Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR. 81 THE WAGER OF TALLIENUS. Frank O. Vose, L. H. S., '04. Rome was a mighty city in the reign of the Caesars It had many a mile of streets and ave- nues reaching out into the surrounding country, until no one could tell where the city ended, al- though every soul knew that its centre was on a hill at the capitol. Far from the capitol. but still within the city, was the amphitheatre, or circus, where the most wonderful shows were given that the world has ever witnessed. There were held chariot and running races; gladiators of even- nation met in deadly combat: wild animals were made to tight by thousands; and the vast sandy area of the arena was often stained with blood of men and beasts. In one of the outbuildings of the circus, adjoin- ing the great dens of wild beasts, was a kind of jail, in which were kept the men who were in train- ing for the races and combats. Many of these were mere slaves put there by their owners, in the hope that some time, in a race or combat, they might win a prize for their masters. Among the slaves was a youth. Castor by name, who in his appearance seemed a Greek. Castor was a slave of a Roman senator. He was stolen from his home at Athens when about twelve years of age by a villainous uncle and carried on a ship to Rome, where he was sold to a Roman noble, named Tallienus. He had for six years been at labor in the house of Tallienus. and had been given the care of the pet animals of Flavia, his mistress. One day Tallienus said to Castor. “Last night at the banquet of Tullius, the senator, my bitter enemy, the braggart Claudius, wagered me a for- tune that I had not even the sense to train a com- mon runner. Tn the heat of his statement T ac- cepted his wager, and my good name s now at stake. I look to thee. Castor, to save thv master. To-morrow thou wilt be put in the circus to train for the races. If thou dost win. T give mv solemn promise as a Roman thou shalt be made a free man!” It was on the first day of the week when Castor was marched out of the prison with a gang of nearly fourscore others »o sec. in the presence of the august ruler of the Roman empire, how many of them were really fit to run for a prize. “Run thy best, thou Syrian panther,” said Tallienus to Castor, as he came out of the prison, “or sorrow will wait thv return! Castor had no thought of failure, for his master was a kind man and he did not want him ruined on his account. He said to himself as the runners gathered at the starting line: “T am sorrv for those who do not keep up with the race: thev perhaps will be scourged or sorrow will fill their homes.” The word was given and the runners were off. One Roman, whom Castor recognized as hav- ing seen in his master's house, mounted on a horse, cantered briskly along with the runners, and seemed to be intently watching them. Away went Castor, as light of foot as a wild roe. and the Roman on the horse was compelled to put the spurs to his nag. which was somewhat a clumsy steed. On. on. around the circus oval, and still the rider spurred his horse. Hut as they returned to the starting point, no runner was near them, for Castor was four horse-lengths ahead. Most noble Regulus, thou friend of Claudius,” came the sneering laugh from the lips of Tallienus. thou hast need of a better horse if thou art to beat my Syrian panther I will wager thee a thousand sestertia, he wins the race against thy barbarous Scythian! Taken! Aisnax can beat him!” shouted the angry Regulus. Castor had once while in the prison spoken with the Scythian boy. who was supposed to be his rival; he had learned that he had won prizes twice before in the circus: but now they were kept apart, by order of the prefect of the games, and no other trial of speed was permitted until the day of the races. The circus was a great spectacle for the people of Rome: but none of the men who were to strive in the arena were allowed to witness other per- formances. They, like the lions and wild beasts, were kept in their dens until it was time for them to play their part. Then thousands were to go out to die. but the races came before the more barbarous combats. Just before the hour of the race, the owners of the slaves who were to run and certain men of distinction were admitted to »he rooms where the runners were gathered. Among those Castor recognized Regulus. Aisnax turned pale, for the expression on the face of Regulus was dark and stern. Tie advanced and said unfeelingly to his noble bondsman:— “I promised thee a favor if thou wert among the first four. Xow. T tell thee if thou art not there T will send thee to the gallcvs for life or slav thee. Tf thou art onlv there. T will give thee a prize, but if thou wilt win the race. T will give thee life and liberty.” The Scythian boy heard in silence, for Regulus had twice before made the same promise, but he was too much of a gambler to keep his word. The trumpet sounded at the door, opening into the arena, and four lines of runners, ten in each rank, came forth, each man's place being decided by lots drawn from a box. The amphitheatre all around the oval level of ih •

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SO SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR. The Death of the Old Year. Selected from Tennyson. Full knee-deep lies the winter snow, And the winter winds are wearily sighing: Toll ye the church-bell, sad and slow, And tread softly and speak low; For the old year lies a-dying. Old year, you must not die; You came to us so readily, You lived with us so steadily; Old year, you shall not die. He lieth still; he doth not move; He will not see the dawn of day; He hath no other life above; He gave me a friend and a true, true love, And the Ncw-year will take them away. Old year, you must not go; So long as you have been with us, Such joy as you have seen with us,— Old year, you shall not go. He frothed his bumpers to the brim ; A jollier year we shall not see. But though his eyes are waxing dim, And though his foes speak ill of him, He was a friend to me. Old year, you shall not die; We did so laugh and cry with you, Pve half a mind to die with you, Old year, if you must die. He was full of joke and jest. But all his merry quips are o'er. To see him die, across the waste His son and heir doth ride post-haste, But he'll be dead before. Every one for his own. The night is starry and cold, my friend, And the Ncw-year blithe and bold, my friend. Comes up to take his own. How hard he breathes! Over the snow I heard just now the crowing cock. The shadows flicker to and fro, The cricket chirps, the light burns low,— 'Tis nearly twelve o'clock. Shake hands before you die. Old year, we'll dearly rue for you, What is it we can do for you ? Speak out before you die. His face is growing sharp and thin; — Alack ! our friend is gone. » Close up his eyes, tie up his chin, Step from the corpse, and let him in That standeth there alone, And waiteth at the door. There's a new foot on the floor, my friend, And a new face at the door, my friend, A new face at the door.

