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THIRD CHAPTER.
Romans as imitators of the Greek horse and chariot races. Show horses. Racehorses. Their three uses. Horse and chariot races instituted in honor of Neptune, Apollo, etc. Four-horse chariots. How they were harnessed. Which horses were in the middle, and which on the right and left sides, and why. Various names for those horses. Chariot racers in different factions; distinguished by colors. The affection of the spectators for one or the other. How it was expressed.
§ I.
Just as the Romans in general imitated the Greek games, (Dempsterus at Rosinus, book 4, chapter 5) so in particular they had imitated their horse and chariot races, as the most chivalrous of all. Therefore, the great Circus Maximus, as well as other amphitheaters and racetracks, strangely buzzed with them.
§ II.
There were two types of horses in the Circus. 1. The show horses, either because they pulled the chariots of the gods, which were also pulled by other animals, namely elephants, and so on; as is shown by the honor bestowed by Emperor CLAUDIUS on his grandmother LIVIA, of which Suetonius testifies: (Suetonius, in the life of Claudius, chapter 11) or because they were only splendidly adorned and wreathed, led stately back and forth through the Circus, namely in honor of the Sun,...
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of which some already find beginnings in 2 Kings (2 Kings 23:11) chapter 23: 11, where it speaks of horses that were dedicated to the Sun, and chariots of the Sun. And in particular with the kings of the ancient Persians, who when they wanted to show themselves in great state, had a horse, called the Sun-horse, led up and down, as among them the horses were consecrated to the Sun, as the only deity, according to the testimony of Justinus. (Justinus, book 1, chapter 10) 2. The racehorses: which were used, A. to run with seated and armed riders and to turn and fence in the most artistic way, to thus depict a true Trojan-knightly game (tournament game), since the Trojans are said to have held it first and brought it to Italy. Therefore, Virgil has the Trojan youth celebrate this in Sicily. (Virgil, Aeneid, book 5, verses 580-595) After he had described their equipment, he shows their running game as follows, according to Vondel: They first rode paired in one troop back And forth, then distinguished into three cornets, Three at a time in line: then again called Stand they ready and drill the spear, the troops opposite the troops: Then they swing round and round: each goes his way, And turn in turn, show the crowd A mock fight armed: then at the spurting The one shows his heels: then again at the resumption. Then they stopped the fight on both sides at the same time: As one says that earlier in Crete, the kingdom of Minos On the rising island, in the labyrinth, so full of worries, A path ran, walled on both sides, and hidden, By many thousands of cunningly devised artifices Of side paths full of deceit strictly entangled: So doubtful, that the wanderer who goes through it Can keep no eye on shape or any sign...
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To unravel themselves: so the Trojan blood confuses Its track, while each on the horse's foot In the mock fight pulls away and on, knows how to flee, To fight: just as dolphins delight themselves, Who in the Libyan or in the Carpathian sea Swim through the salty foam in competition back and forth, Cleaving the waves with their chest, observing carefully, And playing, and so on.
But B. to serve as jumper horses, that is, horses on which the riders, while rushing forward, jumped from one to another, of which has already been spoken above. And C. to be harnessed in pairs, threes, or fours to the chariots, and to race with them in a contest, just as on the Olympic field. We will now deal with these last ones further.
§ III.
Early at the beginning of the Roman Republic, ROMULUS instituted horse and chariot races, namely in honor of CONSUS, that is, NEPTUNE, the first inventor of horseback riding, and therefore called horse god by Suidas. ROMULUS had them celebrated to lure the Sabine daughters there and then to abduct them, as also happened. After that they have more or less remained in use, and because the horses are also dedicated to the Sun, they are also celebrated in honor of APOLLO, the Sun, and of LUNA, the Moon, also of CERES, the Earth, and of the spirits. Namely, the four-horse chariots in honor of the Sun, the two-horse chariots in honor of the Moon, the three-horse chariots in honor of the spirits of the dead, as can be deduced from Fulgentius and others. (Fulgentius, Mythology, book 2, chapter 11) However, the four-horse chariots have always excelled over the others...
