Gladiator Essay

As I walked down the crumbing stone steps, to the mammoth golden doors, fear surged through my body as I heard the sound of clapping and the roar of the crowd. I trudged out the grand gates and was overwhelmed by the size of it.

Sand flew up at me and made it extremely difficult for me to see properly. Hesitantly, I made my way into the centre of the arena. We crowded around in the middle of the arena before whirling our heads round when we heard the gates rise up. 100’s of roman soldiers came charging out at us on horses and carriages. My Body froze from fear and for a moment I couldn’t move. Most of us managed to get out of the way of the carriages but some weren’t as fortunate.

The look of terror was spread across everybody’s face and none of us were prepared for what was about to happen. The sun beat down on me, almost melting my skin making it hard to concentrate. Ducking down as an arrow flew past my ear; I picked up a blood covered spear on the floor and hurled it into the swirling dirt cloud. The sound of horses and soldiers screaming rung through my ears. At this point, the previously ear splitting chants seemed just a dull mumble compared to my thumping heart.

Then come a noise that haunts me to this day, the blood curdling screams of someone as they were impaled. I shot round too see my closest friend Peter sprawled out on the floor with a sword ploughed into his chest.

“Peter … Peter!!” I screamed

“M..M..aximus” He panted

“It’s ok we’ll get you through this. I promise” I said as my eyes filled with tears

Peter didn’t reply. That was when I knew he was gone. I filled up with complete rage and uncontrollable anger, my blood felt as if it was physically boiling under my skin. A huge tidal wave of emotion engulfed me, I was terrified but at the same time something inside of me was spurring me on to fight. It was either fight or run. I chose to fight.

I stood up to see horse upon horse fall and crash on the dusty floor over dead bodies or pieces of armour. It brought me great joy to see so many roman soldiers fall to their deaths. The roman soldiers were down in numbers and we had the upper hand for the first time in the fight.

Soldier after soldier fell as we battled through the stifling heat which had already melted my mind. Only 1 soldier remained and an overwhelming feeling of joy overcame me and it seemed it had the same effect on the other warriors. I boldly strode up to the soldier before drawing my sword and pointing it to his throat.

“P…Please don’t kill me” he pleaded

It was pathetic. All the rage I felt when Peter had been killed came back to me in an instant, and I took my sword and drove it through the soldiers’ throat. The crowd went silent for a few seconds before erupting with cheers and claps. As the blood poured out and I turned to walk away I couldn’t help but feel as just as big a monster as the emperor himself. I looked around to see hundreds of bodies littered across the arena floor.

Many of the gladiators had families back home, all who were wondering if they would ever see their Husbands or Dads again. My heart pounded as if it was right against my ribs ready to break out. With tired eyes I looked down at my sword, a “trophy” of my hard work in this round of fighting; it was not a trophy but a curse.

The Emperor stood up to speak but the crowd ceased to stop cheering. He brought them to a stop quickly enough and descended down the crumbling stone steps out onto the battle field, disgustingly laughing and spitting on the dead soldiers and gladiators that littered the floor. He eventually made his way up to us and majestically started to walk up and down the line looking every single one of us in the eye with a smug look on his face. I found it hard to keep all my anger held back, I could have killed him right there and then. He called some soldiers forward and had the guards take them away; I was terrified what would happen to me if he picked me forward?

He came to me and asked me too remove my helmet and tell him my name. I appeared to be brave on the outside by refusing his orders but really I was frozen from fear as again a tidal wave of fear drowned me. I eventually removed it only for him to stagger back in shock.

“How did you survive?!” he screamed

I stared back at him blankly. I felt my confidence rise again as I saw the horror on his face and heard the shakiness in his voice when he repeated himself. I explained that after he had killed my wife and 2 children by burning the house down, I escaped from the blaze and ran far away. After that day the anger and hatred grew inside me and clung on like a parasite until it almost took over me. I swore I would get my revenge on him no matter what it took.

The crowd chanted “Save Save Save!”

The Emperor reached out with his hand and after what seemed a lifetime, raised his thumb up. I watched on triumphantly as he turned and stormed back up the stone steps and up into his blissful room.

As I trudged off the field I looked around one last time but had to turn my head back as my eyes filled with tears for the good people who had lost their lives today in the battle. I felt brave and heroic but at the same time idiotic, the Emperor would have his eye on me now and wouldn’t stop until all his beasts and soldiers had slaughtered me.

I washed down and threw my armour to the floor. My bed was hardly something comfy but after what I had been through, was the closest thing to heaven I had ever had. As my exhausted body ached and my eyes shut I lay feeling like a winner in one way but a cold blooded killer in another way and I wasn’t looking forward to what was going to happen tomorrow …