From enslavement to rebel gladiator: The life of Spartacus - Fiona Radford

Prevoditelj: Katarina Mikjel Recezent: Ivan Stamenković

As the warrior slept,

Dok je ratnik spavao,

a snake coiled around his face.

zmija mu se omotala oko lica.

Instead of a threat, his wife saw an omen–

Njegova supruga u tome nije vidjela prijetnju, već znak –

a fearsome power that would lead her husband to either glory or doom.

strahovite moći koja će njezinu suprugu donijeti slavu ili propast.

For now, however, he was only a slave –

Zasad je, međutim, bio samo rob –

one of millions taken from the territories

jedan od milijuna koji su odvedeni s teritorijâ

conquered by Rome to work the mines,

koje je osvojio Rim kako bi radili u rudnicima,

till the fields,

obrađivali polja

or fight for the crowd’s entertainment.

ili borbama zabavljali mase.

A nomadic Thracian from what is now Bulgaria,

Nomadski Tračanin s prostora današnje Bugarske

he had served in the Roman Army but was imprisoned for desertion.

služio je u rimskoj vojsci, a potom je zatočen zbog dezertiranja.

His name was Spartacus.

Ime mu je bilo Spartak.

Spartacus had been brought to Capua by Batiatus, a lanista,

Spartaka je u Capuu doveo Bacijat, lanist,

or trainer of gladiators.

tj. učitelj gladijatora.

And life at the ludus, or gladiator school, was unforgiving.

A život u gladijatorskoj školi (ludus) bio je nesmiljen.

New recruits were forced to swear an oath

Novaci su se morali zakleti

“to be burned, to be bound, to be beaten, and to be killed by the sword,”

da će „biti spaljivani, okovani, udarani i pogibati od mača”

and to obey their master’s will without question.

i da će se bespogovorno pokoravati volji svojega gospodara.

But even harsh discipline couldn’t break Spartacus’s spirit.

No čak ni čelična disciplina nije mogla slomiti Spartakov duh.

In 73 BCE, Spartacus led 73 other slaves

Godine 73. pr. Kr. 73 roba predvođena Spartakom

to seize knives and skewers from the kitchen and fight their way out,

ugrabila su noževe i ražnjeve iz kuhinje i uspjela pobjeći,

hijacking a wagon of gladiator equipment along the way.

otevši usput teretna kola s gladijatorskom opremom.

They were done fighting for others–

Bilo im je dosta borbe za druge –

now, they fought for their freedom.

sada su se borili za vlastitu slobodu.

When the news reached Rome,

U doba kad je vijest doprla do Rima,

the Senate was too busy with wars in Spain and the Pontic Empire

Senat je bio previše zauzet ratovima u Španjolskoj i Pontskom Kraljevstvu

to worry about some unruly slaves.

da bi ga zabrinjavali nekakvi neposlušni robovi.

Unconcerned, praetor Claudius Glaber took an army of three thousand men

Nimalo zabrinut, pretor Klaudije Glaber poveo je vojsku od tri tisuće ljudi

to the rebel’s refuge at Mount Vesuvius,

do pubunjeničkog utočišta na planini Vezuvu

and blocked off the only passage up the mountain.

i blokirao jedini prilaz planini.

All that remained was to wait and starve them out–

Trebalo je samo pričekati dok ne izgladne –

or so he thought.

barem je tako mislio.

In the dead of night,

U gluho doba noći

the rebels lowered themselves down the cliffside on ropes made from vines,

pobunjenici su se spustili niz liticu na konopcima od lijana

and flanked Glaber’s unguarded camp.

i opkolili Glaberov izloženi logor.

Thus began the legend of Rome’s defiant gladiator.

Tako je rođena legenda o rimskom buntovnom gladijatoru.

As news of the rebellion spread,

Kako se vijest o pobuni širila,

its ranks swelled with escaped slaves,

pobunjenicima su se masovno pridruživali odbjegli robovi,

deserting soldiers, and hungry peasants.

dezerteri i gladni seljaci.

Many were untrained,

Mnogi od njih nisu prošli vojnu obuku,

but Spartacus’s clever tactics transformed them

no Spartakova ih je pametna taktika preobrazila

into an effective guerrilla force.

u učinkovitu gerilsku silu.

A second Roman expedition led by praetor Varinius,

Druga rimska ekspedicija, koju je predvodio pretor Varinije,

was ambushed while the officer bathed.

napadnuta je iz zasjede dok se zapovjednik kupao.

