Immediately to the right, and nearly in the centre of the picture, is seen the earth not then excavated when this view was taken. In front of this, as shewn to the right of the picture, is one of the ancient walls of tufa faced with brick, which carries on its right-hand side one of the canals of water. To the left of the view, close under the podium, is seen another wall of tufa, but cut, and with vertical grooves clearly seen in it; these were for the lifts. Behind this are the arches of the dens of the wild beasts, under the path in front of the podium; then the podium itself, with square recesses in it, usually said to have been for men to take refuge in, should the animals be able to spring over the net-work in front; but this is not probable, when we see the precautions taken: they were more likely for the athletes, or for the attendants or guards under the state gallery. Behind this are the ruins of the galleries and the windows of the corridors, as before.
THE COLOSSEUM.
PLATE VI.
INTERIOR, AT THE SOUTH-EAST END.
With the early Walls of Tufa.
THE COLOSSEUM IN 1874.
INTERIOR S.E. END WITH THE EARLY WALLS
Description of Plate VI.
INTERIOR, AT THE SOUTH-EAST END.
With the early Walls of Tufa.
In this view the grooves in the walls are clearly seen on both sides of the passage between them, and the arches of the dens behind the outer wall. The lions, or other wild animals about that size, passed from the dens through an opening in the wall into the cages provided for them in this passage. The cages were placed upon lifts, and when the word was given by the emperor, were all pulled up at once to the arena, or floor of boards, with trap-doors in it all along over this passage. We are told by Herodian (as has been shewn in the text, p. [26]) that on one occasion a hundred lions leaped on to the stage or arena at the same time, and appeared to the spectators in the gallery to “leap out of the earth;” the sand with which the floor was covered over would have that appearance when the trap-doors, and lifts, and the tops of the cages along with them, were opened from below. In the passage is a long series (one behind the place for each cage and lift) of sockets seen in the pavement, apparently each for a capstan to wind the twenty-one feet of cord upon, when the cage was pulled up to the top, and the trap-doors opened.