I'm reading "SPARTACUS" by Howard Fast right now at the suggestion of my friend, Clay McBride. What prompted him sending the following passage from the book to me was after I had passed along some right-wing hysterical talk (real posts from a message board) along the lines of "hanging 10 Iraqis on street lamps" as punishment for every American soldier killed.

"Tokens of punishment" is what the Romans called the crucifixions that lined their roads when they killed 6000 of Spartacus's men, the slaves that rose up in revolt for their freedom. If you are looking for a terrific story that relates directly to our times today, read Fast's book!


"And Spartacus taught me that all the bad things men do, they do because
they are afraid. He showed me how men could change and become fine and
beautiful, if only they lived in brotherhood and shared all they had among
them. I saw this. I lived through it. But in some way, the man I had for
my own was always like that. That's why Spartacus could lead them all.
That's why they listened to him. They weren't just murderers and butchers.
They were something like the world never saw before. They were the way
people can be. That's why you can't hurt me. That's why I can't love you."

--Varinia, the wife of Spartacus, speaking to her new master, Crassus,
after the death of Spartacus.






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