Beric the Briton : a Story of the Roman Invasion by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER XII: A SCHOOL FOR GLADIATORS
As the vessels carrying Suetonius, his suite, and captives sailedup the Tiber it was met by a galley bearing the orders of the senatethat Suetonius was not to traverse the streets with an armed suiteand captives in his train, but was to land as a private person;that the soldiers were to march to the barracks on the Capitoline,where they would receive their arrears of pay and be disbanded; andthat the captives were to be handed over to a centurion, who withhis company would be at the landing place to receive them. Polliotook the news to Beric, who was on board the same ship, the restof the captives being with the soldiers in the vessel which followed.
"I am rejoiced, indeed," he said, "for although I knew thatthe general would not receive a triumph, I feared that if he madea public entry it was possible there might be a public outcry foryour life, which would, by our custom, have been forfeited had therebeen a triumph. I doubt not that the hand of Petronius is in this;his messengers would have arrived here weeks ago, and it may be thatletters despatched as much as a month after we left have precededus. Doubtless he would have stated that his clemency had had thedesired effect, and that all trouble was at an end; he may probablyhave added that this was partly due to your influence, and warnedthem that were you put to death it would have a deplorable effectamong your people and might cause a renewal of trouble. Suetoniusis furious, for he has hoped much from the effect his entry withcaptives in his train would have produced. He has powerful enemieshere; scarce a noble family but has lost a connection during thetroubles in Britain, and Suetonius is of course blamed for it. Youand I know that, although he has borne himself harshly towards theBritons, the rising was due to Catus rather than to him, but asCatus is a creature of Nero the blame falls upon Suetonius."
"It was the deeds of Catus that caused the explosion," Beric said;"but it would have come sooner or later. It was the long grindingtyranny that had well nigh maddened us, that drove Caractacus firstto take up arms, that raised the western tribes, and made all feelthat the Roman yoke was intolerable. The news of the massacre ofthe Druids and the overthrow of our altars converted the sullendiscontent into a burning desire for revenge, and the insult toBoadicea was the signal rather than the cause of the rising. It isto the rule of Suetonius that it is due that hundreds of thousandsof Britons, Romans, and their allies have perished."
"The fault of Suetonius," Pollio said, "was that he was too muchof a soldier. He thought of military glory, and left all othermatters, save the leading of his troops, in the hands of hiscivilians. Petronius is a general, but he has distinguished himselfmore in civil matters. Two generals have been sent out with him,to lead the troops if necessary, but he has been chosen as anadministrator."
"They should have sent him out ten years ago," Beric said, "andthere then would have been no occasion for generals."
They were now approaching Rome, and Beric's attention was entirelyoccupied by the magnificent scene before him, and with the sightof the temples and palaces rising thickly upon the seven hills.Massilia had surprised him by its size and splendour, but besideRome it was only a village. "Rome would do well," he said to Pollio,"to bring the chiefs of every conquered country hither; the sightwould do more than twenty legions to convince them of the madnessof any efforts to shake off the Roman yoke."
"I will see you tomorrow," Pollio said as they neared the landingplace. "I shall see many of my friends today, and get them tointerest themselves in your behalf. I will find out for you whereCaius Muro is at present; doubtless he too will do what he can foryou, seeing that you lived so long in his charge;" for Beric hadnot mentioned to his friend aught of the manner in which he hadsaved Muro's daughter at the sack of Camalodunum.
As soon as the centurion came on board Pollio recommended Bericto his care, saying that he was the chief of the party of Britishcaptives, and that during the journey he had formed a close friendshipwith him.
"I shall not be in charge of him long," the centurion said. "I havebut to hand him over to the governor of the prison, but I will tellhim what you have said to me. He must now go on board the other shipand join his companions, for my orders are that they are not to belanded until after dark." Pollio nodded to Beric; this was anotherproof that it was determined the populace should not be excitedin favour of Suetonius by the passage of the captives through thestreets.
Beric rejoined his companions. "Well, Boduoc, what think you ofRome?"
"I have been thinking how mad our enterprise was, Beric. You toldme about the greatness of Rome and from the first predicted failure,but I thought this was because you had been infected by your Romantraining; I see now that you were right. Well, and what do youthink is going to be done with us?"
