caius marius-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CAIUS　MARIUS
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　155？…86　B。C。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden



　　WE　are　altogether　ignorant　of　any　third　name　of　Caius　Marius；　as
also　of　Quintus　Sertorius；　that　possessed　himself　of　Spain　or　of
Lucius　Mummius　that　destroyed　Corinth；　though　this　last　was　surnamed
Achaicus　from　his　conquests；　as　Scipio　was　called　Africanus；　and
Metellus；　Macedonicus。　Hence　Posidonius　draws　his　chief　argument　to
confute　those　that　hold　the　third　to　be　the　Roman　proper　name；　as
Camillus；　Marcellus；　Cato；　as　in　this　case；　those　that　had　but　two
names　would　have　no　proper　name　at　all。　He　did　not；　however；　observe
that　by　his　own　reasoning　he　must　rob　the　women　absolutely　of　their
names；　for　none　of　them　have　the　first；　which　Posidonius　imagines
the　proper　name　with　the　Romans。　Of　the　other　two；　one　was　common　to
the　whole　family；　Pompeii；　Manlii；　Cornelii　（as　with　us　Greeks；　the
Heraclidae；　and　Pelopidae）；　the　other　titular；　and　personal；　taken
either　from　their　natures；　or　actions；　or　bodily　characteristics；　as
Macrinus；　Torquatus；　Sylla；　such　as　are　Mnemon；　Grypus；　or
Callinicus　among　the　Greeks。　On　the　subject　of　names；　however；　the
irregularity　of　custom；　would　we　insist　upon　it；　might　furnish　us　with
discourse　enough。
　　There　is　a　likeness　of　Marius　in　stone　at　Ravenna；　in　Gaul；　which
I　myself　saw　quite　corresponding　with　that　roughness　of　character　that
is　ascribed　to　him。　Being　naturally　valiant　and　warlike；　and　more
acquainted　also　with　the　discipline　of　the　camp　than　of　the　city；　he
could　not　moderate　his　passion　when　in　authority。　He　is　said　never
to　have　either　studied　Greek；　or　to　have　use　of　that　language　in　any
matter　of　consequence；　thinking　it　ridiculous　to　bestow　time　in　that
learning；　the　teachers　of　which　were　little　better　than　slaves。　So
after　his　second　triumph；　when　at　the　dedication　of　a　temple　he
presented　some　shows　after　the　Greek　fashion；　coming　into　the　theatre；
he　only　sat　down　and　immediately　departed。　And；　accordingly；　as
Plato　used　to　say　to　Xenocrates　the　philosopher；　who　was　thought　to
show　more　than　ordinary　harshness　of　disposition；　〃I　pray　you；　good
Xenocrates；　sacrifice　to　the　Graces；〃　so　if　any　could　have　persuaded
Marius　to　pay　his　devotions　to　the　Greek　Muses　and　Graces；　he　had
never　brought　his　incomparable　actions；　both　in　war　and　peace；　to　so
unworthy　a　conclusion；　or　wrecked　himself；　so　to　say；　upon　an　old
age　of　cruelty　and　vindictiveness；　through　passion；　ill…timed
ambition；　and　insatiable　cupidity。　But　this　will　further　appear　by　and
by　from　the　facts。
　　He　was　born　of　parents　altogether　obscure　and　indigent；　who
supported　themselves　by　their　daily　labour；　his　father　of　the　same
name　with　himself；　his　mother　called　Fulcinia。　He　had　spent　a
considerable　part　of　his　life　before　he　saw　and　tasted　the　pleasures
of　the　city；　having　passed　previously　in　Cirrhaeaton；　a　village　of　the
territory　of　Arpinum；　a　life；　compared　with　city　delicacies；　rude
and　unrefined；　yet　temperate；　and　conformable　to　the　ancient　Roman
severity。　He　first　served　as　a　soldier　in　the　war　against　the
Celtiberians；　when　Scipio　Africanus　besieged　Numantia；　where　he
signalized　himself　to　his　general　by　courage　far　above　his　comrades；
and　particularly　by　his　cheerfully　complying　with　Scipio's　reformation
of　his　army；　being　almost　ruined　by　pleasures　and　luxury。　It　is
stated；　too；　that　he　encountered　and　vanquished　an　enemy　in　single
combat；　in　his　general's　sight。　In　consequence　of　all　this　he　had
several　honours　conferred　upon　him；　and　once　when　at　an
entertainment　a　question　arose　about　commanders；　and　one　of　the
