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color；　let　us　to　the　matter。　Odds　first；　amounts　next。　What　will　you　give　me？〃

The　audacity　seemed　to　stun　his　hearers。

〃Haste！〃　he　said。　〃I　have　an　engagement　with　the　consul。〃

The　spur　was　effective。

〃Two　to　one；〃　cried　half　a　dozen　in　a　voice。

〃What！〃　exclaimed　the　purveyor；　astonished。　〃Only　two　to　one；　and　yours　a　Roman！〃

〃Take　three；　then。〃

〃Three　say　youonly　threeand　mine　but　a　dog　of　a　Jew！　Give　me　four。〃

〃Four　it　is；〃　said　a　boy；　stung　by　the　taunt。

〃Fivegive　me　five；〃　cried　the　purveyor；　instantly。

A　profound　stillness　fell　upon　the　assemblage。

〃The　consulyour　master　and　mineis　waiting　for　me。〃

The　inaction　became　awkward　to　the　many。

〃Give　me　fivefor　the　honor　of　Rome；　five。〃

〃Five　let　it　be；〃　said　one　in　answer。

There　was　a　sharp　cheera　commotionand　Messala　himself　appeared。

〃Five　let　it　be；〃　he　said。

And　Sanballat　smiled；　and　made　ready　to　write。

〃If　Caesar　die　to…morrow；〃　he　said；　〃Rome　will　not　be　all　bereft。　There　is　at　least　one　other　with　spirit　to　take　his　place。　Give　me　six。〃

〃Six　be　it；〃　answered　Messala。

There　was　another　shout　louder　than　the　first。

〃Six　be　it；〃　repeated　Messala。　〃Six　to　onethe　difference　between　a　Roman　and　a　Jew。　And；　having　found　it；　now；　O　redemptor　of　the　flesh　of　swine；　let　us　on。　The　amountand　quickly。　The　consul　may　send　for　thee；　and　I　will　then　be　bereft。〃

Sanballat　took　the　laugh　against　him　coolly；　and　wrote；　and　offered　the　writing　to　Messala。

〃Read；　read！〃　everybody　demanded。

And　Messala　read：

〃Mem。Chariot…race。　Messala　of　Rome；　in　wager　with　Sanballat；　also　of　Rome；　says　he　will　beat　Ben…Hur；　the　Jew。　Amount　of　wager；　twenty　talents。　Odds　to　Sanballat；　six　to　one。

〃Witnesses：　SANBALLAT。〃

There　was　no　noise；　no　motion。　Each　person　seemed　held　in　the　pose　the　reading　found　him。　Messala　stared　at　the　memorandum；　while　the　eyes　which　had　him　in　view　opened　wide；　and　stared　at　him。　He　felt　the　gaze；　and　thought　rapidly。　So　lately　he　stood　in　the　same　place；　and　in　the　same　way　hectored　the　countrymen　around　him。　They　would　remember　it。　If　he　refused　to　sign；　his　hero…ship　was　lost。　And　sign　he　could　not；　he　was　not　worth　one　hundred　talents；　nor　the　fifth　part　of　the　sum。　Suddenly　his　mind　became　a　blank；　he　stood　speechless；　the　color　fled　his　face。　An　idea　at　last　came　to　his　relief。

〃Thou　Jew！〃　he　said；　〃where　hast　thou　twenty　talents？　Show　me。〃

Sanballat's　provoking　smile　deepened。

〃There；〃　he　replied；　offering　Messala　a　paper。

〃Read；　read！〃　arose　all　around。

Again　Messala　read：

〃AT　ANTIOCH；　Tammuz　16th　day。

〃The　bearer；　Sanballat　of　Rome；　hath　now　to　his　order　with　me　fifty　talents；　coin　of　Caesar。

SIMONIDES。〃

〃Fifty　talents；　fifty　talents！〃　echoed　the　throng；　in　amazement。

Then　Drusus　came　to　the　rescue。

〃By　Hercules！〃　he　shouted；　〃the　paper　lies；　and　the　Jew　is　a　liar。　Who　but　Caesar　hath　fifty　talents　at　order？　Down　with　the　insolent　white！〃

