Macabre- gruesome or horrifying. (The pronunciation of this word, along with the one above, is macabre). Such a pleasant word, right? Notice how close it is to the Macarana. O.O

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At the funeral of Patroclus, the cousin of Achilles, Homer writes of the sacrifice of prisoners of war. In fact, the Etruscan tomb-paintings found in Italy make a great display of it as well, and often in different cities north of the Tiber. It is unknown exactly when these grisly rituals began, or where, but it has been determined to be a part of Etruscan history and such incidents have been dated as far back as the 6th Century BC. Surely, through some macabre religious rituals in devotion to dead warriors, the ideas themselves could date back more than a thousand years prior.

In the 6th Century B.C., Rome came under Etruscan rule. Through this ruling it is said that Rome came to adopt many of Etruria’s habits, traditions, and ceremonies. This particular origin of the gladiatorial combats is described by the Greco-Syrian historian Nicolaus of Damascus. One particular allusion to such an origin is the fact that after each gladiator’s death, he/she was picked up, piece by piece if necessary, and hauled out of the amphitheatre by one dressed as the Etruscan death-demon Charun who carried a pole-hammer.

Inglorious Gladiators

Through such ceremonious duels to the death, gladiators became highly popularized. Not individually, but as spectator-sports-men. Often, many would be pitted against few. The Emperor Caligula, for instance, matched five against a group of net and trident wielders. Multiple duels or mass murders were also frequent. And another custom adopted from the Etruscan traditions was the animal hunt.

The “glory of Rome” was equally counter-balanced by its ritualistic barbarism. It has been said that only the Nazi death camps can match the cruelty by the numbers.

The Colosseum was built between AD 70 and 80 and became what we could call the show-room for the gladiatorial combats. It would be the central Roman theatre of violence for another three centuries, six if you include the beast hunts. Even Constantine the Great, after his conversion to Christianity, continued to support the fights.

The Abolition of Gladiators

It was in AD 399 that Honorius closed all the gladiator schools in Rome. Later, in AD 403-4, the poet Prudentius continued to write to the Emperor, urging him to forbid the use of the games in the death-sentencing of criminals. His urgings preceded a final crisis in another Roman town where such a sentencing was being held.

The story reached the Emperor Honorius of a monk from Asia Minor named Telemachus who rushed into an arena to stop a fight. The monk’s actions infuriated the crowd into a frenzy in which they seized the monk and literally tore him limb from limb. Honorius used this opportunity to abolish all gladiatorial operations once and for all.

For gladiators the story ends there, but the beast-hunts continued to be used as entertainment well into the 7th Century AD.

More from Adam Henry Sears:

Self-Editing Made Easy,

Twilight: Good, Bad, or Ugly?,

12 Quotes To Inspire All Writers,

The True Haiku And Its Origins,

Venusian Temple

He didn’t like talking,
All attempts were suppressed,
They did it to be dumb,
They said he was depressed.

He really wasn’t angry,
He really wasn’t sad,
He just ignored them,
Because he knew that they were bad.

He was getting to the edge, 
They were getting on his last nerve,
He then made a promise,
That they would get what they deserve.

Perhaps what happened next,
Must have been fated,
He came to school and brutalized,
All of those he hated.

Soon he was feared,
Since he ended all the hype,
But I guess that’s what happens,
When you’re given a stereotype.

They burned our civilization,
And took death to a whole new level,
You realized as we lost population,
That you sold us out to the Devil.

Do you see what you have done?!
You have killed us all,
With nowhere left to run,
You brought us to our fall.

You claimed it wasn’t your fault,
That it was something you were forced to do,
But don’t deny your hand in this demonic assault,
The blame falls squarely on you!

Now our world is your foe,
As it is bathed in hellfire,
Illuminated by its burning glow,
But where is heaven’s choir?

Because you sold us to the Devil,
Our souls were given a tainted mark,
Now we have all been rejected,
Do you see what you have done?
Now we will all burn,
In this earthen hell,
Doomed to eternal torture,
Because of your greed.

