The Gladiator and the Roman Spirit

The Gladiator and the Roman Spirit

By XP

I have to admit that I’m not the type of person who runs for all the latest entertainment products right after they come out. To me the real artistic work should certainly bear the passage of time. What difference does it make if I choose to appreciate it after a while? In terms of movies, I in fact rarely go to the theatre and mostly just watch the previews when I happen to see them on TV. Then I forget about it. Yet there are ones that cannot be forgotten. The striking plot, the splendid scene, a simple line or an expression on the cast’s face, sometimes leaves me such touching impression that I know one day I will definitely watch that movie. “The Gladiator” is one of them.

Luckily enough, I finally got the chance to see this majestic and elegant picture, directed by Ridley Scott, starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix and Connie Nielsen. While it is truly difficult to summarize all the visual and spiritual impacts this cinematograph shed on me laconically and precisely, allow me to start by simply stating that I love it. During more than two hours’ presentation, I was stunned, I smiled, I cried, my heart ached yet there were no tears… And most of all, I was so impressed by the spirit of ancient Rome depicted so vivaciously throughout the movie, the idea of republic, of greatness, a man’s strength and wisdom, his dedication to his family, his duty and his country.

Maximus (by Russell Crowe) was a general of Caesar Marcus Aurelius, who won a cruel battle for Rome in a military campaign. Right after the victory the old Caesar privately trusted him as his heir, rather than his own son Commodus. I really liked this scene when Marcus (who, in real history, was also a stoic philosopher, possessed virtues seen as noble by the aristocracy at the time and considered a great man) talked to Maximus about his philosophical thoughts of Rome as a dying emperor. From there I started to realize how beautifully the script is written. Is the expansion of the land at the price of man’s blood and lives true greatness? Will political corruption of the empire be the fatality of the empire? I liked it especially because such meditation of a country’s ruler, even upon the end of his life, is very rare in oriental culture (in China, after DaYu’s time). Though I don’t necessarily agree that a man not knowing too much politics can be a great leader of the empire as Marcus put it, the sacredness with which the name of Rome was whispered, the solicitude for the fate of the country but not indulgence of passing power to his own offspring, touched me right then right there. After two thousand years, this ancient spirit is still so inspiring. I see it as a great human being bowing to the rest of the people, whom he rules but also protects and serves. Perhaps so did Maximus. Although he longed for going home and reunite with his family that he loved so dearly, we all know that he was going to accept the honor and the duty.

Unfortunately Commodus (by Joaquin Phoenix) was too ambitious a son. After knowing his father’s decision on the throne, he brutally murdered the old Caesar and prosecuted Maximus and his family. Being an extraordinarily strong man, Maximus escaped from the execution and went home, where he found that his wife and son were burned alive. If anyone feels sorry for the name of the historical figure of Commodus, don’t. In history, Commodus was even more bizarre and rotten than he appeared in the film. I can only say that nature allows diversity, so we as the children of nature sometimes find ourselves having to deal with those on the extreme negative end of the distribution. The real question is, how to establish a system so that damages caused by such individuals can be minimized?

Let me leave the question to sociologists and come back to the movie. The misery of Maximus went further. He was turned into a slave and then a gladiator, one who constantly fought for life with other gladiators or even with beasts of prey. Although he was unwilling to kill, eventually he had no other choice and probably he later accepted that as his new duty. Maximus became the greatest gladiator at the time due to his unusual physical strength and tactic. His owner, a former gladiator who earned his own freedom, taught him to “win the crowd”. To me Maximus must have taken these words as a knack for survival, though about which he did not necessarily care. On one hand he was loyal to his duty, on the other hand he hated it. A very striking scene here was that Maximus and his fellow gladiators were fighting with the other side that had more people and much better equipment. While normally they would be doomed to fail, to people’s surprise they won and killed their opponents. The crowd cheered at Maximus. At that moment I admired the character’s muscular strength and wisdom in fighting strategy, but a strong grievance and indignation soon followed. What’s the good of it? How can such magnificent capabilities be forced to turn to a tool of merciless slaughter, only for the entertainment of a heartless crowd? The wrath in Maximus’s heart could only be stronger than mine. He threw the weapon and shouted at the cheering crowd, “you asked me to kill, and I kill, are you satisfied?” (Don’t remember the exact words here)

Yet something is still missing.

