Ursus was a character from the original Quo Vadis, a story written by the Polish novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz. Quo Vadis is, in part, the powerful story of a Christian slave who was condemned to death by Nero, Rome's rather hedonistic emperor.
Resigned to death as a Christian, Ursus kneels on the sand and prays. The crowd, eager for a new thrill, is disappointed and displeased at this display of meekness. But then, to the sound of brazen trumpets, a door in the wall opens and into the arena comes, raging, an enormous German aurochs, or wild bull, upon whose head lies bound the living body of the girl Lygia.
Instantly the meek and resigned Ursus is transformed; he springs up as if touched by fire and with the bull rushing directly at him, seizes the animal by the horns!
In the stands the spectators hardly dare to breathe; such a spectacle had never been seen.
Ursus, with his head almost hidden between his massive shoulders, his arm muscles nearly bursting his skin, his back bent like a bow, his feet sinking into the sand up to his ankles, stops the gigantic bull in its tracks!
For what seems like a century, the giant man and the giant animal are folded immovable in a titanic struggle that seems like sculpture of Herculean repose. There is not a sound in the arena, save the flaming of lamps and the crackling of torches. The mighty strugglers appear planted in the earth as if never to move again. Then, suddenly, to the ears of the spectators comes a dull roar like a groan.
Slowly, in the iron hands of the giant, the huge head of the bull begins to turn! The face, neck and arms of Ursus grow purple; his back bends more and more. Duller and hoarser grows the groaning roar of the bull, and with it, is mingled now an eerie whistle that is the breath of the giant animal. Farther and farther turns the head of the bull, and from its mouth creeps foam and flesh!
Then a crack, like the breaking of bones, and the bull rolls on the ground, its neck twisted in death! Ursus, his body flooded with sweat, removes the ropes from the horns of the animal and frees his mistress. The amphitheater goes wild, the very walls trembling from the roar of the thousands as they call for mercy for Lygia, mercy for Ursus."
