caius marius-第7章

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softened　by　it；　but　said；　〃O　king；　either　endeavour　to　be　stronger
than　the　Romans；　or　else　quietly　submit　to　their　commands。〃　With　which
he　left　Mithridates　as　he　indeed　had　often　heard　the　fame　of　the
bold　speaking　of　the　Romans；　but　now　for　the　first　time　experienced
it。
　　When　Marius　returned　again　to　Rome；　he　built　a　house　close　by　the
forum；　either；　as　he　himself　gave　out；　that　he　was　not　willing　his
clients　should　be　tried　with　going　far；　or　that　he　imagined　distance
was　the　reason　why　more　did　not　come。　This；　however；　was　not　so；　the
real　reason　was；　that；　being　inferior　to　others　in　agreeableness　of
conversation　and　the　arts　of　political　life；　like　a　mere　tool　and
implement　of　war；　he　was　thrown　aside　in　time　of　peace。　Amongst　all
those　whose　brightness　eclipsed　his　glory；　he　was　most　incensed
against　Sylla；　who　had　owed　his　rise　to　the　hatred　which　the
nobility　bore　Marius；　and　had　made　his　disagreement　with　him　the　one
principle　of　his　political　life。　When　Bocchus；　King　of　Numidia；　who
was　styled　the　associate　of　the　Romans；　dedicated　some　figures　of
Victory　in　the　capitol；　and　with　them　a　representation　in　gold　of
himself　delivering　Jugurtha　to　Sylla；　Marius　upon　this　was　almost
distracted　with　rage　and　ambition；　as　though　Sylla　had　arrogated
this　honour　to　himself；　and　endeavoured　forcibly　to　pull　down　these
presents；　Sylla；　on　the　other　side；　as　vigorously　resisted　him；　but
the　Social　War；　then　on　a　sudden　threatening　the　city；　put　a　stop　to
this　sedition　when　just　ready　to　break　out。　For　the　most　warlike　and
best…peopled　countries　of　all　Italy　formed　a　confederacy　together
against　Rome；　and　were　within　a　little　of　subverting　the　empire；　as
they　were　indeed　strong；　not　only　in　their　weapons　and　the　valour　of
their　soldiers；　but　stood　nearly　upon　equal　terms　with　the　Romans　as
to　the　skill　and　daring　of　their　commanders。
　　As　much　glory　and　power　as　this　war；　so　various　in　its　events　and　so
uncertain　as　to　its　success；　conferred　upon　Sylla；　so　much　it　took
away　from　Marius；　who　was　thought　tardy；　unenterprising；　and　timid；
whether　it　were　that　his　age　was　now　quenching　his　former　heat　and
vigour　（for　he　was　above　sixty…five　years　old）；　or　that　having；　as
he　himself　said；　some　distemper　that　affected　his　muscles；　and　his
body　being　unfit　for　action；　he　did　service　above　his　strength。　Yet；
for　all　this；　he　came　off　victor　in　a　considerable　battle；　wherein
he　slew　six　thousand　of　the　enemies；　and　never　once　gave　them　any
advantage　over　him；　and　when　he　was　surrounded　by　the　works　of　the
enemy；　he　contained　himself；　and　though　insulted　over；　and　challenged；
did　not　yield　to　the　provocation。　The　story　is　told　that　when
Publius　Silo；　a　man　of　the　greatest　repute　and　authority　among　the
enemies；　said　to　him；　〃If　you　are　indeed　a　great　general；　Marius；
leave　your　camp　and　fight　a　battle；〃　he　replied；　〃If　you　are　one；　make
me　do　so。〃　And　another　time；　when　the　enemy　gave　them　a　good
opportunity　of　a　battle；　and　the　Romans　through　fear　durst　not　charge；
so　that　both　parties　retreated；　he　called　an　assembly　of　his　soldiers；
and　said；　〃It　is　no　small　question　whether　I　should　call　the　enemies
or　you　the　greater　cowards；　for　neither　did　they　dare　to　face　your
backs；　nor　you　to　confront　theirs。〃　At　length；　professing　to　be　worn
out　with　the　infirmity　of　his　body；　he　laid　down　his　command。
　　Afterwards　when　the　Italians　were　worsted；　there　were　several
candidates　suing　with　the　aid　of　the　popular　leaders　for　the　chief
command　in　the　war　with　Mithridates。　Sulpicius；　tribune　of　the　people；
a　bold　and　confident　man；　contrary　to　everybody's　expectation；　brought
forward　Marius；　and　proposed　him　as　proconsul　and　general　in　that　war。
