Chapter 16 Chapter 15 Spartacus defeated another general and resisted the great temptation of a woman

The campaign in Compania passed through Pubrius.General Valinimus, after his crushing defeat at Aquinas, was so changed that the proud conquerors of Africa and Asia were quite astonished; In spite of the war between King Si and Sertorius, they began to pay careful and careful attention to the gladiator's uprising.Fifty thousand armed gladiators had become masters of the whole province of Compania, and their leader, all the Romans, was now obliged to blushing with shame to admit that he was a man of fortitude, courage, and considerable experience. commander in chief.Throughout the province of Compania, with the exception of a few insignificant cities, the Roman dominion had been suddenly destroyed, and their influence weakened.The fifty thousand armed gladiators who threatened the two provinces of Chamonix and Latin, which were, so to speak, a springboard for an attack on Rome, had become a very menacing force; It must never be considered a small matter, and it must never be allowed to be treated lightly.

At the Citizens' Assembly convened that year, the Roman Senate unanimously appointed the nobleman Gaius.Amfidius.Olesdus replaced Pubrius.General Valinius went to rule Sicily, and at the same time to suppress a slave revolt, which was so shameful to Rome. Gaius.Amfidius.Olesdus was a soldier of forty-five years old with a lot of combat experience.He had been a commander for many years, a lieutenant general for three years, and was elected general again during Sulla's dictatorship.His bravery, wisdom and foresight endowed him with great prestige in the senate and among the common people.

In January of the year 681, immediately after the events we have described in the previous five chapters, GaiusAmphizhius.General Olesdus enlisted two new consuls, Gillenzius.Vallo.Luculus and Gaius.Cassius.With the consent of Varus, a formidable army was assembled consisting of three legions: one all Roman, another all Italian, and a third composed of allied Dalmatians and Illyrians .The total number of these three legions amounted to 20,000. In addition, General Olesdus included 10,000 remnants of soldiers who had fled after the defeat at the city of Aquinas. A team of 30,000 people was formed, and training began in the Latin Province.With this army he hoped to crush Spartacus head-on in the coming spring.

Spring has come.It brings people the radiant sun that pours warmth generously on the earth, the transparent blue sky, the intoxicating fragrance of wild flowers and the gorgeous carpet woven by fragrant tender grass.The little birds sang praises to the goddess of spring, and at the same time they themselves mysteriously uttered a cry of love.At this time, the armies of Romans and gladiators began to set out at the same time, with one going south from the Latin province and the other going north from the Companion province. They were going to irrigate the green fertile fields of Italy with human blood.

Amfidius.General Orestus set out from Norba and followed the Via Appius to Fenty; he knew that Spartacus had already followed the Via Domitius from Regilnam.The general therefore built his camp at Finty, and took a position from which his six thousand cavalry could immediately attack the enemy. A few days later, Spartacus led the army to Formier. He built a camp between two hills, condescendingly choked the Appius Avenue, and then set off with 300 cavalry. To conduct reconnaissance of enemy camps in order to study enemy positions and ascertain their intentions. However, Amphidius.General Olesdus knew more about military affairs than the previous commanders who had fought against Spartacus.He immediately sent his powerful cavalry to attack Spartacus.After a short and inconclusive battle, in which the gladiators lost about a hundred men, Spartacus had to hasten back to Formiers.

Here he resolved to wait for the enemy, thinking that the general, encouraged by such an easy victory, would surely launch a new attack on the gladiators.However, Spartacus spent fifteen days for no reason, and Olesdus was not a person who was so easily lured into a trap. So Spartacus adopted a clever combat strategy that only an outstanding commander can come up with.As soon as it got dark, he led eight legions and set off quietly in extreme silence, leaving only Enomayi, his two legions and the cavalry in the camp.Spartacus marched all night along the coast, taking as hostages farmers, immigrants, and fishermen, men, women, and children, whom he encountered along the way, so that news of their march would not reach the enemy.He made a hasty march through the forest that still surrounds the city of Terrachina, asking the woodcutters and charcoal burners for the way, and finally built a camp on the edge of the forest in the enemy's rear.

General Olesdus was astonished to hear that the gladiators had gone around to the rear.But, calmly and prudently as ever, he suppressed the fighting enthusiasm of his legions in various ways; although the gladiator's stoners were almost approaching the fence of the Roman camp, and the soldiers were impatient to see Rush out to fight. For eight days, while Spartacus was vainly challenging the enemy, Alestus stood still, and made no secret of his reluctance to go out to fight at their disadvantage. The resourceful gladiator-leader, therefore, decided to take advantage of the situation and terrain which had been created; one day, AmphidiusOlesdus learned from his spies, with great astonishment and sorrow, that, apart from the second camp by the forest near Terrachina, the gladiators were not only between Fenty and Ingilramna. A third stronghold with strong defenses was built in a dangerous place, and a fourth stronghold was built between Fenty and Biverna, occupying the key position near the Appius Avenue.

Indeed, Spartacus has transferred the four legions commanded by Granix to the vicinity of Ingilramna in several night marches, and ordered Granix to build camps on high ground, with towering shelters and A broad outer ditch surrounded the camp, and in two days and two nights the labor of twenty thousand gladiators was at last completed; A fort was built at an important position between Fenty and Biverna designated by Bardacus. In this way, Spartacus took Amphidius.The stronghold of Olesdus was completely surrounded.He compelled the general to either come out to fight, or, seven or eight days later, driven by hunger, to surrender to the gladiators.

General Olesdus was in a difficult situation.In order to get out of this predicament, he must go out and attack a certain camp of the gladiators, but he has no hope of defeating and destroying the enemy.Because he understands that besides the enemy he attacked, he also has to fight the other three enemies.Because no matter how short the time for Clixus and Granix to resist him, it must last for more than three hours, and the belief that reinforcements are coming will encourage their will to fight; but after three hours, Clixa Spartacus will come to the aid of Granix, or Granix to the aid of Clixus; then Spartacus will attack him from the rear, and then the Enomay will come to fight The place and the other three armies wiped out all his troops.

