sylla-第3章

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writes；　unworthy　of　this　connection；　whom　before　they　thought　worthy
of　a　consulship。　This　was　not　his　only　wife；　for　first；　in　his　younger
days；　he　was　married　to　Ilia；　by　whom　he　had　a　daughter；　after　her
to　Aelia；　and　thirdly　to　Cloelia；　whom　he　dismissed　as　barren；　but
honourably；　and　with　professions　of　respect；　adding；　moreover；
presents。　But　the　match　between　him　and　Metella；　falling　out　a　few
days　after；　occasioned　suspicions　that　he　had　complained　of　Cloelia
without　due　cause。　To　Metella　he　always　showed　great　deference；　so
much　so　that　the　people；　when　anxious　for　the　recall　of　the　exiles
of　Marius's　party；　upon　his　refusal；　entreated　the　intercession　of
Metella。　And　the　Athenians；　it　is　thought；　had　harder　measure；　at
the　capture　of　their　town；　because　they　used　insulting　language　to
Metella　in　their　jests　from　the　walls　during　the　siege。　But　of　this
hereafter。
　　At　present　esteeming　the　consulship　but　a　small　matter　in　comparison
of　things　to　come；　he　was　impatiently　carried　away　in　thought　to　the
Mithridatic　War。　Here　he　was　withstood　by　Marius；　who　out　of　mad
affectation　of　glory　and　thirst　for　distinction；　those　never　dying
passions；　though　he　were　now　unwieldy　in　body；　and　had　given　up
service；　on　account　of　his　age；　during　the　late　campaigns；　still
coveted　after　command　in　a　distant　war　beyond　the　seas。　And　whilst
Sylla　was　departed　for　the　camp；　to　order　the　rest　of　his　affairs
there；　he　sate　brooding　at　home；　and　at　last　hatched　that　execrable
sedition；　which　wrought　Rome　more　mischief　than　all　her　enemies
together　had　done；　as　was　indeed　foreshown　by　the　gods。　For　a　flame
broke　forth　of　its　own　accord；　from　under　the　staves　of　the　ensigns；
and　was　with　difficulty　extinguished。　Three　ravens　brought　their　young
into　the　open　road；　and　ate　them；　carrying　the　relics　into　the　nest
again。　Mice　having　gnawed　the　consecrated　gold　in　one　of　the
temples；　the　keepers　caught　one　of　them；　a　female；　in　a　trap；　and
she　bringing　forth　five　young　ones　in　the　very　trap；　devoured　three　of
them。　But　what　was　greatest　of　all；　in　a　calm　and　clear　sky　there
was　heard　the　sound　of　a　trumpet；　with　such　a　loud　and　dismal　blast；
as　struck　terror　and　amazement　into　the　hearts　of　the　people。　The
Etruscan　sages　affirmed　that　this　prodigy　betokened　the　mutation　of
the　age；　and　a　general　revolution　in　the　world。　For　according　to
them　there　are　in　all　eight　ages；　differing　one　from　another　in　the
lives　and　the　characters　of　men；　and　to　each　of　these　God　has　allotted
a　certain　measure　of　time；　determined　by　the　circuit　of　the　great
year。　And　when　one　age　is　run　out；　at　the　approach　of　another；　there
appears　some　wonderful　sign　from　earth　or　heaven；　such　as　makes　it
manifest　at　once　to　those　who　have　made　it　their　business　to　study
such　things；　that　there　has　succeeded　in　the　world　a　new　race　of
men；　differing　in　customs　and　institutes　of　life；　and　more　or　less
regarded　by　the　gods　than　the　preceding。　Among　other　great　changes
that　happen；　as　they　say；　at　the　turn　of　ages；　the　art　of
divination；　also；　at　one　time　rises　in　esteem；　and　is　more
successful　in　its　predictions；　clearer　and　surer　tokens　being　sent
from　God；　and　then；　again；　in　another　generation　declines　as　low；
becoming　mere　guesswork　for　the　most　part；　and　discerning　future
events　by　dim　and　uncertain　intimations。　This　was　the　mythology　of　the
wisest　of　the　Tuscan　sages；　who　were　thought　to　possess　a　knowledge
beyond　other　men。　Whilst　the　senate　sat　in　consultation　with　the
soothsayers；　concerning　these　prodigies；　in　the　temple　of　Bellona；　a
sparrow　came　flying　in；　before　them　all；　with　a　grasshopper　in　its
mouth；　and　letting　fall　one　part　of　it；　flew　away　with　the
remainder。　The　diviners　foreboded　commotions　and　dissensions　between
the　great　landed　proprietors　and　the　common　city　populace；　the　latter；
like　the　grasshopper；　being　loud　and　talkative；　while　the　sparrow
might　represent　the　〃dwellers　in　the　field。〃
　　Marius　had　taken　into　alliance　Sulpicius；　the　tribune；　a　man
second　to　none　in　any　villainies；　so　that　it　was　less　the　question