The　people　were　divided；　some　were　on　Marius's　side；　others　voted
for　Sylla；　and　jeeringly　bade　Marius　go　to　the　baths　at　Baiae；　to　cure
his　body；　worn　out；　as　himself　confessed；　with　age　and　catarrhs。
Marius　had　indeed；　there；　about　Misenum；　a　villa　more　effeminately　and
luxuriously　furnished　than　seemed　to　become　one　that　had　seen
service　in　so　many　and　great　wars　and　expeditions。　This　same　house
Cornelia　bought　for　seventy…five　thousand　drachmas；　and　not　long　after
Lucius　Lucullus；　for　two　million　five　hundred　thousand；　so　rapid　and
so　great　was　the　growth　of　Roman　sumptuosity。　Yet；　in　spite　of　all
this；　out　of　a　mere　boyish　passion　for　distinction；　affecting　to　shake
off　his　age　and　weakness；　he　went　down　daily　to　the　Campus　Martius；
and　exercising　himself　with　the　youth；　showed　himself　still　nimble
in　his　armour；　and　expert　in　riding；　though　he　was　undoubtedly　grown
bulky　in　his　old　age；　and　inclining　to　excessive　faintness　and
corpulency。
　　Some　people　were　pleased　with　this；　and　went　continually　to　see
him　competing　and　displaying　himself　in　these　exercises；　but　the
better　sort　that　saw　him　pitied　the　cupidity　and　ambition　that　made
one　who　had　risen　from　utter　poverty　to　extreme　wealth；　and　out　of
nothing　into　greatness；　unwilling　to　admit　any　limit　to　his　high
fortune；　or　to　be　content　with　being　admired；　and　quietly　enjoying
what　he　had　already　got；　why；　as　if　he　still　were　indigent；　should
he　at　so　great　an　age　leave　his　glory　and　his　triumphs　to　go　into
Cappadocia　and　the　Euxine　Sea；　to　fight　Archelaus　and　Neoptolemus；
Mithridates's　generals？　Marius's　pretences　for　this　action　of　his
seemed　very　ridiculous；　for　he　said　he　wanted　to　go　and　teach　his
son　to　be　a　general。
　　The　condition　of　the　city；　which　had　long　been　unsound　and
diseased　became　hopeless　now　that　Marius　found　so　opportune　an
instrument　for　the　public　destruction　as　Sulpicius's　insolence。　This
man　professed；　in　all　other　respects；　to　admire　and　imitate
Saturninus；　only　he　found　fault　with　him　for　backwardness　and　want
of　spirit　in　his　designs。　He；　therefore；　to　avoid　this　fault；　got
six　hundred　of　the　equestrian　order　about　him　as　his　guard；　whom　he
named　anti…senators；　and　with　these　confederates　he　set　upon　the
consuls；　whilst　they　were　at　the　assembly；　and　took　the　son　of　one
of　them　who　fled　from　the　forum　and　slew　him。　Sylla；　being　hotly
pursued；　took　refuge　in　Marius's　house；　which　none　could　suspect；　by
that　means　escaping　those　that　sought　him；　who　hastily　passed　by
there；　and；　it　is　said；　was　safely　conveyed　by　Marius　himself　out　at
the　other　door；　and　came　to　the　camp。　Yet　Sylla；　in　his　memoirs；
positively　denies　that　he　fled　to　Marius；　saying　he　was　carried
thither　to　consult　upon　the　matters　to　which　Sulpicius　would　have
forced　him；　against　his　will；　to　consent；　that　he；　surrounding　him
with　drawn　swords；　hurried　him　to　Marius；　and　constrained　him　thus；
till　he　went　thence　to　the　forum　and　removed；　as　they　required　him
to　do；　the　interdict　on　business。
　　Sulpicius；　having　thus　obtained　the　mastery；　decreed　the　command
of　the　army　to　Marius；　who　proceeded　to　make　preparations　for　his
march；　and　sent　two　tribunes　to　receive　the　charge　of　the　army　from
Sylla。　Sylla　hereupon　exasperating　his　soldiers；　who　were　about
thirty…five　thousand　full…armed　men；　led　them　towards　Rome。　First
falling　upon　the　tribunes　Marius　had　sent；　they　slew　them；　Marius
having　done　as　much　for　several　of　Sylla's　friends　in　Rome；　and　now
offering　their　freedom　to　the　slaves　on　condition　of　their
assistance　in　the　war；　of　whom；　however；　they　say；　there　were　but
three　who　accepted　his　proposal。　For　some　small　time　he　made　head
against　Sylla's　assault；　but　was　soon　overpowered　and　fled；　those　that