Sad and anxious, General Olesdus considered the solution day and night, but he could not find a way out of this extremely dangerous situation.His soldiers also became dejected, and at first they cursed their general in low voices, but then they began to curse loudly at him for being a cowardly and incompetent commander who shied away from battle when previous victories were promising , and now they are doomed to defeat and death.They remembered with horror the ignominious rout near the Coti Valley, and they complained loudly against Amphidius.Olesdus was a more reckless and imbecile than the consuls Dumius and Vidulius.For the two consuls were in a desperate situation because of the extremely unfavorable terrain of the battle, and their Amphidius.General Olesdus, however, was surrounded by the enemy on a vast plain due to his negligence.

It was because of this situation that General Olesdus decided to resort to deception and asked the priests to help him.It is a pity that this method is not only often used by some timid and ignorant people, but also deliberately used by some cunning people. They often use the superstition and fear of the gods of the masses to achieve their own ulterior motives. human purpose. He announced to the soldiers of the whole camp that he would hold a large-scale sacrifice to the three great gods Jupiter, Mars, and Quirin, so that they could sense the priests of divination, and the priests would use their prophecies to teach the Roman army. How to get out of this crisis. On the right side of the general's court in the Roman camp, there is a place dedicated to worshiping gods.There was an altar there, a circular stone platform with a recess for the sacred fire.There is a hole in one side of the altar through which the wine poured during the sacrifice of the gods can flow out.Around the altar there are many long poles, decorated with garlands of roses and other flowers.So the priests who served the three great gods Jupiter, Mars, and Quirin began to walk there.All the priests wore robes of white silk fastened at the neck with a pin.They all wore pointed white silk crowns on their heads. Behind the acolytes walked the priests of divination.They wore their own sacrificial robes, and carried in their hands a crooked staff like the staff that shepherds now carry; this staff was their emblem.Behind them are two deacons.One is the deacon of large animals, who brings the large animals to the altar and kills them, and the other is the deacon of small animals, who kills the small animals offered to the gods and draws their blood from the arteries.Both deacons wore long white aprons trimmed with purple at the bottom and reaching to their feet.The big deacon holds in his right hand a sharp ax slung over his shoulder, and the small deacon holds a sharp, broad-bladed dagger with an ivory handle.Both the deacons, and all the acolytes and divination priests, wore crowns of flowers on their heads, and tassels of white and red ribbons around their necks, which hung down to the top of their garments.The same wreaths, ribbons, and tassels were also tied around the necks of bulls, sheep, and sows worshiped to the gods.Behind the deacon are some servants, who hold the gavel used by the deacon to stun the back of the bull's head, the sacrificial cake, the silver incense box, the silver bowl used to burn incense in the censer during the sacrifice to the gods, and the ears filled with wine Wine bottles and silver libation cups for the gods.Standing at the end of the line is a servant who keeps the sacred chicken. He is carrying a large cage in which the sacred hen is placed for divination.Behind the procession of priests is a team of flute musicians who will play music during the sacrifice. Behind the group of people who directly participated in the sacrifice, except for some soldiers defending the camp who had to stay behind, all the Roman troops in the camp marched in a line.When all the soldiers were in Gaius.Amfidius.When Olesdus led the crowd to surround the altar, the priests began to perform various ceremonies to worship the gods.They held baptism according to certain rules, put spices in the incense burner, sprinkled flour on the animals sacrificed to the gods, offered bread for the gods, and poured wine for the sacrifices to the gods.Then, the altar deacon asked his deputy to help him pull up the bull's head, but this was only to worship the gods in heaven. If it was to sacrifice to the gods in hell, the bull's head had to be pressed down, and he himself swung the mallet