We forget how terrifying darkness was in the past. We are not afraid today because we have a host of resources that will come to our rescue. We walk along a dark path in full knowledge that should we slip and break a leg, it won't be a big deal. We will miss a day or tow of work but can be expect to be up an running marathons within a couple months. But for a Roman, a broken leg was a life-altering and often deadly event. So that forest path lit only by starlight may seem romantic today but for most of human history was something to be diligently avoided.