The fame of Maximus, ironically now as a gladiator, led him to the great arena in Rome, where he won the cheers and respect from the crowd, where he was also recognized by Commodus, the incumbent emperor. Commodus, as his historical prototype, was a ruthless and arrogant tyrant. He wanted absolute power beyond any restriction and hated the idea of republic. The senates, and his very sister Lucilla, were aware of his resentment of the political system that Rome was famous for and proud of. Opposition thus formed, the emperor versus the senates, the dictator versus the people. Who will win? How can he win? Lucilla arranged a secret meeting with Maximus and asked for his help. Not too surprisingly Maximus showed his initial hostility. His hatred toward Commodus who slew his family, and the dramatic change in his life and his duty, certainly afflict him in a way few men can imagine. He cried painfully, “What can I possibly be useful for? All I do is to fight and to entertain the mob!” And then, Lucilla, a woman of beauty, wisdom and strength, who possessed the most gracefully figure that I can vision, spoke the truth. “The mob is the power. Who wins the mob, who wins the battle.” (Again please don’t quote me for the exact phrases, I don’t remember them that well :) It is just that simple.

To me this is one fundamental theme in Roman spirit – the power of the people, or, the mob. The mob is made of average people. Just as nature brings in characters like Commodus, there is a great diversity of people in this world. As long as the people are well informed and educated, and have the opportunities to express their free wills with the only limitation of rightful laws, when everyone has a voice, as in the great arena, one can never expect it to be the most beautiful and harmonic chorus. It maybe noisy, unpleasant, or as I have phrased it earlier, “heartless”. But if you have faith in human nature, that in all the sum of individuals will make judgments that benefit the majority, you shall know that the people is the real source of power. You have to trust them and rely on them even though you may not personally like every single one of them.

Maximus realized this when, in a combat he defeated a powerful opponent yet refused to kill him, ignoring Commodu’s order, the crowd went silent and then cheered at him. He was still the beloved former general of the army, who recently won great reputation in the mob in a most absurd circumstance possible. With his help, the senates and Lucilla may be able to overthrow Commodus’s dictation and save the greatness of Rome, the greatness that Caesar Marcus had envisioned. I think from that moment on Maximus assigned himself a new duty and mission, for which he is worthy living and willing to die.

Unpropitious accident, however, always happens. Right before Maximus had the chance to be secretly released and meet his army, Lucius, Lucilla’s 8 year-old son, divulged the secret to his uncle. Maximus, whom his fellow gladiator admired and died for without hesitation, was caught by Commodus. The vicious emperor decided to kill this man who had won his father and sister’s love in a contemptible way. He stabbed Maximus at the left chest and had the wound concealed. Then he claimed that Maximus challenged him as a gladiator.

The last climax of the play came when the ebulliating crowd cheered at the emperor and Maximus in the arena. To the astonishment of Commodus, even though Maximus carried the fatal injury, his tremendous strength and perhaps hatred too allowed him defeat the devil very quickly – Commodus soon lost his sword. Terrified, he shouted at his subordinates for weapon. However, an officer who originally was on his side yet witnessed his dishonored plot against Maximus a few minutes before, ordered the soldier’s to sheath the sword. The helpless emperor drew out a hidden knife and put up a last-ditch struggle, but Maximus fought back in time and killed him.

With his last strength, Maximus ordered the officer to release the gladiators and to give the power back to people as the will of Caesar Marcus Aurelius went. Then he died. The sorrowful Lucilla made a moving speech toward the senates: “Is Rome worth a great man’s life? We believe it once, make us believe it again. He was a great soldier of Rome. Honor him”. (Oh, yes, I remember these lines well) The chief senate and Lucius, the future Caesar of Rome, together with the other people, carried Maximus’s body.

As one who grew up in an oriental culture, what these plots stroke me most was the ability to make independent judgment by a moral standard that makes common sense to individual person. I could have never imagined that when the emperor himself was about to be defeated and killed in a combat, his subordinate refused to offer help out of despise for the his morality. The emperor is not necessarily the absolute authority. He can be questioned too. An empty throne means little. This valuable retention of independence of the public, to be able to think for oneself and to question, honor or law beyond authority, is also the basis of the republic system. Or to put it more appropriately, they are foundations of each other.

Needless to say, the movie is full of stereotypical western heroism. Maximus, who is a collage of different historical figures, represents the idea of a great man. I personally don’t believe heroes can solve all the problems. But a world without or not allowing the existence of hero is most likely one with little spirit. Heroes are worshiped not because of their status, but because of their strength, wisdom and determination. They are not part of the ruling class, but are chosen by the people upon their free wills. In this way heroes are reflections of idealism in the heart of the people. The inspiration they bring is actually a resonance of something that is already there. Well, again if you have faith in human nature.

I have so far omitted all my comments on the extraordinary scenes and sound effects this film brings. The splendid landscape and the soothing solo on the background are simply fantastic. While it’s hard for me to find words describing those, let me reflect upon the Roman spirit that the screenwriter, the director and the casts beautifully present us again: the worship of people’s power, of values, of individualism, and in the end, of humanism.

08/18/03
Revised on 03/13/05