caius marius-第11节

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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　affairs　as　from　his
omitting　needful　measures　through　too　strict　observance　of　the　law。　As
when　several　advised　him　to　make　the　slaves　free；　he　said　that　he
would　not　give　slaves　the　privilege　of　the　country　from　which　he　then；
in　defence　of　the　laws；　was　driving　away　Marius。　When　Metellus；　son　to
that　Metellus　who　was　general　in　the　war　in　Africa；　and　afterwards
banished　through　Marius's　means；　came　to　Rome；　being　thought　a　much
better　commander　than　Octavius；　the　soldiers；　deserting　the　consul；
came　to　him　and　desired　him　to　take　the　command　of　them　and　preserve
the　city；　that　they；　when　they　had　got　an　experienced　valiant
commander；　should　fight　courageously；　and　come　off　conquerors。　But
when　Metellus；　offended　at　it；　commanded　them　angrily　to　return　to　the
consul；　they　revolted　to　the　enemy。　Metellus；　too；　seeing　the　city
in　desperate　condition；　left　it；　but　a　company　of　Chaldaeans；
sacrificers；　and　interpreters　of　the　Sibyl's　books　persuaded
Octavius　that　things　could　turn　out　happily；　and　kept　him　at　Rome。
He　was；　indeed；　of　all　the　Romans　the　most　upright　and　just；　and
maintained　the　honour　of　the　consulate；　without　cringing　or
compliance；　as　strictly　in　accordance　with　ancient　laws　and　usages
as　though　they　had　been　immutable　mathematical　truths；　and　yet　fell；　I
know　not　how；　into　some　weaknesses；　giving　more　observance　to
fortune…tellers　and　diviners；　than　to　men　skilled　in　civil　and
military　affairs。　He　therefore；　before　Marius　entered　the　city；　was
pulled　down　from　the　rostra　and　murdered　by　those　that　were　sent
before　by　Marius；　and　it　is　reported　there　was　a　Chaldaean　writing
found　in　his　gown　when　he　was　slain。　And　it　seemed　a　thing　very
unaccountable；　that　of　two　famous　generals；　Marius　should　be　often
successful　by　the　observing　divinations；　and　Octavius　ruined　by　the
same　means。
　　When　affairs　were　in　this　posture；　the　senate　assembled；　and　sent
a　deputation　to　Cinna　and　Marius；　desiring　them　to　come　into　the
city　peaceably　and　spare　the　citizens。　Cinna；　as　consul；　received
the　embassy；　sitting　in　the　curule　chair；　and　returned　a　kind　answer
to　the　messengers；　Marius　stood　by　him　and　said　nothing；　but　gave
sufficient　testimony；　by　the　gloominess　of　his　countenance　and　the
sternness　of　his　looks；　that　he　would　in　a　short　time　fill　the　city
with　blood。　As　soon　as　the　council　arose；　they　went　toward　the　city；
where　Cinna　entered　with　his　guards；　but　Marius　stayed　at　the　gates；
and；　dissembling　his　rage；　professed　that　he　was　then　an　exile　and
banished　his　country　by　course　of　law；　that　if　his　presence　were
necessary；　they　must；　by　a　new　decree；　repeal　the　former　act　by
which　he　was　banished；　as　though　he　were；　indeed；　a　religious　observer
of　the　laws；　and　as　if　he　were　returning　to　a　city　free　from　fear　or
oppression。　Hereupon　the　people　were　assembled；　but　before　three　or
four　tribes　had　given　their　votes；　throwing　up　his　pretences　and　his
legal　scruples　about　his　banishment；　he　carried　into　the　city　with　a
select　guard　of　the　slaves　who　had　joined　him；　whom　he　called
Bardyaei。　These　proceeded　to　murder　a　number　of　citizens；　as　he　gave
command；　partly　by　word　of　mouth；　partly　by　the　signal　of　his　nod。
At　length　Ancharius；　a　senator；　and　one　that　had　been　praetor；
coming　to　Marius；　and　not　being　re…saluted　by　him；　they　with　their
drawn　swords　slew　him　before　Marius's　face；　and　henceforth　this　was
their　token；　immediately　to　kill　all　those　who　met　Marius　and　saluting
him　were　taken　no　notice　of；　nor　answered　with　the　like　courtesy；　so
that　his　very　friends　were　not　without　dreadful　apprehensions　and
horror；　whensoever　they　came　to　speak　with　him。
　　When　they　had　now　butchered　a　great　number；　Cinna　grew　more　remiss
and　cloyed　with　murders；　but　Marius's　rage　continued　still　fresh　and
unsatisfied；　and　he　daily　sought　for　all　that　were　any　way　suspected
by　him。　Now　was　every　road　and　every　town　filled　with　those　that
pursued　and　hunted　them　that　fled　and　hid　themselves；　and　it　was
remarkable　that　there　was　no　more　confidence　to　be　placed；　as　things
stood；　either　in　hospitality　or　friendship；　for　there　were　found　but　a
very　few　that　did　not　betray　those　that　fled　to　them　for　shelter。
And　thus　the　servants　of　Cornutus　deserve　the　greater　praise　and
admiration；　who；　having　concealed　their　master　in　the　house；　took
the　body　of　one　of　the　slain；　cut　off　the　head；　put　a　gold　ring　on　the
finger；　and　showed　it　to　Marius's　guards；　and　buried　it　with　the
