The Nomad
The moon hung in the sky on its circuit. The night cloaked the room with obscurity. Out of the weighted darkness came a hiss that intrigued the woman.
When she entered the room, she saw the snake wrapped around her husband’s head. She was not frightened. In the folklore of their people, the man was subjected to a great destiny, which would be one of either great triumph or great misery.
He was a nomad. He never lived in one place for long. His family roamed the earth as if they were bound to nothing. From their long journeys and difficult treks, he developed an almost impeccable athleticism.
This became the envy of the neighboring country. They wanted him for their army. They enticed him with all the money, power, and glory he would have if he fought for them.
He was a great warrior on the battlefield. Wherever he went, armies quaked. But in a short time, he became disillusioned. The nomad was ensnared. Out of fear, he ran.
He was caught and sent to prison. There he was used for the amusement of spectators.
Darkness had covered the nomad’s life. He was trapped and under the control of ruthless tyrants. Every day he was trotted out to perform deadly feats. All of the freedom he had ever known was gone. So along with other prisoners, they charted their escape.
The nomad would go on to command tens of thousands in rebellion against the army he once fought for. In their battles, he used tactics that would perplex and destroy the enemy. He was craftier than they, but his skill would not last forever.
After a year of fighting, the enemy mustered the largest army he would ever encounter. The opposing commander trapped the nomad and besieged him until he was defeated.
No one knows if the nomad’s body was recovered, but his plot to escape the gladiator’s arena and lead a rebellion against Rome has made his name unbounded and free across the annals of history: Spartacus.