gaged with pirate captains to transport a part of his force to Sicily,
but the freebooters took the money and sailed away without the men.

And now began a struggle for life and death. Spartacus was in the
narrowest part of the foot of Southern Italy. Crassus determined to keep
him there by building strong lines of intrenchment across the neck of
land. Spartacus attacked his works twice in one day, but each time was
repulsed with great slaughter. But he defended himself vigorously.

Pompey was now returning from Spain. Crassus, not caring to be robbed of
the results of his labors, determined to assault Spartacus in his camp.
But before he could do so the daring gladiator attacked his lines again,
forced his way through, and marched for Brundusium, where he hoped to
find ships that would convey him and his men from Italy.

As it happened, a large body of Roman veterans, returning from
Macedonia, had just reached Brundusium, and undertook its defence.
Foiled in his purpose, Spartacus turned upon the pursuing army of
Crassus, like a wolf at bay, and attacked it with the energy of
desperation. The battle that ensued was contested with the fiercest
courage. Spartacus and his men were fighting for their lives, and the
result continued doubtful till the brave gladiator was wounded in the
thigh by a javelin. Falling on his knee, he fought with the courage of a
hero until, overpowered by numbers, he fell dead.

His death decided the conflict. Most of his followers were slain on the
field. A strong body escaped to the mountains, but these were pursued,
and many fell. Five thousand of them made their way to the north of
Italy, where they were met by Pompey, on his return from Spain, and
slaughtered to a man.

Crassus took six thousand prisoners, and these he disposed of in the
cruel Roman way of dealing with revolted slaves, hanging or crucifying
the whole of them along the road between Rome and Capua.

Thus ended far the most important outbreak of Roman gladiators and
slaves. The south of Italy suffered horribly from its ravages, but not
through any act of Spartacus, who throughout showed a moderation equal
to his courage and military ability. Had it not been for the lawless
character of his followers his career might have had a very different
ending, for he had shown himself a commander of rare ability and
unconquerable courage.

_CAESAR AND THE PIRATES._

We have spoken of the pirates who agreed to convey the fo