caius marius-第2节

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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　unpleasing　to　Metellus；　but　what
more　especially　grieved　him　was　the　calamity　of　Turpillius。　This
Turpillius　had；　from　his　ancestors；　been　a　friend　of　Metellus；　and
kept　up　a　constant　hospitality　with　him；　and　was　now　serving　in　the
war　in　command　of　the　smiths　and　carpenters　of　the　army。　Having　the
charge　of　a　garrison　in　Vaga；　a　considerable　city；　and　trusting　too
much　to　the　inhabitants；　because　he　treated　them　civilly　and　kindly；
he　unawares　fell　into　the　enemy's　hands。　They　received　Jugurtha　into
the　city；　yet　nevertheless；　at　their　request；　Turpillius　was　dismissed
safe　and　without　receiving　any　injury；　whereupon　he　was　accused　of
betraying　it　to　the　enemy。　Marius；　being　one　of　the　council　of　war；
was　not　only　violent　against　him　himself；　but　also　incensed　most　of
the　others；　so　that　Metellus　was　forced；　much　against　his　will；　to　put
him　to　death。　Not　long　after　the　accusation　proved　false；　and　when
others　were　comforting　Metellus；　who　took　heavily　the　loss　of　his
friend；　Marius；　rather　insulting　and　arrogating　it　to　himself；　boasted
in　all　companies　that　he　had　involved　Metellus　in　the　guilt　of　putting
his　friend　to　death。
　　Henceforward　they　were　at　open　variance；　and　it　is　reported　that
Metellus　once；　when　Marius　was　present；　said　insultingly；　〃You；　sir；
design　to　leave　us　to　go　home　and　stand　for　the　consulship；　and　will
not　be　content　to　wait　and　be　consul　with　this　boy　of　mine？〃
Metellus's　son　being　a　mere　boy　at　the　time。　Yet　for　all　this　Marius
being　very　importunate　to　be　gone；　after　several　delays；　he　was
dismissed　about　twelve　days　before　the　election　of　consuls；　and
performed　that　long　journey　from　the　camp　to　the　seaport　of　Utica　in
two　days　and　a　night；　and　there　doing　sacrifice　before　he　went　on
shipboard；　it　is　said　the　augur　told　him　that　heaven　promised　him　some
incredible　good　fortune；　and　such　as　was　beyond　all　expectation。
Marius；　not　a　little　elated　with　his　good　omen；　began　his　voyage；
and　in　four　days；　with　a　favourable　wind；　passed　the　sea；　he　was
welcomed　with　great　joy　by　the　people；　and　being　brought　into　the
assembly　by　one　of　the　tribunes；　sued　for　the　consulship；　inveighing
in　all　ways　against　Metellus；　and　promising　either　to　slay　Jugurtha　or
take　him　alive。
　　He　was　elected　triumphantly；　and　at　once　proceeded　to　levy
soldiers　contrary　both　to　law　and　custom；　enlisting　slaves　and　poor
people；　whereas　former　commanders　never　accepted　of　such；　but　bestowed
arms；　like　other　favours；　as　a　matter　of　distinction；　on　persons　who
had　the　proper　qualification；　a　man's　property　being　thus　a　sort　of
security　for　his　good　behaviour。　These　were　not　the　only　occasions
of　ill…will　against　Marius；　some　haughty　speeches；　uttered　with
great　arrogance　and　contempt；　gave　great　offence　to　the　nobility；
as；　for　example；　his　saying　that　he　had　carried　off　the　consulship
as　a　spoil　from　the　effeminacy　of　the　wealthy　and　high…born
citizens；　and　telling　the　people　that　he　gloried　in　wounds　he　had
himself　received　for　them；　as　much　as　others　did　in　the　monuments　of
dead　men；　and　images　of　their　ancestors。　Often　speaking　of　the
commanders　that　had　been　unfortunate　in　Africa；　naming　Bestia；　for
example；　and　Albinus；　men　of　very　good　families；　but　unfit　for　war；
and　who　had　miscarried　through　want　of　experience；　he　asked　the　people
about　him　if　they　did　not　think　that　the　ancestors　of　these　nobles　had
much　rather　have　left　a　descendant　like　him；　since　they　themselves
