The Gladiators. A Tale of Rome and Judæa

by G. J. Whyte-Melville

  CHAPTER XX

  THE VICTORY

  The Tenth Legion, commanded by Licinius and guarding the person of theirbeloved prince, were advancing steadily upon the Temple. Deemingthemselves the flower of the Roman army, accustomed to fight under the eyeof Titus himself, there was no unseemly haste in the movements of thesehighly disciplined troops. None even of that fiery dash, which issometimes so irresistible, sometimes so dangerous a quality in thesoldier. The Tenth Legion would no more have neglected the even regularityof their line, the mechanical precision of their step, in a charge than ina retreat. They were, as they boasted, "equal to either fortune."(25) Notflushed by success, because they considered victory the mere wages towhich they were entitled--not discouraged by repulse, because they weresatisfied that the Tenth Legion could do all that was possible forsoldiers; and the very fact of their retiring, was to them in itself asufficient proof that sound strategy required such a movement.

  Thus, when the Legion of the Lost dashed forward with wild cheers and animpetuous rush to the attack, the Tenth supported them with even ranks andregular pace and a scornful smile on their keen, bronzed, quiet faces.They would have taken the Temple, they thought, if they had the order,with half the noise and in half the time, so they closed remorselessly in,as man after man fell under the Jewish missiles, and preserved throughtheir whole advance the same stern, haughty, and immovable demeanour,which was the favourite affectation of their courage. Titus had addressedthem, when he put himself at their head, to recommend neither steadiness,valour, nor implicit compliance with orders, for in all such requirementshe could depend on them, as if they were really what he loved to callthem, "his own children"! but he exhorted them to spare the lives of thevanquished, and to respect as far as possible the property as well as thepersons of the citizens. Above all, he had hoped to save the Temple; andthis hope he expressed again and again to Licinius, who rode beside him,even until gazing sorrowfully on the mass of lowering smoke and yellowflame, his own eyes told him that his clemency was too late.

  Even then, leaving to his general the duty of completing its capture andinvesting its defences, he put spurs to his horse and rode at speed roundthe building, calling on his soldiers to assist him in quenching theflames, shouting, signing, gesticulating; but all in vain.(26) Though theTenth Legion were steady as a rock, the rest of the army had not resistedthe infection of success; and stimulated by the example of the gladiators,were more disposed to encourage than to impede the conflagration--nor, evenhad they wished, would their most strenuous efforts have been now able toextinguish it.

  Though fighting still went on amongst the cloisters and in the galleriesof the Temple; though John of Gischala was still alive, and the Robbersheld out, here and there, in fast diminishing clusters; though the Zealotshad sworn to follow their leader's example, dying to a man in defence ofthe Holy Place; and though the Sicarii were not yet completelyexterminated--Jerusalem might nevertheless be considered at length inpossession of the Roman army. Licinius, leading the Tenth Legion throughthe Court of the Gentiles, more effectually to occupy the Temple, andprevent if possible its total destruction, was accosted at its entrance byHirpinus, who saluted him with a sword dripping from hilt to point inblood. The old gladiator's armour was hacked and dinted, his dressscorched, his face blackened with smoke; but though weary, wounded, andexhausted, his voice had lost none of its rough jovial frankness, his brownone of the kindly good-humoured courage it had worn through all thehardships of the siege.

  "Hail, praetor!" said he, "I shall live to see thee sitting yet once again,high on the golden car, in the streets of Rome. The Temple is thine atlast, and all it contains, if we can only save it from these accursedflames. The fighting is over now; and I came back to look for a prisonerwho can tell me where water may be found. The yellow roof yonder isflaring away like a torch in an oil-cask, and they must be fond of goldwho can catch it by handfuls, guttering down like this in streams of fire.Our people, too, have cut their prisoners' throats as fast as they tookthem, and I cannot find a living Jew to show me well or cistern.Illustrious! I have won spoil enough to-day to buy a province--I would giveit all for as much clear water as would go into my helmet. The bravest oldman in Syria is dying in yonder corner for want of a mouthful!"

