GLA
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GLA
In &ar<kmhg, a Defcent fometimes begins In "Talut, and ends in Glacis.
The Glacis of the Cornich is an eafy, imperceptible Slope in the Cymaife of a Cornich, to promote the Defcent and draining off of the Rain-Water. See Cymaise.
Glacis, in Fortification, is particularly ufed for that of the Counterfcarp.
The Glacis of the Counterfcarp, or cover'd Way, is the Sloping Bank that reaches from the Parapet of the Corri- dor, or Counterfcarp, to the level Side of the Field. See Counterscarp,
The Glacis is about fix Foot high, and lofes itfelf by an infenfible Diminution in the fpace of ten Fathoms. See Esplanade.
GLADE, in Agriculture, Gardening, &c. a Vifta, or open, and light PaiTnge, made thro' a thick Wood, Grove, or the like, by lopping off the Branches of Trees along the Way. See Vista, &c.
GLADIATOR, in Antiquity, a Pcrfon who fought with naked Swords on the Arena, at Rome, to entertain the Peo- ple. See Arena, Spectacle, &c.
The Gladiators were ufually Slaves, and fought out of Neceffity; tho', fometimes, Freemen made Profeffion there- of, like our Prize-fighter*, for a Livelihood.
After a Slave had ferv'd on the Arena three Tears, he ,vvas dilmifs'd. See Slave.
The Romans borrow'd this cruel Diversion from the Afia- ticks: Some fuppofe that there was Policy herein; the fre- quent Com bates of Gladiators tending to accuttom the Peo- ple to defpile Dangers, and Death.
The Origin of fuch Combats feercs to be as follows: From the earteft Times, we have any Acquaintance withal in profane Hi/lory, it had been the Cuftom to facrifice Cap- tives, or Prisoners of War, to the Manes of the Great Men who had died in the Engagement: Thus Achilles, in the Iliad, L. XXIII. facrifices twelve young Tt'ojans, to the Manes of Patroclus - 7 and in Virgil, L. XL v. 81. JEneas fends Captives to Evander, to be facrificed at the Funeral of his Son 'Pallas.
In length of Time they came to facrifice Slaves at the Fu- nerals of all Perfons of Condition : This was even eftcemed a neceffary Part of the Ceremony 5 but as it would have ap- peared barbarous to have maflacrcd them like Beafls, they were appointed to fight with each other, and do their bell to fave their own Lives, by killing their Adveriary. This feem'd fomewhat lefs inhuman, by reafon there was a Pof- fibiiity of avoiding Death ; and it only lay on themfelves, if they did not do it. See Funeral.
This occafion'd the Profeflion of Gladiator to become an Art : Hence arofe Mailers of Arms 3 and Men lcarn'd to fight, and exercife therein.
Thefe Mafters, whom the Latins call'd Lanift£, bought them Slaves, to train up to this cruel Trade ; whom they af- terwards fold to fuch as had occafion to prefent the People with fo horrible a Shew-
Junius Brutus, who expell'd the Kings, is faid to have been the firft who honour'd the Funeral of his Father with thefe inhuman Diverfions — They were at firft perform'd near the Sepulchre of the Deceafed, or about the Funeral Pile 5 but were afterwards removed to the Circus and Am- phitheatres, and became ordinary Amufemcnts. See Cir- cus, Amphitheatre, &c.
The Emperor Claudius reftrain'd them to certain times, but he foon afterwards annulfd what he decreed, and pri- vate Pcrlons began to exhibit them at Pleafure, as ufual 5 andfome carried the brutal Satisfaction fo far as to have them at their ordinary Fcatts. Sec Feast.
And not Slaves only, but other Perfons would hire them- felves to this infamous Office.
The Mailer of the Gladiators made them all firft fwear, that they would fight to death 5 and if they fail'd therein, they were put to death, either by Fire, or Swords, Clubs, "Whips, or the like.
It was a Crime for the Wretches to complain when they were wounded 5 or to a Ik for Death j or feek to avoid it, when overcome: But it was ufual for the Prince, or the People to grant them Life, when they gave no Signs of Fear, but waited the fatal Stroke with Courage and Intrepi- dity. Auguftus even decreed, that it iliould always be granted them.
From Slaves, and free'd Men, the wanton Sport fpread to People of Rank and Condition 5 and Nero is related to have brought upwards of 400 Senators, and 600 Roman Knights upon the Scene; yet 1)omitian, that other Montter of Cruelty, refined upon him, exhibiting Combats of Women in the night-time.
Conftantine the Great is faid to have firft prohibited the Combats of Gladiators, in the Earl ; at leaft, he forbad thofe condemn'd to death for their Crimes, to be employ'd here- in : There being an Order flail extant to the Pr<gfeUus Pr<g- torii, rather to fend them to work in the Mines in lieu thereof: It is dated at Beryta in Ph&mcia, the firft of Ofto- iter 335,
The Emperor tlonorius firft forbad them at Rome, on oc- cafion of the Death of St. Tetemacbus, who, coming out of the Eaft into Rome, at the time of one of thefe Specta- cles, went down into the Arena, and us'd all his Endeavours to prevent the Gladiators from continuing the Sport : Upon which the Spectators of that Carnage, fired with Anger, itoned him to death. 'Tbccdorct. Hi ft. Ecclcf. I,. V. C. z6.
