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IN the estimation of his army and of Italy, in


which his great strength resided. He was anx-
lous' therefore, for crowning battle. Crassus


also wished to draw one on. Pompey had been
sent Tor from Spain to supersede him in his COM


mand, and he was not willing that the laurels of


tne campaign should be snatched from him by
Trivial.
In these dispositions of their chiefs, the armies


met on the banks Of the river Silarus not far from


the bay Of Postum. Spartacus, when he had
drawn up his men in order Of battle, addressed
them in brief and spirit-stirring harangue. In
order to impress them deeply with the fate that
awaited them, should they be vanquished, he had
a prisoner of war nailed to a cross on height,
|so that his agonies might be conspicuously seen


by the whole force; he then had his horse led out,
and killed it in presence of the assembled troops.
I. II is my resolve said he, to share in all your
perils. will have no advantage over you. If
we conquered, shall need horse no more
if conquerors shall get horses in abundance from
the enemy"


The signal for the attack Immediately followed
these words. He was himself the first, at the
head of his most chosen corps, engaged hand to
hand with the enemy. The battle instantly be-
came general on all points. The shock and the
carnage were terrific; but victory was evidently


nclining towards the insurgents, when Spartacus
received deep wound on the thigh. Supported
on one knee, he still, however, with his buckler
and his sword, defended himself, and dealt ferce-
ly on his assailants, cheering on his men all the
while. In this situation he was slain. His men,
maintained the fight, not with
the hope Of victory, but to sell their lives dear.
They were at last overcome. Thirty thousand
of their bodies were found dead on the field, and
not one of them, as Sallust observes, had a wound
behind. The Romans lost 10000 men, and had
as many wounded. Three thousand Roman pri-
soners were found in the insurgent camp, which
argues humanity on the part Of Spartacus; for he
and his followers had been put by the Senate out
thousand taken by Crassus on this occasion were
nailed to crosses, at certain distances from each
other, along the highway on either side Of it. and
the Roman legions then marched between them,
to gaze upon them whilst agonizing in their long
tortures.