en gangs skyld bliver Cæsar glad og forfremmer dem begge.
Vel hjemme igen bliver der som sædvanligt holdt fest, og usædvanligt med Trubadurix med til bords.

Ud og hjem igen. ( )

Dans le petit village gaulois tout est bien calme voire trop calme et cela est du au fait que les romains, plutôt Cornedurus, un légionnaire séléctionné aux JO (jeux olympiques), s'entraine et est soutenu par le reste de la garnison. S'étant fait battreinvolontairement par Obélix et Astérix, Cornedurus déprime, son supérieur Tullius Mordicus voulant arranger les choses entrainent l'inscription des gaulois au JO . Mais la potion magique est interdite car DOPAGE. Par un fin stratagème, les romains se procurent la potion et ... LA COURSE CONTRE ASTERIX COMMENCE !!!!! ( )

Six out of ten. CBR format. Asterix and Obelix (and friends) enter for the Olympic games in Athens. ( )

"Los atletas entran en el estadio. Da comienzo el desfile iniciado por los de Termópilas, seguidos de los de Samotracia, seguros de su victoria; también han venido los de Milo...los de Maratón llegan corriendo, los de Macedonia muy mezclados, los espartanos descalzos... Rodas ha enviado un solo representante, un coloso"

René Goscinny. Astérix en los Juegos Olímpicos. Pág. 38 ( )

Asterix and Obelix hear about the Olympic games and decide to enter, thinking the magic potion will see them through as sure winners. But when they learn about the rules against such performance-enhancers, Asterix competes without it, a rare instance of the magic potion not spoiling a story. ( )