The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-03-08

| lust of gain which you implyf Mercenary you
dare to term usf Mercenary! The gambler is
mercenary. Is the gladiator like your high
born voluntary gamblerf Is the gladiator
deaf to praise Indifferent to admiration
Reckless of your sympathy' Is he without
other mems human ties and affections, as the
gambler isl Has the gladiator parents
whom he feeds with that blood which flows
from his gashes 7 No wife whom he is all the
time protecting with that Iacerated and fear
less breastf No children, whom his tolls,
efforts and sufferings are keeping ont of degra-
datiop, ont of want, and out of that very arena
which he treads with a spirit that nothing can
subdue, in order that those whom he loves may
never enter it -
While Tbellus thus Numbered with lncreas-
ing and increasing vehemence, the clear-faced
youth whom he addressed, and who had con-
fronted his words of menace without any
emotion except that of instructive and settled
defiance, was, and appeared to be, quite over
whelmed. Had Paulus been struck bodily, he
could not have felt anything like the pain he
suffered. The words of the gladiator smote
the lad full to the heart. like stones shot from
a catapult.
Thellus gazed thoughtfully at him during
the pause that ensued and then resumed by
exclaimiDg:
"Mercenary that is, he takes pay. Does
the author take pay answer that. Do the
lawyer and soldier take pay Does the magis-
trate take pay Does or does not, the en-
peror take pay = Does the vestal virgin her
self take pay' If the gladiator did and suf
fered, and was all he does, all he suffers, all he
is, in mere sport, and at his own personal ex-
pense, suppose you would respect him. But
I, Thellus-I, the gladiator, the lanista-
would scorn him, and spurn him, and spit
upon him. Blame the community who 60 to
these sports, and sit in shameless safety; blame
the hundreds of thousands who succeed other
hundreds of thousands to applaud when we
kill our beloved comrades, and, at the same
time, to howl and hoot over those same brave
friends whom we kill blame those who, hav-
ing cheered us when we slew out faithful COM
panions, yell at US in our own turn when we
are slain; blame men for taking us when we
are little children, and rearing US expressly to
be fit for nothing else; blame men for taking
the little ones of captured warriors who have
| in vain defended their native lands against
the discipline and skill of Rome; blame men
for smingling these poor infants in one college
with the foundlings and the slaves to whom
law and positive necessity bequeath but one
lot i'll this life blame those who thus provide
for the deadly arena. Blame your customs,
blame your laws, blame your tyrannous inst-
| tutions, against which the simplicity and
trustfulness of boyish years can neither physi-
cally nor mentally struggle blame, above all,
the fine danes, most degraded and abased, who,
pampered with delicacies gorged with food,
heated with wine, surfeited with every luxury,
win ok 70
do to beguile the languid intervals of system
attic wick edness than to come to the arena and
indulge in sweet emotions over the valiant
and virtuous fathers of homes and hopes of
families, who perish there in torture and in
ignominy for their pleasure"
80 Cod" cried young Paulus.
"Well may you," cried Thellus, "be filed
with horror. All then, when will a god de-
soend from heaven, and give q new world :
have one child in my home-a sweet, peace
full, natural hearted, conscience-governed,l low
ing little daughter. Her mother has gone
away from me for ever to some world beyond
death where more justice and more mercy pre-
| vail. The day when lost her had to fight
in the arena. Ehsu! She was anxious for me,
she could not control her suspense; she saw
the execrable Tiberius. Bah do you think 1
am afraid to speakf Of what should 1 be
| afraid9 Thellus has been at the funeral Of
fear; yes, this many day, continued Thellus,
raising his voice "she came to the statlian
amphitheatre against my express command
she saw the execrabIe Tiberius, contrary to
every custom, after I had been victor in four
fatal encounters, when was worn out with
fatigue, order me to meet fresh antagonist ;
and looking up among the hundred thousand
spectators, beheld the sweet, loving FACET
heheid the clasped and convu1sive fingers.
But, 10, who ceme forth to fight against me 2
| Whom had the accursed man provided as my
next antagonist Her only brother, poor Sta
| thus, whom Tiberius knew to be gladiator,
and whom he had thus selected for the more
refined excitement of the spectators to fl ht
against Thellus; but, above all, for his own
moro refined enjoyment for the monster had
| tried and foand my poor Alba incorruptible ;
and this was his revenge against wretched
| gladiator and his faithful wife. Status was
! no match for me tried to disarm him after