Morituri Te Salutamus

"Morituri Te Salutamus"

“We, who are about to die, salute you!”

This Latin quote has been attributed to gladiators addressing the Emperor as they paraded into the Roman Colosseum to fight for their lives.  However, historians have found no hard evidence of this romanticized tradition.  More than likely, it was a desperate plea from condemned criminals and convicts - seeking clemency as they were herded into the arena to fight. 

Although I have not personally visited the Colosseum in Rome, our grandsons did two years  ago - they thought the ancient structure was "awesome. "  My husband and I did check off one of the other destinations on our bucket list - the Great Ball Court at  Chichen Itza.  Here the players in the Great Ball Game fight - to die. 

The Mayan Ball Game was more of a religious ritual than a sport. Thanks to pictographs and stone monuments, the rules of the game have been partially reconstructed. 

Using only hips and thighs, players scored by hitting a ball made of liquid latex extracted from rubber trees.  Each player brought his own ball, which weighed between three and five kilos.

We don’t know exactly how the points were scored, but the winning Capitan would lower his head to the losing Capitan - to be beheaded. 

This way he would go straight to heaven and not have to go through the 13 high steps that the Mayans believed they have to climb in life to attain their heavenly reward.

To fight and live for the Emperor  or to fight and die for the gods - either outcome was viewed as an honor, depending upon the culture.

On the bumpy ride back to our hotel on the Yucatan Peninsula, I pondered:  Who or what would I be willing to fight or die for?  Who would I emulate?

My hero is my mom, who underwent surgery and several rounds of chemo to live long enough to see the birth of her second great-grandson, Cassius - who visited the Colosseum with his brother, PJ.

In the arena of life, my mom would put Denzel Washington to shame. 
 

Denzel Washington plays the hero in the recently released hit movie Gladiator II.  Parts of the movie was filmed here in Massachusetts , not far from our house.  Nothing personal, Denzel.