"It is evident there is going to be no public display of us, Boduoc.Suetonius is at present in disgrace, and we shall be either sentinto the school for gladiators, or set to work at some of thepalaces Nero is building."
"They may do what they like," Boduoc said, "but I will not fightfor their amusement. They may train me if they like and send meinto the arena, but if they do I will not lift sword, but will bidmy opponent slay me at once."
There was a murmur of assent from some of the others; but anotherwho said, "Well, I would rather die fighting anyway than work asa slave at Roman palaces," found a response from several.
The next day they were marched up to Nero's palace.
Surprised as they might be by the splendour of the streets theytraversed, and by the grandeur and magnificence of the palace, theybetrayed no sign whatever of their feelings, but marched throughthe vast halls with their wealth of marble and adornments with calmand unmoved faces. At last they reached the audience hall, wherethe emperor was seated with a throng of courtiers behind him.
Nero was five-and-twenty, but looked older, for his dissolutehabits had already left their marks upon his features. He had anair of good temper, and a rough frankness of manner that renderedhim popular among the mass of the people, whom he courted byevery means in his power, distributing with lavish hand the wealthhe gained by confiscation and spoliation of the rich. The Britonsbowed deeply before him and then stood upright and fearless.
"By Hercules," the emperor said to the councillor standing nextto him, "but these are grand men! No wonder Suetonius has had suchtrouble in subduing them. And this young man is their chief? Truly,as Petronius said in his letter, he is but a lad. You speak ourlanguage too?" he went on, addressing Beric.
"I was brought up as a hostage among the Romans," he replied, "andwas instructed in their language and literature."
"Then you should have known better than to rise against us, youngchief."
"Two years ago I was but a boy, Caesar," Beric replied, "scarcedeemed old enough to fight, much less to give an opinion in thepresence of my elders. I was well aware that the struggle must endin our defeat; but when the chiefs of my nation decided for war,I had nought to do but to go with them."
"But how is it, then, that you came to command so many, and becamein time the leader of so large a band?"
"It was because I had studied your military books, and knew thatonly by an irregular warfare could we hope to prolong our existence.It was no longer an insurrection; we were simply fugitives tryingto sell our lives dearly. If Suetonius had offered us terms wewould gladly have laid down our arms, but as he simply strove todestroy us we had, like animals brought to bay, to fight for ourown lives. The moment Petronius offered to allow my people to returnto their homes and pay tribute to Rome I advised them to submit."
"So Petronius tells me, and he has said much to excuse your conduct.
"I would I could enlist this band as my bodyguard," Nero said ina low voice, turning to his councillor, "but the praetorian guardsare jealous of their privileges, and none save a Roman can beenrolled in their ranks."
"It would be dangerous, Caesar; the praetorians are well affectedto your majesty, and in these days when there are so many ambitiousgenerals at the head of armies it would be unwise to anger them."
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So saying he waved his hand. The guards closed round the captivesand they were led away.
"What is it all about, Beric?" Boduoc asked.
"We are to go to the school for gladiators," Beric said; "but asthe emperor considers that you will all need two years' trainingat the exercises before you will be fit to appear in the ring, weshall have time to think matters over. Much may happen before that.Nero may be liked by the mass of the people, but he is hated andfeared, as I hear, by the upper classes. He may be assassinated oroverthrown before that."
"I don't see that it will make much difference to us," Boduocgrumbled.
"I don't know that it would. At any rate we have time before us. Weshall be well taken care of, well fed, and have plenty of exercise.Before now the gladiators have shaken Rome to its centre. What hashappened once may happen again."
As they passed along the streets of Rome the news that a party offair haired giants were being escorted under a guard spread rapidly,and a crowd soon filled the streets. Windows opened and ladieslooked curiously down at the procession. Beric marched at the headof his party, who followed four abreast, and their air of calmnessand self possession, their proud bearing, and the massive strengthof their figures roused the admiration of the multitude, who, onlearning from the guards that the captives were Britons, greetedthem with shouts of approval. So thick became the crowd before theyreached their destination, that the Roman soldiers had difficultyin forcing their way through. As they turned into the street inwhich stood the great school of Scopus the crowd at once guessedthe destination of the captives.
