DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.44973#0236
212
Retiarins,
A Journey srom Venice io Genoa.
Ponds, and cuts out of Rivers; and the Emperor Claudius exhibited a
Naval Fight upon the Fucine Lake,the Lago di Celanoysx lacus Fucinus, a
days Journey from Rome, where at his firlt appearance both Fleets sain-
ted him with an Ave, Ctefar, morituri te falutant.
But the greatest number of their Fights was performed by Gladiators
on foot, of which there were also divers sorts; as first, the Retiarius,
who was armed with a Trident in one hand, and held a Net in the
other, with which he entangled,and caught his Enemy ; or other wise,
if he milled of his foe, he then ssed swiftly away;
Totajugit agnofcendus arena.
Through all the Amphitheater he ssies
Like lightning through the Azure skies.
Until such time as he could gather up his Net again & prepare for ano-
ther encounter .The whole habit and way of fight is exadly described by
Juvnal, in the eighth Satyr,where he reprehends a noble 2to#«,one of
the great Family of the Gracchi,for taking upon himself this kind of gla-
diaturaAt was thought to be brought in falhion first,in imitation of Pit-
tacuspne ofthe wise Men of Greece, who being challenged by Phryno^mt
into the field like a fi(berman,and involving his Enemy in his Net,ssew
him with his Trident and Dagger; but lome were delighted to see
these Gladiators ssayn, for being that they fought without Armour,
only in a ssiort coat and bare-faced, they might the better take no-
tice of the last Motions of their Limbs, and the Alterations of their co-
« ^fUSidC o l°ur Jineaments and features in their dying agonies : And I have seen the
prescrved in Statue of a dying Gladiator in Ludovifios Gardens at Rome., so well re-
Aowp. presented, and so exquisitely carved that it may compare with the Fi-
gures of the must famous Statuaries in any age; since it is thought
meet to be numbred in the first rank with the works of Phydias, and
Praxiteles, and is not less esteemed than the wondersul Statue of Py-
ramid in the same gardens, nor Farnefe’s Hercules made by Glycon the
famous Greek, nor the old ^Egyptian Terme; Nay the beautiful statues
of Antinous, and Apollo Pythian, in Belvedere, the garden to the Va-
tican, are not at this day more to be admired. Nor the rare Figure
of Venus her selfin Medici s Palace; nay furthermore the Grecian Sta-
tue of Peace, and the Greek Shepherdefs that holds up her garments, to
show her due proportions, are no ways ashamed to be ranked with him,
who by good Artists is held in the same esteem with Famejes bull,
and the never to be out-done Laocoon and his Sons, the joynt work
of the rare ancient Masters, Agefander, Polydore, and Athenodorus.
This whole order of the Retiarij was devoted to A7cyr^c,and generally
fought against a party, who were followers of Vulcan, fire and water
not being like to agree. These were called S ecut ore.
Cum Graccho jujj'us pugnare Secutor.
■Smtw. The Secutor was guarded with a Shield, which he carried high, to
hinder his head from being catched in the Net, and with a Spear or
long Sword.
Altins
Retiarins,
A Journey srom Venice io Genoa.
Ponds, and cuts out of Rivers; and the Emperor Claudius exhibited a
Naval Fight upon the Fucine Lake,the Lago di Celanoysx lacus Fucinus, a
days Journey from Rome, where at his firlt appearance both Fleets sain-
ted him with an Ave, Ctefar, morituri te falutant.
But the greatest number of their Fights was performed by Gladiators
on foot, of which there were also divers sorts; as first, the Retiarius,
who was armed with a Trident in one hand, and held a Net in the
other, with which he entangled,and caught his Enemy ; or other wise,
if he milled of his foe, he then ssed swiftly away;
Totajugit agnofcendus arena.
Through all the Amphitheater he ssies
Like lightning through the Azure skies.
Until such time as he could gather up his Net again & prepare for ano-
ther encounter .The whole habit and way of fight is exadly described by
Juvnal, in the eighth Satyr,where he reprehends a noble 2to#«,one of
the great Family of the Gracchi,for taking upon himself this kind of gla-
diaturaAt was thought to be brought in falhion first,in imitation of Pit-
tacuspne ofthe wise Men of Greece, who being challenged by Phryno^mt
into the field like a fi(berman,and involving his Enemy in his Net,ssew
him with his Trident and Dagger; but lome were delighted to see
these Gladiators ssayn, for being that they fought without Armour,
only in a ssiort coat and bare-faced, they might the better take no-
tice of the last Motions of their Limbs, and the Alterations of their co-
« ^fUSidC o l°ur Jineaments and features in their dying agonies : And I have seen the
prescrved in Statue of a dying Gladiator in Ludovifios Gardens at Rome., so well re-
Aowp. presented, and so exquisitely carved that it may compare with the Fi-
gures of the must famous Statuaries in any age; since it is thought
meet to be numbred in the first rank with the works of Phydias, and
Praxiteles, and is not less esteemed than the wondersul Statue of Py-
ramid in the same gardens, nor Farnefe’s Hercules made by Glycon the
famous Greek, nor the old ^Egyptian Terme; Nay the beautiful statues
of Antinous, and Apollo Pythian, in Belvedere, the garden to the Va-
tican, are not at this day more to be admired. Nor the rare Figure
of Venus her selfin Medici s Palace; nay furthermore the Grecian Sta-
tue of Peace, and the Greek Shepherdefs that holds up her garments, to
show her due proportions, are no ways ashamed to be ranked with him,
who by good Artists is held in the same esteem with Famejes bull,
and the never to be out-done Laocoon and his Sons, the joynt work
of the rare ancient Masters, Agefander, Polydore, and Athenodorus.
This whole order of the Retiarij was devoted to A7cyr^c,and generally
fought against a party, who were followers of Vulcan, fire and water
not being like to agree. These were called S ecut ore.
Cum Graccho jujj'us pugnare Secutor.
■Smtw. The Secutor was guarded with a Shield, which he carried high, to
hinder his head from being catched in the Net, and with a Spear or
long Sword.
Altins