Androcles and the Lion

"The beasts were loosed into the arena, and among them, a beast of huge bulk and ferocious aspect. Then the slave was cast in." - Androcles and the Lion

The original story of Androcles, written by Latin author Aulus Gellius in the 2nd century, tells the story of a runaway slave who takes shelter in a cave, which turns out to be the den of a wounded lion. He removes a large thorn from the animal's foot, and as a result, the lion recovers and becomes tame toward him.

After several years, the slave eventually returns to civilization, resulting in his imprisonment as a fugitive slave and a sentence to be devoured by wild animals. He's thrown into the ring with the same lion, which again displays its affection toward the slave. The emperor pardons the slave on the spot because of this amazing miracle.

In the episode "Last Grimm Standing," Monroe is likened to Androcles when he's captured and caged with Dimitiri, who has a nail stuck in his wounded hand. Monroe offers to help the poor creature, removing the nail. But the similarities stop there; when the two meet in the arena, Dimitri does not show the same mercy that the lion did, still viciously attacking Monroe in a fight to the death.