It muft be obferv'd, however, that the Practice was not entirely abolifli'd in the Weft before 'I'beodoric, King of the Oftrogotbs. — Honorhis, on the occafion firft mentioned, had prohibited them ; but the Prohibition does not fcem to have been executed. c tbeodoric, in the Year 1500 aboli/Vd them finally.
Some time before the Day of Battle, the Perfcn who pre- fentcd the People with the Shews, gave them Notice there- of, by Programma's, or Bills, containing the Names of the Gladiators, and the Marks whereby they were to be dillin- guifh'd; for each had his feveral Badge, which was molt commonly a Peacock's Feather, as appears from the Scho- liaft of Juvenal, on the 1 58 th Verfe of the III ' Satyr 5 and "T-umebius Adverf. L. III. c. 8.
They alfo gave notice what time the Shews would laft, and how many Couples of Gladiators there were '• And it even appears from the ya. d Verfe of the 7 th Satyr of the II 1 Book of Horace, that they fometimes made Representa- tions of thefe Things in Painting 5 as is practie'd among us, by thofe who have any thing to fhew at Fairs.
The Day being come, they began the Entertainment by bringing two kinds of Weapons ; the firft were Staves, or wooden Files, call'd Rudes ; and the fecond, effective Wea- pons, as Swords, Poniards, £f?e.
The firft were call'd Arma luforia, or Exercitoria ; the fecond, tDecretoria, as being given by Decree, or Sentence of the Preetor 5 or of him at whofe Expence the Spectacle was given.
They began to fence, or fkirmifh with the firft, which was to be the Prelude to the Battle : From thefe, when well warm'd, they advane'd to the fecond, with which they fought naked.
The firft Part of the Engagement was called ventilare y pr<eludere ; and the fecond, dimicare ad certttm, or verfts armis pitgnare : And fome Authors think with much Pro- bability, that it is to thefe two kinds of Combat that St, Paul alludes in the Paflage 1 Cor. ix. 2<f, 27. I fight, not as one that beateth the Air-, but I keep under my Body, and hring it into Subjection.
If the Vanquifti'd gave up his Arms, it was not in the Victor's Power, to grant him Life: It was the People, dur- ing the time of the Republic 5 and the Prince, or People, during the time of the Empire, that were afone impower'd to grant the Boon.
The Reward of the Conqueror was a Crown, or a Branch of the Lentisk Tree: Sometimes they gave them his Conge, or difmifs'd him, by putting one of the wooden Files, or Rudes in his Hand 5 and fometimes they even gave him his Freedom.
The Sign, or Indication whereby the Spectators fhew'd that they granted the Favour, was, to fall the Thumb 5 or clench it between the other Fingers : And when they would have the Combat finifh'd, and the Vainqui/h'd flain, they rais'd the Thumb, and directed it towards the Combatants : Which we learn from Juvenal, Sat. .III. v. 36.
ThcGladiators challeng'd, or defied each other, by /hew- ing the little Finger; which fame, during the Combat, was to own themfelves overcome. "Pliny, L. XXVIII. c. 2. Pru- dentius, L. II. contra Symm, v. 1098. Horace, L. I. Ep. 18. v. 66. Politian. Mifcell. c. 42. Turneb. Advcrf. L. XI. c. 6. Lifif. Saturn. L. II. c. 22.
There were divers kinds of Gladiators, diftinguifli'd by their Weapons, Manner, and Time of fighting, ££c. as,
The A?zdabat<e, of whom we have already given an account under the Article Andaeatje.
The Catervarii, who fought in Troops, or Companies $ Number, againft Number. Lipf.Uxb. II. c. 16.
The Confiimmati , whom Authors menrion as a Species of Gladiators, the fame with the Rudiarii and Veterani ; founding the Opinion on a Paffage in Pliny, L. VIII. c. 7. But Lipfius /hews, that they have miilaken Pliny. Sa- turn. Lib. II. c. 1 6. and T'ttmeb. Ad-verfL. XXX. c. 6.
The Cubicularii, which are a little precarious, being chiefly founded on a Paffage in Lampr'tdhts, in the Life of the Emperor Commodus : Inter l?£c habitu ViHimarii, vi- tlimas immolavit, in arena rudibus, inter Cubicularios Gla- diatcres pugnavit lucentibus aliqua ido mncronibus.
c Turnebius reads Rudiarios, in lieu of Cubicularios, and underftands it of thofe who had been difmifs'd, and could no longer be oblig'd to fight, except with Files.
Salmafius reads Gladiator, and refers it to the Emperor, who fought not only on the Arena, and with Files, or blunted Infh-uments ; but at home, with his Servants, and Valet* de Chambre, and with Sharps.
Lipfius