To elude the remaining Roman forces,

Kako bi umaknuli preostalim rimskim trupama,

the rebels used their enemy’s corpses as decoy guards,

pobunjenici su s pomoću neprijateljskih leševa odvratili pažnju stražarima,

stealing Varinius’s own horse to aid their escape.

i uspjeli pobjeći služeći se Varinijevim vlastitim konjem.

Thanks to his inspiring victories and policy of distributing spoils equally,

Inspirativnim pobjedama i pravednom raspodjelom plijena,

Spartacus continued attracting followers,

Spartak je privlačio sve više sljedbenika

and gained control of villages

i osvojio sela

where new weapons could be forged.

u kojima su mogli kovati novo oružje.

The Romans soon realized they were no longer facing ragtag fugitives,

Rimljani su ubrzo shvatili da više nemaju posla s neorganiziranim bjeguncima

and in the spring of 72 BCE,

i u proljeće 72. pr. Kr.

the Senate retaliated with the full force of two legions.

Senat je uzvratio udarac punom snagom dviju legija.

The rebels left victorious,

Pobunjenici su pobijedili,

but many lives were lost in the battle,

ali mnogo ih je poginulo u bitki,

including Spartacus’ lieutenant Crixus.

među njima i Spartakov poručnik Krikso.

To honor him, Spartacus held funeral games,

Njemu u čast Spartak je održao pogrebne igre,

forcing his Roman prisoners to play the role his fellow rebels had once endured.

prisilivši rimske zarobljenike da preuzmu negdašnje uloge njegove pobunjeničke braće

By the end of 72 BCE,

Do kraja 72. pr. Kr.

Spartacus’ army was a massive force of roughly 120,000 members.

Spartakova vojska bila je već ogromna sila od oko 120 000 članova.

But those numbers proved difficult to manage.

No tolikim je mnoštvom bilo teško upravljati.

With the path to the Alps clear,

Budući da je put do Alpa bio otvoren,

Spartacus wanted to march beyond Rome’s borders,

Spartak je želio napustiti rimski teritorij i poći negdje

where his followers would be free.

gdje bi njegovi sljedbenici bili slobodni.

But his vast army had grown brash.

No njegova se ogromna vojska uzoholila.

Many wanted to continue pillaging,

Mnogi od njih željeli su nastaviti s pljačkom,

while others dreamed of marching on Rome itself.

dok su drugi sanjali o pohodu na sami Rim.

In the end, the rebel army turned south–

Naposljetku je pobunjenička vojska krenula na jug –

forgoing what would be their last chance at freedom.

ostavljajući za sobom posljednju priliku za slobodu.

Meanwhile, Marcus Licinius Crassus had assumed control of the war.

U međuvremenu je Marko Licinije Kras preuzeo kontrolu nad ratom.

As Rome’s wealthiest citizen,

Kao najbogatiji rimski građanin

he pursued Spartacus with eight new legions,

krenuo je u potjeru za Spartakom s osam novih legija

eventually trapping the rebels in the toe of Italy.

i naposljetku uhvatio pobunjenike u klopku u „prstu” talijanske čizme.

After failed attempts to build rafts,

Nakon što su im propali pokušaji izgradnje splavi,

and a stinging betrayal by local pirates,

a lokalni ih gusari podlo izdali,

the rebels made a desperate run to break through Crassus’s lines–

pobunjenici su se očajnički pokušali probiti kroz Krasove redove –

but it was no use.

ali uzalud.

Roman reinforcements were returning from the Pontic wars,

Rimske snage dobile su pojačanje u povratnicima iz pontskih ratova,

and the rebels’ ranks and spirits were broken.

a pobunjenički redovi, kao i njihov duh, bili su slomljeni.

In 71 BCE, they made their last stand.

Godine 71. pr. Kr. pružili su posljednji otpor.

Spartacus nearly managed to reach Crassus before being cut down by centurions.

Spartak je gotovo uspio dohvatiti Krasa prije nego što su ga centurioni ubili.

His army was destroyed,

Njegova je vojska uništena,

and 6000 captives were crucified along the Appian Way–

a 6000 zarobljenika razapeto je na križ duž Apijeve ceste,

a haunting demonstration of Roman authority.

kao zlokobno svjedočanstvo rimske moći.

Crassus won the war,

Kras je pobijedio u ratu,

but it is not his legacy which echoes through the centuries.

no nije njegova ostavština ono što odjekuje stoljećima.

Thousands of years later,

Tisućama godina kasnije

the name of the slave who made the world’s mightiest empire tremble

ime roba koji je uzdrmao najmoćnije carstvo na svijetu

has become synonymous with freedom–

postalo je sinonim za slobodu –

and the courage to fight for it.

i hrabrost da se za nju bori.