take his knife and finish what he had begun. In this way what would
seem to us like cold-blooded murder was committed hundreds of times
each year, while the fairest ladies and young girls of Rome sat and
watched with eager interest. Thus, although the Romans had all the
outward appearance of being civilized, they were savages at heart, and
had no sympathy for any people who were not of their own race.

[Illustration: The Last Combat of the Gladiators]

In the early days, the Romans prided themselves on their honor. They
scorned a lie and looked down on anyone who would cheat or deceive.
They lived hardy lives and would not allow themselves luxuries. They
rather despised the Greeks, because the latter surrounded themselves
with comforts in life. The early Romans were fighters by nature. They
had a certain god named Janus (our month January is named after him)
and his temple was open only when they were engaged in war. It is a
matter of history that during the twelve hundred years from the first
building of Rome to the end of the Roman Empire, the temple of Janus
was closed on but three occasions and then only for a short time.

About five or six hundred years after the founding of Rome came
several disastrous wars which killed off a great majority of her
sturdy fighters. Rome was the victor in all of these wars, but she won
them at tremendous cost to herself. With the killing off of her best
and bravest men, a great deal of the old time honesty was lost. Very
soon, we begin to hear of Roman governors who, when put in charge of
conquered states, used their offices only to plunder the helpless
inhabitants and to return to Rome after their terms were finished,
laden with ill-gotten gains. Roman morals, which formerly were very
strict, began to grow more lax, and in general the Roman civilization