A friend to the end

More than 2,000 years of Italian history have left us with apantheon of Italian heroes. Starting with Romulus and Remus, thefounders of Rome, and working right up to film comic Roberto Benigni,the Italians have offered up the glittering names of history -- fromDante to Primo Levi, from Julius Caesar and Christopher Columbus toMarconi and Fermi.

To that list add Fabrizio Quattrocchi, the Italian guard takenhostage in Iraq last week who, in a moment of defiance, inscribed hisname into the hearts of Italians as well as those who recognizebravery in the face of death.

Quattrocchi, after being forced to dig his own grave, stood calmlybefore …