"By all the gods!" one of the lookers on said, "these fellows willfurnish us with grand sport in the arena."
"It is a shame to turn such grand looking men into gladiators," awoman said.
"What, would you like to pick a husband out among them, dame?" thefirst speaker laughed.
"I would not mind. At any rate, I would prefer any of them to suchan ill looking scarecrow as you," she retorted. "It is bad enoughwhen they kill off some of those Gauls, who are far too good forsuch work; but the best of them I have seen in the arena lacks sixinches, both in height and breadth of shoulder, of these Britons."
"Ah!" the man grumbled, "that is always the way with women; theythink of nothing but strength."
"Why shouldn't we? Men think of nothing but beauty."
And so, amid a chorus of remarks, for the most part complimentary,the Britons strode along, surrounded by their escort, until theyreached the entrance to the school of Scopus. The master, attractedby the noise in the street, was standing at the entrance. He wasa broad built man, but without an ounce of superfluous flesh, withmuscles and sinews standing up in knots and ridges, and evidentlypossessed of extreme activity as well as strength.
"Nero has sent you five fresh scholars, Scopus."
"By Hercules," Scopus said, "they are splendid barbarians! Whencecome they?"
"They are Britons."
"Ah! Yes, Claudius brought back a few with him, but that was beforeI was here. I would they were all a few years younger. They are intheir prime now; and to make a man first class, one should beginwith him young. This youngster here is just the age. I warrant methere will not be many who can hold their own against him when Ihave trained him."
"He is their chief," the centurion said, "and speaks our languageas well as you do."
"That is good. I can speak a little Gaulish; but there is alwaystrouble with newcomers from out of the way countries when we haveno one who speaks their language."
"Well, I will leave them with you; they are in your charge. I havethe other fifteen to divide among three other schools."
"I will take care of them," Scopus said. "There is good feedingand good drinking here, and no one runs away. There is nowhere torun to, that is one thing. Still, what could a man want more thanto be well housed, well fed, and have the companionship of plentyof good fellows? Don't you think so?" and he turned to Beric.
"It is of no use asking for more if one is not likely to get it;certainly we might do worse."
"Well, follow me," Scopus said. "I will introduce you to yourcomrades."
Beric and his companions took a hearty farewell of the others, Berictelling them that doubtless they would have frequent occasions ofmeeting; he then followed Scopus into a large hall. Here some fortyor fifty men were assembled. Some were swinging weights round theirheads, others were engaged at gymnastic exercises. Two men, underthe direction of an instructor, were fighting with blunted swords;one great fellow, armed with sword and shield, was hotly pursuingan active man of little over half his weight, carrying a tridentin one hand and a net in the other, amid the laughter of a groupwatching them.
At the entrance of Scopus and his companions the proceedings werearrested.
"Here are some fresh hands," Scopus said, "who have come to fill upthe vacancies made in the games ten days since. They are Britons,and I should imagine will require a lot of training before they arefit for the arena. One of them talks Latin. The rest, I fancy, willhave, for the present, to content themselves with the companionshipof you Gauls, who are, as I believe, of kindred race, though itseems to me that either you must have fallen off in size, or theyhave increased since you separated."
Some seven or eight Gauls stepped forward and addressed the Britons,and the latter, glad to find men who could speak their language,responded heartily. The gladiators were of many races. Besides theGauls there were four or five Goths; some Iberians, lean swarthymen; Numidians, fleet of foot, lithe and active--these were usedmore often for contests with wild beasts than in the gladiatorialconflicts, for which they lacked strength and weight--Parthiansand Scythians, together with a score of natives of Italy, Romansand others, who had taken to the profession of gladiator as theymight have done to any other calling.
"Now," Scopus said to Beric, "you are free of the place; thereare no prisoners here. There are regular hours and exercises; butbeyond that your time is your own, to walk in the city, to seethe shows, or to remain here. As you see, all here dress somewhatafter Roman fashion, so that as they go abroad they may not be staredat. There is no obligation that way, but it is more comfortable.There are upwards of a hundred schools in Rome. Some are larger thanmine, and some smaller, but there is not one that stands higher.When one of my men enters the ring the audience know that they aregoing to see good sport."
