Post by Ilithyia on Apr 5, 2011 13:39:26 GMT -6
Below is a brief synopsis of Blood & Sand.
SPOILERS BELOW.
Spartacus is a proud and devoted man, both to his land Thrace and his wife, Sura. When he attacks and humiliates Claudius Glaber for refusing to aid his home town against the invading barbarians, he and his wife are captured as slaves for vengeance.
Whilst Sura is taken to lands unknown, Spartacus is thrown to the arena against four gladiators, to be executed. He defeats the four gladiators and gains the favor of the crowd, which prompts the ludus owner Quintus Lentulus Batiatus to buy him into his team of gladiators. He is given the name Spartacus after the Thracian leader of old, and his true name is currently unknown.
Spartacus proves to be a difficult case in the ludus. He is stubborn and will obey no man, thinking only of escaping and finding and rescuing his wife. This leads to him being humiliated and badly treated by the other gladiators. Eventually Batiatus strikes a deal and agrees to find Spartacus' wife as long as Spartacus trains to become a gladiator and heeds Batiatus as his master. During the training Spartacus finds a friend in fellow gladiator trainee Varro and an enemy in Crixus, the prime gladiator of the ludus.
His first real fight in the arena (aggravated by a spar with Crixus so he can avoid fighting Varro) takes place against Crixus. Spartacus loses miserably but produces the sign of surrender so that he may live to fight another day and find his wife. In doing so, he loses his honor and status as a gladiator, and to regain it must fight in the Pit in brutal, lawless brawls. He excels in this, eventually regaining his status by saving the life of Batiatus.
Spartacus' second fight in the arena is by Crixus' side as they fight as one against the legendary giant, Theokoles. Despite their initial hesitance and difficulties, they find a common purpose in uniting to fight for their women. The beginning of the battle is in their favor, until Theokoles - after feigning death - gets up again and seriously wounds Crixus. Spartacus, fighting alone now, finishes off Theokoles and decapitates him.
This marks the beginning of Spartacus being named the new Champion of Capua and becoming a favorite in the house of Batiatus. Batiatus buys him his own personal set of gladiatorial armor and gives him a room of his own in the ludus, instead of the cell he was living in before. He has also promised Spartacus the return of his wife and Spartacus eagerly awaits her, all the while planning his escape attempt. He even drugs Doctore to avoid fighting him. However, when the caravan with Sura arrives and the driver, Aulus is covered in blood and weak, Spartacus finds Sura at the very end of her life, thwarting his hopes of escape. Aulus says their caravan was attacked on the road, and there was nothing he could do. Sura dies in Spartacus' arms.
While Spartacus grieves her death, Batiatus arranges his next fight, which is to be a historical fight representing a Roman's conquest over the Thracians. Spartacus is to play the Roman and will slaughter criminals dressed as Thracians. At first he denies as it is against his heritage. Batiatus warns him that if he wants to remain Champion of Capua, he needs to stop being a Thracian and become a true gladiator, that he needs to let go of all those ties. Spartacus is hesitant but receives inspiration from his wife in a flashback. Putting his fate in the hands of the gods, he heeds Batiatus in the end, agreeing to fight as a Roman. He is set against six criminals who, whilst at first overpowering him, eventually all reach their end. When the sixth is at his knees, Spartacus hesitates in killing him because he sees his own face on the criminal's. He eventually decapitates the man, signifying the death of all the Thracian that was left in him and the embrace of the life of a gladiator.
Spartacus enjoys his standing in the ludus, which is now above that of Crixus. However, his enjoyment of this special treatment comes to an end as he is forced to kill his closest friend Varro in what was only meant to be an exhibit of a gladiator fight for Numerius' birthday. This breaks Spartacus' spirit, and he realises that all the comforts and respect he has gained with his success in the arena amount to nothing, as he cannot save the ones dear to him. Wounded in the exhibition with Varro and consumed with fever, both Sura and Varro come to Spartacus in a dream and show him that Aulus killed Sura at Biatiatus' command. With clear goals of revenge and escape, he decides that he will rise against Batiatus and "kill them all".
Spartacus begins to draw allies to his side. He quickly brings the brothers Duro and Agron into the picture, and they convince others to join, but many of the gauls in the ludus still follow Crixus' lead. Meanwhile, due to Glaber gaining patronage over the ludus, Roman guards are present at all times and the gladiators are mistreated and herded like animals, fueling their resolve to revolt.
Batiatus decides that for the celebration of Glaber' patronage, Spartacus will fight Crixus in a fight to the death. Spartacus learns that Crixus is destined to lose, as Batiatus has poisoned his food. He tries to convince him in training breaks, but is unsuccessful. Finally the battle comes, and the elite of Capua watch on from the balcony. Spartacus and Crixus fight as was meant, but Crixus gradually weakens. He discovers Batiatus' betrayal and joins Spartacus. Crixus signals his change of mind by tapping his shield when he is down, signifying Spartacus' overpowering move in the fight against Theokoles. Spartacus takes this signal and launches himself from the shield towards the balcony, thrusting his sword through the head of Sextus, but is halted from killing Batiatus by Doctore.
The gladiators, all of them now following Spartacus and Crixus, destroy the household and everyone in it. The gate to the villa is unlocked by Mira, who Spartacus brought to their side in exchange for laying with her. The massacre reaches a climax when Spartacus meets Batiatus. Whilst they speak, Lucretia stumbles into the room, having been wounded by Crixus. Batiatus calls out for his wife and Spartacus taunts him, as Batiatus once did him concerning Sura, and then slashes Batiatus' throat open when he reaches for Lucretia. Spartacus then delivers a rousing speech (the Pro Casus Rebellionis) to the assembled survivors, before leading them from the ludus to "make Rome tremble".
