GLADIATORS

(Lat. glad i a to res; from gladius, a sword.) Sword players, who were originally employed to fight at the funerals of illustrious Romans," in order to appease their manes by the effusion of blood. They were subsequently introduced into the public amphitheatres, and became one of the most favourite spectacles of the Roman people. The gladiators were either captives or condemned criminals, or else people of the lowest rank, who served for hire, the profe ion being considered one of the greatest infamy. In spite of this, however, under some of the emperors, persons of the first families, who had enjoyed the highest honours of the state, entered the arena, either at the command of the despot, or in order to gratify him; and even females of patrician blood, in some instances, followed their example. Gladiators did not merely use the sword, as their name strictly implies, but were armed in various ways. {See MiRMiLLo andRETiARiAN.) The gladiators were, in general, desperate and ruffian characters; and considerable bodies of them were sometimes kept in the pay of wealthy and turbulent citizens, or hired as bullies. Ferhaps the best exposition of the opinion of the more philosophical Romans on the subject is thus given by Cicero: — " Crudele glad i a to rum spectaculum et inhumanum nonnuliis videri solet: et baud scio an non ita sit, ut nunc fit: cum vero sontes depugnabant, auribus for ta e multa, oculis quidem nulla poterat e e fortior contra dolorem et mortem disciplina." (Tusc. Qucest. 2.) It is commonly, but inexactly said, that the shows of gladiators were put a stop to by the Christian emperors. They certainly had not ceased in a. d. 4ti4, and probably not before the conquest of Italy by the Goths. (Beugnot, Destruction du Pagan is me en Occident, book ix. ch. 2.) [s. 528]