THRILL SEEKERS Why the Fatal Attraction?

The Main Event

The thrill-seeking crowds rise to their feet as human gladiators make their appearance in the arena, and amid great fanfare.  Some are armed with swords and shields and metal helmets or with daggers, and some are lightly armed and lightly clad.  They fight hand to hand, often to the death of one or both as the spectators cheer.  Records show that at one event 5000 animals were killed in 100 days. At another event 10,000 gladiators were slaughtered.  Still the public clamored for more. 

Criminals and prisoners of war provided a steady supply of manpower for the games.  However, states one source, "they should not be confused with the group  of the skilled gladiators who fought with weapons, who earned considerable fortunes, and who are under no life sentence." In some  places gladiators attended special schools to be taught the art of hand-to-hand combat.  Adrenaline flowing, they were caught up in the thrill of the sport and its fatal attraction.  The need to fight another day was a dominant passion.   "It was a very successful gladiator who completed a career of fifty fights before he retired," concludes one source. 

Bullfighting

In our time the world has entered a new millennium. But it is apparent that very little has dampened the passions of the many people who are captivated by living-on-the edge sports, especially those that are death defying.   For example, bullfighting has been a popular event in South American and Mexico for centuries. Today, it flourishes in Latin America, Portugal, and Spain. 

Reportedly there are about 200 arenas in Mexico and over 400 in Spain.   One arena in Mexico seats 50,000 people.  Many of these arenas are filled to capacity with people who come to watch men put their bravery against charging bulls. Any show of cowardice on the part of the bullfighter brings the displeasure of the jeering crowds.

Now female fighters have become matadors, earning millions of dollars for killing bulls.  One female matador interviewed on television declared that nothing  could satisfy her thrill-seeking passions like being in a bullring with a charging beast, the ever present threat of being gored to death notwithstanding.

Next time: THRILL SEEKERS Why the Fatal Attraction?'/Running of the Bulls 

From the Awake! magazine