to aim at the bull. knocked it off on the forehead, and then killed it with the axe.At the same time, the deacon had cut the throats of the pigs and sheep to drain their blood.The blood of these sacrifices was soon sprinkled all over the altar, and part of their flesh was thrown into the holy fire that was burning in the altar's central hollow.The internal organs of these animals were carefully collected and placed on four bronze plates placed on bronze shelves. The middle of the bronze plates was slightly concave, which was specially made for placing the internal organs of divination. When all these sacrifices to the gods were completed, the internal organs of the sacrifices were handed over to the divination priests.They showed a serious and solemn attitude, and began to use these internal organs to predict the future. Due to the popularity of Greek philosophy, especially the rapid dissemination of Epicurean theory, most of the educated young people in Rome got rid of the absurd superstition of God and saw through the despicable deeds of hypocritical priests; Faith in the gods still appears to be deeply ingrained among the vast masses of the people; take the thirty thousand men who surround the altar in the camp of Fenty, they are brave soldiers who have been trained in battle, but not one of them wants to disturb this. A lengthy worship ceremony.An hour and a half passed before the priests of divination announced that, according to their observations of the sacrificial entrails, the omens which the gods had shown in them were favorable to the Romans, for they could not see a tiny blemish which could be interpreted as an ominous omen. Finally, the chickens were fed; probably, because the hens had been starving for a long time, and the priests threw the grain over, they began to peck greedily.The jubilant soldiers immediately burst into thunderous applause, for they saw with their own eyes that the hens had a good appetite, and this was the most obvious sign that the three supreme protectors, Jupiter, Mars, and Quirin, were ready to help the Roman army. omen. These auspicious omens aroused courageous and joyful emotions in the hearts of the superstitious Romans.The complaining and cursing of the soldiers ceased.Their discipline solidifies.Their confidence in the commander-in-chief also increased.Amfidius.Naturally, Olesdus would not let go of this opportunity to raise the morale of the soldiers. He began to use this to realize his well-considered plan. dilemma. On the day after the divination priests predicted the victory of the Roman army by observing the sacrificial entrails and feeding the sacred chicken, deserters from five Roman camps came to Spartacus.When they were brought before the leader of the gladiators, all five of them tried their best to play tricks and told him the same thing: their general was going to leave the camp secretly that night and attack The gladiator army near Formiers, then marched towards Gals with haste, and his purpose was to hide in the city of Capua.The capitulating soldiers then explained that they had escaped from the Roman camp because they did not want to die with their troops, and that they thought victory hopeless; Could have gotten any result, because Spartacus had them all surrounded.There is no other way out except surrender. Spartacus listened attentively to the surrendering soldiers, asked them questions, and watched their faces carefully with his stern, penetrating blue eyes.Spartacus' sharp dagger-like gaze made them panic; when they answered Spartacus, they fell into confusion and contradictions more than once.The Thracian was silent for a long time, lowered his head and fell into deep thought. Finally, he raised his head and said as if discussing with himself: I get it, yeah, it must be Then, turning around, he said to a herald whom he had recently been forced to appoint, who was standing in the commander's tent: Faravius, take them to the tent yonder, and order the guards to watch them closely. The heralds took away the surrendered Roman soldiers. Spartacus stood silently for a few minutes, then called Artax, commander of the Tenth Legion, who led him aside and said to him: These surrendered soldiers are all spies What a spy!cried young Artax in surprise. They are Amphidius.Olesdus sent here to confuse me. real? He tried to convince me of the nonsense of the five surrendering soldiers, but in reality his actions were just the opposite. What is he going to do? Listen: the most natural and logical course, whether for Alesdus or