Spartacus - Epic Film


Notes written by teacher (outline)


spartacus


I. Slavery in Roman Empire

A. Spartacus, a Thracian, bites guard, trying to save a fellow slave
B. Batiatus, a gladiator dealer, takes Spartacus as slave to his household (gladiator school)
1. Marcellus – “freeman,” is the trainer
2. Slaves are branded
3. Spartacus is challenged by Marcellus (to kill him), but Spartacus does not use the sword.
4. Spartacus is warned by fellow-slaves that Marcellus wants to kill him.
C. Women are paired with men – Varinia is for Spartacus
1. Spartacus: “I’ve never had a woman” (she undresses for him)
a. Batiatus & Marcellus laugh at Spartacus
b. Spartacus yells, “I’m not an animal.” Varinia: “Neither am I.”
They talk. She leaves.
D. Training School for Gladiators
1. Sword fighting
a. first rule – instant kill on “red” (neck, heart)
b. second rule – go for the “blue” (cripple – hands)
c. third rule – go for the “yellow” (slow kill – stomach)
2. Spartacus keeps his eyes on slave-girl Varinia
a. she’s brought to his cell, but Marcellus stops her and sends her instead “to the Spaniard.”
3. Lunch time – “no talking,” just eating from a bowl
a. Varinia serves Spartacus a drink
4. More training – at dinner Spartacus befriends Varinia



II. Visitors from Rome – Marcus Crassus (at Capula)
A. First General of the Republic – defender of Rome
1. Marriage of royalty to be celebrated – Helena & Glabrus
a. they want gladiator show – “to the death”
2. Visitors admire gladiators
a. Claudia & Helena choose gladiators Crixus & Spartacus (“the coward”, and 2 others
b. Varinia (from Brittania) spills water purposefully on guest
c. Crassus wants to buy Varinia
B. Gladiator Drama watched by Royalty from Gallery
1. first pair fight while Spartacus & the Ethiopian watch in a cage – Crixus wins
2. next pair fight – Varinia watches, also
a. Spartacus fights against net & trident of Ethiopian with small sword and shield
b. Ethiopian refuses to kill Spartacus, throws spear at royalty – Ethiopian is speared and killed and hung upside down as a spectacle for gladiators to see
C. Next day, Spartacus sees Varinia leave for Rome
1. Spartacus attacks Marcellus, the trainer, and puts his head in soup – kills him
2. Other slaves revolt with Spartacus; they break down the cell doors and climb over iron gates
3. Slaves enter Batiatus’ palace and kill guards; they escape throughout the countryside



III. ROME – the Senate

A. Senators relate news of Slave revolt – Gracchus, the head senator
1. “there’s more slaves in Rome than Romans”
2. Glabrus, commander of garrison of Rome, is given charge to defend Rome from slave revolt
B. Household of Marcus Crassus – the General
1. Antoninus – a Sicilian, singer of songs (teacher of classics)
2. Glabrus to lead 6 cohorts; Julius Caesar to lead the other part of the garrison
a. Marcus Crassus will not break old Roman law to lead legion against Rome
b. Crassus tells young Glabrus to sneak out of Rome



IV. Gladiators / Slaves Revolt

A. Slaves loot and burn the countryside (villages)
1. Spartacus enters burnt & destroyed former palace of Batiatus – sees former gladiator prison
2. Slaves-gladiators make old men (noble Romans) fight
a. “new masters” want to see Romans fight to the death
b. Spartacus stops the fight – pledges to stop bloodshed
c. Spartacus’ speech: “Army of Gladiators” – to free every slave in every village
d. Spartacus suggests hiring pirates (sailors of Phoenicia) to help fight Rome
B. Army of Gladiators on horseback
1. recruit country-side slaves to join them
2. Spartacus sees Varinia at one of the villages
a. she recalls the last time she saw him in arena
b. she tells him she jumped out of cart on way to Rome – she ran away (is now a “free woman”)
c. she tells him she loves him; he forbids her to ever leave him; they ride on horse together



