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047 - Book 5 Chapter II · Last Days of Pompeii

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  Speaker 1: Book five, chapter two of Last Days of Pompeii. This
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  Speaker 1: is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
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  Speaker 1: public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit
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  Speaker 1: LibriVox dot org. Last Days of Pompeii by Edward G.
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  Speaker 1: Bulward Lytton Book five, chapter two, the Amphitheater. Nidia, assured
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  Speaker 1: by the account of Sosia on his return home, and
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  Speaker 1: satisfied that her letter was in the hands of Salust,
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  Speaker 1: gave herself up once more to hope Salust would surely
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  Speaker 1: lose no time in seeking the Prador, in coming to
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  Speaker 1: the house of the Egyptian, in releasing her in breaking
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  Speaker 1: the prison of Calanus, that very night Glaucus would be free.
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  Speaker 1: Alas the night passed, the dawn broke, she heard nothing
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  Speaker 1: but the hurried footsteps of the slaves along the hall
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  Speaker 1: in peristyle, and their voices in preparation for the show.
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  Speaker 1: By and by the commanding voice of our bosses broke
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  Speaker 1: on her ear. A flourish of music rung out cheerily.
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  Speaker 1: The long procession were sweeping to the Amphitheater to glut
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  Speaker 1: their eyes on the death pangs of the Athenian. The
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  Speaker 1: procession of ar Basses moved along slowly and with much solemnity,
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  Speaker 1: till now arriving at the palace, where it was necessary
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  Speaker 1: for such as came in litters or chariots. To a light,
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  Speaker 1: Arbasses descended from his vehicle and proceeded to the entrance
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  Speaker 1: by which the more distinguished spectators were admitted. His slaves,
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  Speaker 1: mingling with the humbler crowd, were stationed by officers who
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  Speaker 1: received their tickets, not much unlike our modern opera ones.
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  Speaker 1: In places in the popularia, the seeds apportioned to the vulgar.
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  Speaker 1: And now from the spot where ar Basses sat, his
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  Speaker 1: eyes scanned the mighty and impatient crowd that filled the
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  Speaker 1: stupendous theater. On the upper tier, but apart from the
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  Speaker 1: male spectators, sat women, their gay dresses resembling some gaudy
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  Speaker 1: flower bed It is needless to add that they were
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  Speaker 1: the most talkative part of the assembly, and many were
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  Speaker 1: the looks directed up to them, especially from the benches
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  Speaker 1: appropriated to the young and unmarried men. On the lower
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  Speaker 1: seats round the arena sat the more high born and
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  Speaker 1: wealthy visitors, the magistrates and those of senatorial or equestrian dignity.
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  Speaker 1: The passages, which by corridors at the right and left,
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  Speaker 1: gave access to these seats at either end of the
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  Speaker 1: oval arena, were also the entrances for the combatants. Strong
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  Speaker 1: palings at these passages prevented any unwelcome eccentricity in the
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  Speaker 1: movements of the beasts and confined them to their appointed prey.
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  Speaker 1: Around the parapet, which was raised above the arena, and
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  Speaker 1: from which the seats gradually rose, were gladiatorial inscriptions and
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  Speaker 1: paintings wrought in fresco, typical of the entertainments for which
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  Speaker 1: the place was designed. Throughout the whole building wound invisible
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  Speaker 1: pipes from which, as the day advanced, cooling and fragrant
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  Speaker 1: showers were to be sprinkled over the spectators. The officers
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  Speaker 1: of the amphitheater were still employed in the task of
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  Speaker 1: fixing the vast awning or valeria, which covered the whole
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  Speaker 1: and which, luxurious invention, the companions irrigated to themselves. It
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  Speaker 1: was woven of the whitest apulian wool and variegated with
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  Speaker 1: broad stripes of crimson, owing either to summon experience on
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  Speaker 1: the part of the workmen or to some defect in
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  Speaker 1: the machinery. The awning, however, was not arranged that day
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  Speaker 1: so happily as usual. Indeed, from the immense space of
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  Speaker 1: the circumference, the task was always one of great difficulty
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  Speaker 1: and art, so much so that it could seldom be
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  Speaker 1: adventured in rough or windy weather. But the present day
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  Speaker 1: was so remarkably still that there seemed to the spectators
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  Speaker 1: no excuse for the awkwardness of the art officers. And
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  Speaker 1: when a large gap in the back of the awning
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  Speaker 1: was still visible from the obstinate refusal of one part
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  Speaker 1: of the valeria to ally itself with the rest, the
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  Speaker 1: murmurs of discontent were loud. In general, the ideal a Panza,
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  Speaker 1: at whose expense the exhibition was given, looked particularly annoyed
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  Speaker 1: at the defect, and vowed bitter vengeance on the head
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  Speaker 1: of the chief officer of the show, who, fretting, puffing, perspiring,
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  Speaker 1: busied himself in idle orders and unavailing threats. The hubbubs
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  Speaker 1: ceased suddenly, the operators desisted, the crowd were still, the
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  Speaker 1: gap was forgotten for now. With a loud and warlike
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  Speaker 1: flourish of trumpets, the gladiators marshaled in ceremonious procession entered
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  Speaker 1: the arena. They swept round the oval space very slowly
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  Speaker 1: and deliberately, in order to give the spectators full leisure
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  Speaker 1: to admire their stern serenity of feature, their brawny limbs,
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  Speaker 1: various arms, as well as to form such wagers as
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  Speaker 1: the excitement of the moment might suggest. Oh, cried the
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  Speaker 1: widow Falvia to the wife of Panza, as they leaned
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  Speaker 1: down from their lofty bench. Do you see that gigantic gladiator.
