THE CATS. 25 



sums were lavished in their arrangement; even the armies, when 

 stationary for a short period, had their circus ; and traces of 

 these erections are to be found in the most distant parts of the 

 Roman empire. Training men to these sports became a pro- 

 fession, and persons of rank were emulous to engage in them, 

 because they were thought to keep up the martial spirit of the 

 nation. 



The number of fierce animals collected at these shows was 

 immense, and the slaughter no less so. Cornelius Scipio Nasica 

 introduced sixty-three Lions. Scylla exhibited 100, which he 

 received as a present from Boschus, King of Mauritania, with 

 some Mauritanians to fight them. Pompey, at the opening of 

 his theatre, exhibited a variety of games and battles with wild 

 beasts, in which 500 Lions were slain in five days ; and in 

 another exhibition, the tragedy consisted in the massacre of 

 100 Lions, and an equal number of Lionesses, 200 Leopards, 

 and 300 Bears. In the extravagant theatre built by Scaurus, 

 500 Panthers were let loose in the arena on a single occasion. 



At a later period, by many of the Indian sovereigns beasts 

 of prey were kept to be hunted; or, being tamed, were placed 

 near the throne upon occasions of pomp. They were also much 

 more frequently employed as the executioners of criminals, or 

 persons who had displeased their despotic masters. The King 

 of Pegu kept a park for Lions, Tigers, and other fierce beasts, 

 called Liparo ; and it was a sad and daily sight to see criminals 

 devoured by them. 



But in other parts of these countries, particularly Hindustan, 

 instead of being used to rouse the martial spirit of the youth, 

 the beasts of prey occupy a prominent part in the religious 

 rites. In the mythology of the Hindus, many of them are held 

 as sacred, or as evil spirits which can be propitiated by food. 

 It is therefore a crime to destroy a Tiger ; and the teeth and 

 claws are worn as charms against their ravages. Similar ideas 