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and have ultimately been almost the only ones mentioned and (Kippingius, Roman Antiquities, book 2, chapter 6) counted. Their chariots were then nothing other than swift little boxes, which hung on two wheels and almost dragged on the earth, not unjustly to be compared with large seashells, in which only one man can stand, says Oudaan. (Oudaan, Roman Power, 6th Dialogue) It appears from the foregoing that they were called four-horse chariots, because four horses were harnessed in front of them, namely not one in front of the other but next to each other, and side by side as has already been said in the previous chapter. The manner of harnessing and the naming of the horses that arose from it, Salmasius shows the wonder of scholarship at length: (Salmasius, Plinian Exercises at Solinus, page 45) namely, two were added to the middle on the shaft under the yoke, and these bore the name yoke horses (also called yoke-bearers by Hyginus), but among the Greeks yoke horses. Hence the commentator of Aristophanes said: (Scholiast on Aristophanes) "yoke horses are called those who were coupled to the yoke of the chariot, the middle right and the middle left." On each side of these another horse was now added with rope and rope, and these two side horses were called rope horses. The Greeks called these rope horse and side horse, both meaning as much as rope horses. And harnessing the horses in this way is said to have been invented by CLISTHENES of SICYON, as one used to add the horses next to each other with a double shaft and a yoke that went over all of them, according to the account of Isidore, who speaks of it as follows: "The chariots of the four-horse teams were formerly, however, of a double shaft, and a continuous yoke, which was thrown over all the horses. Clisthenes of Sicyon was the first who brought only the middle ones under the yoke, and to them on each side attached a horse with a simple rope," (Isidore, Etymologies, book 18, chapter 35)
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"which the Greeks call side horses, the Latins rope horses, according to the type of rope with which they were first tied." That is: however the chariots of the four-horse teams were formerly of a double shaft, and a whole yoke, which was thrown over all the horses. Clifthenes the Sicyonian was the first, who only tied the middle one under the yoke, and to the same on each side knotted one only with a rope. The Greeks called these side horses, the Latins rope horses, according to the type of rope with which they were tied on. The shape now of the chariots, horses, and the manner of harnessing will everyone better grasp, when he wants to hold the image, to be found at Salmasius, before his eyes. (Salmasius, Plinian Exercises at Solinus, page 641, new edition)
§ IV.
Regarding the harnessing of the horses, this is also still to be noted, that the weakest, and even mares, were coupled in the middle to the yoke, and the bravest to the sides; but the very best of those two, and with which one especially hoped to bring home the victory, on the left side (although in war one added it to the right side), and that with reason, that the most skilled horse had to be used for the turning around the turning posts. For too short to turn, caused one to be shipwrecked at the turning posts; but too wide, at the next running chariot teams, besides that one also then fell behind. However, more about this below. The left horse had to know how to steer here, and of it, as the main hope for victory, it was often named alone, while the three others, or the entire four-horse team, were understood under its name. Therefore the charioteers also directed their encouragements and goadings mainly to this left horse. That this is so, appears most clearly from the one Silius, who lets CYRNUS, IBERUS, ATLAS (Silius Italicus, book 16)
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and DURIUS race against each other, and names and describes their left rope horse. So he speaks of CYRNUS' left horse, named LAMPON: "Onward he flies before all, and with swift speed through the air" (vs. 334-336) "the Gallic Lampon flees, and bridges the immense distances" "rejoicing, and leaves the winds behind him." That is: Gallic Lampon flies as if through the clouds, Covers great distances with his swift legs, Leaves the winds behind him --- And so of IBERUS' left, PANCHATES: (vs. 348-354) "---- but the nearest ran" "Asturian Panchates: his white blaze shone as a paternal sign," "and every foot, of the same color, shone white as his fatherland." "Great of courage, not high of limbs, and little beauty" "of body, but then he had made wings for himself," "roused, and ran indignantly over the field against the reins." "You would think that he rose high, and his limbs became larger." That is: Asturian Panchates jogs quietly next to this: One could read his nation from his white blaze and foot: He was great-hearted, but quite smaller in stature, Less beautiful, as there most horses fall. But barely spurred on, it seemed as if he made wings, He tolerates no bridle more, he flies like the birds. He grows in running, and seems of larger limbs. After that also of the third left, belonging to the...
