Julius Zebra

by Gary Northfield

Waiting for Julius in the wings was Pliny the mouse, who brought him some fresh water. “It looks as if it’s you and Victorius again. He’s been gunning for you since day one and I don’t think it’s a coincidence he’s your opponent in the final. Next time, try keeping your mouth shut when it comes to figuring out who the juggling monkeys are – you get me?”

  Julius’s other friends came over to gee him on, too.

  “Good luck, Julius!” said an elated Cornelius. “You can borrow my lucky nappy if you want.”

  Julius politely declined.

  “I’m sorry that I got you mixed up in this,” said Milus, patting Julius on the shoulder. “But perhaps it’s been the making of you!”

  “Oh, pass me the sick bag!” said Pliny, shoving Milus out of the way.

  Julius took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He imagined himself getting a noogie from his stupid brother while their mum shouted at them to stop their nonsense. He opened his eyes again and gritted his teeth. “Right,” he said. “Let’s do this.”

  And so the two gladiators stood facing each other across the arena.

  Victorius, Rome’s very own champion – once their greatest hero of all time.

  And Julius. Fighting for his life in a world he’d never heard of until a few weeks ago.

  Can I be a different kind of zebra? he thought. Can I prove I’m not just a wimpy nincompoop?

  His thoughts were interrupted by trumpets blowing for the final time. The crowd erupted.

  “Listen, zebra,” whispered Victorius above the noise. “I can do you a deal. Give up now and I will spare your life. I know of a farm in Hispania. They have some of the best-kept stables in the Empire. You only have to say the word and it’s yours…”

  “NEVER!” shouted Julius and he thrust forward with a poke of his sword.

  Victorius easily parried the weapon away. “Now, don’t get cross,” he teased. “They accept only the finest horses – even stripy ones!”

  “SHUT UP!” Julius lashed out in a flurry of pokes – each one expertly deflected by Victorius, who continued to goad him.

  “And only the sweetest of hay…”

  “Roman, you talk too much!” said Julius, thwacking Victorius as hard as he could.

  Victorius fell back. But their swords continued to clash and screech together until, with one mighty blow, Julius’s sword was sent whizzing through the air, far behind him.

  “You are a fool, zebra,” shouted Victorius. “I gave you a chance, yet you spurned it. That was a mistake – a mistake you will pay for with your LIFE!”

  Julius stumbled. Uh-oh. This is it, he thought. This is the end.

  But as Victorius positioned himself for the killer blow, a voice called out:

  Julius caught the sword out of mid-air.

  “CHEAT!” cried Victorius, pointing to the stands. “YOU ALL SAW IT! THE LION HELPED HIM!”

  As the Roman guards rushed to restrain Milus, he shouted, “Yeah, what are you going to do? Throw me to the lions? I look forward to catching up with some old friends!”

  Victorius exploded into a rage! He swiped at Julius, blinded by anger, pounding his shield mercilessly. “WHAT IS IT WITH YOU ANIMALS?” he screamed.

  Julius kept his focus. He waited. And he waited. He needed the perfect moment to strike.

  Then it came. Victorius, as always, broke the Golden Rule and raised his arm for the final killer blow.

  Julius didn’t waste a moment.

  Victorius was out cold.

  Julius slumped to his knees.

  Julius couldn’t believe he was still alive. He tried to stand, but collapsed with exhaustion. Waiting for him in the wings were all his battered and bruised friends. They dashed over to help him up.

  “Just brilliant!” gasped Cornelius. “You really showed it to these Roman idiots.” He held Julius up by the armpits. “They’ll never underestimate you again!”

  Felix gave him a big hug. “I completely forgive you for knocking me out (sort of). Now, please go and take your freedom – you deserve it! That path to fame and glory is all yours!”

  “But what about you lot? What’s going to happen to you now?” Julius wheezed.

  Lucia went up to him and gave him a big cuddle. She whispered in his ear, “Don’t worry, we have another exciting plan of escape.” She pulled out a big wad of matted hair. “I found this HUGE stash of Greek beards…”

  At the far end, in his palatial seat, a shocked Hadrian stood up and raised his hand.

  The crowd hushed.

  “Zebra! You have fought gallantly today – as you did those many weeks ago when first we met. You have surprised many with your heroism and valour. It therefore gives me great pleasure to offer you, on this, my birthday, the wooden sword – the Rudis – a symbol of your well-earned freedom!”

  Julius waited for the chanting and cheering to die down, then turned to the Emperor. “Hadrian, I thank you for your prize. But I cannot accept it.”

  Everyone gasped. Even Hadrian took a step back in shock.

  “Not while my friends still fight for their own freedom,” Julius continued. “Then, and only then – when the last one of us is free – will I take this honour from you!”

  After a stunned silence, the crowd erupted once more into a chant of “ZEBRA! ZEBRA! ZEBRA!”

  Hadrian spoke. “Zebra, you are either very wise or very foolish. Only time will tell.” And with that, he disappeared to his palace, with the name ZEBRA ringing in his ears.

  EPILOGUE

  Six hundred miles away, just off the north coast of Africa, a rotting, ramshackle old arena – a quarter of the size of the mighty Colosseum – creaked in the blustery sea wind.

