ben-hur-第86章

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ing　with　his　four；　was　told　of　it；　and　also　that　Messala's　whole　fortune　was　on　the　hazard。

And　he　slept　never　so　soundly。




CHAPTER　XII



The　Circus　at　Antioch　stood　on　the　south　bank　of　the　river；　nearly　opposite　the　island；　differing　in　no　respect　from　the　plan　of　such　buildings　in　general。

In　the　purest　sense；　the　games　were　a　gift　to　the　public；　consequently；　everybody　was　free　to　attend；　and；　vast　as　the　holding　capacity　of　the　structure　was；　so　fearful　were　the　people；　on　this　occasion；　lest　there　should　not　be　room　for　them；　that；　early　the　day　before　the　opening　of　the　exhibition；　they　took　up　all　the　vacant　spaces　in　the　vicinity；　where　their　temporary　shelter　suggested　an　army　in　waiting。

At　midnight　the　entrances　were　thrown　wide；　and　the　rabble；　surging　in；　occupied　the　quarters　assigned　to　them；　from　which　nothing　less　than　an　earthquake　or　an　army　with　spears　could　have　dislodged　them。　They　dozed　the　night　away　on　the　benches；　and　breakfasted　there；　and　there　the　close　of　the　exercises　found　them；　patient　and　sight…hungry　as　in　the　beginning。

The　better　people；　their　seats　secured；　began　moving　towards　the　Circus　about　the　first　hour　of　the　morning；　the　noble　and　very　rich　among　them　distinguished　by　litters　and　retinues　of　liveried　servants。

By　the　second　hour；　the　efflux　from　the　city　was　a　stream　unbroken　and　innumerable。

Exactly　as　the　gnomon　of　the　official　dial　up　in　the　citadel　pointed　the　second　hour　half　gone；　the　legion；　in　full　panoply；　and　with　all　its　standards　on　exhibit；　descended　from　Mount　Sulpius；　and　when　the　rear　of　the　last　cohort　disappeared　in　the　bridge；　Antioch　was　literally　abandonednot　that　the　Circus　could　hold　the　multitude；　but　that　the　multitude　was　gone　out　to　it；　nevertheless。

A　great　concourse　on　the　river　shore　witnessed　the　consul　come　over　from　the　island　in　a　barge　of　state。　As　the　great　man　landed；　and　was　received　by　the　legion；　the　martial　show　for　one　brief　moment　transcended　the　attraction　of　the　Circus。

At　the　third　hour；　the　audience；　if　such　it　may　be　termed；　was　assembled；　at　last；　a　flourish　of　trumpets　called　for　silence；　and　instantly　the　gaze　of　over　a　hundred　thousand　persons　was　directed　towards　a　pile　forming　the　eastern　section　of　the　building。

There　was　a　basement　first；　broken　in　the　middle　by　a　broad　arched　passage；　called　the　Porta　Pompae；　over　which；　on　an　elevated　tribunal　magnificently　decorated　with　insignia　and　legionary　standards；　the　consul　sat　in　the　place　of　honor。　On　both　sides　of　the　passage　the　basement　was　divided　into　stalls　termed　carceres；　each　protected　in　front　by　massive　gates　swung　to　statuesque　pilasters。　Over　the　stalls　next　was　a　cornice　crowned　by　a　low　balustrade；　back　of　which　the　seats　arose　in　theatre　arrangement；　all　occupied　by　a　throng　of　dignitaries　superbly　attired。　The　pile　extended　the　width　of　the　Circus；　and　was　flanked　on　both　sides　by　towers　which；　besides　helping　the　architects　give　grace　to　their　work；　served　the　velaria；　or　purple　awnings；　stretched　between　them　so　as　to　throw　the　whole　quarter　in　a　shade　that　became　exceedingly　grateful　as　the　day　advanced。

This　structure；　it　is　now　thought；　can　be　made　useful　in　helping　the　reader　to　a　sufficient　understanding　of　the　arrangement　of　the　rest　of　the　interior　of　the　Circus。　He　has　only　to　fancy　himself　seated　on　the　tribunal　with　the　consul；　facing　to　the　west；　where　everything　is　under　his　eye。

On　the　right　and　left；　if　he　will　look；　he　will　see　the　main　entrances；　very　ample；　and　guarded　by　gates　hinged　to　the　towers。

Directly　below　him　is　the　arenaa　level　plane　of　considerable　extent；　covered　with　fine　white　sand。　There　all　the　trials　will　take　place　except　the　running。

Looking　across　this　sanded　arena　westwardly　still；　there　is　a　pedestal　of　marble　supporting　three　low　conical　pillars　of　gray　stone；　much　carven。　Many　an　eye　will　hunt　for　those　pillars　before　the　day　is　done；　for　they　are　the　first　goal；　and　mark　the　beginning　and　end　of　the　race…course。　Behind　the　pedestal；　leaving　a　passage…way　and　space　for　an　altar；　commences　a　wall　ten　or　twelve　feet　in　breadth　and　five　or　six　in　height；　extending　thence　exactly　two　hundred　yards；　or　one　Olympic　stadium。　At　the　farther；　or　westward；　extremity　of　the　wall　there　is　another　pedestal；　surmounted　with　pillars　which　mark　the　second　goal。

