sylla-第11章

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gods；　nor　hearth　of　hospitality；　nor　ancestral　home　escaped。　Men
were　butchered　in　the　embraces　of　their　wives；　children　in　the　arms　of
their　mothers。　Those　who　perished　through　public　animosity　or
private　enmity　were　nothing　in　comparison　of　the　numbers　of　those
who　suffered　for　their　riches。　Even　the　murderers　began　to　say；　that
〃his　fine　house　killed　this　man；　a　garden　that；　a　third；　his　hot
baths。〃　Quintus　Aurelius；　a　quiet；　peaceable　man；　and　one　who
thought　all　his　part　in　the　common　calamity　consisted　in　condoling
with　the　misfortunes　of　others；　coming　into　the　forum　to　read　the
list；　and　finding　himself　among　the　proscribed；　cried　out；　〃Woe　is　me；
my　Alban　farm　has　informed　against　me。〃　He　had　not　gone　far　before
he　was　despatched　by　a　ruffian；　sent　on　that　errand。
　　In　the　meantime；　Marius；　on　the　point　of　being　taken；　killed
himself；　and　Sylla；　coming　to　Praeneste；　at　first　proceeded　judicially
against　each　particular　person；　till　at　last；　finding　it　a　work　of　too
much　time；　he　cooped　them　up　together　in　one　place；　to　the　number　of
twelve　thousand　men；　and　gave　order　for　the　execution　of　them　all；　his
own　host　alone　excepted。　But　he；　brave　man；　telling　him　he　could　not
accept　the　obligation　of　life　from　the　hands　of　one　who　had　been　the
ruin　of　his　country；　went　in　among　the　rest；　and　submitted　willingly
to　the　stroke。　What　Lucius　Catilina　did　was　thought　to　exceed　all
other　acts。　For　having；　before　matters　came　to　an　issue；　made　away
with　his　brother；　he　besought　Sylla　to　place　him　in　the　list　of
proscription；　as　though　he　had　been　alive；　which　was　done；　and
Catiline；　to　return　the　kind　office；　assassinated　a　certain　Marcus
Marius；　one　of　the　adverse　party；　and　brought　the　head　to　Sylla；　as　he
was　sitting　in　the　forum；　and　then　going　to　the　holy　water　of
Apollo；　which　was　nigh；　washed　his　hands。
　　There　were　other　things；　besides　this　bloodshed；　which　gave　offence。
For　Sylla　had　declared　himself　dictator；　an　office　which　had　then　been
laid　aside　for　the　space　of　one　hundred　and　twenty　years。　There　was；
likewise；　an　act　of　grace　passed　on　his　behalf；　granting　indemnity　for
what　was　passed；　and　for　the　future　intrusting　him　with　the　power　of
life　and　death；　confiscation；　division　of　lands；　erecting　and
demolishing　of　cities；　taking　away　of　kingdoms；　and　bestowing　them
at　pleasure。　He　conducted　the　sale　of　confiscated　property　after
such　an　arbitrary；　imperious　way；　from　the　tribunal；　that　his　gifts
excited　greater　odium　even　than　his　usurpations；　women；　mimes；　and
musicians；　and　the　lowest　of　the　freed　slaves　had　presents　made　them
of　the　territories　of　nations　and　the　revenues　of　cities：　and　women　of
rank　were　married　against　their　will　to　some　of　them。　Wishing　to
insure　the　fidelity　of　Pompey　the　Great　by　a　nearer　tie　of　blood；　he
bade　him　divorce　his　present　wife；　and　forcing　Aemilia；　the　daughter
of　Scaurus　and　Metella；　his　own　wife；　to　leave　her　husband；　Manius
Glabrio；　he　bestowed　her；　though　then　with　child；　on　Pompey；　and　she
died　in　childbirth　at　his　house。
　　When　Lucretius　Ofella；　the　same　who　reduced　Marius　by　siege；　offered
himself　for　the　consulship；　he　first　forbade　him；　then；　seeing　he
could　not　restrain　him；　on　his　coming　down　into　the　forum　with　a
numerous　train　of　followers；　he　sent　one　of　the　centurions　who　were
immediately　about　him；　and　slew　him；　himself　sitting　on　the　tribunal
in　the　temple　of　Castor；　and　beholding　the　murder　from　above。　The
citizens　apprehending　the　centurion；　and　dragging　him　to　the　tribunal；
he　bade　them　cease　their　clamouring　and　let　the　centurion　go；　for　he
had　commanded　it。
　　His　triumph　was；　in　itself；　exceedingly　splendid；　and
distinguished　by　the　rarity　and　magnificence　of　the　royal　spoils；
but　its　yet　greatest　glory　was　the　noble　spectacle　of　the　exiles。
For　in　the　rear　followed　the　most　eminent　and　most　potent　of　the
citizens；　crowned　with　garlands；　and　calling　Sylla　saviour　and　father；
by　whose　means　they　were　restored　to　their　own　country；　and　again
enjoyed　their　wives　and　children。　When　the　solemnity　was　over；　and　the
