batant. He was at
first content with displaying his remarkable skill as an archer against
wild animals. With arrows whose head was shaped like a crescent, he cut
asunder the long neck of the ostrich, and with the strength of his bow
pierced alike the thick skin of the elephant and the scaly hide of the
rhinoceros. A panther was let loose and a slave forced to act as its
prey. But at the instant when the beast leaped upon the man the shaft of
Commodus flew, and the animal fell dead, leaving its prey unhurt. No
less than a hundred lions were let loose at once in the arena, and the
death-dealing darts of the emperor hurtled among them until they all
were slain.

During this exhibition of skill the emperor was securely protected
against any chance danger from his victims. But later, to the shame and
indignation of the people, he entered the arena as a gladiator, and
fought there no less than seven hundred and thirty-five times. He was
well protected, wearing the helmet, shield, and sword of the _Secutor_,
while his antagonists were armed with the net and trident of the
_Retiarius_. It was the aim of the latter to entangle his opponent in
the net and then despatch him with the trident, and if he missed he was
forced to fly till he had prepared his net for a second throw.

As may be imagined, in these contests Commodus was uniformly successful.
His opponents were schooled not to put forth their full skill, and were
usually given their lives in reward. But the emperor claimed the prize
of the successful gladiator, and himself fixed this reward at so high a
price that to pay it became a new tax on the Roman people. Commodus, we
may say here, met with the usual fate of the base and cruel emperors of
Rome, falling by the hands of assassins.

The gladiatorial shows were not without their opponents in Rome. Under
the republic efforts were made to limit the number of combatants and the
frequency of the displays, and the Emperor Augustus forbade more than
two shows in a year. They were prohibited by Constantine, the first
Christian emperor, in 325 A.D., but continued at intervals till 404. In
that year Telemachus, an Asiatic monk, filled with horror at the cruelty
of the practice, made his way to Rome, and during a contest rushed into
the arena and tried to part two gladiators.

The spectators, furious at this interruption of their sport, stoned the
monk to death. But the Emperor Honorius proclaimed him a martyr, and
issued an ed