In front of the temples stood the altar
whereon the fire burned eternally, and before it were a hog-backed block
of black marble of the size of an inn drinking table, and a great carven
stone shaped like a wheel, measuring some ten feet across with a copper
ring in its centre.
All these things I remembered afterwards, though at the time I scarcely
seemed to see them, for hardly were we arrived on the platform when I
was seized and dragged to the wheel-shaped stone. Here a hide girdle
was put round my waist and secured to the ring by a rope long enough
to enable me to run to the edge of the stone and no further. Then a
flint-pointed spear was given to me and spears were given also to the
two captives who accompanied me, and it was made clear to me by signs
that I must fight with them, it being their part to leap upon the stone
and mine to defend it. Now I thought that if I could kill these two poor
creatures, perhaps I myself should be allowed to go free, and so to save
my life I prepared to take theirs if I could. Presently the head priest
gave a signal commanding the two men to attack me, but they were so lost
in fear that they did not even stir. Then the priests began to flog them
with leather girdles till at length crying out with pain, they ran at
me. One reached the stone and leapt upon it a little before the other,
and I struck the spear through his arm.
Pages:
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188