"Do we have to fight against each other, or against strangers?"
"Against strangers," Scopus said. "When there is going to be a showday, so many schools are warned to send three or four men, as thecase may be, and the master of ceremonies matches them againsteach other. Sometimes there may be ten couples, sometimes forty orfifty, it depends whether it is a great occasion or not; and ofcourse each school hopes to see its champions win. That fellow yousaw running with a net, he is a Scythian, and so quick and nimblethat he always gets away, and is ready for a throw again before hisopponent can overtake him. He is a great favourite of the public,for he has been in the arena twelve times and has always conquered."
"What do you consider to be the best weapon--the trident or thesword?"
"If a man is active without being strong, I should make a retiariusof him," Scopus said. "If he is strong without being active, hewould naturally fight with sword and buckler. Then there is thecaestus, but the Romans do not care for that, though, to my mind,it is the finest of all the exercises; for that b
"You never find any unwilling to learn?" Beric said.
"Not one," the man said carelessly. "A man has to defend himself,and even with blunt swords he will get awkward cracks if he cannotprotect his head. Besides, in the arena a man's life depends uponhis skill, and the conquered is sure to have no mercy shown himunless he has borne himself well. Therefore, each man is anxiousto learn. I have had a few obstinate fellows, for the most partGoths, who would do nothing. I simply send them down to the galleys,and I warrant me that they are not long in finding out what foolsthey have been, and would give a good deal to exchange their bedsof hard boards and their coarse food for a life of pleasure andfreedom here."
"As long as it lasts," Beric said.
"Yes, as long as it lasts. But with all its dangers it is likelyto last as long as that of a galley slave. What with bad food andhardship and toil and the taskmaster's whip and the burning sun, agalley slave's life is a short one; while a skilful gladiator maylive for many years, and in time save money enough to set up aschool as I have done."
"Were you a gladiator once?" Beric asked.
"Certainly I was; and so were all the masters of the schools,except, perhaps, a few Greeks, whose methods differ from ours.
"I was ten years in the arena, and fought thirty-five battles. Inthirty I was victorious, in the other five I was defeated; but asI was a favourite, and always made a good fight, the thumbs wereturned up, which, as you may know, is the signal for mercy."
"Are you a Roman?"
"No, I am a Thessalian. I took to it young, having got into troubleat home. We have blood feuds there, and having killed the chief ofa house with which my people had a quarrel I had to fly, and somade to Pola. Thence I crossed to Brundusium. I worked there inthe dockyard for a year or two; but I was never fond of hard workof that sort, so I came on here and entered a school. Now, as yousee, I am master of one. A gladiator who distinguishes himselfgets many presents, and I did well. The life is not a bad one afterall."
"It must be hateful having to fight with men with whom you have noquarrel," Beric said.
"You don't feel that after the first minute or two," Scopus laughed."There is a man standing opposite to you with a sword or a trident,and you know very well that if you do not kill him, he is goingto kill you. It makes very little difference, after you once faceeach other, whether there was any quarrel between him and youbeforehand or not; the moment the fighting begins, there is an endof all nonsense of that sort.
"What is an enemy? A man who wants to do you harm. This man facingyou is going to kill you, unless you kill him. There cannot be aworse enemy than that. After all, it is just the same with soldiersin a battle. They have no particular quarrel with the men facingthem; but directly the arrows begin to fly, and a storm of javelinscome singing through the air, you think of nothing but of trying tokill the men who are trying to kill you. I thought as you do beforeI entered the arena the first time, but I never felt so afterwards.All these things are matters of usage, and the gladiator, afterhis first combat, enters the ring with just the same feeling as asoldier marches to meet an enemy."
