The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-02
LAST FIGHT IN THE COLISEUM

! spectators, Hoe habati He has it.
and looked up to know whether he should
kill or spare. If the people held up their
thumbs, the conquered was left to reeov-
er, if he could; If they turned them
down, he was to die; and If he showed
any reluctance to present his throat for
the death blow, there was a seornful
shout Recipe ferrum Receive the
steel!'
Sacred vestals, tender mothers, tat.
good-humored senator's, all thought 1t
fair play and were equally pitlless In the
strange frenzy for exciting scenes to
which they gave themselves up when they
mounted the stone stairs of the Coli
scum. Privileged persons would even de-
seend into the arena, examine the death
agonies of some especially brave victim.
Gladiator shows were the great passion
of Rome, and popular favor could hardly
be gained except by ministering to it..
Even when the barbarans were begin
ming to close in on the empire, hosts of
brave men We're still kept for this slav-
ish music warfare-sport to the behold
ers, but sad earnest to the actors.
Christianity worked Its way upward
and at last was protested by the en-
peror on his throne. Persecution came
to an end and no more martyrs fed the
beasts in the Coliseum. The Christian
emperors endeavored to prevent any
more shows where cruelty and death
formed the chief interest, and no truly
religious person could endure the spec
tacle; but custom and love of excite
ment prevailed even against the emper-
or Mere tricks of beasts, horse and
chariot races or bloodlessN contests were
tame and dull. according to the diseased
taste of Rome; 1t was thought weak and
sentimental to object to looking on at
a death scene; the emperors were gener-
ally absent at Constantinople, and no one
could get elected to any office unless he
treated the citizens to such a show as
they best liked, with a little bloodshed
and death to stir their feelings; and
thus it went on for full hundred years
after Rome had in name become Chris
tlan city, and the same customs prevailed
wherever there was an amphitheater and
pleasure loving people.
Meantime the enemies of Rome were
coming nearer and nearer, and Alarie,
the great chief of the Goths, led his
forces into Italy and threatened the city
itself. Honorlus the emperor, was
eowardly. almost idlotical boy, but his
brave general, stilicho, assembled his
forces met the Goths at Pollentla about
twenty-five miles from where Turin now
stands, and gave them a complete de-
feat on the Easter day of the year 403.
He pursued them into the mountains, and
for that time saved Rome. In the joy
of the victory the Roman Senate invited
the conquerer and his ward, Honorius,
to enter the city in triumph at the open
ing of the new year. with the white
steeds, purple robes and vermilion cheeks
with which of old victorious generals
were welcomed at Rome. The churches
were visited instead of the temple of
Jupiter, and there was no murder of the
captives; but Roman bloodthrstness was
not yet alayed, and, after all the process
sion had been completed, the Coliseum
shows commenced, innocently at first,
with races on foot on horseback and In
ehariots. then followed a grand hunting
of beasts turned loose in the arena,
and next sword dance But after the
sword dance came the arraylng or
swordsmen, with no blunted weapons,
but with sharp spears and swords-a
gladiator combat 1t full earnest. The
people, enchanted, applauded with shouts
of ecstasy this qualification of their saw
age interruption rude, roughly robed
man, bareheaded and barefooted,, had
sprung into the arena, and signing back
the gladiators, began to call aloud upon
the people to cease from the shedding
of innocent blood and not to require
Gods mercy in turning away the sword
of the enemy by encouraging murder.
Shouts, howls, cries, broke IN upon his
words: this was no place for preaching;
the old customs of Rome should be OBJ
sedved. Back, old manv'-"On, gladia-
torsl" The gladiators thrust aside the
meddler and rushed to the attack. He
still stood between, holding them apart,
striving in vain to be heard. "Seditionl
seditionr' Down with him!" was the
cry, and the man In authority. A1pius, the
project, himself added his voice. The
gladiators, enraged at interference with
their vocation, cut him down. Stones or