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team, that ATLAS drove, and CAUCASUS, or CAMPASUS, according to the reading of Salmasius, is named: for this is one and the same horse, not two different ones, as Salmasius has carelessly thought, who also failed in this, that he has set CAUCASUS for the right rope horse of the same chariot, where PELORUS ran as left, and CAMPASUS for the left of the fourth: not noticing, that the poet describes the third chariot, which was of ATLAS, whose left was CAUCASUS, but so, that he inserts the description of the fourth between the first and last of that third, namely the chariot of DURIUS, whose left was PELORUS. And CAUCASUS and PELORUS ran until then just with their heads next to each other. Salmasius also misses in this, that he calls ATLAS' left runner CAMPASUS, where CAUCASUS is its correct name: for the poet attributes that name of that bare mountain to him, to depict his hard nature: for that his nature was cruel, will appear immediately from his description. We will now separate the one from the other, and first write down entirely what belongs to the third, and then what belongs to the inserted fourth. So Silius sings of the third: "The third ran with equal pace as Pelorus," (vs. 356-359) "Caucasus: he himself was rough, and not someone who loved the" "soft sound of a stroked neck, and foaming on the bit" "that he held with a bloody mouth, he rejoiced in biting the iron." And then after that: "Caucasus trusted his old master Atlas:" (vs. 368-372) "Tinde, founded by the wandering Diomedes in Aetolia, had himself" "sent him, it was believed that he had sprung from the Trojan" "stock of horses, which the son of Aeneas at the waves of the Simois..."
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"as victor, the son of Tydeus, had carried away with great boldness." That is: Then runs Caucacus: his and Pelorus' ears Are equally far: he, stubborn, does not want to hear The sound of a stroked neck: but foams at the mouth, and loves To chew the iron bit like one possessed. Namely, he relied on the tricks of the swift Atlas: The city of Diomedes, Tinde, had sent him. He is held for a sprout of that Trojan stock, Which Tydeus' cunning son unworthily took from The pious Aeneas at the Simois floods. Here he now inserts between the name and description of DURIUS' left, namely PELORUS, in this way: "But Pelorus, compliant to the rein and better in obeying," (vs. 360-367) "never swerved from his course with an axle flying out of the curve." "But on the inside along the left path he grazed the turning post," "noticeable by his long neck, and very abundant likewise" "was the mane that played over his neck. (wonderful to say!)" "He had no father: his mother Harpe had brought him forth" "in the fields of the Vectons at a fresh west wind." "The noble Durus urged this chariot on the plain." That is: But Pelorus, softer of nature, learns rein and bridle together To offer obedience, knew without fail to steer with certain chariot wheels, to the never-missed pole: And high of neck he proudly showed the splendor Of his neck ornament the mane. It is a wonder to believe! He never had a father, but by the south wind thrown from above on the land of the Vectons, mother Harpe bore him. The noble Durus drove this team before him.
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That the charioteers also, as the horse on which the victory most depended, in particular roused and spurred on the left horse to the run, appears again clearly enough from the same Silius, when he introduces IBERUS and DURIUS, who under the lashing awaken their horses with words. So IBERUS addressed his PANCHATES: "Shall someone, Astur, in the contest take the palm of the plain" (vs. 390-394) "while you participate? Rise, fly, cross the field." "With his usual wings, swiftly, Lampon is consumed," "by his panting chest, and no breath remains for him" "to bring to the turning posts." --- That is: Would, Astur, if you run, another get prizes? Quickly, fly, and roll through the field, it is now no time to linger. For Lampon, who always chased as if he had wings, Loses courage, he gasps, he does not have enough strength, To hit the post of the turning posts lively. And so DURIUS his PELORUS: "---- by your father, Pelorus," (vs. 427-431) "it is now the time to show that you were begotten by Zephyrus:" "Let those who derive their name from the origin of cattle, learn," "how much the birth from divine seed excels." "As a victor you will give gifts, and erect altars for your father." That is: Now, now is the time, Pelorus, once to show calmly, That Zephyrus holds you for one of his sons. Let those who are only begotten from the seed of horses, Now learn, how much a divine breed differs...