were　with　him；　as　soon　as　he　had　escaped　out　of　the　city；　were
dispersed；　and　night　coming　on；　he　hastened　to　a　country…house　of　his；
called　Solonium。　Hence　he　sent　his　son　to　some　neighbouring　farms　of
his　father…in…law；　Mucius；　to　provide　necessaries；　he　went　himself
to　Ostia；　where　his　friend　Numerius　had　prepared　him　a　ship；　and
hence；　not　staying　for　his　son；　he　took　with　him　his　son…in…law
Granius；　and　weighed　anchor。
　　Young　Marius；　coming　to　Mucius's　farms；　made　his　preparations；　and
the　day　breaking；　was　almost　discovered　by　the　enemy。　For　there　came
thither　a　party　of　horse　that　suspected　some　such　matter；　but　the　farm
steward；　foreseeing　their　approach；　hid　Marius　in　a　cart　full　of
beans；　then　yoking　in　his　team　and　driving　toward　the　city；　met
those　that　were　in　search　of　him。　Marius；　thus　conveyed　home　to　his
wife；　took　with　him　some　necessaries；　and　came　at　night　to　the
seaside；　where；　going　on　board　a　ship　that　was　bound　for　Africa；　he
went　away　thither。　Marius；　the　father；　when　he　had　put　to　sea；　with
a　strong　gale　passing　along　the　coast　of　Italy；　was　in　no　small
apprehension　of　one　Geminius；　a　great　man　at　Terracina；　and　his　enemy；
and　therefore　bade　the　seamen　hold　off　from　that　place。　They　were
indeed　willing　to　gratify　him；　but　the　wind　now　blowing　in　from　the
sea　and　making　the　waves　swell　to　a　great　height；　they　were　afraid　the
ship　would　not　be　able　to　weather　out　the　storm；　and　Marius；　too；
being　indisposed　and　sea…sick；　they　made　for　land；　and　not　without
some　difficulty　reached　the　shore　near　Circeium。
　　The　storm　now　increasing　and　their　victuals　failing；　they　left　their
ship；　and　wandered　up　and　down　without　any　certain　purpose；　simply
as　in　great　distresses　people　shun　the　present　as　the　greatest　evil；
and　rely　upon　the　hopes　of　uncertainties。　For　the　land　and　sea　were
both　equally　unsafe　for　them；　it　was　dangerous　to　meet　with　people；
and　it　was　no　less　so　to　meet　with　none；　on　account　of　their　want　of
necessaries。　At　length；　though　late；　they　lighted　upon　a　few　poor
shepherds；　that　had　not　anything　to　relieve　them；　but　knowing
Marius；　advised　him　to　depart　as　soon　as　might　he；　for　they　had　seen　a
little　beyond　that　place　a　party　of　horse　that　were　gone　in　search
of　him。　Finding　himself　in　a　great　strait；　especially　because　those
that　attended　him　were　not　able　to　go　further；　being　spent　with
their　long　fasting；　for　the　present　he　turned　aside　out　of　the　road；
and　hid　himself　in　a　thick　wood；　where　he　passed　the　night　in　great
wretchedness。　The　next　day；　pinched　with　hunger；　and　willing　to　make
use　of　the　little　strength　he　had；　before　it　were　all　exhausted；　he
travelled　by　the　seaside；　encouraging　his　companions　not　to　fall
away　from　him　before　the　fulfillment　of　his　final　hopes；　for　which；　in
reliance　on　some　old　predictions；　he　professed　to　be　sustaining
himself。　For　when　he　was　yet　but　very　young；　and　lived　in　the　country；
he　caught　in　the　skirt　of　his　garment　an　eagle's　nest；　as　it　was
falling；　in　which　were　seven　young　ones；　which　his　parents　seeing
and　much　admiring；　consulted　the　augurs　about　it；　who　told　them　he
should　become　the　greatest　man　in　the　world；　and　that　the　fates　had
decreed　he　should　seven　times　be　possessed　of　the　supreme　power　and
authority。　Some　are　of　opinion　that　this　really　happened　to　Marius；　as
we　have　related　it；　others　say；　that　those　who　then　and　through　the
rest　of　his　exile　heard　him　tell　these　stories；　and　believed　him；　have
merely　repeated　a　story　that　is　altogether　fabulous；　for　an　eagle
never　hatches　more　than　two；　and　even　Musaeus　was　deceived；　who；
speaking　of　the　eagle；　says　that…

　　　　　　　　〃She　lays　three　eggs；　hatches　two；　and　rears　one。〃

However　this　be；　it　is　certain　Marius；　in　his　exile　and　greatest
extremities；　would　often　say　th