THE AMPHITHEATER

NYDIA, assured by the account of Sosia, on his return home, and satisfied that her letter was in the hands of Sallust, gave herself up once more to hope. Sallust would surely lose no time in seeking the pr tor in coming to the house of the Egyptian in releasing her in breaking the prison of Calenus. That very night Glaucus would be free. Alas! the night passed the dawn broke; she heard nothing but the hurried footsteps of the slaves along the hall and peristyle, and their voices in preparation for the show. By and by, the commanding voice of Arbaces broke on her ear--a flourish of music rang out cheerily ; the long procession were sweeping to the amphitheater to glut their eyes on the death-pangs of the Athenian!

The procession. of Arbaces moved along slowly, and with much solemnity, till now, arriving at the place where it was necessary for such as came in litters or chariots to alight, Arbaces descended from his vehicle, and proceeded to the entrance by which the more distinguished spectators were admitted. His slaves, mingling with the humbler crowd, were stationed by officers who received their tickets (not much unlike our modern opera ones), in places in the popularia (the seats apportioned to the vulgar). And now, from the spot where Arbaces sat, his eyes scanned the mighty and impatient crowd that filled the stupendous theater.

On the upper tier (but apart from the male spectators) sat the women, their gay dresses resembling some. gaudy flower-bed; it is needless to add that they were the most talkative part of the assembly; and many were the looks directed up to them, especially from the, benches appropriated. to the young and the unmarried men. On the lower seats round the arena sat the more high-born and wealthy visitors the magistrates and those of senatorial or equestrian dignity : the passages which, by corridors at the right and left, gave access to these seats, at either end of the oval arena, were also the entrances for the combatants. Strong palings at these passages prevented any unwelcome eccentricity in the movements of the beasts, and confined them to their appointed prey. Around the parapet which was raised above the arena, and from which the seats gradually rose, were gladiatorial inscriptions, and paintings wrought in fresco, typical of the entertainments for which the place was designed. Throughout the whole building wound invisible pipes, from which, as the day advanced, cooling and fragrant showers were to be sprinkled over the spectators. The officers of the amphitheater were still employed in the task of fixing the vast awning (or velaria) which covered the whole, and which luxurious invention the Campanians arrogated to themselves: it was woven of the whitest Apulian wool, and variegated with broad stripes of crimson. Owing either to some inexperience on the part of the workmen, or to some defect in the machinery, the awning, however, was not arranged that day so happily as usual; indeed, from the immense space of the circumference, the task was always one of great difficulty and art so much so, that it could seldom be adventured in rough or windy weather. But the present day was so remarkably still, that there seemed to the spectators no excuse for the awkwardness of the artificers; and when a large gap in the back of the awning was still visible, from the obstinate refusal of one part of the velaria to ally itself with the rest, the murmurs of discontent were loud and general.

The dile Pansa, at whose expense the exhibition was given, looked particularly annoyed at the defect, and vowed bitter vengeance on the head of the chief officer of the show, who, fretting, puffing, perspiring, busied himself in idle orders and unavailing threats.

The hubbub ceased suddenly the operators desisted the crowd were stilled the gap was forgotten for now, with a loud and warlike flourish of trumpets, the gladiators, marshaled in ceremonious procession, entered the arena. They swept round the oval space very slowly and deliberately, in order to give the spectators full leisure to admire their stern serenity of feature their brawny limbs and various arms, as well as to form such wagers as the excitement of the moment might suggest.

Oh," cried the widow Fulvia to the wife of Pansa, as they leaned down from their lofty bench, "do you see that gigantic gladiator? how drolly he is dressed."

"Yes," said the dile's wife, with complacent importance, for she knew all the names and qualities of each combatant ; "he is a retiarius or netter ; he is armed only, you see, with a three-pronged spear like a trident and a net ; he wears no armor, only the fillet and the tunic. He is a mighty man, and is to fight with Spores, yon thick-set gladiator, with the round shield and drawn sword, but without body armor ; he has not his helmet on now, in order that you may see his face how fearless it is ! by and by he will fight with his visor down."

" But surely a net and a spear are poor arms against a shield and sword?"

That shows how innocent you are, my dear Fulvia ; the retiarius has generally the best of it."

" But who is yon handsome gladiator, nearly naked is it not quite improper? By Venus ! but his limbs are beautifully shaped !"

It is Lydon, a young, untried man ! he has the rashness to fight yon other gladiator similarly dressed, or rather undressed Tetraides. They fight first in the Greek fashion, with the cestus : afterward they put on armor, and try sword and shield."

" He is a proper man, this Lydon ; and the women, I am sure, are on his side."

" So are not the experienced betters ; Clodius offers three to one against him."

