Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-04-19
PROGRESS OF CRUELTY AMONG THE
ANCIENT ROMANS.

Wnen gladiatorial shows were first instituted
T Rome, the people regarded them with horror;
but once accustomed to such bloody sights, they
became infatuated with them, and soon the Ro-
man politician and Office holder who found the
most favor with the people was the one who pro-
vided for them the largest number of gladiators
to be murdered at the public shows, Caesar,
when Edile, in the beginning of his career gave
the people such hosts of gladiators to be mur-
dered, that the Senate became affrighted and
limited the number to 320 couples for any one
fight. But when this finished gentleman and
mastery historian returned from his last tri-
umph, not being restrained, he gave in the ore
ma, to the infinite delight of the Roman people,
perfect imitation of battle-a terrible slaugh-
ter of men, horses, and elephants. We do not
find recorded the exact number Of men and
beasts slaughtered on this occasion for the amuse
ment of Rome's citizens; but how great it was
may be Judged from the fact that, on another
occasion Trajan caused 10000 captiyes to slay
one another in the arena. Suetonius thus de-
|
mifca et sumptuosa edidit. VenatiOnes gladiator
esqe ct noctibus ad lycnOs nee uirorum mOdo
pugnas sed ad feminarum, etc. A fight by
day any night, by men and women A law was
passed nterdicting candidates from giving such
shows, pending the election canvass. But not
withstanding legal restrictions the~people sold
themselves to the candidate who would promise
them the greatest gladiatorial slaughter till, as
Tacitus relates, the price Of the qr@s torship
was the magnifcence Of the cou,bats the quaes-
tor was "a give. Prom having 10 the Beginning
looked with horror at a single gladiatofial COM
bat, the people by degrees bccafne iSFueued, tiia
at last they found their chief delightin witnesses
ing wholesale carnage in the arena. At last
simply viewing such sights did not satisfy them,
and we find the sun of Rome ultimately extin-
guished in blood, the free people of their own
and even an Emperor fighting among them.
In order that the excitements of the arena
should not eclipse that of the theatre, the most
literary and refined classes were provided there
with equally fascinating recreations of the de-
moniac order. The tragedies of the death of
Hercules in flames of Atys attacked by wild
boar Of Prometheus chained to rock, with
vulture gnawng his vitals, etc., were given with
human victims, with slight changes of text when
needed-as in the representations Of Prone
theus, where the vulture was replaced by a wild
beasts. These victims were either criminals or
slaves condemned to such death simply at mas
ter's will or caprice. One master Manu- thus
Bacillus, is especially mentioned for the atr o
cious manner in which he mutillated his slaves
by way of punishment for their faults. There
was no law to prevent him. The slaves were
his for use or abuce. So says Seneca Quinn
in serpum omah hceant." Another Roman,
Vidius, amused himself by feeding wild beasts
with his slaves This was their punishment for
the slightest offence. At feast given by this
gentleman to the Emperor Augustus-he being
: in the first society," slave accidentally broke a
crystal vase. Immediately the slave threw him
= self at the Emperor's feet, and impored that
! Vedius should not condemn him to be eaten
o these are the very words of Seneca-ne escd
y fsrst Agustus was SO indignant, that he broke
o all the vases of Vedius, and protected the slave
r but it was not related that he otherwise punish
y ed the master. And how much better was Au-
7, gustas than Vedius! This we may learn from
q Plutarch, who tells US that Augustus had his
II -of-business, Eros, crucifed to the mast o.
his ship, because the slave killed very valuable
,, fighting g-bird.