ive thee
a weapon! despair not, and thou mayst yet conquer.'

Glaucus did not reply; but, ashamed of his infirmity, he made a
desperate and convulsive effort, and regained the firmness of his
nerves. They anointed his body, completely naked, save by a cincture
round the loins, placed the stilus (vain weapon!) in his hand, and led
him into the arena.

And now when the Greek saw the eyes of thousands and tens of thousands
upon him, he no longer felt that he was mortal. All evidence of
fear--all fear itself--was gone. A red and haughty flush spread over
the paleness of his features--he towered aloft to the full of his
glorious stature. In the elastic beauty of his limbs and form, in his
intent but unfrowning brow, in the high disdain, and in the indomitable
soul, which breathed visibly, which spoke audibly, from his attitude,
his lip, his eye--he seemed the very incarnation, vivid and corporeal,
of the valor of his land--of the divinity of its worship--at once a hero
and a god!

The murmur of hatred and horror at his crime, which had greeted his
entrance, died into the silence of involuntary admiration and
half-compassionate respect; and with a quick and convulsive sigh, that
seemed to move the whole mass of life as if it were one body, the gaze
of the spectators turned from the Athenian to a dark uncouth object in
the centre of the arena. It was the grated den of the lion!

'By Venus, how warm it is!' said Fulvia; 'yet there is no sun. Would
that those stupid sailors could have fastened up that gap in the
awning!'

'Oh! it is warm, indeed. I turn sick--I faint!' said the wife of Pansa;
even her experienced stoicism giving way at the struggle about to take
place.

The lion had been kept without food for twenty-four hours, and the
animal had, during the whole morning, testified a singular and restless
uneasiness, which the keeper had attributed to the pangs of hunger. Yet
its bearing seemed rather that of fear than of rage; its roar was
painful and distressed; it hung its head--snuffed the air through the
bars--then lay down--started again--and again uttered its wild and
far-resounding cries. And now, in its den, it lay utterly dumb and mute,
with distended nostrils forced hard against the grating, and disturbing
with a heaving breath, the sand below on the arena.

The editor's lip quivered, and his cheek grew pale; he looked anxiously
around--hesitated--delayed; the crowd became impatient. Slowly he gave
t