sylla-第12章

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disorderly　and　shameless　passions。
　　Notwithstanding　this　marriage；　he　kept　company　with　actresses；
musicians；　and　dancers；　drinking　with　them　on　couches　night　and　day。
His　chief　favourites　were　Roscius　the　comedian；　Sorex　the　arch　mime；
and　Metrobius　the　player；　for　whom；　though　past　his　prime；　he　still
professed　a　passionate　fondness。　By　these　courses　he　encouraged　a
disease　which　had　begun　from　unimportant　cause；　and　for　a　long　time　he
failed　to　observe　that　his　bowels　were　ulcerated；　till　at　length　the
corrupted　flesh　broke　out　into　lice。　Many　were　employed　day　and
night　in　destroying　them；　but　the　work　so　multiplied　under　their
hands；　that　not　only　his　clothes；　baths；　basins；　but　his　very　meat　was
polluted　with　that　flux　and　contagion；　they　came　swarming　out　in
such　numbers。　He　went　frequently　by　day　into　the　bath　to　scour　and
cleanse　his　body；　but　all　in　vain；　the　evil　generated　too　rapidly
and　too　abundantly　for　any　ablutions　to　overcome　it。　There　died　of
this　disease；　amongst　those　of　the　most　ancient　times；　Acastus；　the
son　of　Pelias；　of　later　date；　Alcman　the　poet；　Pherecydes　the
theologian；　Callisthenes　the　Olynthian；　in　the　time　of　his
imprisonment；　as　also　Mucius　the　lawyer；　and　if　we　may　mention
ignoble；　but　notorious　names；　Eunus　the　fugitive；　who　stirred　up　the
slaves　of　Sicily　to　rebel　against　their　masters；　after　he　was
brought　captive　to　Rome；　died　of　this　creeping　sickness。
　　Sylla　not　only　foresaw　his　end；　but　may　be　also　said　to　have　written
of　it。　For　in　the　two…and…twentieth　book　of　his　Memoirs；　which　he
finished　two　days　before　his　death；　he　writes　that　the　Chaldeans
foretold　him；　that　after　he　had　led　a　life　of　honour；　he　should
conclude　it　in　fulness　of　prosperity。　He　declares；　moreover；　that　in　a
vision　he　had　seen　his　son；　who　had　died　not　long　before　Metella；
stand　by　in　mourning　attire；　and　beseech　his　father　to　cast　off
further　care；　and　come　along　with　him　to　his　mother　Metella；　there
to　live　at　ease　and　quietness　with　her。　However；　he　could　not
refrain　from　intermeddling　in　public　affairs。　For；　ten　days　before　his
decease；　he　composed　the　differences　of　the　people　of　Dicaearchia；　and
prescribed　laws　for　their　better　government。　And　the　very　day　before
his　end；　it　being　told　him　that　the　magistrate　Granius　deferred　the
payment　of　a　public　debt；　in　expectation　of　his　death；　he　sent　for　him
to　his　house；　and　placing　his　attendants　about　him；　caused　him　to　be
strangled；　but　through　the　straining　of　his　voice　and　body；　the
imposthume　breaking；　he　lost　a　great　quantity　of　blood。　Upon　this；　his
strength　failing　him；　after　spending　a　troublesome　night；　he　died；
leaving　behind　him　two　young　children　by　Metella。　Valeria　was
afterwards　delivered　of　a　daughter；　named　Posthuma；　for　so　the
Romans　call　those　who　are　born　after　the　father's　death。
　　Many　ran　tumultuously　together；　and　joined　with　Lepidus　to　deprive
the　corpse　of　the　accustomed　solemnities；　but　Pompey；　though
offended　at　Sylla　（for　he　alone　of　all　his　friends　was　not　mentioned
in　his　will）；　having　kept　off　some　by　his　interest　and　entreaty；
others　by　menaces；　conveyed　the　body　to　Rome；　and　gave　it　a　secure　and
honourable　burial。　It　is　said　that　the　Roman　ladies　contributed　such
vast　heaps　of　spices；　that　besides　what　was　carried　on　two　hundred　and
ten　litters；　there　was　sufficient　to　form　a　large　figure　of　Sylla
himself；　and　another　representing　a　lictor；　out　of　the　costly
frankincense　and　cinnamon。　The　day　being　cloudy　in　the　morning；　they
deferred　carrying　forth　the　corpse　till　about　three　in　the
afternoon；　expecting　it　would　rain。　But　a　strong　wind　blowing　full
upon　the　funeral　pile；　and　setting　it　all　in　a　bright　flame；　the
body　was　consumed　so　exactly　in　good　time；　that　the　pyre　had　begun
to　smoulder；　and　the　fire　was　upon　the　point　of　expiring；　when　a
violent　rain　came　down；　which　continued　till　night。　So　that　his　good
fortune　was　firm　even　to　the　last；　and　did　as　it　were　officiate　at　his
funeral。　His　monument　stands　in　the　Campus　Martius；　with　an　epitaph　of
his　own　writing；　the　substance　of　it　being；　that　he　had　not　been
outdone　by　any　of　his　friends　in　doing　good　turns；　nor　by　any　of　his
foes　in　doing　bad。




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