The　racers　will　enter　the　course　on　the　right　of　the　first　goal；　and　keep　the　wall　all　the　time　to　their　left。　The　beginning　and　ending　points　of　the　contest　lie；　consequently；　directly　in　front　of　the　consul　across　the　arena；　and　for　that　reason　his　seat　was　admittedly　the　most　desirable　in　the　Circus。

Now　if　the　reader；　who　is　still　supposed　to　be　seated　on　the　consular　tribunal　over　the　Porta　Pompae；　will　look　up　from　the　ground　arrangement　of　the　interior；　the　first　point　to　attract　his　notice　will　be　the　marking　of　the　outer　boundary…line　of　the　coursethat　is；　a　plain…faced；　solid　wall；　fifteen　or　twenty　feet　in　height；　with　a　balustrade　on　its　cope；　like　that　over　the　carceres；　or　stalls；　in　the　east。　This　balcony；　if　followed　round　the　course；　will　be　found　broken　in　three　places　to　allow　passages　of　exit　and　entrance；　two　in　the　north　and　one　in　the　west；　the　latter　very　ornate；　and　called　the　Gate　of　Triumph；　because；　when　all　is　over；　the　victors　will　pass　out　that　way；　crowned；　and　with　triumphal　escort　and　ceremonies。

At　the　west　end　the　balcony　encloses　the　course　in　the　form　of　a　half　circle；　and　is　made　to　uphold　two　great　galleries。

Directly　behind　the　balustrade　on　the　coping　of　the　balcony　is　the　first　seat；　from　which　ascend　the　succeeding　benches；　each　higher　than　the　one　in　front　of　it；　giving　to　view　a　spectacle　of　surpassing　interestthe　spectacle　of　a　vast　space　ruddy　and　glistening　with　human　faces；　and　rich　with　varicolored　costumes。

The　commonalty　occupy　quarters　over　in　the　west；　beginning　at　the　point　of　termination　of　an　awning；　stretched；　it　would　seem；　for　the　accommodation　of　the　better　classes　exclusively。

Having　thus　the　whole　interior　of　the　Circus　under　view　at　the　moment　of　the　sounding　of　the　trumpets；　let　the　reader　next　imagine　the　multitude　seated　and　sunk　to　sudden　silence；　and　motionless　in　its　intensity　of　interest。

Out　of　the　Porta　Pompae　over　in　the　east　rises　a　sound　mixed　of　voices　and　instruments　harmonized。　Presently；　forth　issues　the　chorus　of　the　procession　with　which　the　celebration　begins；　the　editor　and　civic　authorities　of　the　city；　givers　of　the　games；　follow　in　robes　and　garlands；　then　the　gods；　some　on　platforms　borne　by　men；　others　in　great　four…wheel　carriages　gorgeously　decorated；　next　them；　again；　the　contestants　of　the　day；　each　in　costume　exactly　as　he　will　run；　wrestle；　leap；　box；　or　drive。

Slowly　crossing　the　arena；　the　procession　proceeds　to　make　circuit　of　the　course。　The　display　is　beautiful　and　imposing。　Approval　runs　before　it　in　a　shout；　as　the　water　rises　and　swells　in　front　of　a　boat　in　motion。　If　the　dumb；　figured　gods　make　no　sign　of　appreciation　of　the　welcome；　the　editor　and　his　associates　are　not　so　backward。

The　reception　of　the　athletes　is　even　more　demonstrative；　for　there　is　not　a　man　in　the　assemblage　who　has　not　something　in　wager　upon　them；　though　but　a　mite　or　farthing。　And　it　is　noticeable；　as　the　classes　move　by；　that　the　favorites　among　them　are　speedily　singled　out：　either　their　names　are　loudest　in　the　uproar；　or　they　are　more　profusely　showered　with　wreaths　and　garlands　tossed　to　them　from　the　balcony。

If　there　is　a　question　as　to　the　popularity　with　the　public　of　the　several　games；　it　is　now　put　to　rest。　To　the　splendor　of　the　chariots　and　the　superexcellent　beauty　of　the　horses；　the　charioteers　add　the　personality　necessary　to　perfect　the　charm　of　their　display。　Their　tunics；　short；　sleeveless；　and　of　the　finest　woollen　texture；　are　of　the　assigned　colors。　A　horseman　accompanies　each　one　of　them　except　Ben…Hur；　who；　for　some　reasonpossibly　distrusthas　chosen　to　go　alone；　so；　too；　they　are　all　helmeted　but　him。　As　they　approach；　the　spectators　stand　upon　the　benches；　and　there　is　a　sensible　deepening　of　the　clamor；　in　which　a　sharp　listener　may　detect　the　shrill　piping　of　women　and　children；　at　the　same　time；　the