  Returning through the court, in obedience to the prince's orders, tocollect men and procure water, if possible, for the extinction of theconflagration, Hirpinus had recognised his young friend Esca with nolittle surprise and delight. Seeing Calchas, too--for whom, ever since hisbold address to the gladiators in the training-school, he had entertaineda sincere admiration--lying half suffocated, and at his last gasp, on thestones, the old swordsman's heart smote him with a keen sense of pity, andsomething between anger and shame at his own helplessness to assist thesufferer. He said nothing but truth, indeed, when he declared that hewould give all his share of spoil for a helmetful of water; but he mighthave offered the price of a kingdom rather than a province, with as littlechance of purchasing what he desired. Blood there was, flowing in streams,but of water not a drop! It was more in despair than hope that he told hissad tale to Licinius, on whom it seemed natural for every soldier in thearmy to depend when in trouble, either for himself or for others. Givinghis orders, clear, concise, and imperative to his tribunes, the Romangeneral accompanied Hirpinus to the corner of the court where Calchas lay.Fallen beams and masses of charred timber were smouldering around, deadbodies, writhed in the wild contortions of mortal agony, in heaps on everyside--he was sick and faint, crushed, mangled, dying from a painful wound,yet the Christian's face looked calm and happy; and he lay upon the hardstones, waiting for the coming change, like one who seeks refreshingslumber on a bed of down.

  As the kind eyes turned gently to Licinius, in glance of friendlyrecognition, they were lit with the smile that is never worn but by thedeparting traveller whose barque has already cast off its moorings fromthe shore--the smile in which he seems to bid a hopeful, joyful farewell tothose he leaves for a little while, with which he seems to welcome thechill breeze and the dark waters because of the haven where he would be.Mariamne and Esca, bending over with tender care, and watching eachpassing shade on that placid countenance, knew well that the end was verynear.

  His strength was almost gone; but Calchas pointed to his kinswoman and theBriton, while looking at Licinius he said, "They will be your care now. Ihave bestowed on you countless treasures freely yonder in the camp of theAssyrians.(27) This you shall promise me in return."

  Licinius laid his shield on the ground and took the dying man's hand inboth his own.

  "They are my children," said he, "from this day forth. Oh! my guide, Iwill never forget thy teaching nor thy behest."

  Calchas looked inquiringly in the face of Hirpinus. The gladiator's ruggedfeatures bore a wistful expression of sorrow, mingled with admiration,sympathy, and a dawning light of hope.

  "Bring him into the fold with you," he murmured to the other three, andthen his voice came loud and strong in full triumphant tones. "It may bethat this man of blood, also, shall be one of the jewels in my crown.Glory to Him who has accepted my humble tribute, who rewards a few briefhours of imperfect service; a blow from a careless hand with an eternityof happiness, an immortal crown of gold! I shall see you, friends, again.We shall meet ere we have scarcely parted. You will not forget me in thatshort interval. And you will rejoice with me in humble thankful joy that Ihave been permitted to instruct you of heaven, and to show you myself theway."

  Exhausted with the effort, he sank back ere he had scarce finishedspeaking, and his listeners, looking on the calm dead face, from which theradiant smile had not yet faded, needed to keep watch no longer, for theyknew that the martyr's spirit was even now holding converse with theangels in heaven.

  PRINTED BY MORRISON AND GIBB LIMITED, EDINBURGH

  FOOTNOTES

  1 The dinner or _prandium_ of Rome was the first
meal in the day.

  2 A technical term for a school of gladiators trained by the same master.

  3 "_Sicarii_," or homicides--bands of assassins, regularly organised in Judaea, who made a trade of murder.

  4 "You may break, you may ruin, the vase if you will; But the scent of the roses will hang round it still."

  5 According to Pliny, the distinguishing sign of newly-arrived slaves.

  6 About twelve pounds sterling.

  7 The _sestercius_ was at this period about 13/4d., or rather more. The _sestercium_, or thousand sesterces, about L7, 16s.

  8 This inhuman practice was actually in vogue.

  9 The form by which a gladiator, who had repeatedly distinguished himself, received his dismissal and immunity from the arena for life.

  10 The well-known "Morituri te salutant!"

  11 About forty pounds sterling.

  12 "Christiani ad leones! virgines ad lenones!"--a sentence that found no small favour with the Roman crowd.