"Oh, Jove ! how beautiful! exclaimed the widow, as two gladiators, armed cap-a'-pie, rode round the arena on light and prancing steeds. Resembling much the combatants in the tilts of the middle age, they bore lances and round shields beautifully inlaid ; their armor was woven intricately with bands of iron, but it covered only the thighs and the right arms ; short cloaks, extending to the seat, gave a picturesque and graceful air to their costume ; their legs were naked with the exception of sandals, which were fastened a little above the ankle. Oh, beautiful Who are these ?" asked the widow.

The one is named Berbix he has conquered twelve times ; the other assumes the arrogant name of Nobilior. They are both Gauls."

While thus conversing, the first formalities of the show were over. To these succeeded a feigned combat with wooden swords between the various gladiators matched against each other. Among these, the skill of two Roman gladiators, hired for the occasion, was the most admired; and next to them the most graceful combatant was Lydon. This sham contest did not last above an hour, nor did it attract any very lively interest, except among those connoisseurs of the arena to whom art was preferable to more coarse excitement ; the body of the spectators were rejoiced when it was over ; and when the sympathy rose to terror. The combatants were now arranged in pairs, as agreed beforehand ; their weapons examined ; and the grave sports of the day commenced amid the deepest silence broken only by an exciting and preliminary blast of warlike music.

It was often customary to begin the sports by the most cruel of all, and some bestiaries, or gladiator appointed to the beasts, was slain first, as an initiatory sacrifice. But in the present instance, the experienced Pansa thought it better that the sanguinary drama should advance, not decrease, in interest ; and, accordingly, the execution of Olinthus and Glaucus was reserved for the last. It was arranged that the two horsemen should first occupy the arena ; that the foot gladiators, paired off, should then be loosed indiscriminately on the stage ; that Glaucus and the lion should next perform their part in the bloody spectacle ; and the tiger and the Nazarene be the grand finale. And, in the spectacles of Pompeii, the reader of Roman history must limit his imagination, nor expect to find those vast and wholesale exhibitions of magnificent slaughter with which a Nero or a Caligula regaled the inhabitants of the Imperial City. The Roman shows, which absorbed the more celebrated gladiators, and the chief proportion of foreign beasts, were indeed the very reason why, in the lesser towns of the empire, the sports of the amphitheater were comparatively humane and rare ' ; and in this, as in other respects, Pompeii was but the miniature, the microcosm of Rome. Still, it was an awful and imposing spectacle, with which modern times have, happily, nothing to compare a vast theater, rising row upon row, and swarming with human beings, from fifteen to eighteen thousand in number, intent upon no fictitious representation no tragedy of the stage but the actual victory or defeat, the exultant life or the bloody death, of each and all who entered the arena !

The two horsemen were now at either extremity of the lists (if so they might be called); and at a given signal from Pansa, the combatants started simultaneously as in full collision, each advancing his round buckler, each poising on high his light yet sturdy javelin ; but just when within three paces of his opponent, the steed of Berbix suddenly halted, wheeled round, and, as Nobilior was borne rapidly by, his antagonist spurred upon him. The buckler of Nobilior, quickly and skillfully extended, received a blow which otherwise would have been fatal.

"Well done, Nobilior!" cried the pr tor giving the first vent to the popular excitement.

Bravely struck, my Berbix!" answered Clodius from his seat.

And the wild murmur, swelled by many a shout, echoed from side to side.

The visors of both the horsemen were completely closed (like those of the knights in after times), but the head was, nevertheless, the great point of assault ; and Nobilior, now wheeling his charger with no less adroitness than his wheeling opponent, directed his spear full on the helmet of his foe. Berbix raised his buckler to shield himself, and his quick-eyed antagonist, suddenly lowering his weapon, pierced him through the breast. Berbix reeled and fell.

"Nobilior! Nobilior!" shouted the populace.

"I have lost ten sestertia," said Clodius, between his teeth.

Habet ! he has it," said Pansa, deliberately.

The populace, not yet hardened into cruelty, made the signal of mercy ; but as the attendants of the arena approached, they found the kindness came too late; the heart of the Gaul had been pierced, and his eyes were set in death. It was his life's blood that flowed so darkly over the sand and sawdust of the arena.

It is a pity it was so soon over there was little enough for one's trouble," said the widow Fulvia.

"Yes I have no compassion for Berbix. Any one might have seen that Nobilior did but feint. Mark, they fix the fatal hook to the body they drag him away to the spoliarium they scatter new sand over the stage ! Pansa regrets nothing more than that he is not rich enough to strew the arena with borax, and cinnabar, as Nero used to do."

"Well, if it has been a brief battle, it is quickly succeeded, See my handsome Lydon on arena ay, and the net-bearer, too, and the swordsmen! Oh, charming!"