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  Speaker 1: How drolly he is dressed? Yes, said the idea's wife,
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  Speaker 1: with complacent importance, for she knew all the names and
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  Speaker 1: qualities of each combatant. He is a ritarius or netter.
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  Speaker 1: He is armed only you see, with a three pronged
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  Speaker 1: spear like a trident, and a net. He wears no armor,
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  Speaker 1: only the filet and the tunic. He is a mighty
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  Speaker 1: man and is to fight with sporus yon thickset gladiator
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  Speaker 1: with the round shield and drawn sword, but without body armor.
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  Speaker 1: He has not his helmet on now in order that
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  Speaker 1: you may see his face, how fearless it is. By
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  Speaker 1: and by he will fight with his visor down. But
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  Speaker 1: surely a net and spear are poor arms against a
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  Speaker 1: shield and sword. That shows how innocent you are, my
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  Speaker 1: dear Fulvia. The ritarius has generally the best of it.
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  Speaker 1: But who is Yon, handsome gladiator nearly naked? Is it
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  Speaker 1: not quite improper by Venus? But his limbs are beautifully shaped.
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  Speaker 1: It is Leiden, a young, untried man. He has the
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  Speaker 1: rashness to fight Yon other gladiators similarly dressed or rather
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  Speaker 1: undressed tetraides. They fight first in the Greek fashion with
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  Speaker 1: the cestus. Afterwards they put on armor and try sword
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  Speaker 1: and shield. He is a proper man, this Leiden, and
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  Speaker 1: the women I am sure are on his side. So
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  Speaker 1: are not the experienced betters. Clodius offers three to one
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  Speaker 1: against him. Oh jove, how beautiful, exclaimed the widow, as
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  Speaker 1: two gladiators armed capapier rode round the arena on Leiden
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  Speaker 1: Prancing's steeds, resembling much the combatants in the Tilts of
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  Speaker 1: the Middle Age. They bore lances and round shields beautifully inlaid.
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  Speaker 1: Their armor was woven intricately with bands of iron, but
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  Speaker 1: it covered only the thighs and the right arms. Short
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  Speaker 1: cloaks extending to the seat gave a picturesque and graceful
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  Speaker 1: air to their costume. Their legs were naked, with the
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  Speaker 1: exception of sandals, which were fastened a little above the ankle. Oh, beautiful,
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  Speaker 1: who are these? Asked the widow. The one is named Burbics,
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  Speaker 1: he has conquered twelve times. The other assumes the arrogant
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  Speaker 1: name of Nobiliore. They are both Gaulls. While thus conversing,
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  Speaker 1: the first formalities of the show were over. To these
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  Speaker 1: succeeded a faint combat with wooden swords between the various
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  Speaker 1: gladiators matched against each other. Amongst these, the skill of
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  Speaker 1: two Roman gladiators hired for the occasion was the most admired,
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  Speaker 1: and next to them the most graceful combatant was Leiden.
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  Speaker 1: This sham contest did not last above an hour, nor
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  Speaker 1: did it attract any very lively interest, except among those
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  Speaker 1: connoisseurs of the arena, to whom art was preferable to
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  Speaker 1: more coarse excitement. The body of the spectators were rejoiced
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  Speaker 1: when it was over, and when the sympathy rose to terror.
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  Speaker 1: The combatants were now arranged in pairs as agreed beforehand,
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  Speaker 1: their weapons examined, and the grave sports of the day commenced.