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from it. So you will erect sublime altars for your father, And offer gifts. Otherwise, however, more horses, yes, all four, if they were of importance, were named by name. For, with an allusion to the run of the chariot teams, four horses are attributed to the sun chariot, and all are named by name. Hear Ovid: (Ovid, Metamorphoses, book 2, verse 153 f.) "Meanwhile the swift Pyrois, Eous, and Aethon," "the horses of the Sun, and the fourth, Phlegon, fill the air with flaming" "neighing, and trample against the barriers." "After Thetys, unaware of her grandson's fate," "had moved these aside, and an immense expanse of sky had been cleared." "They seized the way, and with feet moving through the air" "they cleaved the opposing mists, and exalted by their wings" "they passed by the east winds that came from the same regions." Vondel: Four-breather, Eastern, and glowing-Burner, And Blazing, all four horses, each before the other Neighing, trampling restlessly before the barrier, Taunted to impatience. Therefore Thetys, unaware Of the misfortune, her nephew destined at a bad time, Sets the highway on, and the team, chosen for speed, Freely and frankly gave the spacious heaven. They go their way at the same time, and in one trot The mists with the hoof, and break under the striving The clouds with the chest, and lightly lifted Of swift wings, they whirringly pass by side by side The east wind from that region. So Statius names at least three horses, who ran before (Statius, Thebaid, book 6, verses 460-462) ADMETUS' chariot, saying:
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"------- with his voice" "and with their names Admetus calls Pholoë and Iris," "and the rope horse Thoë." That is: Admetus shouts and called his horses by their names, Pholoë, Iris and the rope horse Thoë together. That he only names three, seems to be because he, speaking about the time of the fabulous heroes, who usually ran with two- and three-horse teams, describes the horses of a three-horse team, as Salmasius has already noted. Among the old heroes the horses PEGASUS, ARION, CYLLARUS were known by name, which Ausonius, (Ausonius, Epitaph 35) if one drove chariot teams in the Elysian fields, wants to have harnessed with PHOSPHORUS, so famous in the time of and beloved by AUGUSTUS, so that he might receive greater honor from such great rope-mates. So he says, partly according to Salmafius, partly according to our own reading: "Pegasus be to you on the right, let the yoke horses run, Arion on the left" "at the rope, let Castor give you the fourth horse." That is: Let on the right and left at the yoke, capable of steering both, Pegasus and Arion run, race, swirl: You go on the left rope: and Castor, if he only wants to, Gives on the right rope, for fourth, his Cyllarus. Among the later Romans, PHOSPHORUS, BUBALUS, POMPEJANUS, CORAX, PASSERINUS, TIGRIS, and the like were known by name.
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§ V.
The races with the four-horse teams had in time risen so high in value, that two established parts, factions, partisanship, divisions, opposing societies, or whatever one will call it, were made of the chariot racers: namely a party that wore white, and another that wore red clothes, of which one was called the white and the other the red party. That there were only two such parties or factions instituted in the beginning, Tertullian clearly enough makes known, saying: (Tertullian, On the Games, ch. 9) "By such founders the four-horse teams were brought forth, rightly, and the charioteers, who clothed the idolatry with their colors; and from the beginning there were only two, white and red: white was dedicated to winter because of the white snow, red to summer because of the redness of the sun." From such inventors (namely ERICHTHONIUS, or ACROPHILUS, or ROMULUS) the four-horse teams originated, rightly, and the charioteers, who have clothed the idolatry with their colors: for from the beginning there were only two, white and red: the white was dedicated to winter, because of the white snow, the red to summer, because of the redness of the sun. What else did John Antiochenfis mean with (John Antiochenfis at Salmasius) regard to the colors, if he (assuming two factions) makes these green and blue instead of white and red. These are his words at Salmasius: "Oenomaus first invented the chariot races, and instituted a contest on March 24, concerning the earth and the sea. The lots were thrown, and the one who it fell to to fight for the earth, wore green, but he for the sea, blue." The green and blue have certainly been the foremost...
