ON THE NATIONAL CHARACTER OF THE ROMANS. 213 



this latter treatment of their captives ; for, after all, it was probably 

 parsimony which prompted it, if we knew the truth. 



There are two circumstances which are particularly to be consi- 

 dered in the customs of the Roman nation, which cover them with 

 eternal disgrace. First, that which has just been mentioned, of ex- 

 hibiting the noblest of their prisoners in their triumphal spectacles, 

 than which nothing can possibly be more cowardly and tyrannical. 

 The second, is their compelling those of ordinary rank to butcher 

 each other in the sanguinary sports of the amphitheatre. Let us 

 imagine the brave, the noble, nay, even the members of an unhap- 

 py royal family, whose fate would have drawn tears from any noble 

 enemy, exposed to that unnecessary degradation ; let us imagine the 

 young, the beautiful, the tender even of the softer sex exposed to 

 the same indignity. We may, indeed, admit the valour of the 

 Romans, but we must deny them every claim to the dignity of 

 heroism. 



On the other hand, what a people must it be whose national taste 

 — unlike that of the Greeks who delighted in the drama or the 

 athletic and at the same time bloodless games of the circus or the 

 stadium ; unlike the horse-races and other field sports of the Eng- 

 lish, and extending far beyond our most brutal amusements of bull- 

 baiting, boxing, or cock-fighting; far exceeding in atrocity the 

 bull-fights of the Spaniard — what a people, I repeat, must it be that 

 could compel persons taken in open warfare to kill each other for 

 public amusement ! This, indeed, is horrible : but what a climax 

 is it, as respects their national and social character, when we read 

 that the young, the beautiful, and the most accomplished, even of 

 the softer sex, hurried in crowds to these bloody scenes, and spoke 

 of a skilful swordsman and his sanguinary feats as those of our day 

 will of an opera dancer ! Fancy this a national amusement, on 

 which the spoils or tribute of a province were frequently expended, 

 and which would at any moment win popularity to any wealthy 

 personage in Rome : imagine all ages, all ranks, all sexes crowding 

 the benches of an amphitheatre to the number of thirty thousand 

 spectators, and all filled with the same enthusiasm ! It is impossi- 

 ble to go beyond it : we must confess it is disgraceful to humanity. 

 In fact, there is but one cheering ray in the remembrance of this 

 strange and frightful custom : namely — that the first christian em- 

 peror of Rome put an end to it entirely. 



In short, of the Romans, in every age, we are only able to say 

 that, towards their enemies they were always cruel and vindictive : 

 besides this, to their friends, when their own interest was concern- 



