File:History of Rome and the Popes in the Middle Ages (1911) (14576671597).jpg

Identifier: historyofromepop01gris (find matches)
Title: History of Rome and the Popes in the Middle Ages
Year: 1911 (1910s)
Authors: Grisar, Hartmann, 1845-1932
Subjects: Papacy
Publisher: London, Paul
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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ore the viri clarissimi in their prominentseats on the Podium, and before the countless massed throngwho had streamed through the eighty gateways. The unhappyband of gladiators, composed of slaves, criminals, and professionalpugilists, was conducted by their lanistae. or trainers. They mustmarch round the arena to salute the Court and the crowd before 1 Confessiomtm, 1. 6, c. 8, on the sad experience of his friend Alypius at Rome : Fervebant omnia immanissimis voluptatibus? &c. Cp. AMBROS., In psahn. XL.,No. 24 (P. L., XIV., 1078). 2 From a new photograph by Commendatore Carlo Tenerani, taken from the towerof S. Francesca Romana. To the left are the excavations, to the right the heights ofthe Caelian. 3 Prudentius, I.e., v. 1098 ff.: Delitias ait esse snas, peciiisque iacentis \ Virgomodesta iubet cojzverso pollice rumpi On account of their former connection with theservice of the gods, Prudentius, following current custom, still speaks of the gladiatorialcombats as triste sacrum.
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no. 24) LAST OF THE GLADIATORS 41 they die: Ave Imperator, morituri te salutantT Then, as usual,they fell apart into two divisions. The retiarii with their nets hadsharp tridents and daggers as weapons of attack. Their oppo-nents were the lightly-armed secuto7es and the heavy-armedmirmillones. In the passage alluded to against these games,Prudentius especially mentions this Pompa through the amphi-theatre, the tridents, the semtores, the in/amis arena. Whenspeaking of the struggle itself, he describes the dust raised bythe combatants in the Cavea, the wild cries of the audience, themoans and groans of the down-thrust gladiators. The picture isso vivid that we could fancy ourselves transported back to thefirst savage times of early Rome, or the bloodstained orgies ofthe period when debased Paganism reigned supreme. Yet nearlya hundred years had elapsed since the Emperor Constantine hadset up the saving Symbol of the Cross. 1 24. These grim games, under Honorius, were, however, tobe the

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