Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-18
STORY OF sPARTAcUS
Roman Slave Who Brought Great EN-.
pire to Its Knees.

piro 10 It's Nhees.
Both Greek and Roman history have
ever been, an open fount to the writer
in search Of nom de guerre. It can
not be said that the names thus sup
piled have always been full Of mean
'ng to the average man, but as
they have always, presumably, been
adopted by reason Of their supposed
appositeness, study Of them has a
certain reward. Such study reveals
an aspiration, even If 1t does not con.
firm an achievement. Thus 1t is with
Spartacus, first the nom de guerre Of
Karl Liebknecht, the German. socialist,
and then adopted by his followers ir
Germany as the name Of the group or
party into which they banded them
selves. AS for the appositeness Of the
titles as applied to Karl Liebknecht
every one must decide for himself
The story, anyway, of Spartacus, tho
deserter from the Roman army in tho
first century B. c.. who rose to be the
leader Of a great rebel host, which ha6
at one time, all Italy at its feet, Is on
of the most remarkable In classical
history. A Thracian by birth, Sparta
Gus served in the Roman army, but
seems to have deserted, for 1t Is re-
corded that he was taken prisoner ant
sold as q slave. Spartacus, however,
was not Of the stuff that slaves are
made Of. He had deserted from the
army, and when, as a slave destined
for the arena, he was sent to train
ing school for gladiators at Cupua, ht
determined to effect his escape from
their sale. And so, one day, with
band of his fellow gladiators he broke
out from the school, took refuge on
Mt. Vesuvius, and there with his two
Ilieutenants, Crixus and Oenomaus,
maintained himself as a captain Of
brigands.
From the first he was successful. A
force Of 800 sent against him under c.
Claudius Pulcher was put to flight.
and the stronghold amidst the rocks
of Vesuvius became a veritable cave
of Adullam. Swarms Of escaped
slaves, hardy and desperate men,
Joined the rebels, and when the prae-
tor Publius Varinius took the field
against them he found the rebel forces
| 'ntrenched like a rugular. army in the
plain. Spartacus was still feeling his
way. With all the genius Of a really
able general, which he subsequently
proved himself to be, he avoided bat
tie, and, determined to choose his own
venue, marched into Lucania, a countr!
better adopted for guerilla warfare.
The praetor followed him, but was de-
feated In one engagement after anoth-
er, and himself narrowly escaped be-
ing taken prisoner. With each sue
cess Spartacus enlarged his borders
and his aspirations. He had pro-
claimed liberty for the slaves. and run
away slaves joined him In enormous
numbers, taking the field within
short time as some Of the most capa-
BILE soldiers that had ever drawn
sword against the republic.
The whole Of southern Italy was quick
ly in Spartacus's possession, and, al
last, the senate dispatched both con-
suls against him. The rebel leader
however, defeated them in turn anc
then pressed toward the Alps. Here
was a great change. Beyond the Alps
there was unquestioned freedom for
himself and his immense host. NOUN
ing could stand in his way. Galus
Cassius, the governor Of Cisalpine
Gaul, and the praetor Gnaeus Manlius'
who attempted to stop him, were de-
feated at Mutina. The slaves, how
ever, inflated with success, refused 10
-bandon Italy, and this was the turn
of the tide. Spartacus marched mis-
army against Rome itself, and insteao
of attacking the city, passed again IN
to Lucania, where the praetor Marcus
Licinus came against him. This time
the Roman general was successful
Spartacus was defeated, and headed MS
| -rmy in full retreat for the strails "
Messina, intending to cross over into
Sicily. The pirates. however, who mao
agreed to transport his army proved
faithless, and the pursuing praetor
ure of his prey, was preparing camly
to shut up the rebels in the Ca'aoria'
by carrying a ditch and q rampant
right across the peninsula, when spar
tacus, with an energy that apparently
nothing could Withstand, forced the
lines, routed, the Roman army ana
once again, had the ball at his feet'
By this time, however. he had TO race
disunion in the ranks Of his own rol-
lowers, and, in a pitched battle Wnlcn
followed, shortly afterward, the reoels
were completely defeated, spartacus
himself falling, sword in hand.-Chris-
tan Science Monitor.
,tg The world has accumulated lot