SPOILERS BELOW.
Spartacus is a proud and devoted man, both to his land Thrace and his wife, Sura. When he attacks and humiliates Claudius Glaber for refusing to aid his home town against the invading barbarians, he and his wife are captured as slaves for vengeance.
Whilst Sura is taken to lands unknown, Spartacus is thrown to the arena against four gladiators, to be executed. He defeats the four gladiators and gains the favor of the crowd, which prompts the ludus owner Quintus Lentulus Batiatus to buy him into his team of gladiators. He is given the name Spartacus after the Thracian leader of old, and his true name is currently unknown.
Spartacus proves to be a difficult case in the ludus. He is stubborn and will obey no man, thinking only of escaping and finding and rescuing his wife. This leads to him being humiliated and badly treated by the other gladiators. Eventually Batiatus strikes a deal and agrees to find Spartacus' wife as long as Spartacus trains to become a gladiator and heeds Batiatus as his master. During the training Spartacus finds a friend in fellow gladiator trainee Varro and an enemy in Crixus, the prime gladiator of the ludus.
His first real fight in the arena (aggravated by a spar with Crixus so he can avoid fighting Varro) takes place against Crixus. Spartacus loses miserably but produces the sign of surrender so that he may live to fight another day and find his wife. In doing so, he loses his honor and status as a gladiator, and to regain it must fight in the Pit in brutal, lawless brawls. He excels in this, eventually regaining his status by saving the life of Batiatus.
Spartacus' second fight in the arena is by Crixus' side as they fight as one against the legendary giant, Theokoles. Despite their initial hesitance and difficulties, they find a common purpose in uniting to fight for their women. The beginning of the battle is in their favor, until Theokoles - after feigning death - gets up again and seriously wounds Crixus. Spartacus, fighting alone now, finishes off Theokoles and decapitates him.
This marks the beginning of Spartacus being named the new Champion of Capua and becoming a favorite in the house of Batiatus. Batiatus buys him his own personal set of gladiatorial armor and gives him a room of his own in the ludus, instead of the cell he was living in before. He has also promised Spartacus the return of his wife and Spartacus eagerly awaits her, all the while planning his escape attempt. He even drugs Doctore to avoid fighting him. However, when the caravan with Sura arrives and the driver, Aulus is covered in blood and weak, Spartacus finds Sura at the very end of her life, thwarting his hopes of escape. Aulus says their caravan was attacked on the road, and there was nothing he could do. Sura dies in Spartacus' arms.
While Spartacus grieves her death, Batiatus arranges his next fight, which is to be a historical fight representing a Roman's conquest over the Thracians. Spartacus is to play the Roman and will slaughter criminals dressed as Thracians. At first he denies as it is against his heritage. Batiatus warns him that if he wants to remain Champion of Capua, he needs to stop being a Thracian and become a true gladiator, that he needs to let go of all those ties. Spartacus is hesitant but receives inspiration from his wife in a flashback. Putting his fate in the hands of the gods, he heeds Batiatus in the end, agreeing to fight as a Roman. He is set against six criminals who, whilst at first overpowering him, eventually all reach their end. When the sixth is at his knees, Spartacus hesitates in killing him because he sees his own face on the criminal's. He eventually decapitates the man, signifying the death of all the Thracian that was left in him and the embrace of the life of a gladiator.
Spartacus enjoys his standing in the ludus, which is now above that of Crixus. However, his enjoyment of this special treatment comes to an end as he is forced to kill his closest friend Varro in what was only meant to be an exhibit of a gladiator fight for Numerius' birthday. This breaks Spartacus' spirit, and he realises that all the comforts and respect he has gained with his success in the arena amount to nothing, as he cannot save the ones dear to him. Wounded in the exhibition with Varro and consumed with fever, both Sura and Varro come to Spartacus in a dream and show him that Aulus killed Sura at Biatiatus' command. With clear goals of revenge and escape, he decides that he will rise against Batiatus and "kill them all".
Spartacus begins to draw allies to his side. He quickly brings the brothers Duro and Agron into the picture, and they convince others to join, but many of the gauls in the ludus still follow Crixus' lead. Meanwhile, due to Glaber gaining patronage over the ludus, Roman guards are present at all times and the gladiators are mistreated and herded like animals, fueling their resolve to revolt.
Batiatus decides that for the celebration of Glaber' patronage, Spartacus will fight Crixus in a fight to the death. Spartacus learns that Crixus is destined to lose, as Batiatus has poisoned his food. He tries to convince him in training breaks, but is unsuccessful. Finally the battle comes, and the elite of Capua watch on from the balcony. Spartacus and Crixus fight as was meant, but Crixus gradually weakens. He discovers Batiatus' betrayal and joins Spartacus. Crixus signals his change of mind by tapping his shield when he is down, signifying Spartacus' overpowering move in the fight against Theokoles. Spartacus takes this signal and launches himself from the shield towards the balcony, thrusting his sword through the head of Sextus, but is halted from killing Batiatus by Doctore.
The gladiators, all of them now following Spartacus and Crixus, destroy the household and everyone in it. The gate to the villa is unlocked by Mira, who Spartacus brought to their side in exchange for laying with her. The massacre reaches a climax when Spartacus meets Batiatus. Whilst they speak, Lucretia stumbles into the room, having been wounded by Crixus. Batiatus calls out for his wife and Spartacus taunts him, as Batiatus once did him concerning Sura, and then slashes Batiatus' throat open when he reaches for Lucretia. Spartacus then delivers a rousing speech (the Pro Casus Rebellionis) to the assembled survivors, before leading them from the ludus to "make Rome tremble".