The　cry　was　angry；　and　it　was　angrily　repeated；　yet　Sanballat　kept　his　seat；　and　his　smile　grew　more　exasperating　the　longer　he　waited。　At　length　Messala　spoke。

〃Hush！　One　to　one；　my　countrymenone　to　one；　for　love　of　our　ancient　Roman　name。〃

The　timely　action　recovered　him　his　ascendancy。

〃O　thou　circumcised　dog！〃　he　continued；　to　Sanballat；　〃I　gave　thee　six　to　one；　did　I　not？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　Jew；　quietly。

〃Well；　give　me　now　the　fixing　of　the　amount。〃

〃With　reserve；　if　the　amount　be　trifling；　have　thy　will；〃　answered　Sanballat。

〃Write；　then；　five　in　place　of　twenty。〃

〃Hast　thou　so　much？〃

〃By　the　mother　of　the　gods；　I　will　show　you　receipts。〃

〃Nay；　the　word　of　so　brave　a　Roman　must　pass。　Only　make　the　sum　evensix　make　it；　and　I　will　write。〃

〃Write　it　so。〃

And　forthwith　they　exchanged　writings。

Sanballat　immediately　arose　and　looked　around　him；　a　sneer　in　place　of　his　smile。　No　man　better　than　he　knew　those　with　whom　he　was　dealing。

〃Romans；〃　he　said；　〃another　wager；　if　you　dare！　Five　talents　against　five　talents　that　the　white　will　win。　I　challenge　you　collectively。〃

They　were　again　surprised。

〃What！〃　he　cried；　louder。　〃Shall　it　be　said　in　the　Circus　to…morrow　that　a　dog　of　Israel　went　into　the　saloon　of　the　palace　full　of　Roman　noblesamong　them　the　scion　of　a　Caesarand　laid　five　talents　before　them　in　challenge；　and　they　had　not　the　courage　to　take　it　up？〃

The　sting　was　unendurable。

〃Have　done；　O　insolent！〃　said　Drusus；　〃write　the　challenge；　and　leave　it　on　the　table；　and　to…morrow；　if　we　find　thou　hast　indeed　so　much　money　to　put　at　such　hopeless　hazard；　I；　Drusus；　promise　it　shall　be　taken。〃

Sanballat　wrote　again；　and；　rising；　said；　unmoved　as　ever；　〃See；　Drusus；　I　leave　the　offer　with　you。　When　it　is　signed；　send　it　to　me　any　time　before　the　race　begins。　I　will　be　found　with　the　consul　in　a　seat　over　the　Porta　Pompae。　Peace　to　you；　peace　to　all。〃

He　bowed；　and　departed；　careless　of　the　shout　of　derision　with　which　they　pursued　him　out　of　the　door。

In　the　night　the　story　of　the　prodigious　wager　flew　along　the　streets　and　over　the　city；　and　Ben…Hur；　lying　with　his　four；　was　told　of　it；　and　also　that　Messala's　whole　fortune　was　on　the　hazard。

And　he　slept　never　so　soundly。




CHAPTER　XII



The　Circus　at　Antioch　stood　on　the　south　bank　of　the　river；　nearly　opposite　the　island；　differing　in　no　respect　from　the　plan　of　such　buildings　in　general。

In　the　purest　sense；　the　games　were　a　gift　to　the　public；　consequently；　everybody　was　free　to　attend；　and；　vast　as　the　holding　capacity　of　the　structure　was；　so　fearful　were　the　people；　on　this　occasion；　lest　there　should　not　be　room　for　them；　that；　early　the　day　before　the　opening　of　the　exhibition；　they　took　up　all　the　vacant　spaces　in　the　vicinity；　where　their　temporary　shelter　suggested　an　army　in　waiting。