Beric was silent. He had no doubt that there was some truth inwhat Scopus said; his own experience in battle had shown him this.But he was still determined in his mind that, come what would, hewould not fight for the amusement of the Romans. But it was of nouse to say this now; it might be a long time before he was requiredto enter the arena, and until then he might as well apply himselfto gaining strength and science in arms. It did not seem to himthat there was any possibility of escape, but he might at leasttake to the woods, and stand at bay there, and be killed in a fairopen fight. The next morning the exercises began. They were at firstof a moderate character, and were only intended to strengthen themuscles and add to the endurance. For the first six months they weretold that their work would consist only of gymnastic exercises--liftingweights, wielding heavy clubs, climbing ropes, wrestling,and running on foot. Their food was simple but plentiful. Alladopted the Roman costume, in order to avoid observation when theywent abroad. Being a strong body, and individually formidable, theywere free from the rough jokes generally played upon newcomers,and when, after six hours of exercise, they sat down to a heartydinner, the general feeling among them was that things were betterthan they expected, and the life of a gladiator, with the exceptionof his appearances in the arena, was by no means a bad one. Polliocalled in the afternoon, as he had promised, and had a long talkwith Beric.
"In the first place, I have some bad news for you, Beric. CaiusMuro remained here but a month after his return from Britain, andwas then sent to command the legion in the north of Syria."
"That is bad news indeed, Pollio. I had looked forward to seeinghim. I had made sure that I should find one friend at least inRome."
"It is unfortunate indeed, Beric, for he would have spoken for you,and might have obtained a better lot for you. I hate seeing youhere," he said passionately, "but it is better than being executedat once, which is the lot that generally befalls the chief ofcaptives taken in war. Scopus is not a bad fellow when things gowell, but they say that he is a fiend when his blood is up. He isone of the finest fighters we ever had in the arena, though he leftit before I was old enough to go there. I know him well, however,for I used to come here with my elder brother, who was killed fouryears ago in Africa. It is quite the fashion among the young Romansto go the round of the schools and see the gladiators practising,and then when the sports come on they bet on the men they considerthe most skilful."
"A fine sport," Beric said sarcastically.
"Well, you see, Beric, we have been bred up to it, and we wagerupon it just as you Britons do on your fights between cocks. I neverfelt any hesitation about it before, because I had no particularpersonal interest in any of the combatants. After all, you know,life is dull in Rome for those who take no part in politics, whohave no ambition to rise at the court, and who do not care overmuchfor luxury. We have none of the hunting with which you harden yourmuscles and pass your time in Britain. Therefore it is that thesports of the arena are so popular with our class as well as withthat below it. You must remember, too, that the greater portion ofthe gladiators are captives taken in war, and would have been putto death at once had they not been kept for this."
"I do not say they have anything to complain of, Pollio, but I amsure that most of them would much rather perish in battle than bekilled in the arena."
"Yes, but it is not a question of being killed in battle, Beric;it is a question of being captured in battle and put to deathafterwards. It may be the fashion some day or other to treat captivestaken in war with generosity and honour, but it certainly is notso at present, either with us or with any other nation that I knowof. I don't think that your people differ from the rest, for everysoul who fell into their hands was slain."
"I quite admit that," Beric said; "and should have had no cause forcomplaint had I been slain as soon as I was captured. But there issomething nobler in being killed as a victim of hate by a victoriousenemy than to have to fight to the death as a holiday amusement."
"I admit that," Pollio said, "and though,
"You will not be ashamed to walk through the streets with a gladiator,Pollio?"
"Ashamed! on the contrary, you must know that gladiators are infashion at present, Beric. The emperor prides himself on his skill,and consorts greatly with gladiators, and has even himself foughtin the arena, and therefore it is the thing with all who are aboutthe court to affect the society of gladiators. But as yet you arenot one of them although you may have commenced your training forthe arena. But fashion or not, it would have made no difference tome, you are my friend whatever evil fortune may have done for you.The only difference is that whereas, had you not been in fashion,I should have taken you with me only to the houses of intimatefriends, as I did at Massilia, now you will be welcome everywhere.Besides, Beric, even in Rome a chief who has kept Suetonius at bayfor a year, and who is, moreover, a Latin scholar accustomed toRoman society, is recognized as being an object of great interest,especially when he is young and good looking. I am glad to see thatyou have adopted clothes of our fashion; they set you off to muchbetter advantage than does the British garb, besides attractingless attention."
"I hope that you are not going to take me today to meet any people,Pollio; I want to see the temples and public buildings."
"It shall be just as you wish, Beric."
