St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-08-05
Chariot Races in Rome.

Among the public games in ancient
Rome the greatest enthusiasm was felt
for the chariot races in the circus; there
the passions of the people were most
fearfully excited. Which of the four
parties designated by the colors worn by
the horses and drivers would win at the
next race, whether the red or the green,
the blue or the white, was a question
which occupied Rome for days in ad-
vance. Wagers were often concluded
for hundreds of thousands, for entire
estates. Sacrifices wers offered, sooth-
sayers questioned, even magical arts EN-
ployed in order to obtain the victory for
the favorite party. "Does the green
lose 2" says Juvenal, "then is Rome
struck aghast as after the defeat Of
Gamma "Whetber Nero governed the
empire or Marcus Aurelius,' writes
Friedlander, from whose representations
of Roman life | borrow much, "whether
the empire was at peace or at1ame with
civil war, or the barbarians stormed at
the frontiers, in Rome the question Of
chief moment for freeman and slaves, for
senators, knights and people, for men
and women, was whether the blue would
win or the green"
Already on the night before the people
streamed into the circus in order to Sc
cure seats, for immense as was the num-
Der of places provided, it was yet diff
cult to obtain one In Caesars time the
circus had 1900 seats; Titus added
100, 900 more; finally there were $50, 600.
A religious service introduced the
sports. From the capitol, to the sound
of trumpets and flutes, advanced the
great procession, led by the magistrate,
who gave the games standing on cha
riot as a triumphator, followed by i'm
ages of the gods and emperors borne on
litters and accompanied by the colleges
of priests in full dress. Then the whole
ponupa diaboli, as Tertullian says, en-
tered the circus through the chief gate
and moved with stately slowness over the
course, the spectators rising to their feet
and receiving it with jubilant cheering
and clapping of hands. All eyes now
turn in breathless suspense to the bal
cony, from which the prator lets fall
the signal for beginning the race. The
white cloth tlutters toward the
course. MIST! mist he has thrown
it, calls one to the other, and as the
rope which had hitherto closed the
track is cast off. the chariots burst forth,
and yelled in dust, speed over the
course. This so far shows that faction
has an advantage, and is applauded &C
cordingly by its partisans among the
spectators, spurred on with cheers, or
loaded with curses, as the chariots often
dash in pieces on the turning-post and
horses aud drivers roll on the ground in
confused heap. The excitement ill.,
creases every moment, even to frenzy,
and vents itself in Infatuated roaring.
At length the victor reaches the goal and
is greeted viii, thunders of applause.
Ribbons, favors. garlands fly to him.
Before the seat of the cmpero: he re-
ceives the prize-purse, filled with gold,
and the palm branch, and amid the
shouts of the people passes slowly along
the course to the pos M tn jumDha5is.
The race is ended, but only to be soon
followed by another. Often there were
twenty -four in succession, with merely a
short pause at noon. Even then many
persons did not go home; they ate in the
| circus and kept their places until evening
brought the show to an end DR.. uhl'
horn.