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  Speaker 1: Amidst the deepest silence, broken only by an exciting and
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  Speaker 1: preliminary blast of warlike music. It was often customary to
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  Speaker 1: begin the sports by the most cruel of all, and
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  Speaker 1: some bestiarius or gladiator appointed to the beasts was slain
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  Speaker 1: first as an initiatory sacrifice. But in the present instance,
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  Speaker 1: the experienced Panza thought it better that the sanguinary drama
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  Speaker 1: should advance, not decrease in interest, and accordingly the execution
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  Speaker 1: of Olynthus and Glaucus was reserved for the last. It
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  Speaker 1: was arranged that the two horsemen should first occupy the arena,
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  Speaker 1: that the foot gladiators pared off should then be loosed
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  Speaker 1: indiscriminately on the stage, that Glaucus and the Lion should
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  Speaker 1: next perform their part in the bloody spectacle, and the
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  Speaker 1: Tiger and the Nazarene be the grand finale. And in
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  Speaker 1: the spectacles of Pompeii. The reader of Roman history must
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  Speaker 1: limit his imagination nor expect to find those vast and
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  Speaker 1: wholesale exhibitions of magnificent slaughter with which a Nero or
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  Speaker 1: a Caligula regaled the inhabitants of the imperial city. The
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  Speaker 1: Roman shows which absorbed the more celebrated gladiators and the
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  Speaker 1: chief portion of foreign beasts were indeed the very reason
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  Speaker 1: why in the lesser towns of the Empire the sports
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  Speaker 1: of the amphitheater were comparatively humane and rare. And in this,
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  Speaker 1: as in other respects, POMPEII was but the miniature the
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  Speaker 1: microcosm of Rome. Still it was an awful and imposing
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  Speaker 1: spectacle with which modern times have happily nothing to compare.
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  Speaker 1: A vast theater rising row upon row and swarming with
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  Speaker 1: human beings from fifteen to eighteen thousand in number, intent
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  Speaker 1: upon no fictitious representation, no tragedy of the stage, but
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  Speaker 1: an actual victory or defeat, the exultant life or the
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  Speaker 1: bloody death of each and all who entered the arena.
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  Speaker 1: The two horsemen were now at either extremity of the lists,
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  Speaker 1: if so they might be called, and at a given
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  Speaker 1: signal from Panza, the combatants started simultaneously as in full collision,
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  Speaker 1: each advancing his round buckler, each poising on high his
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  Speaker 1: light yet sturdy javelin. But just when within three paces
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  Speaker 1: of his opponent, the steed of Berbicks suddenly halted, wheeled round,
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  Speaker 1: and as Nobilior was borne rapidly by his antagonist spurred
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  Speaker 1: upon him. The buckler of Nobilior, quickly and skillfully extended,
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  Speaker 1: received a blow which otherwise would have been fatal. Well done,
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  Speaker 1: No Billiore, cried the prador, giving the first bent to
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  Speaker 1: the popular excitement, bravely struck my Berbicks, answered Clodius from
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  Speaker 1: his seat, and the wild murmurs swelled by many. A
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  Speaker 1: shout echoed from side to side. The visors of both
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  Speaker 1: the horsemen were completely closed, like those of the knights
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  Speaker 1: in after times. But the head was nevertheless the great
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  Speaker 1: point of assault, and No Billiore, now wieling his charger
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  Speaker 1: with no less adroitness than his opponent, directed his spear
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  Speaker 1: full on the helmet of his foe. Burbecks raised his
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  Speaker 1: buckler to shield himself, and his quick eyed antagonist, suddenly,
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  Speaker 1: lowering his weapon, pierced him through the breast. Berbicks reeled
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  Speaker 1: and fell. No Billire, no Billiore, shouted the populace, I
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  Speaker 1: have lost tens Asturdia, said Clodius, between his teeth have it?
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  Speaker 1: He has it, said Pansa. Deliberately. The Populace, not yet
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  Speaker 1: hardened into cruelty, made the signal of mercy. But as
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  Speaker 1: the attendants of the arena approached, they found the kindness
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  Speaker 1: came too late. The heart of the gaull had been pierced,
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  Speaker 1: and his eyes were set in death. It was his
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  Speaker 1: life's blood that flowed so darkly over the sand and
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  Speaker 1: sawdust of the arena. It is a pity it was
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  Speaker 1: so soon over. There was little enough for one's trouble,
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  Speaker 1: said the widow Falvia. Yes, I have no compassion for burbics.
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  Speaker 1: Any one might have seen that Nobilior did but faint mark.
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  Speaker 1: They fixed the fatal hook to the body. They drag
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  Speaker 1: him away to the Spoliarium. They scatter new sand over
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  Speaker 1: the stage. Panza regrets nothing more than that he is
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  Speaker 1: not rich enough to strew the arena with borax and cinnabar,
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  Speaker 1: as Nero used to do well. If it had been
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  Speaker 1: a brief battle. It has quickly succeeded. See my handsome
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  Speaker 1: Leiden in the arena. I and the net bearer too,
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  Speaker 1: and the swordsmen, oh charming. There were now on the
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  Speaker 1: arena six combatants. Niger and his net matched against Sporus
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  Speaker 1: with his shield and his short broadsword. Leiden and Tetraides
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  Speaker 1: naked save by a cincture round the waist. He charmed
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  Speaker 1: only with a heavy Greek cestus and two glad eaters
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  Speaker 1: from Rome, clad in complete steel and evenly matched with
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  Speaker 1: immense bucklers and pointed swords, the initiatory contest between Leiden
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  Speaker 1: and Tetraides being less deadly than that between the other combatants.
