This young Gaul is the sole survivor of a small band of guerrilla warriors who successfully harassed the Roman legions as they pushed further into his tribal territory. Finally, after many skirmishes, and overcome by the numerically superior Romans, he stands alone and unarmed surrounded by a detachment of enemy soldiers.
What should he do? Does he throw himself against Roman swords and javelins and die an honourable death? Or does he surrender to fight another day?.
His hatred of Rome is such that he decides on the latter. He reasons, as long as he lives, there is always the possibility that he can kill more Romans and so he now stands in an attitude of submission with his hands placed behind his head.
He has chosen to live but he'll never fight again! Soon, he'll be taken in chains to Rome and sold as a slave to a wealthy patrician to toil under the whip in his master's marble quarries.
Artwork sourced from the internet: the text is mine.
Foolish Gallic youth ! much better to throw yourself against the Roman swords or against your own sword and die honourably !
ReplyDeleteTo be a slave, to be in chains every moment of your very short remaining life, to be a burden-beast flogged unceasingly even when there is no need to spur you to a heavier effort ……. will never give you any chance of taking your fierce revenge against your hated Roman soldiers.
You did the wrong choice, boy ! The haughty and cruel Roman Patrician who will have the luck of buying this splendid piece of strong male flesh in the Slave Market will be on the contrary extremely content with such a fortunate buying.
Against your own will, you are doing to your fiercest enemies a great favour …… without being even conscious, you are giving them the greatest pleasures, foolish, crazy Gallic boy !
Karel