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factions, and therefore there are also others who have held these for the first and oldest. But whatever of that may be, it remains still uncertain when these first factions took their beginning. It is true, this John Antiochenfis brings the invention thereof to OENOMAUS, but that has as little proof as that he attributes the introduction of four factions among the Latins themselves to ROMULUS, saying: "Romulus first established the horse racing game in Rome, and divided the people into four parts," namely, the people who wanted to run, or the spectator people, to namely favor one of these four factions. However this may be, let us leave that in the uncertain. Meanwhile, if there have only been two in use, in the course of time two more have been added, but when is also not precisely known. So there were now from then on four factions, or divisions, to use Oudaan's word, (Oudaan, at the cited place) who says: "these were four in number distinguished by special colors of the drivers or charioteers and horse harnesses, namely white, red, green and blue." and so on. This quartet was also instituted with a view to the gods, and so the idolatry was clothed with it, to use Tertullian's saying again, who (Tertullian, at the cited place) also says further: "but later, when both lust and superstition increased, some dedicated the red to Mars, others the white to the West Winds; the green however to Mother Earth or spring, the blue to the sky and the sea, or autumn." That is: but with the increase of the frivolity and the superstition, some dedicated the red to Mars, others the white to the South wind: the green however to Mother Earth, or the spring, the blue to the sky and the sea, or the autumn. Cassiodorus dedicates the four (Cassiodorus, Variae, book 3, letter 51) colors to the four seasons, the green to the growing spring, the blue to the wavy winter, the red...
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to the flaming summer, the white to the frost-producing autumn. So approximately Corippus also has it. (Corippus, book 1, nr. 17) But John Antiochenfis says that they were instituted (John Antiochenfis, at the cited place) in honor of the four elements. Isidore (Isidore, Etymologies, book 18, chapter 41) brings several aspects together. We will for brevity's sake only let him speak in Dutch. "For the sake of the elements the same heathens also joined the colors of the horses, equating the red to the sun, that is, the fire; the white to the air; the green to the earth; the blue to the sea. Likewise they wanted, that the red would run in honor of the summer, because they are of a fire color, and everything is then reddish: the white of the winter, because that is icy, and everything shows itself gray from cold: of the spring the green-colored, while then the vineyard leaf buds out thickly. Likewise they have consecrated the red to Mars, from whom the Romans originate, and while the banners of the Romans were colored with purple, or while Mars delights in blood; the white to the south wind and the beautiful weather; the green to the blossom and the earth; the blue to the waters or air, while they are blue; the yellow, that is, saffron-colored to the fire and the sun; the purple-colored to the rainbow, because that has many colors." In the latter, Isidore also mentions yellow and purple-colored, and so he seems to allude to two factions or divisions, which Emperor DOMITIAN added to the previous four, of which (Suetonius, in Domitian, chapter 7) Tranquillus gives us a report: "He added two new parties of the circus game to the four existing ones, of golden and purple cloth." He added two divisions in the circus game, who wore golden and purple clothes, to the four old ones. So there were now from then on six factions or partisanship. However, these two last ones have not been in use for long: and so the four old ones have kept the field, until the time namely, that an opposing...
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law of Emperor VALENTINIANUS, THEODOSIUS and ARCADIUS also destroyed these, namely because these things were dedicated to the idols, and especially because the charioteers had made themselves suspicious, that in order to surpass the opponent, they used spells and magic.
§ VI.