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  Speaker 1: No sooner had they advanced to the middle of the
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  Speaker 1: arena than as by common ascent, the rest held back
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  Speaker 1: to see how that contest should be decided, and wait
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  Speaker 1: till fiercer weapons might reap place the cestus ere they
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  Speaker 1: themselves commenced hostilities. They stood, leaning on their arms and
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  Speaker 1: apart from each other, gazing on the show, which, if
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  Speaker 1: not bloody enough thoroughly to please the populace, they were
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  Speaker 1: still inclined to admire because its origin was of their
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  Speaker 1: ancestral Greece. No person could, at first glance have seemed
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  Speaker 1: less evenly matched than the two antagonists. Tetraides, though not
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  Speaker 1: taller than Leiden, weighed considerably more. The natural size of
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  Speaker 1: his muscles was increased to the eyes of the vulgar
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  Speaker 1: by masses of solid flesh. For as it was a
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  Speaker 1: notion that the contest of the cestus fared easiest with
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  Speaker 1: him who was plumpest. Tetraides had encouraged to the utmost
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  Speaker 1: his hereditary predisposition to the port Lea. His shoulders were vast,
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  Speaker 1: and his lower limbs thick set, double jointed, and slightly
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  Speaker 1: curved outward, in that formation which takes so much from
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  Speaker 1: beauty to give so largely to strength. But Leidon, except
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  Speaker 1: that he was slender, even almost to meagerness, was beautifully
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  Speaker 1: and delicately proportioned, and the skillful might have perceived that,
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  Speaker 1: with much less compass of muscle than his foe, that
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  Speaker 1: which he had was more seasoned iron, and compact in proportion. Too.
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  Speaker 1: As he wanted flesh, he was likely to possess activity.
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  Speaker 1: And a haughty smile on his resolute face, which strongly
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  Speaker 1: contrasted the solid heaviness of his enemies, gave assurance to
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  Speaker 1: those who beheld it, and united their hope to their pity,
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  Speaker 1: so that despite the disparity of their seeming strength, the
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  Speaker 1: cry of the multitude was nearly as loud for Leyden
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  Speaker 1: as for Tetraides. Whoever is acquainted with modern prize ring,
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  Speaker 1: whoever has witnessed the heavy and disabling strokes which the
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  Speaker 1: human fist skillfully directed, hath the power to bestow may
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  Speaker 1: easily understand how much that happy facility would be increased
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  Speaker 1: by a band carried by thongs of leather round the
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  Speaker 1: arm as high as the elbow, and terribly strengthened about
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  Speaker 1: the knuckles by a plate of iron and sometimes a
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  Speaker 1: plummet of lead. Yet this which was meant to increase,
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  Speaker 1: perhaps rather diminished the interest of the fray, for it
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  Speaker 1: necessarily shortened its duration. A very few blows, successfully and
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  Speaker 1: scientifically planted might suffice to bring the contest to a close,
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  Speaker 1: And the battle did not therefore often allow full scope
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  Speaker 1: for the energy, fortitude, and dogged perseverance that we technically
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  Speaker 1: style pluck, which not unusually wins the day against superior science,
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  Speaker 1: and which heightens to so painful a delight the interest
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  Speaker 1: in the battle, and the sympathy for the brave guard
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  Speaker 1: thyself growled Tetraides, moving nearer and nearer to his foe,
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  Speaker 1: who rather shifted round him than receded. Leiden did not
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  Speaker 1: air answer, save by a scornful glance of his quick,
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  Speaker 1: vigilant eye. Tetraides struck. It was the blow of a
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  Speaker 1: smith on a vice. Lydon sank suddenly on one knee.
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  Speaker 1: The blow passed over his head. Not so harmless was
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  Speaker 1: Lydon's retaliation. He quickly sprung to his feet and aimed
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  Speaker 1: his cestus full on the broad chest of his antagonist.
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  Speaker 1: Tetraides reeled. The populace shouted. You are unlucky to day,
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  Speaker 1: said Lepidus to Clodius. You have lost one bet, you
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  Speaker 1: will lose another. By the gods, my bronzes, go to
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  Speaker 1: the auctioneer. If that is the case, I have no
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  Speaker 1: less than a hundred csterdia upon Tetraides. Ha ha, See
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  Speaker 1: how he rallies. That was a home stroke. He has
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  Speaker 1: cut open Lydon's shoulder A Tetraides, A Tetraides. But Leidon
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  Speaker 1: is not disheartened by Pollux. How well he keeps his temper.
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  Speaker 1: See how dexterously he avoids those hammer like hands dodging
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  Speaker 1: now here, now there, circling round and round. Ah, poor Leiden.
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  Speaker 1: He has it again, three to one, still on Tetraides.
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  Speaker 1: What say you, Lepidus? Well nine sestertia to three be it? So?