company　（whether　really　desirous　to　know；　or　only　in　complaisance）
asked　Scipio　where　the　Romans；　after　him；　should　obtain　such　another
general；　Scipio；　gently　clapping　Marius　on　the　shoulder　as　he　sat　next
him；　replied；　〃Here；　perhaps。〃　So　promising　was　his　early　youth　of　his
future　greatness；　and　so　discerning　was　Scipio　to　detect　the　distant
future　in　the　present　first　beginnings。　It　was　this　speech　of
Scipio；　we　are　told；　which；　like　a　divine　admonition；　chiefly
emboldened　Marius　to　aspire　to　a　political　career。　He　sought；　and　by
the　assistance　of　Caecilius　Metellus；　of　whose　family　he　as　well　as
his　father　were　dependents；　obtained　the　office　of　tribune　of　the
people。　In　which　place；　when　he　brought　forward　a　bill　for　the
regulation　of　voting；　which　seemed　likely　to　lessen　the　authority　of
the　great　men　in　the　courts　of　justice；　the　consul　Cotta　opposed
him；　and　persuaded　the　senate　to　declare　against　the　law；　and　called
Marius　to　account　for　it。　He；　however；　when　this　decree　was
prepared；　coming　into　the　senate；　did　not　behave　like　a　young　man
newly　and　undeservedly　advanced　to　authority；　but；　assuming　all　the
courage　that　his　future　actions　would　have　warranted；　threatened
Cotta；　unless　he　recalled　the　decree；　to　throw　him　into　prison。　And　on
his　turning　to　Metellus；　and　asking　his　vote；　and　Metellus；　rising
up　to　concur　with　the　consul；　Marius；　calling　for　the　officer　outside；
commanded　him　to　take　Metellus　into　custody。　He　appealed　to　the
other　tribunes；　but　not　one　of　them　assisted　him；　so　that　the
senate；　immediately　complying；　withdrew　the　decree。　Marius　came
forth　with　glory　to　the　people　and　confirmed　his　law；　and　was
henceforth　esteemed　a　man　of　undaunted　courage　and　assurance；　as
well　as　a　vigorous　opposer　of　the　senate　in　favour　of　the　commons。　But
he　immediately　lost　their　opinion　of　him　by　a　contrary　action；　for
when　a　law　for　the　distribution　of　corn　was　proposed；　he　vigorously
and　successfully　resisted　it；　making　himself　equally　honoured　by
both　parties；　in　gratifying　neither；　contrary　to　the　public　interest。
　　After　his　tribuneship；　he　was　candidate　for　the　office　of　chief
aedile；　there　being　two　orders　of　them；　one　the　curules；　from　the
stool　with　crooked　feet　on　which　they　sat　when　they　performed　their
duty；　the　other　and　inferior；　called　aediles　of　the　people。　As　soon　as
they　have　chosen　the　former；　they　give　their　voices　again　for　the
latter。　Marius；　finding　he　was　likely　to　be　put　by　for　the　greater；
immediately　changed　and　stood　for　the　less；　but　because　he　seemed
too　forward　and　hot；　he　was　disappointed　of　that　also。　And　yet
though　he　was　in　one　day　twice　frustrated　of　his　desired　preferment
（which　never　happened　to　any　before）；　yet　he　was　not　at　all
discouraged；　but　a　little　while　after　sought　for　the　praetorship　and
was　nearly　suffering　a　repulse；　and　then；　too；　though　he　was
returned　last　of　all；　was　nevertheless　accused　of　bribery。
　　Cassius　Sabaco's　servant；　who　was　observed　within　the　rails　among
those　who　voted；　chiefly　occasioned　the　suspicion；　as　Sabaco　was　an
intimate　friend　of　Marius；　but　on　being　called　to　appear　before　the
judges；　he　alleged；　that　being　thirsty　by　reason　of　the　heat；　he
called　for　cold　water；　and　that　his　servant　brought　him　a　cup；　and
as　soon　as　he　had　drunk；　departed；　he　was；　however；　excluded　from
the　senate　by　the　succeeding　censors；　and　not　undeservedly　either；
as　was　thought；　whether　it　might　be　for　his　false　evidence；　or　his
want　of　temperance。　Caius　Herennius　was　also　cited　to　appear　as
evidence；　but　pleaded　that　it　was　not　customary　for　a　patron　（the
Roman　word　for　protector）　to　witness　against　his　clients；　and　that　the
law　excused　them　from　that　harsh　duty；　and　both　Marius　and　his　parents