For hours Beric wandered about Rome with Pollio, so interested inall he saw that he was scarce conscious of the attention he himselfattracted. From time to time they met acquaintances of Pollio,who introduced them to Beric as "my friend the chief of the Iceni,who cost us a year's hard work and some twelve hundred men beforewe captured him. Petronius has written so strongly to Nero in hisfavour that his life has been spared, and he has been placed inthe school of Scopus;" and the languid young Romans, looking atBeric's height and proportions, no longer wondered at the troublethat the Roman legions had had in overcoming the resistance ofa mere handful of barbarians. Beric on his part was by no meanssurprised at the appearance of these young courtiers. He had seenmany of the same type at Camalodunum, and had heard Caius lamentthe effeminacy of the rising generation; but he knew that thesescented young nobles could, if necessary, buckle on armour andfight as valiantly as the roughest soldier; though why they shouldchoose to waste their lives at present in idleness, when there wasso much work to be done in every corner of the vast empire, wasaltogether beyond his comprehension.
"Why is there a crowd gathered round that large building?" he askedPollio.
"That is one of the public granaries. Corn is brought here in vastquantities from Sardinia and Sicily, from Spain and Africa, andsince Nero came to the throne it is distributed gratis to all whochoose to apply for it. No wonder Nero is popular among the people;he feeds them and gives them shows--they want nothing more. Itis nothing to them, the cruelties he exercises upon the rich."
"But it must encourage the people in lazy habits," Beric said.
Pollio shrugged his shoulders. "They think because they are citizensof the capital of the world they have a right to live in idleness,and that others should work for them. At any rate it keeps them ina good temper. There have been great tumults in Rome in past times,but by drawing the tribute in corn and distributing it freely hereNero keeps them in a high state of contentment."
"You don't like Nero, Pollio?"
"I hate him," Pollio said. "He is a tyrant--greedy, cruel, andlicentious. He had his own mother murdered because she opposedhis plans, and some of our best and noblest citizens have been putto death, either because Nero was jealous of their popularity, orbecause he desired to grasp their possessions. It is horrible thatRome, which has conquered the world, should lie prostrate at thefeet of a creature like this. It was because my father feared thatsome spy among the slaves might report what I said about Nero thatcaused him to send me out to Suetonius, who is a connection of ourfamily, and he will ere long obtain for me some other employmentaway from the capital. I shall be glad to be gone, the atmospherehere seems to stifle one. Nero's spies are everywhere, and a manis afraid of speaking his thoughts even in his own house. I like totake life easily, but I would rather be battling with your peoplein the swamps than living in idleness in Rome."
"I thought you were glad to return, Pollio?"
"I thought I should be, Beric, but I suppose the active life inBritain has spoilt me. I used to scent my hair and lounge in thebaths, and frequent the shows, and lead just such a life as theyoung men we have spoken to this afternoon, and I was contentedwith it. I wonder at myself now, but I cannot take up the old lifewhere I left it. I have been back for twenty-four hours, and I amrestless already and am longing to be doing something."
"I should think," Beric said with a smile, "that you might wellput up with Rome for a few weeks. It seems to me that it will takeyears to know all its wonders. There are the great libraries, too,filled with the manuscripts, and as you understand Greek you couldstudy the writings of the sages and philosophers."
"I would rather row in the galleys," Pollio said. "I don't mind anhour or two now and then with the historians, but the philosophersare too deep for my shallow brain. Would you like to look into alibrary now?"
Beric assented eagerly, and they entered one of these buildings.It consisted of a great hall with innumerable couches and benchesfor readers. Round the walls were pigeonholes, in which themanuscripts were deposited, and numerous attendants moved to andfro among the readers, supplying them with such manuscripts as theydesired, and taking away those they had done with. Leaving the hallthey passed through a series of large apartments, in which hundredsof men were at work copying manuscripts.