Silenced by the flame,
Forced to play the Devil’s game,
And now we exclaim,
What you became,
Cursing your name,
Your excuses are all the same,
Now you have taken the blame,
And now burn in your eternal Shame.

I hate that you judge me,

I hate that you mock me,

Why does no one care,

About someones personality?

Everyone seems to be the same.

Even those close have spurned.

They have chosen to insult me,

While my back is turned…

These turncoats stab me,

And pretend that they are my friends.

My mind is scarred from their words,

The lie just never ends….

Why don’t you say it to my face?

Are you afraid?

Are you scared of what might happen,

Since you caused my esteem to degrade?

I am sick of these lies,

Sick of this fray.

Wait until I find you,

Then Ill make you pay….

Because there may be nothing worse,

Then knowing you cannot trust,

Those who swore to aid you,

Continue if you must…

Because one day you will find,

That you will need my aid,

When I turn you down, maybe you’ll finally know,

How it feels to be betrayed…

They say that I am wrong,

Because of the opinions I have drawn,

I rarely bother to explain them,

Since they are usually answered with a yawn.

My goals of educating the people,

Are doubtfully in reach,

They don’t abide by the rules they made,

Since they always censor my speech.

The presidential candidates,

Say the things that they will do,

But how many of these promises,

Do they actually pursue?

I think its wrong

That I can be labeled with treason,

Even though my views,

Have a legitimate reason.

The media is even worse.

I find it very odd,

That they can convince some minds,

That a singer is a god.

Censorship is overused,

I feel the need to say,

Why bother cover up,

What we hear every day?

I know that what I say,

May have criticism administered,

They tell me to be silent,

But I will not be censored.

Filmed at the cost of $500,00.00 Michael Jackson`s “Thriller” is considered to be the most expensive video of it`s time. The money was well spent. In 2006 Thriller was listed in Guinness World Records as the most successful video.

Werewolves of London: Warren Zevon

From Warren Zevon`s album Excitable Boy, Werewolves of London was titled after an old motion picture called Werewolf of London. The song is a brilliant mix of humor and macabre.

Ghost Busters: Ray Parker Jr

From the 1984 fantasy film Ghost Busters, Ray Parker Jr. gives a lighthearted look at ghost hunting stating “we aint afraid of no ghosts”

Monster Mash Bobby “Boris” Picket

Bobby “Boris” Picket was an aspiring actor who enjoyed impersonating horror actors Boris Karlof f and Bela Lugosi. His only hit was about a monster who rises from a slab with a new dance: The Monster Mash.

Purple People Eater

What has one eye, one horn, flies and eats people? A Flying Purple People Eater of course. That is according to this Sheb Wooley tune that reached #1 in 1958.

Psycho Killer Talking Heads

This Talking Heads title speaks for itself.

Time Warp Cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Featured in the cult film The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Time Warp gives listeners specific instructions:

It’s just a jump to the left.
And then a step to the right.
Put your hands on your hips.
You bring your knees in tight.
But it’s the pelvic thrust
That really drives you insane.
Let’s do the time warp again!
Let’s do the time warp again!

Legend of Wooley Swamp The Charlie Daniels Band

According to the lyrics, Wooley Swamp is located in Booger Woods, where the ghost of one Lucius Clay gets up and walks around.

Boris the Spider: The Who

Bass player John Entwistle was afraid of spiders as a child and later wrote of a spider crawling down his walls. He later squashes the spider.

Black Magic Woman: Santana

Although the song originally appeared on a 1969 Fleetwood Mac album, Black Magic Woman was released again in 1970 by Santana on the Abraxas album and quickly reached #4 on billboard charts.

(Don’t Fear) The Reaper: Blue Oyster Cult

Although the song is about The Grim Reaper (synonymous with death) the writer said that this song is about eternal love, not death.

Clap for the Wolfman: The Guess Who

In this song, Canadian artists The Guess who pay tribute to legendary radio disk jockey Wolfman Jack.

Frankenstein : The Edgar Winter Group

The only instrumental ever released by The Edgar Winter Group, fans can play along with Frankenstein using Guitar Hero 2. However, in order to complete the song, players must play the synthesizer and saxophone as well as the guitar.