for any commander in the same situation, is to break our line in the direction of Rome, never the other way around. Charge towards Capua.If, after the inevitable confusion and loss of life, he breaks through our line and takes refuge in Capua, it will expose the Highway of the Latin Province before us, and we can follow it freely. It went straight to the gates of Rome.In order to defend Rome, he must break through to Rome; Rome is his base.If Rome were in his rear, even with a smaller army than at present, he would be a serious threat to us.He must therefore make a bold attempt to break out towards Rome, and never towards Formier, as he had asked his spies to confuse me. I swear to Merculis, your judgment is very accurate. Therefore, we must leave the well-concealed camp in the forest this evening, follow the direction of the Appian Way to Rome, and choose the safest place to build the camp there.After this diversion, we are close to Clixus.If my estimate is correct, the main force of the Romans will definitely attack him tomorrow morning.Enomay must leave their camp near Formiers this evening and advance closer to the enemy. Thus you tighten the noose around your enemy's neck even tighter," cried young Artax, now fully aware of the whole plan of his leader.Then Then Spartacus interrupted him.Whichever way he goes, we are in a position to win.Even if he did go with his legions against Enomay, since Enomay was near Fenty, he was also near us, so that we could immediately rush to the aid of our Germanic legions. Spartacus summoned three heralds.He ordered them to gallop with all their might to the camp near Formiers, but they had to set out one after the other, with half an hour between the first and the last, and they should convey his orders to Enomay one after the other. Two Germanic legions had to be hastened to camp six or seven miles from Fenty, and he ordered several other heralds to warn Clixus of a possible attack on him. Spartacus's messenger arrived at Enomayi at dusk.Two hours after their arrival the German army advanced on Finty.With 3,000 cavalry at the vanguard, they advanced with the utmost care.At midnight, in utter silence, Enomay ordered his legions to stop by a hill covered with blackberry bushes and groves, and began to build a camp.In spite of the icy drizzle which had been falling for several hours after dark, the Germans gave the order to build the camp and, by example, were the first to dig the outer ditch and erect the barriers of the new camp. Everything happened as Spartacus expected.At dawn some of the sentinels in front of the camp of Clixas stood on the Via Appius and rushed to the camp to report that the enemy was approaching. The two gladiator legions in the camp, the Third and Fourth Legions, had been fully ready for battle since midnight.Clixus ordered the stone-throwers to advance quickly, throwing stones and spears at the Romans, and at the same time led the two legions out of the camp, and formed a battle formation. No sooner had the gladiators fired their first volleys than Alestus led his legions on the attack; at once he ordered light infantry and stone-throwers to rush through the gaps in the main body, and they formed a scattered rank, Attack the gladiators. After firing a few shots, the lightly armed Roman infantry immediately retreated to the main force, leaving room for 3,000 cavalry, who pounced on the opposing stone-throwing soldiers with an irresistible and violent offensive.Clixus immediately ordered the trumpets to be blown, but the stone-throwing soldiers on foot could not retreat quickly, and the Roman cavalry caught up with them, rushing their ranks into disarray and panic.The gladiators suffered great losses.More than 400 people were sacrificed in a very short period of time. Fortunately, a wide stream blocked the way of the Roman cavalry, and the gladiators went to the other side in hiding. When Clixus led the third legion to rush to the stream, the Roman cavalry had already gathered on the bank of the stream.The gladiators immediately fired a burst of spears at the enemy, and the Roman cavalry retreated in disorder. Olesdus called back his cavalry, and at once with his various legions stormed against Clixus's.For he must not only win, but win quickly and without delay.For every quarter of an hour wasted might bring reinforcements from the enemy, which would spell his doom. The Romans, therefore, began to rush upon the gladiators with such fury that the ranks of the third legion of the rebels were shaken and nearly collapsed.But