"These are scribes," Pollio said. "Very many of them are slaves whomthe owners allow to work here, sharing with them their earnings;others are freedmen who have either purchased their liberty fromtheir savings, or have been manumitted by their owners. You seemany of the most popular writings, such as those of Caesar, Tacitus,Livy, or the poets Horace, Virgil, and Ovid, are constantly indemand, and scores of copies must be kept on hand. Then again manyof the Greek authors are greatly in request. The manuscripts wearout and must be replaced, so that at the various libraries thereare some thousands of scribes always kept employed. You see amongthe scribes men of many nationalities. Those men, for instance,are Egyptians. You see the rolls they are copying, they are made ofpapyrus, which is got, as I have heard my uncle say, from the leafof a sort of water plant. Some of them are copying these writingson to vellum for the use of those who understand the Egyptianlanguage, others are translating them into Latin. Those men arePersians, and those at the tables near them are Jews. They aremaking translations of their sacred books, which are much read atpresent, partly owing to the fact that the people are troublesome,and probably an army will have to be sent against them, partlybecause of the Christian sect, whose doctrines are founded upon theJewish sacred books, and are supported, as they claim, by variousprognostications of their augurs, or, as they call them, prophets.The books, therefore, are of interest to the learned, and it maybe that some who come here to read them are secretly disciples ofthe sect."
"Can I come here and read?" Beric asked eagerly.
"Certainly you can, these libraries are open to all. So are thebaths, at least the greater portion of them; everything is freehere. But it is nearly time for us now to be going home."
Beric availed himself at once of the advantages offered by thepublic libraries. It was only thus that men of moderate means couldin those days obtain access to books, for the cost of manuscriptswas considerable, and libraries were only to be found in the housesof the wealthy. His taste for reading was a matter of astonishmentamong the gladiators, and was the subject of a good deal of jesting.This, however, was for the most part of a good natured kind, butupon the part of one named Lupus it was sneering and offensive.
This man, who was a professional gladiator, that is one of thosewho had taken to it as a trade, was a Roman of unusual stature andstrength. He had been a worker in iron, and from making arms tookto their use. He had won many victories in the arena, and wasconsidered the champion of the school of Scopus, the only man whoapproached him in the number of victories being Porus, the Scythian,whose strong point, however, lay in his activity and his dexterityin throwing the net rather than in strength. Lupus had, from thefirst day of the Britons' arrival at the ludus, viewed them withaversion, his hostility to Beric being especially marked, and heparticularly objected to the slight deference shown to him by hiscompanions, in spite of the protests of Beric himself, who in vainpointed out to them that he was now no longer their chief, and thatthey were in all respects comrades and equals.
Lupus had carefully abstained from any remarks that would bring himinto collision with the other Britons. Mortified as he was that hisstrength and stature, of which he was very proud, had been throwninto the shade by that of the newcomers, he felt that in a quarreltheir rough strength might render them more than his match.Beric, however, he considered as but a youth, and though doubtlesspowerful, deemed that his muscles would be no match for his ownseasoned strength. As yet he had not seen Beric tried with anyarms, and thought that the young barbarian could know nothing of themanagement of weapons. At first his annoyance only took the form ofaddressing him with an affected deference as "my lord Beric;" butthe discovery that, while he himself was unable to read or write,the young Briton was fond of study, and spent his spare time in thepublic libraries, afforded him opportunities for constant sneers.
These Beric took in good part, but Boduoc, who had now pickedup enough Latin to understand the gist of his remarks, one dayintervened, and seizing Lupus by the shoulder dashed him to theground. The Roman sprang to his feet, caught up a knife from thetable, and rushed at Boduoc. Scopus, however, who was present, withan angry growl sprang upon him, seizing him by the throat with sovigorous a grasp that his face became purple, his eyes stared, andhe in vain gasped for breath. Then he flung him down into a cornerof the room with such force that he lay half stunned.
"You dog," he exclaimed, "how dare you take a knife? I willhave no quarrels here, as you know; and if you again venture on adisturbance I will bid your comrades tie you up, and will flay theskin off your back with the lash. The Briton was perfectly right.Why can't you leave his friend alone? I have marked your ill naturedjests before, and am glad that he punished you."
Lupus rose slowly to his feet with an angry glare in his eyes. Heknew, however, that Scopus had in his time been unrivalled in thearena, and that, moreover, the rest, who had been offended by hisairs of superiority, would side with the lanista against him.
"I said nothing to the Briton," he said; "it was the boy I addressed.If it was an offence, why did he not take it up? Is he a cowardthat others have to fight his battles? If he is offended, why doeshe not challenge me to fight, as is customary in all the ludi?"