  13 The _clepsydra_, or water-clock--a Greek invention for the division of time--consisting of a hollow globe made of glass, or some transparent substance, from which the water trickled out through a narrow orifice, in quantities so regulated, that the sinking level of the element marked with sufficient exactitude the time that had elapsed since the vessel was filled.

  14 This game is played to-day with equal zest, under its Italian name of "Morro." Perhaps its nature was best rendered by the Latin phrase _micare digitos_, "to flash the fingers."

  15 Domitian.

  16 Hippicus, Phasaelus, and lovely Mariamne, for whom, in the dead of night, the great king used to call out in his agony of remorse when she was no more.

  17 Josephus, _Wars of the Jews_, book v. sec. 5.

  18 The first call of the Roman trumpets in camp, about two hours before dawn, was distinguished by that name.

  19 Now when he had said this he looked round about him, upon his family, with eyes of commiseration and of rage (that family consisted of a wife and children, and his aged parents), so in the first place he caught his father by his grey hairs, and ran his sword through him, and after him he did the same to his mother, who willingly received it; and after them he did the like to his wife and children, every one almost offering themselves to his sword, as desirous to prevent being slain by their enemies; so when he had gone over all his family he stood upon their bodies, to be seen by all, and stretching out his right hand, that his action might be observed by all, he sheathed his entire sword into his own bowels. This young man was to be pitied, on account of the strength of his body, and the courage of his soul.--Josephus, _Wars of the Jews_, book ii. sec. 18.

  20 Moreover, their hunger was so intolerable, that it obliged them to chew everything, while they gathered such things as the most sordid animals would not touch, and endured to eat them; nor did they at length abstain from girdles and shoes; and the very leather which belonged to their shields they pulled off and gnawed: the very wisps of old hay became food to some; and some gathered up fibres, and sold a very small weight of them for four Attic (drachmae).--Josephus, _Wars of the Jews_, book vi. sec. 3.

  21 This frightful supper is said to have been eaten in the dwelling of one Mary of Bethezub, which signifies the House of Hyssop.--Josephus, _Wars of the Jews_, book vi. sec. 3.

  22 For a description of these portentous appearances, both previous to and during the siege of Jerusalem, see Josephus, _Wars of the Jews_, book vi. sec. 5, as related by the historian with perfect good faith, and no slight reproaches to the incredulity of his obdurate countrymen--that generation of whom the greatest authority has said, "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe."

  23 The exclamation with which the spectators notified a conclusive thrust or blow in the circus.

  24 In bringing forward their heavy battering-rams, or otherwise advancing to the attack of a fortified place, the Roman soldiers were instructed to raise their shields obliquely above their heads, and, linking them together, thus form an impervious roof of steel, under which they could manoeuvre with sufficient freedom. This formation was called the _testudo_, or tortoise, from its supposed resemblance to the defensive covering with which nature provides that animal.

  25 "Utrinque parati."

  26 Then did Caesar, both by calling to the soldiers that were fighting, with a loud voice, and by giving a signal to them with his right hand, order them to quench the fire; but they did not hear what he said, though he spake so loud, having their ears already dinned by a greater noise another way; nor did they attend to the signal he made with his hand neither, as still some of them were distracted with passion, and others with fighting, neither any threatenings nor any persuasions could restrain their violence, but each one's own passion was his commander at this time; and as they were crowding into the Temple together many of them were trampled on by one another, while a great number fell among the ruins of the cloisters, which were still hot and smoking, and were destroyed in the same miserable way with those whom they had conquered.--Josephus, _Wars of the Jews_, book vi. sec. 4.

  27 The ground occupied by the Roman lines during the siege.

  TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE

  Variations in hyphenation have not been changed.

  Other changes, which have been made to the text:

  page 9, exclamation mark added after "Jugurtha" page 98, quote mark removed after "plans." page 114, quote mark removed before "after" page 137, "wel" changed to "well" page 164, "Brition" changed to "Briton" page 259, "inbibed" changed to "imbibed" page 335, "Where s" changed to "Where is" page 433, "Jeruslaem" changed to "Jerusalem"