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  Speaker 1: What again? Leiden? He stops, He gasps for breath. By
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  Speaker 1: the gods, he is down. No, he is again on
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  Speaker 1: his legs, brave Leiden. Tetraides is encouraged. He laughs loud,
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  Speaker 1: He rushes on him. Fool success blinds him. He should
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  Speaker 1: be cautious. Leiden's eye is like the Lynxes, said Clodius,
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  Speaker 1: between his teeth. Ha Clodius, you saw that your man
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  Speaker 1: totters another blow. He falls, He falls, Earth revives him.
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  Speaker 1: Then he is once more up, But the blood rolls
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  Speaker 1: down his face. By the thunderer. Leiden wins it. See
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  Speaker 1: how he presses on him him. That blow on the
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  Speaker 1: temple would have crushed an ox. It has crushed Tetraides.
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  Speaker 1: He falls again. He cannot move. Habit, habit, have it repeated? Panza,
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  Speaker 1: take them out and give them the armor and swords.
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  Speaker 1: Noble editor said the officers. We fear that Tetraides will
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  Speaker 1: not recover in time, howbeit we will try do so
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  Speaker 1: in a few minutes. The officers who had dragged off
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  Speaker 1: the stunned and insensible gladiator returned with rueful countenances. They
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  Speaker 1: feared for his life. He was utterly incapacitated from re
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  Speaker 1: entering the arena. In that case, said Panza. Hold light
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  Speaker 1: in a subduetitious and the first gladiator that is vanquished,
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  Speaker 1: let light and supply his place with the victor. The
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  Speaker 1: people shouted their applause at this sentence, then they again
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  Speaker 1: sunk into deep silence. The trumpet sounded loudly. The four
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  Speaker 1: combatants stood each against each, in prepared and stern array.
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  Speaker 1: Dost thou recognize the romans, my Clodius? Are they among
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  Speaker 1: the celebrated? Or are they merely ordinary? Eumolpus is a
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  Speaker 1: good second rate swordsman, my Lepidus. Nepimus the lesser man
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  Speaker 1: I have never seen before, but he is the son
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  Speaker 1: of one of the imperial fiscales, and brought up in
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  Speaker 1: a proper school. Doubtless they will show sport, but I
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  Speaker 1: have no heart for the game. I cannot win back
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  Speaker 1: my money. I am undone curses on that Lydon, who
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  Speaker 1: could have supposed he was so dexterous or so lucky? Well, Clodius,
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  Speaker 1: shall I take compassion on you and accept your own
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  Speaker 1: terms with these romans, and even tensestrtia on Eumolpus. Then
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  Speaker 1: what when Nepimus is untried? Nay, nay, that is too bad? Well,
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  Speaker 1: ten to eight agreed. While the contest in the amphitheater
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  Speaker 1: had thus commenced. There was one in the loftier benches,
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  Speaker 1: for whom it had assumed indeed a poignant and stifling interest.
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  Speaker 1: The aged father of Leiden, despite his Christian horror of
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  Speaker 1: the spectacle, in his agonized anxiety for his son, had
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  Speaker 1: not been able to resist being the spectator of his fate.
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  Speaker 1: One amidst a fierce crowd of strangers, the lowest rabble
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: of the populace, the old man saw felt nothing but
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: the form the presence of his brave son. Not a
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: sound had escaped his lips when twice he had seen
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: him fall to the earth. Only he turned paler and
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: his limbs trembled. But he had uttered one low cry
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: when he saw him victorious, unconscious, alas of the more
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: fearful battle, to which the victory was but a prelude.
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: My gallant boy, said he, and wiped his eyes. Is
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: he thy son, said a browny fellow to the right
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: of the Nazarene. He has fought. Well, let us see
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: how he does by and by hark he is to
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: fight the first victor. Now, old boy, pray the gods
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: that that victor be neither of the Romans nor next
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: to them. The giant Niger. The old man sat down
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: again and covered his face. The fray for the moment
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: was indifferent to him. Leiden was not one of the
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: combatants yet, yet the thought flashed across him. The fray
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: was indeed of deadly interest. The first who fell was
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: to make way for Leiden. He started and bent down
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: with straining eyes and clasped hands to view the encounter.
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: The first interest was attracted towards the combat of Niger
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: with Sporus. For this species of contest, from the fatal
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: result which usually attended it, and from the great science
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: it required in either antagonist, was always peculiarly inviting to
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: the spectators. They stood at a considerable distance from each other.
