shield, a sword, or a leaden ball. Others, the usual antagonists of the
former, were named Retiarii. A combatant of this class was dressed in a
short tunic, but wore nothing on his head. He carried in his left hand a
three-pointed lance, called Tridens or Fuscina, and in his right, a net,
with which he attempted to entangle his adversary, by casting it over his
head, and suddenly drawing it together; when with his trident he usually
slew him. But if he missed his aim, by throwing the net either too short
or too far, he instantly betook himself to flight, and endeavoured to
prepare his net for a second cast. His antagonist, in the mean time,
pursued, to prevent his design, by dispatching him.

[436] AUGUSTUS, c. xxiii.

[437] TIBERIUS, c. xl.

[438] See before, c. xix.

[439] Popae were persons who, at public sacrifices, led the victim to
the altar. They had their clothes tucked up, and were naked to the
waist. The victim was led with a slack rope, that it might not seem to
he brought by force, which was reckoned a bad omen. For the same reason,
it was allowed to stand loose before the altar, and it was thought a very
unfavourable sign if it got away.

[440] Plato de Repub. xi.; and Cicero and Tull. xlviii.

[441] The collar of gold, taken from the gigantic Gaul who was killed in
single combat by Titus Manlius, called afterwards Torquatus, was worn by
the lineal male descendants of the Manlian family. But that illustrious
race becoming extinct, the badge of honour, as well as the cognomen of