"Because he is as yet but a pupil, and will not be fit to enter thearena for three or four years," Scopus said. "A fight can only bebetween trained gladiators. You don't suppose that a fresh joinedyouth is going to fight with one who has won a score of times inthe arena?"
"Excuse me, Scopus," Beric said quietly, "I am perfectly ready tofight with this braggadocio, and challenge him to a contest; a fewhard knocks will do neither of us any harm, therefore let us gointo the school and have it out. It is much better so than to haveperpetual quarrelling."
Scopus would have objected, but the gladiators broke into shoutsof "A fight! a fight!" and, as it was according to the rules ofall the ludi that quarrels should be fought out with wooden swordswithout interference by the lanistae, he simply shrugged hisshoulders.
"Well, as he has challenged you, Lupus, I have nothing to say toit;" and the whole of those present at once adjourned to the school.
The combatants were armed with bucklers and with swords of thesame weight to those ordinarily used, but with square edges withthe corners rounded off, so that though they would give a heavyblow they would not cut.
Lupus, confident in his skill, and furious at the humiliation hehad just suffered, at once sprang upon Beric, but the latter asnimbly leaped back, catching the blow on his buckler, and at the sametime bringing his own with such force and weight upon the Roman'sleft shoulder that it brought him for a moment on his knee. Ashout of astonishment and applause burst from the lookers on. Lupuswould have instantly renewed the fight, but Beric stepped back andlowered his sword.
"Your left arm is disabled," he said. "You had best wait till youcan use your buckler again; it would not be a fair match now."
Furious as he was, Lupus felt the truth of what his opponent said,and though the burst of applause at Beric's magnanimity angeredhim even more than before, he drew back a step or two. At the orderof Scopus two of the others came forward with some oil, with whichfor some minutes they kneaded his shoulder.
"I am ready again," he said at last, and the gladiators drew back,and the opponents faced each other. Lupus had learned that Bericwas not, as he had supposed, entirely untaught; but although heattributed the blow he had received solely to his own rashness, herenewed the conflict with the same care and prudence he would haveshown had he been fighting with edged weapons in the arena. He soonfound, however, that he had met with an opponent differing widelyfrom those he had hitherto fought. Beric had had excellent teachersamong the veteran legionaries at Camalodunum, and to skill in thesword he added a prodigious activity. Instead of fighting in theordinary Roman method, standing firm, with the body bent forward andthe buckler stretched out at the level of the shoulder in front ofhim, he stood lightly poised on his feet, ready to spring forwardor back, and with his shield across his body.
In vain Lupus tried to get to close quarters. His cramped attitudeprevented rapid movement, and he could not get even within strikingdistance of his opponent save when the latter sprang in to delivera blow. These, however, fell vainly, for Lupus was fighting nowcalmly and warily, and with sword or shield guarded every blow aimedat him. Beric soon felt that he should but exhaust himself did hecontinue to attack in this fashion, and presently desisted, andstanding his ground awaited the attack of Lupus. The blows fell fastand heavy now. Then Beric purposely lowered his buckler a moment;Lupus instantly struck, springing a pace forward. Beric sharplythrew up his left arm, striking up the hand of Lupus as it fell,and at the same moment brought his weapon with tremendous forcedown upon the head of his antagonist, who fell as if killed.
"Habet, habet!" shouted the gladiators, alike exultant and astonishedat the defeat of the bully of the school.
"By the gods, Beric," Scopus said, "you have given him a lesson.I talked abut four years' training, but even now I would send youinto the arena without fear. Why, there are but one or two gladiatorswho are considered the superior of Lupus with the sword, and hehad from the first no chance with you."
"It was simply because he did not understand my way of fighting,"Beric said quietly. "No, Scopus, I will have the four years' trainingbefore I fight. I have chanced to overcome Lupus this time, but I amnot going to match myself against men until I have my full strength."
Scopus laughed. "That looks as if there was strength enough in yourarm, Beric," he said pointing to the prostrate
It was upwards of a week before Lupus was able to enter the gymnasiumagain. Beric had particularly requested the others to make noallusion to his discomfiture, but from that time the superiorityof Lupus was gone, and Beric's position in the school was fullyestablished.