• 22:59
  Speaker 1: The singular helmet which Sporis wore, the visor of which
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: was down, concealed his face, but the features of Niger
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: attracted a fearful and universal interest from their compressed and
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: vigilant ferocity. Thus they stood for some moments, each eyeing
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: each till Sporis began slowly and with great caution to advance,
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: holding his sword pointed like a modern fencer's at the
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: breast of his foe. Niger retreated as his antagonist advanced,
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: gathering up his net with his right hand, and never
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: taking his small, glittering eye from the movements of the swordsman. Suddenly,
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: when Sporius had approached nearly at arm's length, the Retiarius
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: threw himself forward and cast his net. A quick inflexion
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: of body saved the gladiator from the deadly snare. He
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: uttered a sharp cry of joy and rage, and rushed
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: upon Niger. But Niger had already drawn in his net,
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: thrown it across his shoulders, and now fled round the
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: lists with a swiftness which the secutur in vain endeavored
• 24:04
  Speaker 1: to equal. The people laughed and shouted aloud to see
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: the ineffectual efforts of the broad shouldered gladiator to overtake
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: the flying giant, when at that moment their attention was
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: turned from these to the two Roman combatants. They had
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: placed themselves at the onset, face to face, at the
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: distance of modern fencers from each other. But the extreme
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: caution which both events at first had prevented any warmth
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: of engagement and allowed the spectators full leisure to interest
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: themselves in the battle between Sporus and his fall. But
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: the Romans were now heated into full and fierce encounter.
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: They pushed, returned, advanced on, retreated from each other with
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: all that careful yet scarcely perceptible caution which characterizes men
• 24:52
  Speaker 1: well experienced and equally matched. But at this moment Eumolpus,
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: the elder gladiator, that dexterous backstroke, which was considered in
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: the arena so difficult to avoid, had wounded Nephemus in
• 25:06
  Speaker 1: the side. The people shouted. Lepidus turned pale, Ho said Clodius,
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: the game is nearly over. If Eumolpus fights now the
• 25:17
  Speaker 1: quiet fight, the other will gradually bleed himself away. But
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: thank the gods, he has not fight the backward fight.
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: See he presses heart upon Nepemus by mars, but Nephemus
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: had him there. The helmet rang again. Clodius, I shall win.
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: Why do I ever bet? But at the dice, groaned
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: Clodius to himself. Or why cannot one cog a gladiator asporis?
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: Asporus shouted the populace, as Niger, having now suddenly paused,
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: had again cast his net, and again unsuccessfully. He had
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: not retreated, this time with sufficient agility. The sort of
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: Sporus had inflicted a severe wound upon his right leg,
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: and incapacitated to fly, He was pressed hard by the
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: fierce swordsman. His great height and length of arm. Still continued, however,
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: to give him no despicable advantages, and steadily keeping his
• 26:16
  Speaker 1: trident at the front of his foe, he repelled him
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: successfully for several minutes. Sporus now tried, by great rapidity
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: of evolution, to get round his antagonist, who necessarily moved
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: with pain and slowness. In so doing, he lost his caution.
• 26:33
  Speaker 1: He advanced too near to the giant, raised his arm
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: to strike, and received the three points of the fatal
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: spear full in his breast. He sank on his knee.
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: In a moment more, the deadly net was cast over him.
• 26:48
  Speaker 1: He struggled against its meshes in vain. Again again again,
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: he writhed mutely beneath the fresh strokes of the trident.
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: His blood flowed fast through the net and redly over
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: the sand. He lowered his arms in acknowledgment of defeat.
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: The conquering Retiarius withdrew his net and, leaning on his spear,
• 27:10
  Speaker 1: looked to the audience for their judgment. Slowly too. At
• 27:14
  Speaker 1: the same moment, the vanquished gladiator rolled his dim and
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: despairing eyes around the theater, from roe to roe, from
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: bench to bench. There glared upon him, but merciless and
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: unpitying eyes hushed was the roar, the murmur. The silence
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: was dread, for it was no sympathy. Not a hand, no,
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: not even a woman's hand, gave the signal of charity
• 27:40
  Speaker 1: and life. Sporus had never been popular in the arena,
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: and lately the interest of the combatant had been excited
• 27:48
  Speaker 1: on behalf of the wounded Niger. The people were warmed
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: into blood. The mimic fight had ceased to charm. The
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: interest had mounted up to the desire of sacrifice and
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: the thirst of death. The gladiator felt that his doom
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: was sealed. He uttered, no prayer, no groan. The people
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: gave the signal of death in dogged but agonized submission.
• 28:13
  Speaker 1: He bent his neck to receive the fatal stroke. And now,
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: as the spear of the retarius was not a weapon
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: to inflict instant and certain death, there stalked into the arena,
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: a grim and fatal form, brandishing a short, sharp sword
• 28:27
  Speaker 1: and with features utterly concealed beneath his visor. With slow
• 28:32
  Speaker 1: and measured steps. This dismal headsman approached the gladiator, still kneeling,
• 28:37
  Speaker 1: laid the left hand on his humbold crest, drew the
• 28:40
  Speaker 1: edge of the blade across his neck, turned round to
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: the assembly, lest in the last moment, remorse should come
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: upon them. The dread signal continued the same. The blade
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: glittered brightly in the air, fell, and the gladiator rolled
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: upon the sand. His limbs quivered, were still. He was
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: a corpse. His body was dragged at once from the
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: arena through the gate of death and thrown into the
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: gloomy den termed technically the Spoliarium, and ere it had
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: well reached that destination, the strife between the remaining combatants
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: was decided. The sword of Eumolpus had inflicted the death
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: wound upon the less experienced combatant. A new victim was
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: added to the receptacle of the slain. Throughout that mighty
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: assembly there now ran a universal movement. The people breathed
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: more freely and resettled themselves in their seats. A grateful
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: shower was cast over every row from the concealed conduits.