As divided as the factions of different colors were, so different were also the studies and affections of the watching people: one part kept to the green, the other to the blue, a third to the red, a fourth to the white, which was called being favorable. Ovid: (Ovid, Amores, book 3, Elegy 2) "We were favorable to a slow one." We showed favor to a slow one. And elsewhere: (De Arte Amandi, book 1, verse 146) "And without delay, whoever it may be, be favorable to the one to whom she is favorable." That is: But without delay, serve she favors, offer that favor. The reason why one party was shown more favor than another, arose from the colors; either because someone from a movement of his own sensuality loved this one more than that, and therefore favored such a colored faction more; or because by this color more than by the other that deity, or that element, or that season was shown and honored, which most corresponded with his sensuality or business: as we know that formerly the sailors honored NEPTUNE, the soldiers MARS, the drunkards BACCHUS: why Ovid says of the first: (Ovid, Amores, book 3, Elegy 2)
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"Cheer on Neptune." Cheer on Neptune. And of the soldiers: "Cheer on your Mars, o soldier." Cheer on your Mars, o soldier. And of the drunkards: "--- and rise for the tender Bacchus." --- Bow for the tender wine god. Likewise it was also with the Roman people with regard to the chariot races: for the sea people bore the most favor to the blue faction, because blue is the color of the sea: the country people on the other hand the green, as being the color of the green earth. Because of this Antiochenfis says: "the countrymen wish that the green color, but the sailor that the blue wins." From where also one of those two kinds was sad, when the opposing color won: as appears from Cassiodorus: "If the green party has won, a part of the people mourns." (Cassiodorus, Variae, book 3, letter 51) That is: if the green color has won, then a part of the people is in mourning, namely the sea people. "If the blue runs ahead, the largest part of the city is sad." That is: if the blue runs ahead, then the gross of the whole city is sad. Because of this Juvenal also joked (Juvenal, Satire 1, verses 197-198) about the green: "For if it would fail, you would see this city sad and bewildered." --- That is: If the green could not make it, The whole city got deathly dangers.
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It is known from the writers that the green was favored by most: we may put as a reason, because Rome consisted mostly of country people, and least of seafarers. However, we must add to this, that the freedom of the people, to choose according to lust or apparent interest, was very much enslaved with the rise of the dominant emperors: for then they were often forced to side with the faction that the emperors were for; the more so, when they made a great deal of it, and were as if infatuated with it. For CAJUS, who was given the nickname CALIGULA (Suetonius, in Caligula, chapter 55) was completely given over to the green faction: "he was so dedicated and attached to the green party, that he continuously ate and stayed in the stable." That is: he was so set for and given over to the green society, that he usually ate and stayed in the stable. Yes, his attachment to it appears, when he laid out twenty million sesterces, that is 150,000 guilders, to the charioteer CYTHICUS, or EUTYCHUS, as Casaubonus, or PYTHICUS, (Is. Casaubonus, Ang. Politianus) as Politianus wants, and had silence commanded in the neighborhood, so that his horse INCITATUS was not disturbed, which horse he had given a marble stable, an ivory manger, purple blankets, a necklace of gemstones, yes, court and court retinue, to the end that those who were invited in the name of this horse, might be well entertained, and had decided to make the horse mayor of Rome, according to the account of the same Suetonius. NERO was also (Suetonius, in Nero, chapter 22) infatuated with it, and loved the same faction: "He was from a young age particularly infatuated with horses, and his most talk, although he was forbidden to, was about the circus games: and when he once complained among his fellow students about a green charioteer who had been dragged along, and his master reprimanded him, he lied that he was speaking about Hector." That is: strangely he was very infatuated with the horses when growing up, and his most talk, although it was forbidden to him...
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was of the circus games: and complaining among the fellow students, that a green-colored charioteer had once been dragged along, he said, when the master reprimanded him, lying, that he spoke of Hector. The same faction was also favored by Emperor VERUS, according to the account of Capitolinus. (Jul. Capitolinus in Verus) However, VITELLIUS was infatuated with the blue, and had a part of the people murdered, who had spoken ill of it. This Suetonius tells us: "He also killed some of the common people for the same reason, because they had openly insulted the blue faction: believing that they had dared this out of contempt for him and in the hope of something new." (Suetonius, in Vitellius, chapter 14) That is: he killed some of the common people, because they had openly slandered the blue faction, thinking that they had done that out of contempt for him, and on new hope. Even worse made it M. ANTONINUS BASSIANUS, who bore the nickname CARACALLA, of whom Herodian recounts this: (Herodian, book 4, chapter 11)
That is: finally, what was never heard, when the Roman people, while he himself viewed the chariot races, somewhat scoffed at a charioteer whom he favored, and he thought that scorn was done to him, he quickly ordered the army that it would attack the people, and tear, and kill anyone who had spoken ill of that charioteer.
§ VII.
