The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-29

officers were present in gala. Strict ETH
quette was observed. Citizen spectators
were expected TO meet in their best dress.
An 'overcoat was tolerated in case of
rain. Everywhere were seen slaves bring
ing lunch baskets, from which they freely
and without pay distributed food. nuts,
ana small presents as mementOs to whom
soever wanted them.
AS usual thing the races came first
Carriages with two or four horses when
the driver was novice, with six or eight
When he was a veteran, would rush madly
around the arena fourteen times a least
The race horses were the subject of great
admiration and the pedigrees were kept
with much eXactness. Their hoofs were
often gilded, and we read of CaHgulas
famous horse that he was fed on almonds
ana raisinS @, housed in a marble stable,
and ate from an ivory manager The en-
peror even invited him to his own table
AFTER the races came the combats of
the gladiatorsg who were usually men
from all the unknown parts of the world,
taken as prisoners of war They fought
usually two and two, but sometimes thirty
were set against thirty. Cases are also on
record where thousands fought in the
arena, IN which the ground was covered
with dead and dying fighters. When a
gladiator was put hors de combat he
raised a finger in the air, which meant
mat he begged for his life. If the specta-
100 held up finger; but if they were un-
willing they held the thumb down and
then his antagonist killed him 1t is re-
ported that the Roman women usually
turned the thumb down, and rarely spared
a fallen gladiator's life If gladiator
showed rear, the attendants would whip
MIN or prod him with glowing iron.
In the intervals between the perform
ances, the spectators took their meals in
their seats and the arena was cleared.
Inc hrst hight between animals and
men took place lS6 B. c., mainly to intro
duce some new elements into the public
SHOWS. AT the same time women were
also brought into the arena as fighters.
out thls feature of the public entertain
ments was soon forbidden by law. Dwarfs
were also seen as fighters, and night shows
were tried. Experiments were made in
every direction to find some novel form
OF entertainment. In the year so A. D.,
Iltus gave a public show which lasted 100
days. In one day 5000 wild animals of diff
ferent kinds were exhibited.
IraJan gave a show which lasted four
months, and exhibited II 600 wild beasts.
from this 1T will be seen to what degree
OF perfection Rome had arrived in keen
ing menageries. At one time food was
hard to procure for these beasts. and Cali
guIa proposed to feed them on criminals.
The tanning of wild beasts was cuI-
uVated in Rome. 1t was a necessity for
the pubic shows. 1t is reported that In
nus Caesar was lighted to his home nv
elephants carrying torches Marcus Au-
rehus was drawn in a cart through the
streets of Rome, the team being lions.
Bulls were trained to walk on their hind
legs panthers carried the yoke. and deer
ooeyed the bride. At one of the PLAYS
which Domitian caused to be given, a
non carried rabbits in on the arena. let
tnGih loose ana caught them again, yet
dld not Kill them. Elephants composed
Latin CD and walked the tight rope
In the time of the empire tableaux Wv
ants We're common, but they were of an
unusual kind. Prisoners would appear on
the stage in gorgeous clothes from which
suddenly flames would burst forth and
consume them. IXiOn was shown on his
wheel Mucius Scaevola was seen to nut
ms hand into coal fire and keep il there
till burned off. Orpheus was presented
with his harp amid a smiling Nature. to
an appearance charmed by his music AT
the E-otnent the spectators began to grow
weary of the show wild beast would
rush out from the foliage and tear him
to pieces amid the laughter of the public
At one time, the arena was set under wa
ter and mimic naval battles were fought
to celebrate Caesars victories In the
year B. c.. Augustus showed the cele-
brated battle between the Athenians and
the Parsians. There were thirty war
vessels, manned with three thousand men.
who took part in it. This performance
was eclipsed by a similar one given bv
Claudtus in which the Sicilians and Rho
dams, nineteen thousand men strong.
fought each other.
These variety plays came to an end
with the Introduction of Christianity"