  Only a few spectators had turned up to watch the second-rate gladiators, since all the best ones were in Rome for Hadrian’s birthday bash. But at least some of the locals were still up for a good tussle, and Crixus – a hefty lump of a man – was always worth the entry fee.

  There he stood now, in the middle of the sandpit, waiting for his opponent.

  Crixus gripped his heavily spiked mace and watched in amazement as a very odd figure entered.

  It looks like a horse, he thought. A strange, stripy horse. “’Ere! What’s all this nonsense?” he blurted. “I ain’t fighting no horse!”

  The stripy horse threw back his cloak and drew his sword, which glinted in the sun. “Not a horse,” he said. “A zebra.”

  To be continued…

  ROMAN NUMERALS

  GARY’S GLOSSARY

  AD GREGATIM: A large group fight normally saved for special occasions. Gladiators would re-enact mythological or historical battles; sometimes even staging naval battles with actual ships floating in amphitheatres filled with water!

  AD INFINITUM: Latin phrase for something that goes ‘on and on forever’ (much like the waffling of a warthog).

  AMPHITHEATRE: An ancient, open-air, oval-shaped stadium where the entertainment was less jolly and sporty, and more bloody and violent. Here gladiators would fight to the death, either against other gladiators or savage wild animals. The crowd loved it – the more blood the better! Tickets were free and some amphitheatres could seat up to 50,000 people; so you could easily have a lovely day out for the entire family.

  AQUEDUCT: The Romans were actually very clean people and would have fresh water piped directly to their houses or local baths, sometimes from quite far-off distances. Complex engineering meant that the water delivered was so clean, even Julius would drink it.

  BARRACKS: The name given to the gladiators’ living quarters. Those who trained at the Ludus Magnus had rooms (some of which still survive today) which were very tiny; so any rock collections probably had to be kept to a minimum.

  BATTLE OF ALESIA: A very important battle for the Roman General, Julius Caesar, which took place in 52BC. When he finally defeated the pesky Gauls, Julius strengthened his power in Rome, eventually becoming Emperor six years later.

  CENTURION: A soldier of the Roman army who commanded 80 men (centuri
a) or more. Centurions wore big feathery or hairy crests on their helmets to make them stand taller than anyone else. A centurion’s stick was his badge of rank in the army, but he was probably just as likely to hit you with it.

  CHARIOT: A two-wheeled cart pulled by two (sometimes four) horses. They were used for zipping around in battles and had existed for thousands of years before the Romans adopted them for racing and ceremonies. In fact, Romans didn’t just have horses to pull chariots; they used dogs, tigers, ostriches and even zebras, too!

  CHARIOT RACING: Teams of chariots would race around the circuit of the Circus Maximus seven times in what was a deadly, but spectacular, sport. The citizens of Rome got very passionate about their four teams – Red, Green, Blue and White. Rivalries were so fierce, riots would start during races!

  CIRCUS MAXIMUS: A spectacularly huge stadium, mainly used for chariot racing, seating up to 250,000 spectators; a quarter of Rome’s population. The only way you’d find your friend among that lot was if they had a really long neck (or a massive moustache).

  COLOSSEUM: The largest amphitheatre of the Roman Empire, the Colosseum sat in the centre of Rome itself and could hold up to 80,000 spectators. Here you would watch spectacles such as venatio, sea battles and, most important of all, gladiators! Built of concrete and stone, it was such a marvel of Roman engineering that it’s still standing today!

  COLOSSUS: The Colossus of Rhodes, standing at thirty metres tall, started a fashion in the ancient world for huge bronze statues depicting gods or emperors. The colossus at the centre of Rome stood next to the Flavian Amphitheatre, giving it the nickname by which we all know it today: the Colosseum!

  EMPEROR HADRIAN: He ruled the Roman Empire between 117AD and 138AD, but rarely spent time in Rome! Hadrian much preferred to travel around the Empire making sure everything was in order. On a trip to the British Isles he famously built a very long wall – Hadrian’s Wall – to keep out the Picts (a tribe living in northern Scotland) from England.

  FAMILIA GLADIATORIA: These were the people who ran the gladiator school. The man in charge, the lanista, did pretty much everything from recruiting new gladiators to arranging training and organizing all the fights. It was probably quite stressful, all told.

  FORESTS OF GERMANIA: Even though the Romans easily beat the Gauls in the Gallic Wars, they never had anywhere near the same success in Germania. In 9AD they lost a battle very badly in Teutoburg Forest, so the only way a Roman would get into the woods was from a swift kick up the bottom.

  GAUL: This is what the Romans called the area now known as France, Belgium and Holland. Big hairy moustaches are still popular in the region to this day.

  GERMANIA: This is roughly (sort of) where Germany is now (give or take large parts of other countries). They’re also still pretty keen on moustaches.

  GLADIATOR: Made up of slaves, criminals and any idiot who wanted in on the action, gladiators fought (usually to the death) against other gladiators or wild animals in the arenas of the Roman Empire.