The favoring of any faction was in this, that one wished them the victory, encouraged them while running, and when obtaining any advantage against the opponent, to clap hands, to cheer, to roar. This even took place in the foot race. Therefore Virgil says of EURYALUS: (Virgil, Aeneid, book 5, verse 338)
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"--- and he flies onward with applause and favorable shouting." Vondel: And flew on the hand clapping, and on the shrill voice Of his patrons. And Ovid with regard to the running contest between HIPPOMANES and ATALANTA: (Ovid, Metamorphoses, book 10) "They encourage the young man with shouts and favor," "And the words of those who say: now, now is the time to exert yourself." "Hippomanes, hurry: now use all your strengths." "Drive away the hesitation, you will win." --- Vondel: The shouting, the favor of the people favor the suitor, And encourage the speed of such a brave warrior. Now, now is the time to run: now hurry, Hippomenes: Put in all your strength: now do not hesitate, hurry. You will win it, hurry. --- And when he had again obtained a second advantage: "Hippomanes rushes past: the stands echo with applause." Vondel translates it: Hippomenes runs past her in the track: The racetrack echoes with the loud cries of all who watch. But much more did this happen in the chariot race. Therefore Silius in Scipio's racing games depicts the people so restless (Silius Italicus, book 16, verses 315-316) even before the starting stalls were opened, and the race began:
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"The fickle crowd waves with the shouting and the frenzy of the patrons" "like a sea, while the starting stalls are not yet opened." That is: The fickle people, as wind and waves inconstant, Fill the racetrack with a roar, while still internally The horses stand locked up before the barrier. And especially when the races now went on their way: "And the sky thunders, and the Circus, struck by the loud voices" (vs. 398-399) "of the spectators." That is: Also the sky rumbles, and the Circus with her banks Screams, that it echoed. namely in its expression of favor to IBERUS, when he obtained an advantage over CYRNUS. But the expression of favor was also in this, that one made bets for the favored party against another who sided with another faction. And that great bets and stakes took place about the victory of this or that faction, appears sufficiently from this saying of Tertullian: "See the people now come with frenzy to that spectacle, now already noisy, now already blind, agitated by bets." (Tertullian, On the Games, chapter 16) That is: see me the people now come to that spectacle, now already in turmoil, now already blinded, now already heated by bets. As also from this saying of Cyprian, so that we may only let him speak Dutch from Oudaan's translation (Cyprian): "that I may be silent about what idolatry approves more here: how vain are those struggles themselves, those disputes about the colors, those divisions about the chariots!" Of these bets Turne...
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bus speaks in these words: "The bets were, however, usually concluded by the spectators, when the one, with a pledge as a stake, said that that charioteer would be the victor, while the other claimed that his opponent would win." (Turnebi Adversaria, book 18, chapter 33) That is: the bets used to happen from the spectators, when the one with some pledged item said, that that charioteer would win, but the other drove for the opposing party. See him here also from elsewhere. Publ. Ovid also alludes to this, when he says: (Ovid, The Art of Loving, book 1, verse 168, 169) "While she speaks, and touches the hand, and asks for the booklet," "And asks, with a stake as a pledge, which of the two will win?" That is: While she speaks, touches the hand, demands the booklet, and dares With a pledged item to bet, whatever happens, Which of the two will go and get the victory prize? And Martial: (Martial, book 11, Epigram 1) "But when the bet and the tiresome stories" "Will be about a Scorpus and an Incitatus." That is: But when the bet and all the talk Will be about a Scorpus, and about an Incitatus. When making those bets, a written assurance was often made, as appears from the passage of Ovid: and the pledged item was either money, or some other thing of value, such as mainly the ring or rings, as can be taken from this saying of Papinianus: (Digests, book 19, title 5, §. 17) "if the reason for the bet was dishonest, only the return of his own ring will be possible." If the cause of the bet is dishonest, it will only be necessary to demand the ring back.
p. 178
It was scandalous, when M. ANTONIUS and the lecherous CLEOPATRA made such bets, undoubtedly with pledged items, that she would swallow at once a hundred thousand sesterces, according to the account of Macrobius, that is (Macrob. Saturnalia, book 3, chapter 17) 750,000 guilders. So now as such bets openly favored some faction or charioteer, so they were also very capable of encouraging him, so that his patrons were not ashamed in their esteem and expectation of him.