The prefect of the city waved a red handkerchief, and out of the dark gully into the brightly lighted arena came Ursus. In Rome there was no lack of gladiators, larger by far than the common measure of man; but Roman eyes had never seen the like of Ursus. The people gazed with the delight of experts at his mighty limbs, as large as tree trunks; at his breast, as large as two shields joined together, and his arms of a Hercules. He was unarmed, and had determined to die as became a follower of the Lamb, peacefully and patiently. Meanwhile he wished to pray once more to the Saviour. So he knelt on the arena, joined his hands, and raised his eyes towards the stars. This act displeased the crowd. They had had enough of those Christians, who died like sheep. They understood that if the giant would not defend himself, the spectacle would be a failure. Here and there hisses were heard. Some began to cry for scourgers, whose office it was to lash combatants unwilling to fight. But soon all had grown silent, for no one knew what was waiting for the giant, nor whether he would not defend himself when he met death eye to eye. In fact, they had not long to wait. Suddenly the shrill sound of brazen trumpets was heard, and at that signal into the arena rushed, amid the shouts of the beast keepers, an enormous German aurochs, bearing on his head the naked body of a woman. Vinicius sprang to his feet. "Lygia! Oh, I believe! I believe! Oh, Christ, a miracle! a miracle!" And he did not even know that Petronius had covered his head at that moment with a toga. He did not look; he did not see. The feeling of some awful emptiness possessed him. In his head there remained not a thought. His lips merely repeated as if in madness, "I believe! I believe! I believe ! " This time the amphitheater was silent, for in the arena something uncommon had happened. That giant, obedient and ready to die, when he saw his queen on the horns of the wild beast, sprang up, as if touched by living fire, and, bending forward, he ran at the raging animal. From all breasts a sudden cry of amazement was heard, as the giant fell on the raging bull and seized him by the horns. And then came deep silence. All breasts ceased to breathe. In the amphitheater a fly might be heard on the wing. People could not believe their own eyes. Since Rome was Rome no one had ever seen such a spectacle. The man's feet sank in the sand to his ankle; his back was bent like a bow; his head was hidden between his shoulders; on his arms the muscles came out so that the skin almost burst from their pressure; but he had stopped the bull in his tracks. The man and the bull remained so still that the spectators thought themselves looking at a group hewn in stone. But in that apparent repose there was a tremendous exertion of two struggling forces. The bull's feet, as well as the man's, sank in the sand, and the dark, shaggy body was curved so that it seemed a gigantic ball. Which of the two would fail first? Which would fall first? Meanwhile a dull roar resembling a groan was heard from the arena, after which a brief shout was wrested from every breast, and again there was silence. Duller and duller, hoarser and hoarser, more and more painful grew the groan of the bull as it mingled with the whistling breath from the breast of the giant. The head of the beast began to turn in the iron hands of the barbarian, and from his jaws crept forth a long, foaming tongue. A moment more and to the ears of the spectators sitting nearer came, as it were, the crack of breaking bones; then the beast rolled on the earth, dead. The giant removed in a twinkling the ropes that bound the maiden to the horns of the bull. His face was very pale; he stood as if only half-conscious; then he raised his eyes and looked at the spectators. The amphitheater had gone wild. The walls of the building were trembling from the roar of tens of thousands of people. Everywhere were heard cries for mercy, passionate and persistent, which soon turned into one unbroken thunder. The giant understood that they were asking for his life and liberty, but his thoughts were not for himself. He raised the unconscious maiden in his arms, and, going to Nero's podium, held her up and looked up imploringly. Vinicius sprang over the barrier, which separated the lower seats from the arena, and, running to Lygia, covered her with his toga. Then he tore apart the tunic on his breast, laid bare the scars left by wounds received in the Armenian war, and stretched out his hands to the multitude. At this the enthusiasm passed everything ever seen in a circus before. Voices choking with tears began to demand mercy. Yet Nero halted and hesitated. He would have preferred to see the giant and the maiden rent by the horns of the bull. Nero was alarmed. He understood that to oppose longer was simply dangerous. A disturbance begun in the circus might seize the whole city. He looked once more, and, seeing everywhere frowning brows, excited faces and eyes fixed on him, he slowly raised his hand and gave the sign for mercy. Then a thunder of applause broke from the highest seats to the lowest. But Vinicius heard it not. He dropped on his knees in the arena, stretched his hands toward heaven and cried: "I believe ! Oh, Christ! I believe! I believe ! " CHAPTER VII FORCE Force is the power or energy of utterance. It relates to the manner, the amount, and the location of energy with which sounds are sent forth from the vocal organs. It must not be confused with loudness. Figuratively speaking Force is the exploding powder behind the ball, while loudness is the momentum or carrying power of the projectile. For example, we may give strong Force with Aspirate Quality and not be heard very far, while a moderate degree of Force with a pure Normal Quality would fill a large auditorium. Loudness is force plus vibration. Force has three specific divisions, -(1) Form, (2) Degree, and (3) Stress, which correspond respectively to the Emotive, Vital, and Mental natures, thus: SECTION I. FORM Form is the manner of exerting Force, and relates to the smoothness or abruptness with which a sound, word, or syllable is begun and ended. The manner reveals the motive, hence Form represents the Emotive nature. There are three Forms in nature, (1) the Effusive, (2) the Expulsive, and (3) the Explosive, which correspond to man's triune nature, thus: The Effusive is that Form of voice in which the Force is applied smoothly and evenly, so that the sound flows forth from the vocal organs without abruptness either in the opening or the closing. It is heard in nature in the moaning of the wind, the roar of the cataract, the plaintive notes of the dove, the mournful howl of a dog, the moan of a child, the sigh of pathos, or the groan of sorrow. It represents the Emotive nature of man, and is used to express his more serious or solemn states of mind, such as pathos, sorrow, reverence, suppressed fear, awe, etc. The Effusive may be given in notes of song on a level line of pitch, or inflected in notes of speech which slide up and down the scale, as shown by the accompanying cuts. To acquire it the student should practice on the continuant sounds and indefinite syllables in notes of song and notes of speech. Effusive Form, Notes of Song Effusive Form, Notes of Speech Illustrative Selection. NOTE. The Effusive Form and Long Quantity are closely associated. The student will do well to underscore the words embodying the sentiment of the selection, and give Effusive Form in Long Quantity on the indefinite and mutable syllables composing those words, remembering always that the other words should be given in the ordinary Expulsive Form. If but one ship I have at sea Should come a-sailing home to me, Ah well! the storm clouds then might frown, For if the others all went down, Still rich and glad and proud I'd be, If that one ship came home to me. If that one ship went down at sea, Weighed down with gems and wealth untold, The poorest soul on earth I'd be, If that one ship came not to me. Oh, skies, be calm! oh, winds, blow free! Blow all my ships safe home to me ! |