they were inspired by the exemplary deeds and fervent cries of the valiant Artorix, and by the extraordinary fortitude of Clixus.Especially Kryxus, who stood at the forefront of the battle, killing a foe with every thrust of his short sword.The gladiators held off the onslaught of the Romans with incomparable bravery. This was an extremely cruel and bloody battle. The sky was gloomy and gray, and a drizzle of cold rain fell, and fell, and fell, and filled the fields with the clang of weapons and the shouts of belligerents. Another legion of Romans came around from the right, ready to attack the flank of the gladiator army.Bortolix led the fourth army to meet him, but he had just made contact with the enemy when the last army of Oresidus turned around from the other side.Now the fate of the battle was determined not by valor and dauntlessness, but by numbers; and in half an hour they knew that they would be surrounded and utterly routed by the enemy.And his 10,000 soldiers will all be finished. Will Spartacus be able to come to his aid within half an hour? Unable to be sure of this, Clixus ordered Bortolix to lead the Fourth Army in retreat, fighting to maintain order while he gave the same order to the Third Army. In spite of the unparalleled valor of the gladiators, however, it was impossible to make a well-organized retreat, and they suffered heavy losses.Under the fierce attack of the Romans, the gladiators decided to retreat to the camp under the cover of two cohorts, which had to be sacrificed to save the rest of the troops. These more than a thousand Gauls showed amazing heroism. They not only faced death without fear, but also with joy.In less than a moment, more than four hundred soldiers fell: their wounds were almost all on their chests.The gladiators who had retreated to the camp, in order to save the lives of more than 600 other comrades from the hands of death, climbed up the fence one after another, and began to throw a large number of stones and dense spears at the enemy, which made the Romans unstoppable. Not forced to retreat and stopped fighting. Thereupon Orestus ordered the trumpets to be blown, and with all his might he put his corps in order, for they had suffered great losses in the fierce battle which lasted almost two hours or more.Then he ordered them to advance cautiously towards Wawelna.He rejoiced in the success of his cunning stratagem, and thought he had made Spartacus leave Terrachina for Formiers. But before the vanguard of the Roman army had gone two miles on the Via Appius, the stone-throwing soldiers of the Spartacus legion had already moved towards the general's legion. They were advancing towards Biverna and Rome. The left wing attacked. Olesdus was terrified when he saw this situation, so he had to send the cavalry to attack Spartacus's stone throwers, and at the same time set aside his four legions to Spartacus. formation.He spread out the other two legions on the other side to withstand the attack of Clixus, because the general knew that Clixus would certainly attack him again. Sure enough, as soon as the fifth and sixth legions of the gladiator army fought the Romans, Clixus had already organized his scattered legions (they suffered heavy losses and many casualties), and sent them He took out the camp and launched an attack on the army of General Olesdus. It was an extremely brutal and bloody battle.The battle lasted for half an hour, but neither side had yet gained an advantage.Suddenly, on the top of the hill that hid the view of the belligerents from the city of Finty, there appeared the vanguard of the Enomayi troops.As soon as the soldiers of the Germanic legions saw that the battle had taken place in the valley below, they uttered an earth-shattering baal la la!shouted, and rushed towards the Romans.The Romans, who were besieged on three sides, could hardly resist the impact of a large gladiator army.Their battle lines were shaken.After a while, the Romans began to flee in disorder, galloping along the Via Appius in the direction of Biverna. The gladiators began to pursue the fleeing Romans.Spartacus ordered all the gladiators to pursue the enemy closely, so that the activities of the enemy cavalry could be restrained, so that they could not attack the gladiators who had dispersed but could not annihilate the enemy at the same time. Granix was the last to lead an army into battle, for he camped farthest.His appearance hastened the progress of the gladiators' complete victory.Granix is ​​resourceful, seasoned and combat-experienced.Having