Crassus   

the praetor, took the command against them with a body of three thousand
men from Rome, and besieged them within a mountain, accessible only
by one narrow and difficult passage, which Clodius kept guarded, encompassed
on all other sides with steep and slippery precipices. Upon the top,
however, grew a great many wild vines, and cutting down as many of
their boughs as they had need of, they twisted them into strong ladders
long enough to reach from thence to the bottom, by which, without
any danger, they got down all but one, who stayed there to throw them
down their arms, and after this succeeded in saving himself. The Romans
were ignorant of all this, and, therefore, coming upon them in the
rear, they assaulted them unawares and took their camp. Several, also,
of the shepherds and herdsmen that were there, stout and nimble fellows,
revolted over to them, to some of whom they gave complete arms, and
made use of others as scouts and light-armed soldiers. Publius Varinus,
the praetor, was now sent against them, whose lieutenant, Furius,
with two thousand men, they fought and routed. Then Cossinius was
sent with considerable forces, to give his assistance and advice,
and him Spartacus missed but very little of capturing in person, as
he was bathing at Salinae; for he with great difficulty made his escape,
while Spartacus possessed himself of his baggage, and following the
chase with a great slaughter, stormed his camp and took it, where
Cossinius himself was slain. After many successful skirmishes with
the praetor himself, in one of which he took his lictors and his own
horse, he began to be great and terrible; but wisely considering that
he was not to expect to match the force of the empire, he marched
his army towards the Alps, intending, when he had passed them, that
every man should go to his own home, some to Thrace, some to Gaul.
But they, grown confident in their numbers, and puffed up with their
success, would give no obedience to him, but went about and ravaged
Italy; so that now the senate was not only moved at the indignity
and baseness, both of the enemy and of the insurrection, but, looking
upon it as a matter of alarm and of dangerous consequence, sent out
both the consuls to it, as to a great and difficult enterprise. The
consul Gellius, falling suddenly upon a party of Germans, who through
contempt, and confidence had straggled from Spartacus, cut them all
to pieces. But when Lentulus with a large army besieged Spartacus,
he sallied out upon him, and, joining battle, defeated his chief officers,
and captured all his baggage. As he made toward the Alps, Cassius,
who was praetor of that part of Gaul that lies about the Po, met him
with ten thousand men, but being overcome in the battle, he had much
ado to escape himself, with the loss of a great many of his men.
When the senate understood this, they were displeased at the consuls,
and ordering them to meddle no further, they appointed Crassus general
of the war, and a great many of the nobility went volunteers with
him, partly out of friendship, and partly to get honour. He stayed
himself on the borders of Picenum, expecting Spartacus would come
that way, and sent his lieutenant, Mummius, with two legions, to wheel
about and observe the enemy's motions, but upon no account to engage
or skirmish. But he, upon the first opportunity, joined battle, and
was routed, having a great many of his men slain, and a great many
only saving their lives with the loss of their arms. Crassus rebuked
Mummius severely, and arming the soldiers again, he made them find
sureties for their arms, that they would part with them no more, and
five hundred that were the beginners of the flight he divided into
fifty tens, and one of each was to die by lot, thus reviving the ancient
Roman punishment of decimation, where ignominy is added to the penalty
of death, with a variety of appalling and terrible circumstances,
presented before the eyes of the whole army, assembled as spectators.
When he had thus reclaimed his men, he led them against the enemy;
but Spartacus retreated through Lucania toward the sea, and in the
straits meeting with some Cilician pirate ships, he had thoughts of
attempting Sicily, where, by landing two thousand men, he hoped to
new kindle the war of the slaves, which was but lately extinguished,
and seemed to need but little fuel to set it burning again. But after