Гладиатор
A Prisoner Again
Butitwillbefivethousandforanoldfriend."
Theslave-sellerthoughtforasecondandthenaccepted.
"Butthosetigershavetofight,"saidProximo.
"Don’tfeedthemforadayandahalf,"saidtheslave-seller,"andthey’lleattheirownmothers."
"Interestingidea,"saidProximo,ashewalkedaway.
HisservantspulledthechainstiedtoJuba,Maximus,andtheothers,andtheywereledaway.
***
Proximo’scarriagesarrivedinacrowded,Moroccanportcity.MaximusandJubasattogetherwithtwelveothernewslaves.Onewasasmall,veryfrightenedGreekman.Hewasprobablyateacherorawriter.Hewasdefinitelynotafighter.
Thecarriageofslaveswasfollowedbyseveralotherscarryingwildanimals-includingthetigers.Mostofthechainedmenlookedbackatthetigersfromtimetotime,notwithinterestbutwithfear.Theyknewwhatahungrytigercoulddo,andtheyguessedwhytheyandtheanimalshadbeenboughttogether.
Theydrovethroughsomelargeirongates.Therewasnosignonthegatesoronthebuildingsinside,buteveryoneinthecityknewtheplaceasProximo’sSchool.ItwasnotaplacetolearnLatin,Greek,ormathematics.Itwasaschoolwheremenlearnedhowtofight-toliveonemoredayinthefaceofdeath.Itwasagladiatorschool.
Proximo’sschoolwaslikeacastleprison.Inthecenterwasasquare.Ononesidewerethecagesfortheanimals,andontheoppositesidethehumanprisonerswerekept.
Maximusandtheothernewslaveswerepushedintotheirprison,andthedoorscrashedshutbehindthem
