their guide. On the eve before the games, Asterix and Obelix visit Cacofonix in his cell and inform him of their intentions to free him and the gladiators. The next day, during the chariot races, Asterix and Obelix substitute themselves for an inebriated contestant, and win the race. As Cacofonix is put into the arena to be killed by the lions, he sings to the Romans, and thus frightens the lions into retreat; whereupon Caesar orders the gladiators' competition to begin. When Asterix, Obelix, and the gladiators introduce Caesar to their guessing-game, and Caesar insists on a martial contest, Asterix challenges a cohort of Caesar's own guard, and the two Gauls win easily. Seeing that the audience are amused, Caesar releases the three Gauls and grants them Fatuous as a prisoner. Soon afterwards, the four men meet back up with Ekonomikrisis, and Asterix surprises him and his men by having Caius Fatuous row the ship back to the Gaulish Village alone. After a brief journey (plus a second run in with the pirates, which sinks their ship), the Gauls arrive home and Ekonomikrisis keeps his promise to return Caius Fatuous to Rome. The villagers then celebrate the return of their heroes with a banquet, only with Cacofonix having to sit it out bound and gagged after offering to sing a song to celebrate his triumphant return. This album is noteworthy in the Asterix series as the first in which Obelix says his famous catchphrase "These Romans are crazy!" An audiobook of Asterix the Gladiator adapted by Anthea Bell and narrated by Willie Rushton was released on EMI Records Listen for Pleasure label in 1988. Characters Geriatrix (unnamed) – Obelix asks him to run his menhir delivery service while he is away. His feisty personality was not shown at this time, neither was the fact he is married. Ekonomikrisis – Provides transport to and from Rome Brutus – Featuring an amusingly ironic exchange with Julius Caesar at the circus. The Pirates – parodying French comic "Barbe-Rouge" which was also serialized in Pilote at the time. Notes Obelix's helmet game – for the first time he collects helmets from the Romans he bashes, trying to outdo Asterix (who never shows much interest in it). This is one of the few albums in which the banquet at the end is held during the day. A noticeable mistake can be seen, when the Decurion