he retiarius looked only at the box of
Caesar and the vestals, waiting for what they would decide.

To the misfortune of the fallen gladiator, Nero did not like him, for at
the last games before the fire he had bet against the Gaul, and had
lost considerable sums to Licinus; hence he thrust his hand out of the
podium, and turned his thumb toward the earth.

The vestals supported the sign at once. Calendio knelt on the breast
of the Gaul, drew a short knife from his belt, pushed apart the armor
around the neck of his opponent, and drove the three-edged blade into
his throat to the handle.

"Peractum est!" sounded voices in the amphitheatre.

The Gaul quivered a time, like a stabbed bullock, dug the sand with his
heels, stretched, and was motionless.

Mercury had no need to try with heated iron if he were living yet. He
was hidden away quickly, and other pairs appeared. After them came a
battle of whole detachments. The audience took part in it with soul,
heart, and eyes. They howled, roared, whistled, applauded, laughed,
urged on the combatants, grew wild. The gladiators on the arena, divided
into two legions, fought with the rage of wild beasts; breast struck
breast, bodies were intertwined in a death grapple, strong limbs cracked
in their joints, swords were buried in breasts and in stomachs, pale
lips threw blood on to the sand. Toward the end such terrible fear
seized some novices that, tearing themselves from the turmoil, they
fled; but the scourgers drove them back again quickly to the battle with
lashes tipped with lead. On the sand great dark spots were formed; more
and more naked and armed bodies lay stretched like grain sheaves. The
living fought on the corpses; they struck against armor and shields,
cut their feet against broken weapons, and fell. The audience lost
self-command from delight; and intoxicated with death breathed it,
sated their eyes with the sight of it, and drew into their lungs the
exhalations of it with ecstasy.

The conquered lay dead, almost every man. Barely a few wounded knelt
in the middle of the arena, and trembling stretched their hands to
the audience with a prayer for mercy. To the victors were given
rewards,--crowns, olive wreaths. And a moment of rest came, which, at
command of the all-powerful Caesar, was turned into a feast. Perfumes
were burned in vases. Sprinklers scattered saffron and violet rain on
the people. Cooling drinks were served, roasted meats, sweet cakes,
win