V. Dinner at Gracchus’ House (the Senator)

A. Batiatus & Gracchus dine
1. they talk about corpulence (fatness) and vices (women)
2. they talk about Roman morality, which helped them conquer the world
3. mixing business with pleasure – Batiatus wants Crassus (who was responsible for slave revolt) to be punished
B. Crassus and Antoninus – at Palace of Crassus
1. “There is the power of Rome,” says Crassus
a. “No Nation can withstand her – you must serve her (Rome)”
b. Antoninus leaves (while Crassus gives his speech) – goes to slave camp to join revolt



VI. Gladiators Camp – on Hilltop, overlooking Plain

A. Preparation for battle – training
1. organizing into an army, then march to sea
2. women also are part of the force (food supplies, carpenters, etc.) 3. Antoninus is also at the camp to help (as “magician” – “to make Romans disappear,” laughs Spartacus
B. Training & Munitions (ammunition) build-up continues
1. Antoninus shows magic at night campground – “magic egg”
a. Antoninus sings song (poem) – “I Turn Home”
2. Spartacus & Varinia – Spartacus wants to know everything
a. Varinia tells story of wind coming from the cave
b. Spartacus wants to know about Varinia (“every part of you”)



VII. Battle Plans – Spartacus & Antoninus

A. Rainy night – emissary from East
1. 500 ships – bargaining with treasures (chest)
2. Spartacus is told that 6 cohorts of Roman legions are coming
a. “death is the only freedom a slave knows – that’s why we’ll win!”
B. “Roman Picnic” – 6 cohorts of Roman Legions
1. “Rome’s come to us,” says Spartacus
a. slaves attach Roman camp
2. Marcus Glabrus, commander, is brought to Spartacus
a. baton – symbol of senate (power of Rome)
b. Spartacus – “tell Rome all we want is our freedom – to get out of this country”



VIII. Senate – News of Spartacus (from Glabrus)

A. Spartacus wants “peaceful march to the sea” (freedom)
1. Glabrus’ report – “they were only slaves”
2. Punishment of Senate – Glabrus is denied life in Rome – sent to exile
a. Crassus – withdraws from public life
3. Gracchus says, “Crassus wants to be a dictator – he’ll be back!”
B. Slaves march to the sea – through swamps, snow, rain, etc.
1. past villages, ponds
2. Varinia swims in pond (‘skinny-dipping’)
a. she says she’s going to have a baby (in the Spring)
3. Mass Exodus of people march to the sea
C. Back to Senate –
1. Julius Caesar says, “We can’t let slaves go!”
2. Gracchus – “Make Julius Caesar commander of garrison”
D. Metapontum - town where slaves arrive at
1. joyful reception, collection of tribute (treasures)
2. Varinia is now showing (pregnant)



IX. Roman Bath

A. Roman Senators discuss military strategies
1. 19,000 men in Metapontum (7 months since start)
2. Crassus discusses politics with Julius Caesar
a. “Rome is an eternal thought in the Mind of God,” says Crassus
b. Julius Caesar wants to fight Spartacus to save Rome
3. Gracchus talks with Julius Caesar – says he made a deal with pirates to help Spartacus leave Italy
B. Army of Spartacus reach shores of south Italy – 20 miles from port
1. camp by the sea – tents, dancing, wine-drinking
2. planning strategy – Spartacus & Antoninus
a. load 100 ships a day – at Brundusium
3. emissary – comes with bad news: “You have no ships!”
a. had to withdraw because of Roman fleets’ arrival
b. Crassus paid to have pirates’ ships leave
c. Army of Pompeii advances against Spartacus from the west
4. Strategy – Spartacus figures Crassus wants him to march on Rome.