received the news from Clixus, he proceeded to the Via Appius.He made a difficult march between Fenty and Beverna, and he took a diagonal direction, but that brought him to a point on the Via Appius that was farther from Fenty but closer to Biverna.He had foreseen that, as he was last to the field, the Romans he met must have been crushed, and he attacked the right flank of General Alestus's troops just as they were beginning to rout.The fact turned out to be exactly as he had speculated. This bloody battle was unprecedented. On the Roman side, more than 7,000 people were killed and nearly 4,000 were captured. After this war, only their cavalry survived and fled into the city of Biverna.That same night, the remnants of the battered legions of exhausted soldiers gathered there one after another. Losses on the part of the gladiators were also significant.They lost two thousand warriors and wounded an equal number. At dawn the next day, when the gladiators were holding a glorious funeral for those comrades who died in the battle, Amphidius.General Olesdus left Biverna with his remnants and quickly retreated towards Norba. In this way, only one and a half months had passed, and the second Roman campaign against Spartacus ended just as it started.The leader of the gladiators acquired the reputation of a commander who terrorized his enemies; his name made the Romans tremble, and the senate had to seriously consider what to do with him. Spartacus, passing through the battle near Fenty, called a council of war with the commanders of the legions a few days later.At this meeting, everyone unanimously admitted that it is meaningless to attack Rome by any means at present, because every inhabitant of Rome is a soldier, and they can raise an army of 100,000 in a few days. To deal with the gladiators; and this council of war again decided that the gladiator army should go first to the province of Shamni, and from there to the province of Apulia.Those two provinces now had nothing to hinder them, and there they could fully assemble the slaves who had revolted against their oppressors. Spartacus proceeded to carry out this plan, leading his whole army without hindrance through the city of Bovione to the province of Shamni, and from thence to the province of Apulia by short day marches. By that time the news of the great defeat of General Orestus near the city of Finty had reached Rome, and it caused great consternation among the inhabitants.The senate held a secret meeting to discuss how to suppress the slave revolt; which the Romans regarded as a ridiculous rebellion at the beginning, but it turned into a serious war that brought Rome a great shame. No one knows what kind of secret resolution the senators made at that meeting, only that after the meeting of the senate that night, the consul Marcus.Terenzius.Vallo.Luculus left Rome with a few servants.He wore neither the garb of a consul nor an officer of honour, dressed himself like a commoner, and rode out of the Esquevellin Gate, and galloped along the highway of Topleneste. A month after the Battle of Fenty, Spartacus camped near Venasia with his army, and began to train two newly formed legions: one composed entirely of Thracians, the other It consisted of the Gauls, for during that single month more than ten thousand slaves of these two races poured into the camps of the gladiators from all the towns and villages of the province of Apulia.Near noon that day, a tenth commander came in and reported to Spartacus that an envoy sent by the Roman Senate had arrived at the gate of their camp. Ah, I swear by Jupiter's thunder and fire!cried Spartacus, his eyes blazing with joy.Has the arrogance of the Latin nation sunk so low that the Senate has decided to negotiate with the lowly gladiators? After a while, he continued: Ah, I swear to all the great gods of Olympus, it seems that I am a man worthy to perform many heroic deeds in my life, if they will give me such glory, so that I can live as I please Possibility of doing something special! So Spartacus put on a black burqa, his general's attire, which he only wore on festivals to meet the requirements of all soldiers, and sat on a stool facing the general's execution ground at the entrance of the commander's tent; Turning around, he chatted cordially with Artorix, Evkipeda, and five or six other heralds who walked with him in his spare time.At that time, a captain came and reported to him that the Roman envoy had arrived.Spartacus smiled at the person talking with him and said: Excuse