Spartacus by Lewis Grassic Gibbon Read Free Book Online

asses? There are too many of both in the world. Strategos’ – he addressed the Thracian Gladiator directly. ‘What is your plan? Where will you lead us?’
    Elpinice bent towards Spartacus and whispered. He nodded. ‘That is for this gathering to decide,’ he answered the Jew in that remote, brooding voice that came so strangely from the lips of the bloody leader who had held the passes of Vesuvius single-handed while his followers retreated, who had commanded the Gladiators with courage and skill at the Battle of the Lake. Gannicus spoke next.
    â€˜The Masters won’t leave us unmolested long. Let’s march to the nearest town and take it by stealth or assault. There are women and plunder in plenty in this land you’ve helped to till.’
    Murmurs of approbation rose from the squatting, scratching, ill-weaponed slaves. For all desired women and plunder, save the eunuch Kleon, who had use for neither, and the Gaul Castus, who loved Spartacus, and Gershom ben Sanballat, who loathed the thought of a Gentile woman as he loathed the thought of a Gentile Master. Then Titul spoke.
    â€˜We’ll keep the women, but the men we can sacrifice to our Gods, and so ensure victory in the future. Gladdened is the heart of Kokolkh by a sacrifice of blood.’
    And to many who listened this seemed a good plan, remembering dimly their ancient Gods and the cold still faces in the peristyles of the enemy Gods that the Masters followed. Now out of nights and days made free of toil, strange, lost Gods arose to memory again, giving new fears to the dark of the slave shelters, new fierceness with the mutter of half-remembered chants. Then they turned their eyes as the Jew rose again, and a murmur of his name spread round the circles, the Eastern slaves had heard of the Jews with a name through Asia for pride and ferocity, cunning and greed.
    â€˜Let us split into many small bands and escape to the sea. There we may seize ships and so escape Italy.’
    But at this the Gauls and Germans cried that they were being deserted, and broke into an angry clamour which Gannicus made no attempt to still. The Gladiator who had spoken in defence of Elpinice pulled at the Gladiator’s tunic she wore.
    â€˜Shall we Games-men quieten these shearers of sheep?’
    Spartacus was standing up. Silence fell at his first word, for most had already seen him and all knew of him.
    â€˜I remember hunting wolves,’ he put up his hand to his head, ‘long ago. When the packs were about us in the winter-time I and the others kept in a band and reached home in safety. We neither stayed among the wolves nor scattered and ran—’
    He stopped, staring, a troubling, tremendous figure to the eyes of the slaves; and then sat down. Elpinice stood up, her woman’s voice strange and mild in the bass rumblings of the ragged horde.
    â€˜The Wolf is Rome. Spartacus will lead us from Italy, but only as a united army. Let us march and meet the next army of the praetor’s.’
    â€˜What will that help?’ asked Gershom ben Sanballat, and he voiced the slave-army.
    â€˜If we defeat the Masters we can arm ourselves and be strong enough to fight a way through Italy.’
    Hearing this, the slaves were again divided, some favouring the boldness of the woman, others crying that she was mad. In the warmth of the increasing day, a dull stench arose from the squatting circles. Hunger came on the slaves and certain of them drew away, lighting cooking-fires. The hum of argument rose and fell, with occasional wild bursts of laughter from a group of demented slaves who had escaped the mines. The literatus Kleon had stood on the verge of the gathering, listening in a cold amusement. Now he made his way through the circles to the side of Gershom the Jew.
    Hating all Greeks and loathing eunuchs, the haughty Pharisee shivered with a secret repulsion whenever Kleon approached. Yet also, himself dazed in the discovery,