• 29:41
  Speaker 1: In cool and luxurious pleasure, they talked over the late
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: spectacle of blood Eumolpus removed his helmet and wiped his brows.
• 29:50
  Speaker 1: His close curled hair and short beard, his noble Roman
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: features and bright dark eye attracted the general admiration. He
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: was fresh, unwounded, unfatigued. The editor paused and proclaimed aloud
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: that as Niger's wound disabled him from again entering the arena,
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: Leiden was to be the successor to the slaughtered Nepimus
• 30:13
  Speaker 1: and the new combatant of Eumolpus. Yet, Leiden added he
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: if thou wouldst decline the combat with one so brave
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: and tried, thou mayst have full liberty to do so.
• 30:26
  Speaker 1: Eumolpus is not the antagonist that was originally decreed for
• 30:30
  Speaker 1: thee Thou knowest best how far thou canst cope with him.
• 30:35
  Speaker 1: If thou failest, thy doom is honorable death. If thou
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: conquerest out of my own purse, I will double the
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: stipulated prize. The people shouted applause. Leidon stood in the lists.
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: He gazed around. High above, he beheld the pale face,
• 30:52
  Speaker 1: the straining eyes of his father. He turned away, irresolute.
• 30:57
  Speaker 1: For a moment. No, the conquest the Cestus was not sufficient.
• 31:02
  Speaker 1: He had not yet won the prize of victory. His
• 31:05
  Speaker 1: father was still a slave noble Idealae. He replied, in
• 31:11
  Speaker 1: a firm and deep tone, I shrink not from this combat.
• 31:15
  Speaker 1: For the honor of POMPEII. I demand that one trained
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: by its long celebrated Lanista shall do battle with this Roman.
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: The people shouted louder than before, four to one against Leiden,
• 31:29
  Speaker 1: said Clodius to Lepidus, I would not take twenty to one.
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: Why Eumolpus is a very Achilles, and this poor fellow
• 31:38
  Speaker 1: is but a tyro. Eumolpus gazed hard at the face
• 31:42
  Speaker 1: of Leiden. He smiled. Yet the smile was followed by
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: a slight and scarce audible sigh, a touch of compassionate
• 31:50
  Speaker 1: emotion which custom conquered the moment the heart acknowledged it,
• 31:55
  Speaker 1: and now both clad in complete armor, the sword drawn,
• 31:58
  Speaker 1: the visor closed. The two last combatants of the arena.
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: Ere Man at least was matched with beasts, stood opposed
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: to each other. It was just at this time that
• 32:10
  Speaker 1: a letter was delivered to the Prator by one of
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: the attendants of the Arena. He removed the cincture, glanced
• 32:17
  Speaker 1: over it for a moment his countenance betrayed surprise and embarrassment.
• 32:22
  Speaker 1: He re read the letter, and then, muttering, tush, it
• 32:26
  Speaker 1: is impossible. The man must be drunk even in the
• 32:29
  Speaker 1: morning to dream of such follies, threw it carelessly aside,
• 32:34
  Speaker 1: and gravely settled himself once more. In the attitude of
• 32:37
  Speaker 1: attention to the sports. The interest of the public was
• 32:41
  Speaker 1: wound up very high. Eumolpus had at first won their favor,
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: but the gallantry of Leiden and his well timed allusion
• 32:49
  Speaker 1: to the honor of the Pompeian Lanista had afterwards given
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: the latter the preference in their eyes. Hola old fellow, said,
• 32:59
  Speaker 1: Meidan's name hbor to him. Your son is hardly matched.
• 33:03
  Speaker 1: But never fear. The editor will not permit him to
• 33:06
  Speaker 1: be slain. No, nor the people neither. He has behaved
• 33:10
  Speaker 1: too bravely for that ha that was a home thrust
• 33:14
  Speaker 1: well averted by pollocks at him again, Leiden, they stopped
• 33:18
  Speaker 1: to breathe. What art thou muttering, old boy? Prayers, answered Meden,
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: with a more calm and hopeful mien than he had
• 33:27
  Speaker 1: yet maintained. Prayers trifles the time for gods to carry
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: a man away in a cloud is gone now, Ha Jupiter,
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: what a blow thy side, thy side, take care of
• 33:40
  Speaker 1: thy side. Leiden. There was a compulsive tremor throughout the assembly.
