Daniel
initially joined with Rosh because he thought the bandit leader could offer him something that
he desired: revenge. Daniel assumed that Rosh was working for the cause of freeing Israel from
Roman occupancy, because his criminal activities often worked against Roman interest. In fact,
Rosh has always been a criminal, working entirely for himself, and he used the cause of freedom
as a way to further his own interests. Daniel finally realizes this when Rosh refuses to help
him rescue Joel.
The red mist of anger cleared suddenly from
Daniel's mind. He looked at the man who had been his leader. He saw the coarsened face with its
tangle of dirty beard. He saw the hard mouth, the calculating little eyes. He saw a man he had
never really looked at before."The cause!" he said with despair.
"How could you know what it means?"
(Speare,
, Google Books)
Joel is Daniel's friend, one
who has helped him rediscover his own humanity and his capacity for love. To Rosh, however, Joel
is simply a pawn to be used and discarded when he is no longer of use. Sacrificing men to save
him on moral grounds -- which is exactly what Daniel does later -- is alien to Rosh, since he
cares about nothing except for his own survival and comfort. Daniel finally realizes that Rosh
has been using him since day one, with no actual concern for the cause
itself.
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