The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-08-22
N u WI .HB r. R a g.

ry here. The usual number Of inissus,
or matches, were generally about twen.
ty.four, though sometimes far greater
number were exhibited, for Suetonius
tells US that the Emperor Domitian prc.
sented a hundred matches in one day,
The time when the races were to BE-
gin was anciently given by sound Of
trumpet. Both the custom of matches
and that of summoning the horses to q
starting place by signal are still prac.
tiscd in England. The horses being
up at the time, ready for starting, tho
signal was given by mappa, or napkin,
hung out at tho Prctor's tent, or tie,
chief magistrates seat; hence Juvcnal
calls them Megalcnsian gamcs-Mega-
liacse Spectacula Mappe. The origin
OF this custom was that when Nero was
once at dinner, and the people making
great noise desiring chat the snort
might begin, the Emperor threw the
napkin he had in his land out of the
window as token that lie had granted
their request.
At these races, also, the Romans,
rode in different colors, par ticularly the
companies Of characters, TO distinguish
themselves. These we're generally
four, viz; Prasina (grccn.) russata
(rcd,) alba or albato whitc) and the
vineta (sky or sea color;) but the green
was generally the favoritc, especially
under Caliyula, Nero; and the follow,
ing Emperor A. y. 81, and died A..
d. 9G, added two more colors. viz: the,
golden cryellow, and hepurplc (aurea
ct purperea) but these were soon laid
aside again by the following Emperors.
The vlctors in the sports were honorcd
with garlands, coroncts, and other orna-
mcnts after the Greek manner, and
very often with considerable rewards.
Hence Juvenal says:
'llinc centum, patri,nouiu causitconium
Parte nll.a souul russati ponc lacerte"
The people of Rome were so partial
to the races at the festivities of NIithras,
and also afterwards in compliment to
the Emperors who encouraged these
sports, that there was an Ippodruna on
purpose for these races in most cities in
the empire, to which the people thu opc-
ed in vast numbers. To show how
much the populacc were interested in
these games. Juvenal sums up their
wants in two words, Panem ct irccnses
(bread and the games)--that is to saw
the bread distributed by the Empcrors
and the games in the circus. The same
poet also describes, in his seventh satire,
the extraordinary fondness Of the Ro-
mans for these races. Congrcve has
thus translated the passage:
This day all Rome (if l'may he allowed,
Without .ifnre to such numerous crowd.
TO say all Romej will i'll the circus sweat,
Echoes already to their shouts repeat
hleth'nks hear the cry, away, away!
The green has won the honor of the day
. should these sports be bu, one day
Rome would. in tears, her lored diversion.
mourn.
Such was the fondness too, for fayo-
rite horses, that Montfaucon tells u.s..
and gives an engraving of drawing
from an uru which has two inscriptions
upon it, the uppcrmost regards the hor-
scS, the lower the person inferred there.
in. Over the first horse was an iu-
scriptlon, the meaning of which is--sthat
this was in memory Of the horse Aouilo.
bcgat by Aquillo, who had conquered
127 times, Won tho second prizes SS
times and the third prizes 81 tines
The inscription over the second horsr is
thus rendered into English. sI 1t
llirpinus, the grandson of Aquilo, con-
Gucred 14O times, won the second prizes
81 times, ard the third IS tines
Hence VIC see they kept a regular pcd-
gree of their horses as at the present
time. It's also observable, that the in.
scriptions for the horses are placed
above that of his owner or rider, it be-
ing usual to pay more honour to their
race horses than to the men who rode
or drove them; for they erected monu.
mcnts to pcrpctuate their memory, as
may be seen in Hlian, Pliny, and 9th.
c:s; and in SPARTAN we find that Ha-
drian was SO fond ofhis horses and dogs
that he built sepulchrcs for them, and
there is yet remaining an cpitaph which
Salmanasius has given, which begins
thus Bcrysthcnes, called Alanus,
from the country he was of, the Emper-
or's race horse &c. The epitaph under
the horse was made by order Of
Claudia Hclice for her husband Lucius
Av;tus Dionisius. There are abund-
ance Of proofs Of these races from Ro-
man coins; upon many of Aurelian's
coins we find, Soil Mirct' and 'Orlens
Avg inscriptions often adopted by al
ter Emperors and generally for the