It was rough being a Christian in the Coliseum in ancient Rome before Constantine declared Christianity the state religion. Pagans fed Christians to the lions. After Constantine, it was the other way around. Then, the lions dined on pagans.
It was a Sunday afternoon, and little Marcus was at the Coliseum with his grandfather. It was a beautiful day. There were plenty of lions and pagans to go around. The Empire had not yet fallen. But even little Marcus could sense a kind of decline. He followed the action. Gladiators hacked at one another. In his box, the Emperor turned thumbs down time after time. Then came several of the lions.
– Grandpa, was it like this in the old days?
– Come again, Marcus?
– Well, do things seem to be getting a little worse?
– I guess it was better back then. I suppose you’re talking about the decline that everyone mentions.
– How about it, Grandpa?
– Well, thinking back, I guess it was better… I know the lions seemed to enjoy eating the Christians a lot more than eating the pagans now.
David Sydney is a physician. He writes fiction in and out of the EHR (Electronic Health Record).