5
as they dropped from the torches. Their voices died on
the lips of the spectators, but their hearts were beating
in their breasts as if to split them. It seemed to all that
the struggle was lasting for ages. But the man and the
beast continued on in their monstrous exertion; one 10
might have said that they were planted in the earth.

Meanwhile a dull roar resembling a groan was heard from
the arena, after which a brief shout was wrested from every
breast, and again there was silence. People thought
themselves dreaming till the enormous head of the bull 15
began to turn in the iron hands of the barbarian. The
face, neck, and arms of the Lygian grew purple; his back
bent still more. It was clear that he was rallying the
remnant of his superhuman strength, but that he could
not last long. 20

Duller and duller, hoarser and hoarser, more and more
painful grew the groan of the bull as it mingled with the
whistling breath from the breast of the giant. The head of
the beast turned more and more, and from his jaws came a
long, foaming tongue. 25

A moment more, and to the ears of spectators sitting
nearer came as it were the crack of breaking bones; then the
beast rolled on the earth with his neck twisted in death.

The giant removed in a twinkle the ropes from the horns
of the bull, and, raising the maiden, began to breathe 30
hurriedly. His face became pale, his hair stuck together
from sweat, his shoulders and arms seemed flooded with
water. For a moment he stood as if only half conscious;
then he raised his eyes and looked at the spectators.

The amphitheater had gone wild.

The walls of the building were trembling from the roar of
tens of thousands of people. Since the beginning of spectacles 5
there was no memory of such excitement. Those
who were sitting on the highest rows came down, crowding
in the passages between benches to look more nearly at the
strong man. Everywhere were heard cries for mercy,
passionate and persistent, which soon turned into one 10
unbroken thunder. That giant had become dear to those
people enamored of physical strength; he was the first
personage in Rome.

He understood that the multitudes were striving to grant
him his life and r