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SOMKRVIf.LH HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR. 82 arena was grand in its magnificence; the scats arose tier after tier, and from them eighty thousand spectators were looking down in eager anticipa- tion. for the shows in the circus were their chief amusement. On the podium sat the emperor himself, with his gayly arrayed nobles and chiefs from all the world tributary to Rome. Castor and Aisnax were side by side in the foremost rank, and he heard the Scythian boy murmur: It is the first prize or the galleys.” Castor did not turn to look at him. for he was thinking: “The first prize, or my good master becomes a pauper, and I shall perhaps become the slave of that wicked Regulus. I must win. or I shall never see Athens again.” The trumpet once more sounded, at a signal from one of the judges, and the runners were off. Tot one of them but had proved himself worthy of a place in the race. A splendid runner was the slave of Regulus, and he shot ahead with a great bound, that called forth plaudits from the spectators. Close behind him came several others, but before the runners were a third of the distance around the arena, one tripped and fell, and others went headlong over him. More than half the rest of the runners were behind Castor now. but the speed with which they had started was too great to last long. Several of the men were shortly compelled to slacken their pace, and Castor passed them, but still away in the front, with an elastic, swinging stride, the sturdy Scythian kept the lead. Mv barbarian will win. O noble Tallienus: thy 'Syrian panther.’ as thou callest him. is twenty paces behind.” sneered Regulus, and Tallienus. who sat near, pale and nervous, replied: Wait, thou braggart, wait! Tis the last course that tells. Just then the runners came nearer: Regulus and his friend Claudius were silent until they passed. ()ncc more around and the race is finished. All are out of the race but Castor and the slave of Regulus.” cried Tallienus to his friend Tullius, who sat beside him. I shall lose my fortune if my Greek bov fails me. Look! Sec. Tullius, my Greek is gaining! They arc abreast! They still had a long run before them, but Castor and the Scythian ran side by side, and the circus rang with the applause of the multitude. From his seat Regulus saw. with much uneasi- ness. that the slave of his enemy was gaining on his own. Now. at the very last moment. Castor remem- bers his home in far-away Greece: his mother and sister, who perhaps mourn him as dead: the mis- fortunes that will befall his master if he does not win. and his promise of liberty. He gathers all his strength and energy, and as the two runners near the goal. Castor draws ahead and passes the goal, three paces in the lead of the Scythian. TIow the amphitheatre rang with the shouts, as the two. who had distanced all the rest, were led before the Prefect of the games to receive their prizes! Tallienus was there, and proclaimed his promise to Castor, and his purpose to keep it. The next day after the race Tallienus took Castor to the merchant shops of Rome and pur- chased for him new and costly robes and gar- ments. and then placed him on board a galley which was commanded by his friend Romulus, the tribune, which was bound for Athens. Before parting. Tallienus placed his hands upon the shoulders of the Greek boy. and said, affection- ately. Farewell. Castor, thou hast been a good and faithful servant. Thou hast saved the honor of my house, and as I promised. 1 have given thee thy freedom. Take this purse with my best wish: care for thy mother and sister, and the gods will bless thee. Farewell.” 0 On the morning of the second day before the calends of Tulv. Castor stood on the deck of the galley with his face turned towards the cast, watch- ing the glorious sunrise, the reflection of the red and yellow on the metallic waters, so strikingly beautiful in contrast to the snow white galley, with its gaily decorated sails spreading and bend- ing in the gentle morning wind. His thoughts were busily occupied with the scene of the race, which ended so happily for him; lie tried to imagine what had become of Aisnax, and whether Regulus had executed his threat on the poor Scythian boy by condemning him to the galleys for life. Instinctively he thought of the slaves that were laboring so steadily at the oars of his own galley, and he wondered if his rival in the race could be among them. He gained permission of the tribune to stand beside the hortator, or chief of the rowers, who was beating with his gavel on the sounding table the cadence of the stroke for all to puli together, that he might search again the number of faces for the countenance of his friend. This he had done before in the afternoons, but the rowers were changed every fourth hour, and so far his searches had proved in vain. At last he was rewarded by discovering that the seventh rower in the third bank was no other than his rival in the arena, lie was. indeed. Aisnax. the slave of Regulus. Castor made a slight signal of recognition and repaired to the tribune, who was lying on a couch enjoying the fragrant morning air. Telling the tribune of his success, for Romulus was already aware of the story of the race. Castor asked the privilege of an interview with the slave. The tribune promised to grant him his request when the rowers were changed. At last the moment arrived, and an officer brought into the presence of the tribune and (.'as- tor, Aisnax. who was tabulated as No. VII.” On his arms and on his ankles were the shackles, and his face wore a look of wonderment and anxiety. “Is thy name Aisnax?” demanded the tribune,