Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-07-02

there in order to secure seats for the
next days performance; for, immense
as was the number of seats provided,
it was difficult to obtain one. In
Caesars time the Circus had 10000
seats; Titus added 100000 more, and
finally the number was raised to
$50, 900.
At last the custom of introducing
the sports with religl0t., exercises be-
came common. with what zest would
not some of our clerical fans have
taken part in such servicesO. From
the Capitol, to the sound of trumpets
and flutes, moved a great procession,
led by the ma gistrate who started the
games standing on a chariot as a
fRIUMPHATOR, followed by i'm
ages of the gods and emperors borne
on filters and accompanied by the
colleges of priests in full priestly at
tire. Then the whole "POMPA d.
ABOLI," as Tertllian calls it, entered
the Circus through the chief gate and
moved with stately slowness over the
course, the spectators rising to their
feet and receiving the procession with
jubilant cheering and clapping of
hands. All eyes were then turned in
breathless suspense. to the balcony
from which the Praetor gave the sig
nal for the beginning of the race, just
as the multitudes in Washington wait
often for the President of the United
States to toss the Sall into 1.-THE dia-
mond".
The gladiatorial shows, in which
human life was put at stake, were
not less popular; for frivolous and
amusement-mad people is always a
cruel and blood-thirsty people. Vast
crowds thronged to these brutal
spectacles, and laughed and talked in
the most frivolous fashion while NOR
tai combats took place before their
eyes If in a contest a vanquished
gladiator begged for his life by hold
ing up his finger, the giver of the
entertainment left the decision of life
or death to the spectators. If they
waved their handkerchiefs his life was
granted him, but if they turned up
their thumbs, ii meant that they
wished the fatal blow to fall. Oftener
than otherwise thumbs were turned
up. and even women and girls Of ten
der age gave lightly and without a
moments hesitation the sign which
doomed men to death. These spec
tacles were so eagerly sought, that
social entertainments often included
gladiatorial combats in their pro-
grammes, and lot ,infrequently shed
blood and split wine mingled on the
floors.
And let it be remembered this
was not barbarous Rome, but re-
fined and cultured Rome, which af-
fected a love for Grecian art and
l IN
! Pliny, Seneca and Ovid words of
approval for such sports. Pliny
praises them "as sports which do
not enervate the minds of men,"
lust as some of our moderns ap-
plaud the deadly games of football
as manly sports" although hun
dreds of young lives are sacrihced
in them, and still more are MANNED
for life to make a college holiday.
| Seneca characterizes them as light
amusement" not to be seriously
! considered either favourably or ad-
versely, but to be taken as matter
of course in a sport-lovinG age. Ovid
| instructs those who attend such
spectacles to improve such occa-
sions for love making, treating the
subject with as much shallowness
and levity as "Leshe's Weekly
| discusses the wild waste of mil
lions spent in college athletics.
Of course life lost all seriousness
with q people thus given up to
bread and games" Their minds
| lost all sense of proportion and
! their power of moral perspective
was extirpated. Big events APP
peared small to them and small