time　come　to　render　an　account　of　his　actions；　addressing　the　public
assembly；　he　was　as　profuse　in　enumerating　the　lucky　chances　of　war　as
any　of　his　own　military　merits。　And；　finally；　from　this　felicity　he
requested　to　receive　the　surname　of　Felix。　In　writing　and
transacting　business　with　the　Greeks；　he　styled　himself
Epaphroditus；　and　on　his　trophies　which　are　still　extant　with　us　the
name　is　given　Lucius　Cornelius　Sylla　Epaphroditus。　Moreover；　when
his　wife　had　brought　him　forth　twins；　he　named　the　male　Faustus　and
the　female　Fausta；　the　Roman　words　for　what　is　auspicious　and　of　happy
omen。　The　confidence　which　he　reposed　in　his　good　genius；　rather
than　in　any　abilities　of　his　own；　emboldened　him；　though　deeply
involved　in　bloodshed；　and　though　he　had　been　the　author　of　such　great
changes　and　revolutions　of　state；　to　lay　down　his　authority；　and　place
the　right　of　consular　elections　once　more　in　the　hands　of　the
people。　And　when　they　were　held；　he　not　only　declined　to　seek　that
office；　but　in　the　forum　exposed　his　person　publicly　to　the　people；
walking　up　and　down　as　a　private　man。　And　contrary　to　his　will；　a
certain　bold　man　and　his　enemy；　Marcus　Lepidus；　was　expected　to　become
consul；　not　so　much　by　his　own　interest；　as　by　the　power　and
solicitation　of　Pompey；　whom　the　people　were　willing　to　oblige。　When
the　business　was　over；　seeing　Pompey　going　home　overjoyed　with　the
success；　he　called　him　to　him　and　said；　〃What　a　polite　act；　young　man；
to　pass　by　Catulus；　the　best　of　men；　and　choose　Lepidus；　the　worst！　It
will　be　well　for　you　to　be　vigilant；　now　that　you　have　strengthened
your　opponent　against　yourself。〃　Sylla　spoke　this；　it　may　seem；　by　a
prophetic　instinct；　for；　not　long　after；　Lepidus　grew　insolent　and
broke　into　open　hostility　to　Pompey　and　his　friends。
　　Sylla；　consecrating　the　tenth　of　his　whole　substance　to　Hercules；
entertained　the　people　with　sumptuous　feastings。　The　provision　was
so　much　above　what　was　necessary；　that　they　were　forced　daily　to　throw
great　quantities　of　meat　into　the　river；　and　they　drank　wine　forty
years　old　and　upwards。　In　the　midst　of　the　banqueting；　which　lasted
many　days；　Metella　died　of　a　disease。　And　because　that　the　priest
forbade　him　to　visit　the　sick；　or　suffer　his　house　to　be　polluted　with
mourning；　he　drew　up　an　act　of　divorce　and　caused　her　to　be　removed
into　another　house　whilst　alive。　Thus　far；　out　of　religious
apprehension；　he　observed　the　strict　rule　to　the　very　letter；　but　in
the　funeral　expenses　he　transgressed　the　law　he　himself　had　made；
limiting　the　amount；　and　spared　no　cost。　He　transgressed；　likewise；
his　own　sumptuary　laws　respecting　expenditure　in　banquets；　thinking　to
allay　his　grief　by　luxurious　drinking　parties　and　revellings　with
common　buffoons。
　　Some　few　months　after；　at　a　show　of　gladiators；　when　men　and　women
sat　promiscuously　in　the　theatre；　no　distinct　places　being　as　yet
appointed；　there　sat　down　by　Sylla　a　beautiful　woman　of　high　birth；　by
name　Valeria；　daughter　of　Messala；　and　sister　to　Hortensius　the
orator。　Now　it　happened　that　she　had　been　lately　divorced　from　her
husband。　Passing　along　behind　Sylla；　she　leaned　on　him　with　her
hand；　and　plucking　a　bit　of　wool　from　his　garment；　so　proceeded　to　her
seat。　And　on　Sylla　looking　up　and　wondering　what　it　meant；　〃What　harm；
mighty　sir；〃　said　she；　〃if　I　also　was　desirous　to　partake　a　little
in　your　felicity？〃　It　appeared　at　once　that　Sylla　was　not
displeased；　but　even　tickled　in　his　fancy；　for　he　sent　out　to
inquire　her　name；　her　birth；　and　past　life。　From　this　time　there
passed　between　them　many　side　glances；　each　continually　turning
round　to　look　at　the　other；　and　frequently　interchanging　smiles。　In
the　end；　overtures　were　made；　and　a　marriage　concluded　on。　All　which
was　innocent；　perhaps；　on　the　lady's　side；　but；　though　she　had　been
never　so　modest　and　virtuous；　it　was　scarcely　a　temperate　and　worthy
occasion　of　marriage　on　the　part　of　Sylla；　to　take　fire；　as　a　boy
might；　at　a　face　and　a　bold　look；　incentives　not　seldom　to　the　most
disorderly　and　shameless　passions。
　　Notwithstanding　this　marriage；　he　kept　company　wit