what　others　he　surpassed；　but　rather　in　what　respects　he　most
surpassed　himself　in　wickedness。　He　was　cruel；　bold；　rapacious；　and　in
all　these　points　utterly　shameless　and　unscrupulous；　not　hesitating　to
offer　Roman　citizenship　by　public　sale　to　freed　slaves　and　aliens；　and
to　count　out　the　price　on　public　money…tables　in　the　forum。　He
maintained　three　thousand　swordsmen；　and　had　always　about　him　a
company　of　young　men　of　the　equestrian　class　ready　for　all
occasions；　whom　he　styled　his　Anti…senate。　Having　had　a　law　enacted；
that　no　senator　should　contract　a　debt　of　above　two　thousand　drachmas；
he　himself；　after　death；　was　found　indebted　three　millions。　This　was
the　man　whom　Marius　let　in　upon　the　Commonwealth；　and　who；　confounding
all　things　by　force　and　the　sword；　made　several　ordinances　of
dangerous　consequence；　and　amongst　the　rest　one　giving　Marius　the
conduct　of　the　Mithridatic　war。　Upon　this　the　consuls　proclaimed　a
public　cessation　of　business；　but　as　they　were　holding　an　assembly
near　the　temple　of　Castor　and　Pollux；　he　let　loose　the　rabble　upon
them；　and　amongst　many　others　slew　the　consul　Pompeius's　young　son
in　the　forum；　Pompeius　himself　hardly　escaping　in　the　crowd。　Sylla；
being　closely　pursued　into　the　house　of　Marius；　was　forced　to　come
forth　and　dissolve　the　cessation；　and　for　his　doing　this；　Sulpicius；
having　deposed　Pompeius；　allowed　Sylla　to　continue　his　consulship；
only　transferring　the　Mithridatic　expedition　to　Marius。
　　There　were　immediately　despatched　to　Nola　tribunes　to　receive　the
army；　and　bring　it　to　Marius；　but　Sylla；　having　got　first　to　the　camp；
and　the　soldiers；　upon　hearing　the　news；　having　stoned　the　tribunes；
Marius；　in　requital；　proceeded　to　put　the　friends　of　Sylla　in　the　city
to　the　sword；　and　rifled　their　goods。　Every　kind　of　removal　and　flight
went　on；　some　hastening　from　the　camp　to　the　city；　others　from　the
city　to　the　camp。　The　senate；　no　more　in　its　own　power；　but　wholly
governed　by　the　dictates　of　Marius　and　Sulpicius；　alarmed　at　the
report　of　Sylla's　advancing　with　his　troops　towards　the　city；　sent
forth　two　of　the　praetors；　Brutus　and　Servilius；　to　forbid　his
nearer　approach。　The　soldiers　would　have　slain　these　praetors　in　a
fury；　for　their　bold　language　to　Sylla；　contenting　themselves；
however；　with　breaking　their　rods；　and　tearing　off　their
purple…edged　robes；　after　much　contumelious　usage　they　sent　them　back；
to　the　sad　dejection　of　the　citizens；　who　beheld　their　magistrates
despoiled　of　their　badges　of　office；　and　announcing　to　them　that
things　were　now　manifestly　come　to　a　rupture　past　all　cure。　Marius　put
himself　in　readiness；　and　Sylla　with　his　colleague　moved　from　Nola；　at
the　head　of　six　complete　legions；　all　of　them　willing　to　march　up
directly　against　the　city；　though　he　himself　as　yet　was　doubtful　in
thought；　and　apprehensive　of　the　danger。　As　he　was　sacrificing；
Postumius　the　soothsayer；　having　inspected　the　entrails；　stretching
forth　both　hands　to　Sylla；　required　to　be　bound　and　kept　in　custody
till　the　battle　was　over；　as　willing；　if　they　had　not　speedy　and
complete　success；　to　suffer　the　utmost　punishment。　It　is　said；　also；
that　there　appeared　to　Sylla　himself；　in　a　dream；　a　certain　goddess；
whom　the　Romans　learnt　to　worship　from　the　Cappadocians；　whether　it　be
the　Moon；　or　Pallas；　or　Bellona。　This　same　goddess；　to　his　thinking；
stood　by　him；　and　put　into　his　hand　thunder　and　lightning；　then　naming
his　enemies　one　by　one；　bade　him　strike　them；　who；　all　of　them；　fell
on　the　discharge　and　disappeared。　Encouraged　by　this　vision；　and
relating　it　to　his　colleague；　next　day　he　led　on　towards　Rome。　About
Picinae　being　met　by　a　deputation；　beseeching　him　not　to　attack　at
once；　in　the　heat　of　a　march；　for　that　the　senate　had　decreed　to　do
him　all　the　right　imaginable；　he　consented　to　halt　on　the　spot；　and
sent　his　officers　to　measure　out　the　ground；　as　is　usual；　for　a
camp；　so　that　the　deputation；　believing　it；　returned。　They　were　no
sooner　gone；　but　he　sent　a　party　on　under　the　command　of　Lucius
Basillus　and　Caius　Mummius；　to　secure　the　city　gate；　and　the　walls
on　the　side　of　th