distinguished into regular classes, of which the antiquaries count
up full eighteen: Andabatae, who wore helmets without any opening
for the eyes, so that they were obliged to fight blindfold, and thus
excited the mirth of the spectators; Hoplomachi, who fought in a
complete suit of armour; Mirmillones, who had the image of a fish
upon their helmets, and fought in armour with a short sword, matched
usually against the Retiarii, who fought without armour, and whose
weapons were a casting-net and a trident. These, and other species
of fighters, were drilled and fed in "families" by Lanistae; or
regular trainers, who let them out to persons wishing to exhibit a
show. Women, even high-born ladies, had been seized in former times
with the madness of fighting, and, as shameless as cruel, had gone
down into the arena to delight with their own wounds and their own
gore the eyes of the Roman people.

And these things were done, and done too often, under the auspices
of the gods, and at their most sacred festivals. So deliberate and
organized a system of wholesale butchery has never perhaps existed
on this earth before or since, not even in the worship of those
Mexican gods whose idols Cortez and his soldiers found fed with
human hearts, and the walls of their temples crusted with human
gore. Gradually the spirit of the Gospel had been triumphing over
this abomination. Ever since the time of Tertullian, in the second
century, Christian preachers and writers had lifted up their voice
in the name of humanity. Towards the end of the third century, the
Emperors themselves had so far yielded to the voice of reason, as to
forbid by edicts the gladiatorial fights. But the public opinion of
the mob in most of the great cities had been too strong both for
saints and for emperors. St. Augustine himself tells us of the
horrible joy which he, in his youth, had seen come over the vast