  GLADIATOR’S OATH: After reciting the Sacramentum Gladiatorium – “uri, vinciri, verberari, ferroque necari,” which is Latin for “I will endure to be burned, to be bound, to be beaten, and to be killed by the sword” – you were sworn to the services of the gladiator school, with little chance of freedom.

  GLADIUS: The sword of choice for the Roman army and the very same sword that gave us the name gladiator. Short and light, it was perfect for poking your enemy.

  HISPANIA: The name the Romans gave to the Iberian Peninsula, which today consists of Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar. The Hispanics also had moustaches, but less bushy ones.

  IMPERIAL BOX: This is where the Emperor sat to watch all spectacles in the Colosseum. The box was elevated high up on a podium and adorned with flowing silk canopies and gold ornaments. You couldn’t miss it, really.

  JUPITER: One of the favourite Roman gods: the god of thunderbolts. You would usually call out to him when you stubbed your toe, or sat on a pin or something.

  LANISTA: The boss of the gladiator school. He had lots to do around the place, so it was best not to ask him about a chafing subligaria.

  LEPTIS MAGNA: A North African port, once part of Carthage, which was swallowed up by the Roman Empire after the 3rd Punic War of 146BC. Nowadays, the city is one of the most beautifully preserved Roman ruins.

  LUDUS MAGNUS: Rome’s biggest and best gladiator school. Built between 81 and 96AD, it sat right next to the Colosseum itself, with a tunnel linking the two.

  PALUS: A big wooden pole stuck into the ground and used for sword training in the Roman army. The poles were supposed to represent your enemy, which would have been even more useful if the enemy were trees.

  POENA CULLEI: A bizarre punishment where the condemned were sewn up in a leather bag with a snake, a dog, a cockerel and a monkey, then chucked into a river to drown. No doubt Jupiter probably got a few name calls along the way, too.

  PORTUS AUGUSTI: The main port into which wild animals arrived from Africa. The unhappy cargo was then taken either via canal or via road direct to the city of Rome.

  QUAESTOR: The chap who sorted out the money for games in the Colosseum. He paid very well for zebras. But for warthogs … not so much.

  RETIARIUS: A gladiator who fought with a net and a trident, a bit like a fisherman (a really horrible fisherman who would happily kill you just for the fun of it).

  ROMAN ROADS: Romans liked their roads straight; it made it quicker to get from one place to another. Many of their roads still survive today. So if you’re travelling on a straight road, it’s most likely an old Roman road. Because it’s straight.

  RUDIS: If you were fortunate to win your freedom as a gladiator, you would also win the much sought after Rudis – a small wooden sword. A simple ornament that would brighten up any gladiator’s mantlepiece.

  SCISSOR: A fearsome gladiator who fought with blades and scythes.

  SESTERTII: A Roman coin. In Roman times, bread cost around 1/2 a sestertii and a donkey cost around 500 sestertii. Who knows how many thousand sestertii a zebra cost?

  SUBLIGARIA: A loin cloth (a bit like a big nappy) which was most often worn by soldiers and gladiators. Chafing was always a danger!

  SUMMA RUDIS: The referee during a gladiator fight. He wouldn’t tolerate cheating. Well, not for less than 1,000 sestertii anyway.

  SUPERSTITION: The Romans saw good or bad luck in everything: the shape of a cloud, the bark of a dog, wearing the wrong sandals on a weekend… Fortunately, in these modern times, being a Gemini, I don’t believe in any of that nonsense.

  TRIDENT: A three-pronged spear used by a retiarius.

  VENATIO: Before the main gladiatorial fights, Romans were treated to the spectacle of thousands of wild animals – shipped in from around the Empire – hunted and killed by venatores for blood-thirsty entertainment. They would even decorate the arena with trees so it looked like a real forest!

  VENATORES: These were specialist gladiators who hunted wild animals in forests constructed in the arena for spectacles. The venatores were also on hand to train certain animals to do circus tricks, including monkey juggling.

  VERNAL EQUINOX: This is when day and night is of equal length. A lucky day, if you’ve got the right pants on.

  Gary Northfield has been writing and drawing comics since 2002. He is most famous for Derek the Sheep, a comic strip that appeared in The Beano. A collection of Derek the Sheep stories were published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books. Gary has also created comics for National Geographic Kids magazine, The Phoenix, The Dandy, The DFC, Horrible Histories magazine, Horrible Science magazine and The Magical World of Roald Dahl. Most recently Gary published The Terrible Tales of the Teenytinysaurs! with Walker Books and Gary’s Garden with David Fickling Books. One of Gary’s favourite subjects is animals and their jolly lives, and he often wonders what they think about the world in which they live.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of
the author’s imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. All statements, activities, stunts, descriptions, information and material of any other kind contained herein are included for entertainment purposes only and should not be relied on for accuracy or replicated as they may result in injury.

  First published in Great Britain 2015 by Walker Books Ltd

  87 Vauxhall Walk, London SE11 5HJ

  © 2015 Gary Northfield

  The right of Gary Northfield to be identified as author and illustrator of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.

  British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data:

  a catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

  ISBN 978-1-4063-6328-9 (ePub)

  www.walker.co.uk