The figure who adorns the uniquely-named Dying Gladiator pub in Brigg town centre has looked down on a good few Christmas in Brigg - and this year it's good to see that he's wearing his festive Santa hat once again.
No longer a case of "Oh!" for his wound but Yo! Ho! Ho! for Christmas and New Year.
Hundreds of fun-seekers will be using the entrance beneath the statue during the festive season and we hope many of them glance up above the door to admire this nice festive touch.
A good deal of festive spirit will be downed, along with the lager, bitter, shots and cider between now and 12th Night!
I've said this before, but if the sculptor, William Clark (he owned the pub) had created the figure a few years later it would have probably and more precisely been called the Dying Gaul.
ReplyDeleteThe original Roman sculpture, from which WC copied, was originally called the Dying Gladiator.
However, during the period of WC, examination of the sculpture revealed it to be a 400BC image of a Gaul....and consequently, the sculpture was renamed.
The original sculpture had aspects, such as torque (necklace...which can also be seen on WC's sculpture) and weapons associated with Gauls - a group that Romans had been doing battle with in southern Europe, around the time of original creation of the Roman sculpture.
In general, it became common practice within the Roman Empire to have images of both brave Roman and enemy figures portraying them at the time of dying in battle....
Whether called Dying Gladiator or the Dying Gaul it would still be unique as a pub name...although Gaul would have been a more historically accurate description.