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Updated: June 18, 2025
'Vah! vah! said Lydon, impatiently; 'I am in no humor to converse with thee! 'Why, truly, returned the slave, 'you must have serious thoughts enough to occupy your mind: to-morrow is, I think, your first essay in the arena. Well, I am sure you will die bravely! 'May thy words fall on thine own head! said Lydon, superstitiously, for he by no means liked the blessing of Sosia. 'Die!
'In that case, said Pansa, 'hold Lydon a subdititius; and the first gladiator that is vanquished, let Lydon supply his place with the victor. The people shouted their applause at this sentence: then they again sunk into deep silence. The trumpet sounded loudly. The four combatants stood each against each in prepared and stern array.
"Guard thyself!" growled Tetraides, moving nearer and nearer to his foe, who rather shifted round him than receded. Lydon did not answer, save by a scornful glance of his quick, vigilant eye. Tetraides struck it was as the blow of a smith on a vise; Lydon sank suddenly on one knee the blow passed over his head.
Leaning on his stick, his form bent by care and age, his eyes downcast, and his steps trembling, the grey-haired Medon slowly approached towards the gladiator. Lydon paused a moment: he divined at once the cause that brought forth the old man at that late hour.
'Well, nine sestertia to three be it so! What! again, Lydon? He stops he gasps for breath. By the gods, he is down. No he is again on his legs. Brave Lydon! Tetraides is encouraged he laughs loud he rushes on him. 'Fool success blinds him he should be cautious. Lydon's eye is like the lynx's, said Clodius, between his teeth. 'Ha, Clodius! saw you that? Your man totters!
In proportion, too, as he wanted flesh, he was likely to possess activity; and a haughty smile on his resolute face which strongly contrasted the solid heaviness of his enemy's, gave assurance to those who beheld it, and united their hope to their pity: so that, despite the disparity of their seeming strength, the cry of the multitude was nearly as loud for Lydon as for Tetraides.
Tetraides, though no taller than Lydon, weighed considerably more; the natural size of his muscles was increased, to the eyes of the vulgar, by masses of solid flesh; for, as it was a notion that the contest of the cestus fared easiest with him who was plumpest, Tetraides had encouraged to the utmost his hereditary predisposition to the portly.
'I wish he were, if only to spite old surly Medon, muttered the girl. Meanwhile Lydon, who had hitherto defended himself with great skill and valor, began to give way before the vigorous assaults of the practised Roman; his arm grew tired, his eye dizzy, he breathed hard and painfully. The combatants paused again for breath.
'Guard thyself! growled Tetraides, moving nearer and nearer to his foe, who rather shifted round him than receded. Lydon did not answer, save by a scornful glance of his quick, vigilant eye. Tetraides struck it was as the blow of a smith on a vice; Lydon sank suddenly on one knee the blow passed over his head.
You should have encouraged flesh for that contest: you are far too thin for it avoid the cestus. 'I cannot, said Lydon. 'And why? 'I have said because he has challenged me. 'But he will not hold you to the precise weapon. 'My honour holds me! returned Lydon, proudly. 'I bet on Tetraides, two to one, at the cestus, said Clodius; shall it be, Lepidus? even betting, with swords.
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