Lately a gladiator, who had been sent forth to the morning exhibition, was being conveyed in a cart along with the other prisoners; nodding as if he were heavy with sleep, he let his head fall over so far that it was caught in the spokes; then he kept his body in position long enough to break his neck by the revolution of the wheel. So he made his escape by means of the very wagon which was carrying him to his punishment.
Seneca - Epistulae morales ad Lucilium c. 65 AD
Not what we usually think of as the courage of a gladiator. Not quite the Hollywood image, yet it must have taken a considerable degree of courage because even partial failure was not an option.
Or is it a Roman urban myth about the courage of gladiators? It must have been remarkably fertile ground for gladiatorial myths. We know that because we know myths and how pervasive they are. We have political parties built around them.
Here's an earlier post on the same subject.
4 comments:
Like the myth that Labour is the party for the workers and the Conservatives are the party for their betters and there's a difference between the scum.
Jannie - yes, a few tattered old myths there. It's a pity voters cling onto them for so long.
It makes me think of a Ukrainian conscript headed for the meatgrinder in order to satisfy Biden, Nuland and others who demand that Russia be attrited to the last Ukranian.
Doonhamer - I wonder how many potential conscripts have disappeared. Not much else is open to them unless they don't know about the meatgrinder.
Post a Comment