me, but I must ask you to leave for a moment, and though I am much happier with you than with this Roman envoy, I must listen to him. He waved cordially farewell to his comrades, and then, smiling back at the captain of the decimate who had announced the arrival of the senate envoy, said: Bring the Roman envoy here at once. The messenger came to the general's execution ground with his four servants.According to military practice, their eyes were covered with cloth strips, and several gladiators followed behind to guide them. Romans, you have now come to the general's field in our camp, and stand before our leader.Said the decimate to the man who claimed to be the envoy of the Roman Senate. Hello, Spartacus, said the Roman at once solemnly and firmly.He made an extremely dignified greeting gesture to the place opposite him that he thought was where Spartacus was sitting. Hello, Spartacus replied. I must interview you, said the Messenger. I can be alone with you.Spartacus replied. Then he said to the captain and the warriors who came with five Romans: Go with them to the neighboring tents, remove the blindfolds for them, and entertain them with wine and food. When the captain, the gladiator, and the messenger's servants had all left, Spartacus approached the Roman, unfastened his blindfold, and then pointed to the other chair on the opposite side of the stool he was sitting on. bench, says: Sit down, now that you have unimpeded scrutiny and study of the camp of the humble gladiators. Spartacus sat down again; his all-seeing eyes were constantly fixed on the envoy sent by the Roman Senate. gown to be proven. The emissary was a man of about fifty, tall, strong, but slightly stout; his hair was grizzled and cut short, and his face was rather dignified and expressive.他的一舉一動都顯得氣派高貴甚至帶著高傲的神態，但他顯然想竭力掩蓋這種態度，這在他那文雅而又客氣的微笑、動作以及回答斯巴達克斯時低下頭來說話的那種態度中可以看得出來。斯巴達克斯剛把蒙眼布從他的眼睛上面拿掉，他就開始仔細觀察角鬥士首領的臉。 兩個人都不作聲，互相注視了一下。斯巴達克斯首先說： 坐吧，真的，這條凳子一點兒也不像那把您坐慣了的執政椅，但坐在它上面終究比站著要舒服一些。 啊，斯巴達克斯，我衷心地感謝你的厚意，那位貴族一面回答，一面在角鬥士對面的凳子上坐了下來。 羅馬人望著展開在他眼前的氣象森嚴的巨大營壘，由於將軍法場建築在高地上，整個營壘就顯得瞭如指掌。使者不禁發出了十分驚訝和極其欽佩的呼聲。 我對十二位和平女神起誓，我還從來沒有看見過這樣的營壘。也許，只有蓋烏斯．馬略在賽克斯都河附近的營壘才能夠和你們的營壘相比！ 啊，斯巴達克斯挖苦他說。那是羅馬人的營壘，而我們只不過是一大群被人蔑視的角鬥士。 我並不是為了和你爭吵才上你這兒來的，也不是為了挖苦你或者聽你的挖苦話來的，羅馬人莊重地說。啊，斯巴達克斯，請收起你那嘲諷的態度，我的確非常欽佩你。 他不作聲了。他用一個年老武士才有的經驗豐富的目光，長久地觀察著營壘的格局。接著，他回過頭來對斯巴達克斯說： 我對海克力斯起誓，斯巴達克斯，你並不是為了角鬥而生的。 不論是我，不論是六萬個住在這營壘中的不幸的弟兄，也不論是百萬個跟你們羅馬人一模一樣、但是被你們用暴力變成了奴隸的人，都不是為了做跟他們一樣的人的奴隸而生的！ 奴隸是從來就有的，使者答道，同時好像表示同情地搖搖頭。自從人拿著短劍刺殺自己同胞的那一天起，世界上就有了奴隸。人對人的關係，就人類的天性和本質來說，是跟野獸一模一樣的。相信我，斯巴達克斯，你的所謂理想，其實只是你那高貴的靈魂所產生的不可實現的幻想。人類天性的規律就是如此。世界上應該有主人和奴隸；從前是這樣，今後也永遠是這樣。 不，這可恥的區別並不是一向有的，斯巴達克斯火辣辣地駁斥道。那是從土地不再為住在它上面的全體居民帶來產物的時候開始的；那是從農民不再在他自己出世的應當可以養活他的土地上耕種的時候開始的；那也是從那位原來跟鄉村居民住在一起的正義女神離開田野她最後的避難所逃到奧林帕斯山上去以後才開始的；在這以後，就產生了過度的食欲、不可遏止的色情、奢侈、安逸、縱酒、紛亂、戰爭以及可恥的屠殺 你要使人類統統回返到他們的原始狀態中去嗎？你認為你能夠達到這一目的嗎？ 斯巴達克斯沉默了，他非常激動。這一簡單然而可怕的問題，彷彿給他指出：他那崇高的理想是不可能實現的；這使他感到相當惶惑。那位羅馬貴族繼續說： 即使萬能的羅馬元老院和你聯合在一起，你所夢想的事業也是絕對不可能實現的。只有神才能改變人類的天性。 但是，斯巴達克斯想了一會兒答道。如果地上不可避免地存在著富人和窮人。那麼奴隸制度的存在難道也是同樣不可避免的嗎？難道為了勝利者的娛樂，讓他們看著不幸的角鬥士互相殺戮而歡呼，也是必要的嗎？難道這一渴血的、殘忍的獸性竟是人類天性中不可分割的要素嗎？難道這也是人類幸福所必需的部分嗎？ 現在羅馬人沉默了。他被這位角鬥士的大義凜然的問題駁倒了，他把頭垂到胸前，陷入沉思之中。 斯巴達克斯首先打破了沉默的局面，對那個羅馬貴族說： 你到這兒來的目的是什麼？ 那個貴族醒悟了過來，答道： 我是騎士蓋烏斯．魯菲烏斯．賴拉，我到這兒來，負有執政官瑪爾吉斯．台倫齊烏斯．瓦爾洛．盧古魯斯的兩個使命。 斯巴達克斯微笑了一下，在他的笑容中蘊含著譏諷和不信的意味。他立刻問這位羅馬的騎士： 第一個使命？ 向你建議，希望你同意把芬提戰役中被俘的全部羅馬人還給我們。 那麼第二個使命呢？ 那位使者好像有點兒不好意思，他張開了嘴企圖說些什麼，但又猶豫起來，終於，他說： 我希望你先答覆我的第一個建議。 我可以把四千名俘虜歸還你們，但你們得用最好的工匠製的一萬把西班牙式短劍、一萬面盾牌、一萬副鎧甲和十萬枝投槍來交換。 What?Gaius.魯菲烏斯．賴拉反問道，在他的聲音中可以同時聽得出驚駭和憤怒。你要求你竟希望我們自己用武器裝備你們，讓你們可以跟我們繼續進行戰爭？ 再跟你說一遍，我要的這批武器必須是最精良的；你們必須在二十天內把它們運到我們的營壘裡來；否則那四千名俘虜就不能還你們。 過了一會兒，斯巴達克斯又接著說： 我本來準備在附近各城市中訂製這批武器，但這太費時間了，因為我必須趕快用最好的兵器把最近投到我們這兒來的奴隸弟兄武裝成兩個軍團，正因為 正因為如此，怒火中燒的使者回答，你休想得到一件武器，俘虜留在你這兒好了。我們是羅馬人，海克力斯和阿提里烏斯．萊古魯斯曾經以他們的行動教導我們：我們絕不能做於敵人有利、於祖國有害的事情，即使遭到任何犧牲也在所不惜。 很好，斯巴達克斯平靜地回答。再過二十天，你把我要的那批武器送到我的營壘裡來吧。 我對勝利之神朱庇特起誓，魯菲烏斯．賴拉好不容易抑住了怒火叫道。你真的不明白我剛才對你說的話嗎？你休想拿到一件武器，我再重複一遍：你絕對拿不到！讓俘虜留在你這兒好了。 好吧，好吧，斯巴達克斯不耐煩地說。這一點讓我們以後再說。現在你把執政官瓦爾洛．盧古魯斯的第二個建議說出來吧。 他又顯出了嘲弄的微笑。 這位羅馬使者沉默了好一會兒，然後用平靜而又溫和的聲音，而且幾乎是偷偷地說： 執政官命令我向你建議停戰。 ah!斯巴達克斯不由自主地叫道。這使我很感興趣，但是停戰條件是什麼呢？ 你愛上了一位極有名望的大族出身的貴夫人，她也愛上了你。范萊里烏斯大族的始祖是薩賓納人優魯齊烏斯，他還是在羅馬城的建立者羅繆拉斯統治的時代隨著他們的泰齊烏斯王一起來到羅馬的。而優魯齊烏斯．范萊里烏斯．普勃里柯拉又是羅馬共和國的第一任執政官。 斯巴達克斯一聽到魯菲烏斯．賴拉說的第一句話就跳起來了。他的臉漲得通紅，兩眼迸射著怒火；接著，他漸漸地安靜下來，可是他的臉又立刻變得慘白，他重新坐了下來，問這位羅馬使者道： Who said this?執政官為什麼要知道這事情？我的私事對你們有什麼關係？這跟目前的戰事以及你們向我提出的和議又有什麼關係？ 使者聽到這些問題感到非常惶惑，他猶豫不決地吐出幾個不相連貫的單音節的字眼；最後，他下了堅強的決心，迅速而又確信地說： 你愛上了蘇拉的寡婦范萊麗雅．梅薩拉，她也愛上了你。元老院為了使她免除由於這一愛情而引起的責難，準備特地去問她是否願意嫁給你，做你的妻子。當你和你所愛的女人結婚以後，瓦爾洛．盧古魯斯準備讓你有充分的權利自由選擇：如果你願意在戰場上表現你的英勇精神，他可以把你派到西班牙龐培的麾下去擔任副將，但如果你願意在宅神拉爾的庇佑下過安逸的生活，他可以派你到阿非利加洲的某一個城市中去擔任提督。