The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1883-10-16

,ircus. Down there fifty miles wasn't |
! great distance.
There is nothing particularly new
about the circus of the present.
There is an awful lot more of it-too
much some people think. But Mr..
Watson had other ideas of the circus
of the past. His recollection went no
further back, but his suggestions did.
There have been circuses for two
thousand years. and, if one thinks
for q minute, it will be seen how easy
was the transition from the old circus
of classical days to that of these later
tines. Twenty centuries ago they
did things Oh tremendous scale. In
Rome for example, there was the
Circus Maximus. In the time of Ju-
Illus Caesar it was 1875 feet long and
625 feet wide. The depth of the
building surrounding the space was
about 3i2 feet. Its Dimensions were
subsequently much greater. All the
circi in Rome, of which there were
considerable number, are nearly OBJ
liberated, but a circus on the Appian
way, about two miles from Rome,
known as thc Circus of MaXentine, is
still in a state Of preservation. Its
construction is believed to have diff
fered very little from that of other
ancient buildings for similar purpo-
SEES, Along the sides at the end were
ranges of stone seats for spectators.
AT the other end were the carceres,
or stalls, covered and furnished with
gates, in which the horses and char
iots remained until, on signal given
the gates were thrown open, IN the
center was the spina, long and
broad wall, round which the chariots
were driven, terminating at both
ends in milae, or goals. The games
were ipaugurated by procession
from tho capitol, in which persons
bearing images Of the gods went first
were followed by the perfarmere in
the games, the consuls and others.
The circus was particularly designed
for races. A pitched battle was some
times represented. Sea fights were
occasionally exhibited. Vast sums
of money we've expended under the
empire for the killing OF wild beasts
! Pompcy gave public exhibition in the
circus for five successive days, during
which five hundred liens and twenty
elephants were destroyed.
The circus of the future, said Mr.
Watson. interests NE much more than
the exhibition Of the days and year:
gone by. Think of its possibilities
We cant do things on the scale o.
the Romans. The coming Snowman
will consider our big shows too big
Even now people look with suspicion
upon the man who honestly advertl
ses that he can seat fifteen thousand
people under his canvas. But wha
little handful that is compared witt
the throngs that were accommodated
az the existing ruins show they coult
be, al Rome and Athens and Alexan
dria. In Jerusalem, it may interes
some people to know, there are thu
ruins of a great circus building. Blu
none of these were to be compared t,
Rome's Circus MaXimus, which hat
affairs and chapels, images and stat
utes of the deities. In it was an irol
railing as high as one man on an
other. and also a ditch to protect tn
people from possible injury from til
performers. Now, what this sug
gests TO me is that the circus of tn
present will di.appcar: the circus q
halfa century ago nobody wanti
The circus of twenty centuries ag
we can not have. What we shal
have is a combination. The mag
niilcence and pcrmanence of struct
urcs of the Roman empire, the sim
plicity and singleness, so to speak, Q
the more recent days, but no tire
ring displays. They sound well whe
you read an advertisement, but fey
people can look in two directions {
once. They are the best we have u
by and by we shall have better, th
; best the world can afford in the wa
of novelties and feats of skill and dan
ing, but as much superior in styl
. and surroundings to the show of tc
day as can be imagined. A comb
nation of European solidity wit
American enterprise and liberality-
in Boston, and New York and Phili
/ delpliia, in Chicago and Cincinnati
: and New Orleans, suppose we ha
Q substantial, handsome buildings ell,
gantly finished like those in Paris {
Berlin, or a half dozed other Europe
an cities. Would there not be draw
e5cn larger crowds than we have ha
here? And there is another thin;
! Speaking of the contrasts bctwee
the two continents-in the Europea
cities where companies are locate
for movths, as would have them j
the cities | have named, there is
i, change of the bill every night in Il
=, week. A man of family can 90 t,
- night and see a different perform
% ance from what was given last nigh
No more men would be employe
:, but they would be able to do mo-
, than one thing-they could ride
! perform on the trapeze or perhaps {
! half dozen things as may be L
! quired. See what a saving of G.