caius marius-第8节

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manner　he　spent　his　time　at　Rhodes；　in　philosophy；　will　be　more
fitly　our　subject　when　we　write　his　life。
　　Marius；　in　return　for　this　piece　of　service；　was　forced　to　connive
at　Saturninus　now　proceeding　to　the　very　height　of　insolence　and
violence；　and　was；　without　knowing　it；　the　instrument　of　mischief
beyond　endurance；　the　only　course　of　which　was　through　outrages　and
massacres　to　tyranny　and　the　subversion　of　the　government。　Standing　in
some　awe　of　the　nobility；　and；　at　the　same　time；　eager　to　court　the
commonalty；　he　was　guilty　of　a　most　mean　and　dishonest　action。　When
some　of　the　great　men　came　to　him　at　night　to　stir　him　up　against
Saturninus；　at　the　other　door；　unknown　to　them；　he　let　him　in；　then
making　the　same　pretence　of　some　disorder　of　body　to　both；　he　ran　from
one　party　to　the　other；　and　staying　at　one　time　with　them　and
another　with　him；　he　instigated　and　exasperated　them　one　against
another。　At　length　when　the　senate　and　equestrian　order　concerted
measures　together；　and　openly　manifested　their　resentment；　he　did
bring　his　soldiers　into　the　forum；　and　driving　the　insurgents　into　the
capitol；　and　then　cutting　off　the　conduits；　forced　them　to　surrender
by　want　of　water。　They；　in　this　distress；　addressing　themselves　to
him；　surrendered；　at　it　is　termed；　on　the　public　faith。　He　did　his
utmost　to　save　their　lives；　but　so　wholly　in　vain；　that　when　they　came
down　into　the　forum　they　were　all　basely　murdered。　Thus　he　had　made
himself　equally　odious　both　to　the　nobility　and　commons；　and　when
the　time　was　come　to　create　censors；　though　he　was　the　most　obvious
man；　yet　he　did　not　petition　for　it；　but　fearing　the　disgrace　of　being
repulsed；　permitted　others；　his　inferiors；　to　be　elected；　though　he
pleased　himself　by　giving　out　that　he　was　not　willing　to　disoblige　too
many　by　undertaking　a　severe　inspection　into　their　lives　and　conduct。
　　There　was　now　an　edict　preferred　to　recall　Metellus　from　banishment；
this　he　vigorously；　but　in　vain；　opposed　both　by　word　and　deed；　and
was　at　length　obliged　to　desist。　The　people　unanimously　voted　for
it；　and　he；　not　able　to　endure　the　sight　of　Metellus's　return；　made
a　voyage　to　Cappadocia　and　Galatia；　giving　out　that　he　had　to
perform　the　sacrifices　which　he　had　vowed　to　Cybele；　but　actuated
really　by　other　less　apparent　reasons。　For；　in　fact；　being　a　man
altogether　ignorant　of　civil　life　and　ordinary　politics；　he　received
all　his　advancement　from　war；　and　supposing　his　power　and　glory
would　by　little　and　little　decrease　by　his　lying　quietly　out　of
action；　he　was　eager　by　every　means　to　excite　some　new　commotions；　and
hoped　that　by　setting　at　variance　some　of　the　kings；　and　by
exasperating　Mithridates；　especially；　who　was　then　apparently　making
preparations　for　war；　he　himself　should　be　chosen　general　against　him；
and　so　furnish　the　city　with　new　matter　of　triumph；　and　his　own
house　with　the　plunder　of　Pontus　and　the　riches　of　its　king。
Therefore；　though　Mithridates　entertained　him　with　all　imaginable
attention　and　respect；　yet　he　was　not　at　all　wrought　upon　or
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；