caius marius-第10节

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the　case　was　examined　thoroughly；　it　appeared　both　that　Fannia　had
been　incontinent；　and　that　her　husband；　knowing　her　to　be　so；　had
married　and　lived　a　considerable　time　with　her。　So　that　Marius　was
severe　enough　with　both；　commanding　him　to　restore　her　portion；　and
laying　a　fine　of　four　copper　coins　upon　her　by　way　of　disgrace。　But
Fannia　did　not　then　behave　like　a　woman　that　had　been　injured；　but
as　soon　as　she　saw　Marius；　remembered　nothing　less　than　old
affronts；　took　care　of　him　according　to　her　ability；　and　comforted
him。　He　made　her　his　returns　and　told　her　he　did　not　despair；　for　he
had　met　with　a　lucky　omen；　which　was　thus。　When　he　was　brought　to
Fannia's　house；　as　soon　as　the　gate　was　opened；　an　ass　came　running
out　to　drink　at　a　spring　hard　by；　and　giving　a　bold　and　encouraging
look；　first　stood　still　before　him；　then　brayed　aloud　and　pranced　by
him。　From　which　Marius　drew　his　conclusion；　and　said；　that　the　fates
designed　his　safety；　rather　by　sea　than　land；　because　the　ass
neglected　his　dry　fodder；　and　turned　from　it　to　the　water。　Having　told
Fannia　this　story；　he　bade　the　chamber　door　to　be　shut　and　went　to
rest。
　　Meanwhile　the　magistrates　and　councillors　of　Minturnae　consulted
together；　and　determined　not　to　delay　any　longer；　but　immediately　to
kill　Marius；　and　when　none　of　their　citizens　durst　undertake　the
business；　a　certain　soldier；　a　Gaulish　or　Cimbrian　horseman　（the　story
is　told　both　ways）；　went　in　with　his　sword　drawn　to　him。　The　room
itself　was　not　very　light；　that　part　of　it　especially　where　he　then
lay　was　dark；　from　whence　Marius's　eyes；　they　say；　seemed　to　the
fellow　to　dart　out　flames　at　him；　and　a　loud　voice　to　say；　out　of
the　dark；　〃Fellow；　darest　thou　kill　Caius　Marius？〃　The　barbarian
hereupon　immediately　fled；　and　leaving　his　sword　in　the　place；
rushed　out　of　doors；　crying　only　this；　〃I　cannot　kill　Caius　Marius。〃
At　which　they　were　all　at　first　astonished；　and　presently　began　to
feel　pity；　and　remorse；　and　anger　at　themselves　for　making　so　unjust
and　ungrateful　a　decree　against　one　who　had　preserved　Italy；　and
whom　it　was　bad　enough　not　to　assist。　〃Let　him　go；〃　said　they；
〃where　he　please　to　banishment；　and　find　his　fate　somewhere　else；　we
only　entreat　pardon　of　the　gods　for　thrusting　Marius　distressed　and
deserted　out　of　our　city。〃
　　Impelled　by　thoughts　of　this　kind；　they　went　in　a　body　into　the
room；　and　taking　him　amongst　them；　conducted　him　towards　the
seaside；　on　his　way　to　which；　though　every　one　was　very　officious　to
him；　and　all　made　what　haste　they　could；　yet　a　considerable　time　was
likely　to　be　lost。　For　the　grove　of　Marica　（as　she　is　called）；　which
the　people　hold　sacred　and　make　it　a　point　of　religion　not　to　let
anything　that　is　once　carried　into　it　be　taken　out；　lay　just　in
their　road　to　the　sea；　and　if　they　should　go　round　about；　they　must
needs　come　very　late　thither。　At　length　one　of　the　old　men　cried　out
and　said；　there　was　no　place　so　sacred　but　they　might　pass　through
it　for　Marius's　preservation；　and　thereupon；　first　of　all；　he　himself；
taking　up　some　of　the　baggage　that　was　carried　for　his　accommodation
to　the　ship；　passed　through　the　grove；　all　the　rest　immediately；
with　the　same　readiness；　accompanying　him。　And　one　Belaeus　（who
afterwards　had　a　picture　of　these　things　drawn；　and　put　it　in　a　temple
at　the　place　of　embarkation）；　having　by　this　time　provided　him　a　ship；
Marius　went　on　board；　and　hoisting　sail；　was　by　fortune　thrown　upon
the　island　Aenaria；　where　meeting　with　Granius；　and　his　other　friends；
he　sailed　with　them　for　Africa。　But　their　water　failing　them　in　the
way；　they　were　forced　to　put　in　near　Eryx；　in　Sicily；　where　was　a
Roman　quaestor　on　the　watch；　who　all　but　captured　Marius　himself　on
his　landing；　and　did　kill　sixteen　of　his　retinue　that　went　to　fetch
water。　Marius；　with　all　expedition　loosing　thence；　crossed　the　sea
to　the　isle　of　Meninx；　where　he　first　heard　the　news　of　his　son's
escape　with　Cethegus；　and　of　his　going　to　implore　the　assistance　of
Hiempsal；　King　of　Numidia。
　　With　this　news；　being　somewhat　comforted；　he　ventured　to　pass　from
that　isle　towards　Carthage。　Sextilius；　a　Roman；　was　then　governor　in
Africa；　one　that　had　never　received　either　any　injury　or　any
kindness　from　Marius；　but　who　from　compassion；　it　was　hoped；　might
lend　him　some　help。　But　he　was　scarce　got　ashore　with　a　small
retinue　when　an　officer　met　him；　and　said；　〃Sextilius；　the　governor；
forbids　you；　Marius；　to　set　foot　in　Africa；　if　you　do；　he　says　he　will
put　the　decree　of　the　senate　in　execution；　and　treat　you　as　an　enemy
