A Man for the People

           SenatorGracchusclimbedthemanystairsinsidetheColosseum.Helistenedtotheshoutingcrowdandhewasnotenthusiasticaboutbeingthere.

           Hejoinedagroupofothersenatorsnearthetopofthearena."SenatorGracchus,"Falcosaidwithsurprise."Wedon’toftenseeyouenjoyingthepleasuresofthecrowd."

           "Idon’tpretendtobeamanofthepeople,"saidGracchus."ButIdotrytobeamanforthepeople."

           TheColosseumwasfull.Thecrowdwasalreadybeginningtoshoutthenameoftheirheroandfavoritegladiator."Maximus...Maximus...Maximus."

           Cassiusstartedtointroducethenexteventoftheday."Now,aswecelebratethesixty-fourthdayofthegames,youwillseehowkindtheEmperorisandhowheloveshispeople!"

           Servantscameintothearenapullinggreatboxes.Theyremovedthecoversandtookoutloavesofbread.Thentheystartedtothrowthemintothecrowd.Otherservantsappearedatthetopofthestepsandthrewthebreaddown.Therewerethousandsofloaves.Thecrowdcheeredandcaughtasmanyloavesastheycould.

           Commoduschosethisasthebesttimeforhimtoenter.

           Below,intheprisonarea,ProximostoodwithMaximus.Theyheardagreatcheergoupfromthecrowd.

           "Hecertainlyknowshowtopleasethem,"saidProximo.

           "MarcusAureliushadadreamforRome,Proximo,"saidMaximus."Thisisnotit."

           "MarcusAureliusisdead,Maximus,"Proximoremindedhim.

           Inthearenatheservantshadthrownallthebreadtothecrowd,andCassiusspokeagain."TheEmperorhasdecidedtherewillbeaspecialcontesttoday.