same　solemnity　as　if　it　had　been　their　own　master。　This　trick　was
perceived　by　nobody；　and　so　Cornutus　escaped；　and　was　conveyed　by
his　domestics　into　Gaul。
　　Marcus　Antonius；　the　orator；　though　he；　too；　found　a　true　friend；
had　ill…fortune。　The　man　was　but　poor　and　a　plebeian；　and　as　he　was
entertaining　a　man　of　the　greatest　rank　in　Rome；　trying　to　provide　for
him　with　the　best　he　could；　he　sent　his　servant　to　get　some　wine　of
a　neighbouring　vintner。　The　servant　carefully　tasting　it　and　bidding
him　draw　better；　the　fellow　asked　him　what　was　the　matter；　that　he　did
not　buy　new　and　ordinary　wine　as　he　used　to　do；　but　richer　and　of　a
greater　price；　he　without　any　designs　told　him；　as　his　old　friend
and　acquaintance；　that　his　master　entertained　Marcus　Antonius；　who　was
concealed　with　him。　The　villainous　vintner；　as　soon　as　the　servant　was
gone；　went　himself　to　Marius；　then　at　supper；　and　being　brought　into
his　presence；　told　him　he　would　deliver　Antonius　into　his　hands。　As
soon　as　he　heard　it；　it　is　said　he　gave　a　great　shout；　and　clapped　his
hands　for　joy；　and　had　very　nearly　risen　up　and　gone　to　the　place
himself；　but　being　detained　by　his　friends；　he　sent　Annius；　and　some
soldiers　with　him；　and　commanded　him　to　bring　Antonius's　head　to　him
with　all　speed。　When　they　came　to　the　house；　Annius　stayed　at　the
door；　and　the　soldiers　went　upstairs　into　the　chamber；　where；　seeing
Antonius；　they　endeavoured　to　shuffle　off　the　murder　from　one　another；
for　so　great　it　seems　were　the　graces　and　charms　of　his　oratory；
that　as　soon　as　he　began　to　speak　and　beg　his　life；　none　of　them　durst
touch　or　so　much　as　look　upon　him；　but　hanging　down　their　heads；　every
one　fell　a…weeping。　When　their　stay　seemed　something　tedious；　Annius
came　up　himself　and　found　Antonius　discoursing；　and　the　soldiers
astonished　and　quite　softened　by　it；　and　calling　them　cowards；　went
himself　and　cut　off　his　head。
　　Catulus　Lutatius；　who　was　colleague　with　Marius；　and　his　partner
in　the　triumph　over　the　Cimbri；　when　Marius　replied　to　those　that
interceded　for　him　and　begged　his　life；　merely　with　the　words；　〃He
must　die；〃　shut　himself　up　in　a　room；　and　making　a　great　fire；
smothered　himself。　When　maimed　and　headless　carcasses　were　now
frequently　thrown　about　and　trampled　upon　the　streets；　people　were　not
so　much　moved　with　compassion　at　the　sight；　as　struck　into　a　kind　of
horror　and　consternation。　The　outrages　of　those　that　were　called
Bardyaei　was　the　greatest　grievance。　These　murdered　the　masters　of
families　in　their　own　houses；　abused　their　children；　and　ravished
their　wives；　and　were　uncontrollable　in　their　rapine　and　murders；　till
those　of　Cinna's　and　Sertorius's　party；　taking　counsel　together；
fell　upon　them　in　the　camp　and　killed　them　every　man。
　　In　the　interim；　as　if　a　change　of　wind　was　coming　on；　there　came
news　from　all　parts　that　Sylla；　having　put　an　end　to　the　war　with
Mithridates；　and　taken　possession　of　the　provinces；　was　returning　into
Italy　with　a　great　army。　This　gave　some　small　respite　and　intermission
to　these　unspeakable　calamities。　Marius　and　his　friends　believing
war　to　be　close　at　hand；　Marius　was　chosen　consul　the　seventh　time；
and　appearing　on　the　very　calends　of　January；　the　beginning　of　the
year；　threw　one　Sextus　Lucinus　from　the　Tarpeian　precipice；　an　omen；
as　it　seemed；　portending　the　renewed　misfortunes　both　of　their　party
and　of　the　city。　Marius；　himself　now　worn　out　with　labour　and
sinking　under　the　burden　of　anxieties；　could　not　sustain　his
spirits；　which　shook　within　him　with　the　apprehension　of　a　new　war　and
fresh　encounters　and　dangers；　the　formidable　character　of　which　he
knew　by　his　own　experience。　He　was　not　now　to　hazard　the　war　with
Octavius　or　Merula；　commanding　an　inexperienced　multitude　or　seditious
rabble；　but　Sylla　himself　was　approaching；　the　same　who　had　formerly
banished　him；　and　since　that；　had　driven　Mithridates　as　far　as　the
Euxine　Sea。
　　Perplexed　with　such　thoughts　as　these；　and　calling　to　mind　his
banishment；　and　the　tedious　wanderings　and　dangers　he　underwent；
both　by　sea　and　land；　he　fell　into　despondency；　nocturnal　frights；　and
unquiet　sleep；　still　fancying　that　he　heard　some　one　telling　him；
that…

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃　…the　lion's　lair
　　　　　　　　　Is　dangerous；　though　the　lion　be　not　there。〃

Above　all　things　fearing　to　lie　awake；　he　gave　himself　up　to
drinking　deep　and　besotting　himself　at　night　in　a　way　most
unsuitable　to　his　age；　by　all　means　provoking　sleep；　as　a　diversion　of
his　thoughts。　At　length；　on　the　arrival　of　a　messenger　from　the　sea；
he　was　seized　with　new　alarms；　an