pimus, one of the latter,
five times victorious, has fought against one of the former, whose
name is lost, but who had triumphed six times in different combats. He
has been less fortunate in this battle. Nepimus has struck him in the
leg, the thigh, and the left arm; his blood runs, and in vain he
implores mercy from the spectators. As the trident with which Nepimus
is armed is not a weapon calculated to inflict speedy and certain
death, the secutor Hyppolitus performs this last office to his
comrade. The condemned wretch bends the knee, presents his throat to
the sword, and throws himself forward to meet the blow, while Nepimus,
his conqueror, pushes him, and seems to insult the last moments of his
victim. In the distance is the retiarius, who must fight Hyppolitus in
his turn. The secutores have a very plain helmet, that their adversary
may have little or no opportunity of pulling it off with the net or
trident; the right arm is clothed in armor, the left bore a _clypeus_,
or large round shield; a sandal tied with narrow bands forms the
covering for their feet. They wear no body armor, no covering but a
cloth round the waist, for by their lightness and activity alone could
they hope to avoid death and gain the victory. The retiarii have the
head bare, except a fillet bound round the hair; they have no shield,
but the left side is covered with a demi-cuiarass, and the left arm
protected in the usual manner, except that the shoulder-piece is very
high. They wear the caliga, or low boot common to the Roman soldiery,
and bear the trident; but the net with which they endeavored to
envelop their adversaries is nowhere visible. This bas-relief is
terminated by the combat between a light-armed gladiator and a
Samnite. This last beseeches the spectators to save him, but it
appears from the action of the principal figure that this is not
granted. The conqueror looks towards the steps of the amphitheatre; he
has seen the fatal signal, and in reply prepares himself to strike.

[Illustration: ASKING PARDON.]

[Illustration: NOT GRANTED.]

Between the pilasters of the door the frieze is continued. Two combats
are represented. In the first a Samnite has been conquered by a
Myrmillo. This last wishes to become his comrade's executioner without
waiting the answer from the people, to whom the vanquished has
appealed; but the _lanista_ checks his arm, from which it would seem
that the Samnite obtained pardon.

Another pair