Spartacus

we broke through your lines
and taught your legions fear
when you thought us besieged
we attacked you from the rear

the rural hands we trained
prepared them for the battle
to defeat your mighty legions
and chase them just like cattle

if it wasn't for betrayal
you'd never have stood a chance
so you made me their hero
when you pierced me with your lance

the slaves you once abused
who worked your fields and mines
have learned there can be freedom
beyond your enemy lines

now you think you that can humble
the proud men they'd become
and make an example of
who had fought like one

tied to their crosses
soiled, and half-decayed
there will remain the message
that they have conveyed

Check the background to this one on http://lyrics-in-progress.over-blog.de/
Enjoy!

Playing "Spartacus" - it has become a little folk song, by the way, since IMO rock music would not fit - I found that it was way too short. I used to repeat the last verse, for which I had altered the chords a bit so as to make it a little more dramatic:

tied to their crosses
soiled, and half-decayed
there will remain the message
that they have conveyed

Today I came up with the idea to repeat the first verse as well at the end of the song, with a slightly changed text:

we will break through your lines
and teach your armies fear
when you'll think us besieged
we'll attacked you from the rear

Now I think the song has got the timeless quality which I was striving for and it has fallen into shape. I will record it sometime soon, and you will find it on my other pages in case you're interested.