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: A fierce blow from Eumolpus, full on the crest, had
• 33:49
  Speaker 1: brought Leiden to his knee. Have it, he has it,
• 33:54
  Speaker 1: cried a shrill female voice. He has it. It was
• 33:58
  Speaker 1: the voice of the girl who had so anxiously anticipated
• 34:01
  Speaker 1: the sacrifice of some criminal to the beasts. Be silent, child,
• 34:07
  Speaker 1: said the wife of Panza. Haughtily. None habit. He is
• 34:11
  Speaker 1: not wounded. I wish he were, if only to spite
• 34:15
  Speaker 1: old surly Meeden, muttered the girl. Meanwhile, Leyden, who had
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: hitherto defended himself with great skill and valor, began to
• 34:24
  Speaker 1: give way before the vigorous assaults of the practiced Roman.
• 34:28
  Speaker 1: His arm grew tired, his eye dizzy. He breathed hard
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: and painfully. The combatants paused again for breath. Young man
• 34:38
  Speaker 1: said Eumolpus, in a low voice, desist, I will wound
• 34:42
  Speaker 1: thee slightly. Then lower thy arms. Thou hast propitiated the
• 34:47
  Speaker 1: editor and the mob. Thou wilt be honorably saved. And
• 34:52
  Speaker 1: my father still enslaved groaned, leyden to himself no death
• 34:57
  Speaker 1: or his freedom. That thought, and seeing that his strength
• 35:02
  Speaker 1: not being equal to the endurance of the Roman, everything
• 35:05
  Speaker 1: depended on a sudden and desperate effort, he threw himself
• 35:08
  Speaker 1: fiercely on Eumolpus. The Roman warily retreated. Leidon thrust again.
• 35:15
  Speaker 1: Eumolpus drew himself aside. The sword grazed his queerest. Leiden's
• 35:20
  Speaker 1: breast was exposed. The Roman plunged his sword through the
• 35:23
  Speaker 1: joints of the armor, not meaning, however, to inflict a
• 35:26
  Speaker 1: deep wound. Leidon, weak and exhausted, fell forward, fell right
• 35:31
  Speaker 1: on the point it passed through, and through even to
• 35:34
  Speaker 1: the back. Eumolpus drew forth his blade. Leidon still made
• 35:39
  Speaker 1: an effort to regain his balance. His sword left his grasp.
• 35:44
  Speaker 1: He struck mechanically at the gladiator with his naked hand,
• 35:47
  Speaker 1: and fell prostrate on the arena. With one accord, Editor
• 35:52
  Speaker 1: and Assembly made the signal of mercy. The officers of
• 35:55
  Speaker 1: the arena approached. They took off the helmet of the vanquished.
• 35:59
  Speaker 1: He still breathed, his eyes rolled fiercely on his foe.
• 36:04
  Speaker 1: The savageness he had acquired in his calling glared from
• 36:07
  Speaker 1: his gaze and lowered upon the brow darkened already with
• 36:11
  Speaker 1: the shades of death. Then, with a convulsive groan, with
• 36:15
  Speaker 1: a half start, he lifted his eyes above. They rested
• 36:19
  Speaker 1: not on the face of the editor, nor on the
• 36:21
  Speaker 1: pitying brows of his relenting judges. He saw them not.
• 36:26
  Speaker 1: They were as if the vast space was desolate and bare.
• 36:30
  Speaker 1: One pale, agonizing face alone was all he recognized. One
• 36:35
  Speaker 1: cry of a broken heart was all that, amidst the
• 36:38
  Speaker 1: murmurs and the shouts of the populace reached his ear.
• 36:42
  Speaker 1: The ferocity vanished from his brow. A soft, a tender
• 36:46
  Speaker 1: expression of sanctifying but despairing love played over his features,
• 36:51
  Speaker 1: played waned, darkened. His face suddenly became locked and rigid,
• 36:58
  Speaker 1: resuming its former fierceness. He fell upon the earth. Look
• 37:03
  Speaker 1: to him, said the ideale. He has done his duty.
• 37:08
  Speaker 1: The officers dragged him off to the spoliarium, a true
• 37:12
  Speaker 1: type of glory and of its fate. Murmured Arbasses to himself,
• 37:17
  Speaker 1: and his eye, glancing round the amphitheater betrayed so much
• 37:21
  Speaker 1: of disdain and scorn that whoever encountered it felt his
• 37:24
  Speaker 1: breath suddenly arrest it, and his emotions frozen into one
• 37:29
  Speaker 1: sensation of abasement and of awe Again, rich perfumes were
• 37:34
  Speaker 1: wafted around the theater. The attendant sprinkled fresh sand over
• 37:38
  Speaker 1: the arena. Bring forth the Lion and Glaucus, the Athenian,
• 37:43
  Speaker 1: said the editor. And a deep and breathless hush of
• 37:47
  Speaker 1: overwrought interest and intense, yet strange, to say not unpleasing,
• 37:52
  Speaker 1: terror lay like a mighty and awful dream over the
• 37:56
  Speaker 1: assembly and of Book five, Chapter two,