Гладиатор
A Prisoner Again
Maximusnoticedtheguards.Theyallcarriedshortswordsandsomealsohadarrowsorspears.
Atthefarendofthesquareagroupofabouttenmenweretraining."Battlepractice,"thoughtMaximus."LikeCommodus."
Averybigmanwasteachingtwonewgladiatorshowtothrowaspear.Theyweretryingtohitapictureofaman,buttheywerenotverygood.Bothstudentsmissedit.Theteacherthrewhisspearandhitthepictureinthestomach.
"Haken,"saidavoicefrombehind,namingtheteacher.
MaximusturnedtoseeProximo,whowasadmiringHaken’sstrength.HeandMaximusstaredateachother.
"Spaniard..."Proximosaid,namingMaximus.Thenhemovedalongtheline,namingeachnewslave."Thief...murderer..."
Suddenly,hestoppedandsmiled."Proximo!"hesaid."Anyoneknowthemeaningofthat?"
’Nearest.’
’Dearest.’
’Closeto.’
’IamProximo.Ishallbeclosertoyouinthenextdaysthanyourownmotherswere.Ididnotpaygoodmoneytobuyyou,"Proximosaid."Ipaidtobuyyourdeath.Youmaydiealone,inpairs,oringroups-whoknows?Manydifferentwayswithjustoneending."Hewalkedaroundhisnewslaves,enjoyinghimself."Andwhenyoudie-andyouwilldie-thesoundofcheeringwillsendyoutothenextworld."
Proximoraisedhishandsandstretchedthemouttothegroupofslaves."Gladiators,Isaluteyou,"hesaid.