At　midnight　the　entrances　were　thrown　wide；　and　the　rabble；　surging　in；　occupied　the　quarters　assigned　to　them；　from　which　nothing　less　than　an　earthquake　or　an　army　with　spears　could　have　dislodged　them。　They　dozed　the　night　away　on　the　benches；　and　breakfasted　there；　and　there　the　close　of　the　exercises　found　them；　patient　and　sight…hungry　as　in　the　beginning。

The　better　people；　their　seats　secured；　began　moving　towards　the　Circus　about　the　first　hour　of　the　morning；　the　noble　and　very　rich　among　them　distinguished　by　litters　and　retinues　of　liveried　servants。

By　the　second　hour；　the　efflux　from　the　city　was　a　stream　unbroken　and　innumerable。

Exactly　as　the　gnomon　of　the　official　dial　up　in　the　citadel　pointed　the　second　hour　half　gone；　the　legion；　in　full　panoply；　and　with　all　its　standards　on　exhibit；　descended　from　Mount　Sulpius；　and　when　the　rear　of　the　last　cohort　disappeared　in　the　bridge；　Antioch　was　literally　abandonednot　that　the　Circus　could　hold　the　multitude；　but　that　the　multitude　was　gone　out　to　it；　nevertheless。

A　great　concourse　on　the　river　shore　witnessed　the　consul　come　over　from　the　island　in　a　barge　of　state。　As　the　great　man　landed；　and　was　received　by　the　legion；　the　martial　show　for　one　brief　moment　transcended　the　attraction　of　the　Circus。

At　the　third　hour；　the　audience；　if　such　it　may　be　termed；　was　assembled；　at　last；　a　flourish　of　trumpets　called　for　silence；　and　instantly　the　gaze　of　over　a　hundred　thousand　persons　was　directed　towards　a　pile　forming　the　eastern　section　of　the　building。

There　was　a　basement　first；　broken　in　the　middle　by　a　broad　arched　passage；　called　the　Porta　Pompae；　over　which；　on　an　elevated　tribunal　magnificently　decorated　with　insignia　and　legionary　standards；　the　consul　sat　in　the　place　of　honor。　On　both　sides　of　the　passage　the　basement　was　divided　into　stalls　termed　carceres；　each　protected　in　front　by　massive　gates　swung　to　statuesque　pilasters。　Over　the　stalls　next　was　a　cornice　crowned　by　a　low　balustrade；　back　of　which　the　seats　arose　in　theatre　arrangement；　all　occupied　by　a　throng　of　dignitaries　superbly　attired。　The　pile　extended　the　width　of　the　Circus；　and　was　flanked　on　both　sides　by　towers　which；　besides　helping　the　architects　give　grace　to　their　work；　served　the　velaria；　or　purple　awnings；　stretched　between　them　so　as　to　throw　the　whole　quarter　in　a　shade　that　became　exceedingly　grateful　as　the　day　advanced。

This　structure；　it　is　now　thought；　can　be　made　useful　in　helping　the　reader　to　a　sufficient　understanding　of　the　arrangement　of　the　rest　of　the　interior　of　the　Circus。　He　has　only　to　fancy　himself　seated　on　the　tribunal　with　the　consul；　facing　to　the　west；　where　everything　is　under　his　eye。

On　the　right　and　left；　if　he　will　look；　he　will　see　the　main　entrances；　very　ample；　and　guarded　by　gates　hinged　to　the　towers。

Directly　below　him　is　the　arenaa　level　plane　of　considerable　extent；　covered　with　fine　white　sand。　There　all　the　trials　will　take　place　except　the　running。

Looking　across　this　sanded　arena　westwardly　still；　there　is　a　pedestal　of　marble　supporting　three　low　conical　pillars　of　gray　stone；　much　carven。　Many　an　eye　will　hunt　for　those　pillars　before　the　day　is　done；　for　they　are　the　first　goal；　and　mark　the　beginning　and　end　of　the　race…course。　Behind　the　pedestal；　leaving　a　passage…way　and　space　for　an　altar；　commences　a　wall　ten　or　twelve　feet　in　breadth　and　five　or　six　in　height；　extending