had　always　been　clients　to　the　family　of　Herennii。　And　when　the　judges
would　have　accepted　of　this　plea；　Marius　himself　opposed　it；　and
told　Herennius；　that　when　he　was　first　created　magistrate　he　ceased　to
be　his　client；　which　was　not　altogether　true。　For　it　is　not　every
office　that　frees　clients　and　their　posterity　from　the　observance
due　to　their　patrons；　but　only　those　to　which　the　law　has　assigned　a
curule　chair。　Notwithstanding；　though　at　the　beginning　of　the　suit
it　went　somewhat　hard　with　Marius；　and　he　found　the　judges　no　way
favourable　to　him；　yet　at　last；　their　voices　being　equal；　contrary
to　all　expectation；　he　was　acquitted。
　　In　his　praetorship　he　did　not　get　much　honour；　yet　after　it　he
obtained　the　further　Spain；　which　province　he　is　said　to　have
cleared　of　robbers；　with　which　it　was　much　infested；　the　old　barbarous
habits　still　prevailing；　and　the　Spaniards；　in　those　days；　still
regarding　robbery　as　a　piece　of　valour。　In　the　city　he　had　neither
riches　nor　eloquence　to　trust　to；　with　which　the　leading　men　of　the
time　obtained　power　with　the　people；　but　his　vehement　disposition；　his
indefatigable　labours；　and　his　plain　way　of　living；　of　themselves
gained　him　esteem　and　influence；　so　that　he　made　an　honourable　match
with　Julia；　of　the　distinguished　family　of　the　Caesars；　to　whom　that
Caesar　was　nephew　who　was　afterwards　so　great　among　the　Romans；　and；
in　some　degree；　from　his　relationship；　made　Marius　his　example；　as
in　his　life　we　have　observed。
　　Marius　is　praised　for　both　temperance　and　endurance；　of　which　latter
he　gave　a　decided　instance　in　an　operation　of　surgery。　For　having；
as　it　seems；　both　his　legs　full　of　great　tumours；　and　disliking　the
deformity；　he　determined　to　put　himself　into　the　hands　of　an　operator；
when；　without　being　tied；　he　stretched　out　one　of　his　legs；　and
silently；　without　changing　countenance；　endured　most　excessive
torments　in　the　cutting；　never　either　flinching　or　complaining；　but
when　the　surgeon　went　to　the　other；　he　declined　to　have　it　done；
saying；　〃I　see　the　cure　is　not　worth　the　pain。〃
　　The　consul　Caecilius　Metellus；　being　declared　general　in　the　war
against　Jugurtha　in　Africa　took　with　him　Marius　for　lieutenant；　where；
eager　himself　to　do　great　deeds　and　services　that　would　get　him
distinction；　he　did　not；　like　others；　consult　Metellus's　glory　and　the
serving　his　interest；　and　attributing　his　honour　of　lieutenancy　not　to
Metellus；　but　to　fortune；　which　had　presented　him　with　a　proper
opportunity　and　theatre　of　great　actions；　he　exerted　his　utmost
courage。　That　war；　too；　affording　several　difficulties；　he　neither
declined　the　greatest；　nor　disdained　undertaking　the　least　of　them；
but　surpassing　his　equals　in　counsel　and　conduct；　and　matching　the
very　common　soldiers　in　labour　and　abstemiousness；　he　gained　great
popularity　with　them；　as　indeed　any　voluntary　partaking　with　people　in
their　labour　is　felt　as　an　easing　of　that　labour；　as　it　seems　to
take　away　the　constraint　and　necessity　of　it。　It　is　the　most
obliging　sight　in　the　world　to　the　Roman　soldier　to　see　a　commander
eat　the　same　bread　as　himself；　or　lie　upon　an　ordinary　bed；　or
assist　the　work　in　the　drawing　a　trench　and　raising　a　bulwark。　For
they　do　not　so　much　admire　those　that　confer　honours　and　riches　upon
them；　as　those　that　partake　of　the　same　labour　and　danger　with
themselves；　but　love　them　better　that　will　vouchsafe　to　join　in
their　work；　than　those　that　encourage　their　idleness。
　　Marius　thus　employed；　and　thus　winning　the　affections　of　the
soldiers；　before　long　filled　both　Africa　and　Rome　with　his　fame；　and
some；　too；　wrote　home　from　the　army　that　the　war　with　Africa　would
never　be　brought　to　a　conclusion　unless　they　chose　Caius　Marius
consul。　All　which　was　evidently　unplea