X. Roman Capitol – Steps – New Commander Ceremony

A. Crassus is made Commander-in-Chief of Roman Forces
1. he promises the destruction of slave army
B. Spartacus promises to free all slaves on the way to battle with Rome
1. “We must fight again,” says Spartacus. “As long as we live we must stay true to ourselves” (free men)
C. Opposing armies fight toward each other – Spartacus from south Italy, General Crassus from north (Rome)
1. battle orders and positions are changed by Crassus
2. Crassus: “This campaign is to kill the Legend of Spartacus”
a. Batiatus meets with Crassus – Batiatus is needed to identify Spartacus; Crassus doesn’t remember the gladiator Spartacus
D. Spartacus walks through the night camp –
1. Spartacus and Varinia
a. Spartacus: “It seems like we’ve started something that has no ending” (can’t beat the Roman Legions)
b. Spartacus: “I pray for a son who’ll be born free.”



XI. Day of the Battle

A. Armies face each other
1. Roman soldiers march onto the field of battle
2. Spartacus gives signal to send burning logs on Romans
B. Two other Roman armies arrive (from south and west)
1. Spartacus fights – falls from horse
2. Dead soldiers are lying on top of each other on battlefield
C. Crassus walks across battlefield looking at dead
1. message read to prisoner (slaves)
a. penalty of crucifixion set aside on condition that Spartacus be identified
b. one after another slave stands up and claims he is “Spartacus” – “I AM SPARTACUS”
2. Batiatus says, “I hear there’s a rumor that slaves are to be crucified”
a. Crassus tells Batiatus that he didn’t bring Spartacus ( like he was supposed to)
b. They find Varinia & baby – Crassus claims her for his own (to be sent to Rome)
D. Crassus recognizes slave Antoninus
1. Crassus gives command to crucify all slaves – and to hold Antoninus and Spartacus until the end
2. Slaves are crucified on poles – T-bars along road leading to Rome



XII. Batiatus and Gracchus talk of Dignity / Courage

A. Batiatus shows his strips (whipped on back)
1. they talk of Varinia, “beautiful & proud”
2. Gracchus wants to steal the woman – to hurt Crassus
B. Julius Caesar arrives to bring Gracchus to Senate
C. Crassus tells Gracchus about “New Order”
1. Appian Way – 6,000 slaves crucified
2. List of “enemies of the State” (Gracchus to be sent into exile)



XIII. Crassus and Varinia

A. Crassus gives her jewelry – necklace of “Queen of Persia”
1. he gives her food and wine
2. Varinia: “Why am I here?”
a. he threatens her with her baby (will do it harm)
b. he wants her love
3. Varinia talks of Spartacus, “a simple man, a slave”
a. Crassus: “He was an outlaw, an enemy of the State”
b. Varinia: “You’re afraid of him, so you want something he had (his wife)”
B. Spartacus and Antoninus in chains (in prison)
1. Antoninus: “Could we have won?”
2. Spartacus: “Just by fighting we won something”
a. “we saw slaves lift their heads from the dust and stand tall” (Spartacus)
b. “and now they’re dead” (Antoninus)
3. “Are you afraid to die, Spartacus?” -- “No more than I was to be born”
C. Crassus comes to the prisoners
1. “Spartacus, you are he, aren’t you?”
a. Spartacus spits in his face
2. Crassus wants Antoninus & Spartacus to fight to the death – “the victor will be crucified”
a. Antoninus: “I won’t let them crucify you.”
b. Spartacus – kills him: “forgive me, Antoninus”
D. Spartacus learns from Crassus that Varinia is a slave in his household



XIV. Spartacus is led to his Crucifixion

A. Last Command (from Crassus)
1. “No grave, no marker, no memorial” (for Spartacus) – body is to be burned and ashes spread
B. Gracchus meets Varinia
1. he gives documents of freedom to Batiatus and Varinia
2. Gracchus sends them away – then takes out dagger (goes behind screen)
C. Batiatus and Varinia are stopped outside gates by a guard
1. Varinia sees Spartacus on a cross
a. she shows him their “free” son
b. “My Life, My Love”
2. Varinia leaves in wagon with Batiatus
a. wagon goes down Appian Way past crosses.

THE END


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