to　the　Romans。〃　When　Marius　heard　this；　he　wanted　words　to　express　his
grief　and　resentment；　and　for　a　good　while　held　his　peace；　looking
sternly　upon　the　messenger；　who　asked　him　what　he　should　say；　or
what　answer　he　should　return　to　the　governor？　Marius　answered　him　with
a　deep　sigh：　〃Go　tell　him　that　you　have　seen　Caius　Marius　sitting　in
exile　among　the　ruins　of　Carthage；〃　appositely　applying　the　example　of
the　fortune　of　that　city　to　the　change　of　his　own　condition。
　　In　the　interim；　Hiempsal；　King　of　Numidia；　dubious　of　what　he　should
determine　to　do；　treated　young　Marius　and　those　that　were　with　him
very　honourably；　but　when　they　had　a　mind　to　depart；　he　still　had　some
pretence　or　other　to　detain　them；　and　it　was　manifest　he　made　these
delays　upon　no　good　design。　However；　there　happened　an　accident　that
made　well　for　their　preservation。　The　hard　fortune　which　attended
young　Marius；　who　was　of　a　comely　aspect；　touched　one　of　the　king's
concubines；　and　this　pity　of　hers　was　the　beginning　and　occasion　of
love　for　him。　At　first　he　declined　the　woman's　solicitations；　but　when
he　perceived　that　there　was　no　other　way　of　escaping；　and　that　her
offers　were　more　serious　than　for　the　gratification　of　intemperate
passion；　he　accepted　her　kindness；　and　she　finding　means　to　convey
them　away；　he　escaped　with　his　friends　and　fled　to　his　father。　As　soon
as　they　had　saluted　each　other；　and　were　going　by　the　seaside；　they
saw　some　scorpions　fighting；　which　Marius　took　for　an　ill　omen；
whereupon　they　immediately　went　on　board　a　little　fisher…boat；　and
made　towards　Cercinas；　an　island　not　far　distant　from　the　continent。
They　had　scarce　put　off　from　shore　when　they　espied　some　horse；　sent
after　them　by　the　king；　with　all　speed　making　towards　that　very
place　from　which　they　were　just　retired。　And　Marius　thus　escaped　a
danger；　it　might　be　said；　as　great　as　any　he　ever　incurred。
　　At　Rome　news　came　that　Sylla　was　engaged　with　Mithridates's　generals
in　Boeotia；　the　consuls；　from　factious　opposition；　were　fallen　to
downright　fighting；　wherein　Octavius　prevailing；　drove　Cinna　out　of
the　city　for　attempting　despotic　government；　and　made　Cornelius　Merula
consul　in　his　stead；　while　Cinna；　raising　forces　in　other　parts　of
Italy；　carried　the　war　against　them。　As　soon　as　Marius　heard　of　this
he　resolved；　with　all　expedition；　to　put　to　sea　again；　and　taking　with
him　from　Africa　some　Mauritanian　horse；　and　a　few　of　the　refugees
out　of　Italy；　all　together　not　above　one　thousand；　he；　with　this
handful；　began　his　voyage。　Arriving　at　Telamon；　in　Etruria；　and　coming
ashore；　he　proclaimed　freedom　for　the　slaves；　and　many　of　the
countrymen；　also；　and　shepherds　thereabouts；　who　were　already　freemen；
at　the　hearing　his　name；　flocked　to　him　to　the　seaside。　He　persuaded
the　youngest　and　strongest　to　join　him；　and　in　a　small　time　got
together　a　competent　force　with　which　he　filled　forty　ships。　Knowing
Octavius　to　be　a　good　man　and　willing　to　execute　his　office　with　the
greatest　justice　imaginable；　and　Cinna　to　be　suspected　by　Sylla；　and
in　actual　warfare　against　the　established　government；　he　determined　to
join　himself　and　his　forces　with　the　latter。　He　therefore　sent　a
message　to　him；　to　let　him　know　that　he　was　ready　to　obey　him　as
consul。
　　When　Cinna　had　joyfully　received　his　offer；　naming　him　proconsul；
and　sending　him　the　fasces　and　other　ensigns　of　authority；　he　said
that　grandeur　did　not　become　his　present　fortune；　but　wearing　an
ordinary　habit；　and　still　letting　his　hair　grow　as　it　had　done；　from
that　very　day　he　first　went　into　banishment；　and　being　now　above
threescore　and　ten　years　old；　he　came　slowly　on　foot；　designing　to
move　people's　compassion；　which　did　not　prevent；　however；　his
natural　fierceness　of　expression　from　still　predominating；　and　his
humiliation　still　let　it　appear　that　he　was　not　so　much　dejected　as
exasperated　by　the　change　of　his　condition。　Having　saluted　Cinna　and
the　soldiers；　he　immediately　prepared　for　action；　and　soon　made　a
considerable　alteration　in　the　posture　of　affairs。　He　first　cut　off
the　provision　ships；　and　plundering　all　the　merchants；　made　himself
master　of　the　supplies　of　corn；　then　bringing　his　navy　to　the
seaport　towns；　he　took　them；　and　at　last；　becoming　master　of　Ostia
by　treachery；　he　pillaged　that　town；　and　slew　a　multitude　of　the
inhabitants；　and；　blocking　up　the　river；　took　from　the　enemy　all　hopes
of　supply　by　the　sea；　then　marched　with　his　army　toward　the　city；
and　posted　himself　upon　the　hill　called　Janiculum。
　　The　public　interest　did　not　receive　so　great　damage　from
Octavius's　unskillfulness　in　his　management　of