而且連你跟蘇拉寡妻之間的罪惡關係的果實，你們的女兒波斯杜密雅，你也可以一起帶到那裡去；要不然的話，獨裁者的子女法烏斯特和法芙斯達就要去做波斯杜密雅的法定保護人，這樣，你不僅會失卻把她喊做你的女兒的權利，而且會永遠不能再把她抱在你的懷裡。 斯巴達克斯站了起來。他把他的左手舉到下頷那兒，用右手捋著鬍鬚。他的嘴唇上浮起了嘲諷的微笑，他的兩眼卻迸發出憤怒和輕蔑的光芒。他一面不斷地注視著這位使者，一面注意地傾聽著他所說的一切。甚至當羅馬貴族說完話不作聲的時候，角鬥士還是盯住他，不時地搖搖頭，用右腳微微敲著地面。 沉默的局面持續了好久，最後斯巴達克斯從容地低聲問道： 那麼我的弟兄們呢？ 角鬥士的軍隊必須解散：奴隸必須回到服苦役的地牢中去，角鬥士回到他們以前的角鬥學校裡去。 那麼一切都完了？斯巴達克斯緩慢地一個字眼接著一個字眼地說。 元老院會忘掉他們的罪行，寬恕他們的。 Thank you, thank you!斯巴達克斯嘲諷地叫道。多麼仁慈，多麼寬宏大量，多麼可愛的元老院啊！ 難道不是如此嗎？魯菲烏斯．賴拉驕傲地說。元老院本來準備下令把所有造反的奴隸全部送上十字架活活釘死，而現在赦免了他們，難道這還不夠寬宏大量嗎？ ah!甚至太寬宏大量了元老院赦免了武裝的敵人，而且赦免了大獲勝利的敵人真的，這真是舉世無雙的寬厚精神的最崇高的、空前的範例！ 斯巴達克斯沉默了一會兒，然後激烈地說： 我花了一生中整整八年的光陰，用我全部力量和全副精神為這一崇高、偉大而又神聖的正義事業而奮鬥；我曾經毫不畏懼地迎接了種種危險；而現在，正當我號召六萬個受苦的弟兄拿起了武器，而且率領他們走向勝利時，我突然在某一天告訴他們：你們獲得的勝利其實只是失敗，我們絕不能獲得自由，快回到你們主人那兒去，重新伸出雙手請求你們的主人釘上你們過去戴慣了的鐐銬吧。但是，為什麼要這樣，為什麼呢？ 這麼說，你不重視那等你去接受的榮譽了，你不願意從一個卑賤的釋放角鬥士一躍而為羅馬的副將或者提督；而且你也不願意娶這位赫赫有名的羅馬貴夫人了。 羅馬元老院的威力竟有這麼大？它不但要統治全世界，而且還要統治一切人的感情麼？ 兩個人都沉默了，然後斯巴達克斯平靜地問魯菲烏斯．賴拉： 如果角鬥士們聽了我的忠告和勸說還是不願意解散呢？ 那時候這位羅馬貴族的眼睛看著地面，用兩手搓揉著他寬袍的邊緣，猶豫不決、慢吞吞地說，那時候像你這樣老練的統帥而且歸根結蒂又只是為了這些不幸的人的利益絕不能想像你會找不到一個機會把他們領到領到一個地方 領到執政官瑪爾西斯．台倫齊烏斯．瓦爾洛．盧古魯斯和他的軍隊等待著的地方，斯巴達克斯突然變得臉色慘白代對方說道；他那憤怒的、滿含著憎惡表情的眼睛，使他的臉變得極其殘忍，但他說話的聲音卻是沉著、冷靜的。他將把奴隸們包圍起來，使他們不得不無聲無息地向他投降，這樣，那位執政官就可以把這一輕易的、早已安排好的勝利的榮譽加到他自己頭上了。Is it this way? 羅馬人的頭俯得更低了，一句話也說不出來了。 Is it this way?斯巴達克斯用雷鳴般的聲音大喝道，使魯菲烏斯．賴拉不由自主地顫抖起來。 使者向斯巴達克斯瞥了一眼，角鬥士的領袖突然變得非常憤怒，他的兩眼迸射出極其憎惡的光芒，使羅馬人不由自主地倒退了一步。 啊，我對奧林帕斯山上的一切神靈起誓，色雷斯人用驕傲和帶有威脅性的口吻說。感謝那批保佑你的神吧，為了我這個卑賤的被蔑視的角鬥士還能夠尊重別人的權利，為了在我心中燃燒的怒火還沒有吞沒我的理智，也為了我還沒有忘記你是以使者的身分到這兒來的正如你們的元老院和民族一般卑劣、狡猾的你，竟向我提出最最卑鄙無恥的叛變的建議！你企圖接觸到我的心靈深處最神聖的祕密！你企圖用夫妻和父女之情來打動我，你看到你們的武力不能取勝，就想用這樣的欺騙手段來達到你的目的！ 啊，野蠻人！魯菲烏斯憤怒地叫道，同時倒退了幾步，目不轉睛地看著斯巴達克斯。你似乎已經忘記你是在跟誰說話了！ 羅馬執政官瑪爾庫斯．台倫齊烏斯．瓦爾洛．盧古魯斯，忘記了你在什麼地方跟什麼人說話的是你自己！啊，你這卑鄙無恥的小人！你以為我認不出你了吧？你改姓換名，到我這兒來，企圖用欺騙手段收買我的良心，你以小人之心度君子之腹，因此以為我也會和你一樣幹出這種無恥的勾當來，啊，你這最卑鄙無恥的小人！走吧回到羅馬去召集新的軍隊，跟我在廣闊的戰場上交戰吧，如果你能和現在一樣，跟我在戰場上面對面地相見，我就要好好答覆你那奸惡的建議！ 可憐的蠢才，執政官瓦爾洛．盧古魯斯顯出極其輕蔑的神情說。你過去曾經認為、到現在還在認為你能長久地抵擋我們大軍的攻打嗎？你自己安慰自己，你認為有希望完全戰勝一向被幸運之神所庇佑的強大的羅馬嗎？ 我相信我可以把這些不幸的奴隸率領到他們各自的祖國去，叫他們在各處掀起一切被壓迫民族反抗壓迫者的偉大起義，我認為這就可以結束你們那可詛咒的統治。 斯巴達克斯用右手做了一個命令式的手勢，叫執政官離開。 執政官瓦爾洛．盧古魯斯莊嚴地用罩袍緊緊裹住身子，一面走一面說： 我們在戰場上見吧。 但願神允許我見到你只是我自己可不敢相信有這個運氣 當瓦爾洛．盧古魯斯走到將軍法場前面一條比較低的大路上時，斯巴達克斯喊住了他，說： 聽我說，羅馬的執政官因為我知道這次戰鬥中落到你們手中的我方少數戰士，已經被你們全部釘死在十字架上，因為我看到你們羅馬人完全不承認我們角鬥士具有人的權利，我現在警告你：如果在二十天以後我不能在這兒營壘裡收到我所需要的武器和鎧甲，你們那四千名在芬提戰役中被俘的兵士，也要同樣地被我們活活釘死在十字架上！ What?你竟敢這樣！執政官氣得臉色發白，說。 對像你們這種人怎樣做都可以，在你的心中沒有任何神聖的感情，沒有任何可以引起別人尊敬的東西以凌辱對付凌辱，以殘殺對付殘殺，以屠戮對付屠戮這就是對待你們這種人應當採取的行動。let's go! 斯巴達克斯命令執政官離開營壘。 在色雷斯人的吩咐下，原先陪著使者進來的十夫長、戰士以及執政官的僕人都跑來了。斯巴達克斯命令部下把執政官和他的僕人統統護送到營門外面。 現在營帳前面只剩下了斯巴達克斯一個人。他在那兒徘徊了很久，一會兒加快了腳步，一會兒又放慢了腳步。他沉浸在最陰鬱、最悲哀的思慮之中，他的心情顯得非常激動。 過了一會兒，他派人把克利克薩斯、葛拉尼克斯和埃諾瑪依請到他那兒，並且把羅馬執政官瑪爾庫斯．台倫齊烏斯．瓦爾洛．盧古魯斯到營中來訪問的消息，以及他提出的建議（除去觸及他的神聖的祕密他對范萊麗雅的愛情那一點）告訴了他們。同志們讚揚了他們首領的行動，他們一致讚美斯巴達克斯的崇高靈魂和他那寬厚的自制精神。他們向他告辭回去，他們的心中充滿了對他們英勇的戰友和最高首領比之前更深摯的尊敬和愛戴的感情。 斯巴達克斯向自己的營帳走去，那時候天已經黑下來了。他和他的妹妹密爾查談了一會。色雷斯姑娘看到她的哥哥神態抑鬱，悶悶不樂，就開始關切地為他忙碌，竭力想驅散他那陰鬱的情緒。接著，斯巴達克斯走到他的戰士為他建立的巨大營帳的臥室部分，那兒放著他的床，上面鋪著新鮮的乾草，蓋著幾張羊皮。 斯巴達克斯卸下了武器，脫去了整天不離身的鎧甲睡了下來。他好久都在床上輾轉反側，而且沉重地呼吸著。他很遲才睡著，但入睡前卻忘記熄滅那盞燈草還在燃燒的陶土油燈了。 他大概睡了兩小時光景，在睡夢中用手緊壓著那個范萊麗雅送給他的永遠掛在他脖子上的小紀念盒。突然，他被緊貼到他嘴唇上的一陣熱烈而又長久的親吻驚醒了。He is awake.他在床上坐起來，而且把頭轉向傳來斷斷續續的呼吸聲的那邊叫道： who?who is here 在他的床邊，跪著美麗的希臘姑娘愛芙姬琵達；她的濃密的紅髮一直落到肩上，而且蓬鬆地披在她雪白的胸脯上，她哀懇地伸出她纖巧的手，低聲說： 請你可憐可憐我吧，可憐我一下吧斯巴達克斯，為了愛你，我快要死了！ 愛芙姬琵達！驚詫萬分的角鬥士首領一把握住紀念盒叫道。你，你怎麼在這兒？What are you doing here? 我已經在這兒好多好多夜了，希臘姑娘低聲說，她的身體好像風中的一片樹葉那麼顫抖著。我就躲在那裡，她用手指著一個角落說。等到你睡著以後，我就過來跪在你的床邊，欣賞你那極其英俊的臉龐；我仰慕你。我偷偷地哭泣，因為我崇拜你。斯巴達克斯，我好像崇拜神一般地崇拜你；整整五年了。在這漫長的、無窮無盡的，好像整整五世紀的時期中，自從你拒絕了我的愛情以後，我明知毫無希望，但還是愛著你，好像一個瘋狂的、中魔的女人。我曾經徒然地企圖把你的音容笑貌從我的記憶中驅逐出去你的容貌已經像烙痕一般深深地留在我的心頭了。我曾經徒然地打算忘卻這偉大的感情，我想把這種感情淹沒在酒裡，淹沒在消遣裡，淹沒在酒宴裡我曾經徒然地追尋心靈的安寧，我曾經離開我認識你的地方。但是，即使到了希臘，也好像在羅馬一般，你的容貌還是在我眼前出現；甚至我出生的故鄉，甚至我那天真的少年時代的回憶和親切的鄉音也不行什麼都不行，什麼都不能把你從我的心坎中驅逐掉斯巴達克斯，我愛你，我愛你，我對你的愛情不是人類的語言所能形容的愛情的力量是這麼偉大，它使像我這樣一個能使羅馬最有名的男人俯伏在腳旁的女人跪在你跟前！啊，你應當可憐我啊，不要推開我，我情願做你的女僕，做你的女奴隸只是不要推開我，我求求你；如果你這次再拒絕我，那會逼得我什麼都能幹出來的，甚至會使我犯下最驚人、最可怕的大罪！ 這一陷入狂戀中的姑娘極其激動地哀求著，她一把握住了斯巴達克斯的手，不斷熱烈地親吻。斯巴達克斯在這股由狂熱的情話和動人欲念的熱吻所匯成的不可壓抑的湍流的衝擊下，他的臉一會兒漲得通紅，一會兒變得和紙一樣慘白。他渾身發出一陣陣的顫抖。於是，他更加緊緊地握住了那個盛著范萊麗雅和波斯杜密雅頭髮的紀念盒：只有這一個護身符，才使他有力量抵抗這位美麗的希臘姑娘的引誘。 斯巴達克斯努力克制住自己，把自己的手從愛芙姬琵達的掌心中輕輕地抽了回來，一面竭力用平靜的、好似父親一般的態度對她親切地說： 安靜些安靜些你這瘋姑娘我愛的是另一位像女神一般美麗的女人她是我的小女兒的母親你得明白，斯巴達克斯只能有一個信念。正如我的靈魂已經完全獻給解放被壓迫者的事業，能為它活在世上也為它而死，我的愛情也只能獻給一個女人，我絕不會再愛另一個女人把你對我的愛戀從你狂熱的頭腦中驅逐出去吧不要再對我訴說我絕對不能和你分享的感情。不要再對我提起我絲毫也不能對你發生共鳴的愛吧 啊，我對神聖的復仇女神起誓，愛芙妮琵達狂叫道，當斯巴達克斯說到最後那幾句話時，她已經被他輕輕地推開了。這是范萊麗雅，該死的范萊麗雅！這是她，正是她從我這兒奪去了你的愛撫和親吻！ 你這女人！憤怒的斯巴達克斯叫道，他的臉變得陰沉而又可怕。 愛芙妮琵達咬著她的手沉默了。角鬥士的領袖也捺住了自己的怒火。過了一會兒，他用比較鎮靜但是更加嚴厲的聲音說： 離開我的營帳，再也不要上這兒來。明天我要把你和另外幾個傳令官派到埃諾瑪依的司令帳中去；從此以後你就不再是我的傳令官了。 這位以前的羅馬名妓垂下了頭。她好不容易才熬住了哭泣，一面咬著自己的手，一面慢慢地退出了營帳。同時，斯巴達克斯打開了那個紀念盒，把它湊近嘴唇，縱情地吻著裡面的兩綹頭髮。