grew　famous　not　by　nobility；　but　by　their　valour　and　great　actions？
This　he　did　not　say　merely　out　of　vanity　and　arrogance；　or　that　he
were　willing；　without　any　advantage；　to　offend　the　nobility；　but　the
people　always　delighting　in　affronts　and　scurrilous　contumelies
against　the　senate；　making　boldness　of　speech　their　measure　of
greatness　of　spirit；　continually　encouraged　him　in　it；　and
strengthened　his　inclination　not　to　spare　persons　of　repute；　so　he
might　gratify　the　multitude。
　　As　soon　as　he　arrived　again　in　Africa；　Metellus；　no　longer　able　to
control　his　feelings　of　jealousy；　and　his　indignation　that　now　when　he
had　really　finished　the　war；　and　nothing　was　left　but　to　secure　the
person　of　Jugurtha；　Marius；　grown　great　merely　through　his　ingratitude
to　him；　should　come　to　bereave　him　both　of　his　victory　and　triumph；
could　not　bear　to　have　any　interview　with　him；　but　retired　himself；
whilst　Rutilius；　his　lieutenant；　surrendered　up　the　army　to　Marius；
whose　conduct；　however；　in　the　end　of　the　war；　met　with　some　sort　of
retribution；　as　Sylla　deprived　him　of　the　glory　of　the　action　as　he
had　done　Metellus。　I　shall　state　the　circumstances　briefly　here　as
they　are　given　at　large　in　the　life　of　Sylla。　Bocchus　was　king　of
the　more　distant　barbarians；　and　was　father…in…law　to　Jugurtha；　yet
sent　him　little　or　no　assistance　in　his　war；　professing　fears　of　his
unfaithfulness；　and　really　jealous　of　his　growing　power；　but　after
Jugurtha　fled；　and　in　his　distress　came　to　him　as　his　last　hope；　he
received　him　as　a　suppliant；　rather　because　ashamed　to　do　otherwise
than　out　of　real　kindness；　and　when　he　had　him　in　his　power；　he　openly
entreated　Marius　on　his　behalf；　and　interceded　for　him　with　bold
words；　giving　out　that　he　would　by　no　means　deliver　him。　Yet　privately
designing　to　betray　him；　he　sent　for　Lucius　Sylla；　quaestor　to　Marius；
and　who　had　on　a　previous　occasion　befriended　Bocchus　in　the　war。　When
Sylla；　relying　on　his　word；　came　to　him；　the　African　began　to　doubt
and　repent　of　his　purpose；　and　for　several　days　was　unresolved　with
himself；　whether　he　should　deliver　Jugurtha　or　retain　Sylla；　at　length
he　fixed　upon　his　former　treachery；　and　put　Jugurtha　alive　into
Sylla's　possession。　Thus　was　the　first　occasion　given　of　that　fierce
and　implacable　hostility　which　so　nearly　ruined　the　whole　Roman
empire。　For　many　that　envied　Marius　attributed　the　success　wholly　to
Sylla；　and　Sylla　himself　got　a　seal　made；　on　which　was　engraved
Bocchus　betraying　Jugurtha　to　him；　and　constantly　used　it；
irritating　the　hot　and　jealous　temper　of　Marius；　who　was　naturally
greedy　of　distinction；　and　quick　to　resent　any　claim　to　share　in　his
glory；　and　whose　enemies　took　care　to　promote　the　quarrel；　ascribing
the　beginning　and　chief　business　of　the　war　to　Metellus　and　its
conclusion　to　Sylla；　that　so　the　people　might　give　over　admiring　and
esteeming　Marius　as　the　worthiest　person。
　　But　these　envyings　and　calumnies　were　soon　dispersed　and　cleared
away　from　Marius　by　the　danger　that　threatened　Italy　from　the　west；
when　the　city；　in　great　need　of　a　good　commander；　sought　about　whom
she　might　set　at　the　helm　to　meet　the　tempest　of　so　great　a　war；　no
one　would　have　anything　to　say　to　any　members　of　noble　or　potent
families　who　offered　themselves　for　the　consulship；　and　Marius；　though
then　absent；　was　elected。
　　Jugurtha's　apprehension　was　only　just　known；　when　the　news　of　the
invasion　of　the　Teutones　and　Cimbri　began。　The　accounts　at　first
exceeded　all　credit；　as　to　the　number　and　strength　of　the
approaching　army；　but　in　the　end　report　proved　much　inferior　to　truth；
as　they　wer