caius marius-第12章

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out　of　Italy；　all　together　not　above　one　thousand；　he；　with　this
handful；　began　his　voyage。　Arriving　at　Telamon；　in　Etruria；　and　coming
ashore；　he　proclaimed　freedom　for　the　slaves；　and　many　of　the
countrymen；　also；　and　shepherds　thereabouts；　who　were　already　freemen；
at　the　hearing　his　name；　flocked　to　him　to　the　seaside。　He　persuaded
the　youngest　and　strongest　to　join　him；　and　in　a　small　time　got
together　a　competent　force　with　which　he　filled　forty　ships。　Knowing
Octavius　to　be　a　good　man　and　willing　to　execute　his　office　with　the
greatest　justice　imaginable；　and　Cinna　to　be　suspected　by　Sylla；　and
in　actual　warfare　against　the　established　government；　he　determined　to
join　himself　and　his　forces　with　the　latter。　He　therefore　sent　a
message　to　him；　to　let　him　know　that　he　was　ready　to　obey　him　as
consul。
　　When　Cinna　had　joyfully　received　his　offer；　naming　him　proconsul；
and　sending　him　the　fasces　and　other　ensigns　of　authority；　he　said
that　grandeur　did　not　become　his　present　fortune；　but　wearing　an
ordinary　habit；　and　still　letting　his　hair　grow　as　it　had　done；　from
that　very　day　he　first　went　into　banishment；　and　being　now　above
threescore　and　ten　years　old；　he　came　slowly　on　foot；　designing　to
move　people's　compassion；　which　did　not　prevent；　however；　his
natural　fierceness　of　expression　from　still　predominating；　and　his
humiliation　still　let　it　appear　that　he　was　not　so　much　dejected　as
exasperated　by　the　change　of　his　condition。　Having　saluted　Cinna　and
the　soldiers；　he　immediately　prepared　for　action；　and　soon　made　a
considerable　alteration　in　the　posture　of　affairs。　He　first　cut　off
the　provision　ships；　and　plundering　all　the　merchants；　made　himself
master　of　the　supplies　of　corn；　then　bringing　his　navy　to　the
seaport　towns；　he　took　them；　and　at　last；　becoming　master　of　Ostia
by　treachery；　he　pillaged　that　town；　and　slew　a　multitude　of　the
inhabitants；　and；　blocking　up　the　river；　took　from　the　enemy　all　hopes
of　supply　by　the　sea；　then　marched　with　his　army　toward　the　city；
and　posted　himself　upon　the　hill　called　Janiculum。
　　The　public　interest　did　not　receive　so　great　damage　from
Octavius's　unskillfulness　in　his　management　of　affairs　as　from　his
omitting　needful　measures　through　too　strict　observance　of　the　law。　As
when　several　advised　him　to　make　the　slaves　free；　he　said　that　he
would　not　give　slaves　the　privilege　of　the　country　from　which　he　then；
in　defence　of　the　laws；　was　driving　away　Marius。　When　Metellus；　son　to
that　Metellus　who　was　general　in　the　war　in　Africa；　and　afterwards
banished　through　Marius's　means；　came　to　Rome；　being　thought　a　much
better　commander　than　Octavius；　the　soldiers；　deserting　the　consul；
came　to　him　and　desired　him　to　take　the　command　of　them　and　preserve
the　city；　that　they；　when　they　had　got　an　experienced　valiant
commander；　should　fight　courageously；　and　come　off　conquerors。　But
when　Metellus；　offended　at　it；　commanded　them　angrily　to　return　to　the
consul；　they　revolted　to　the　enemy。　Metellus；　too；　seeing　the　city
in　desperate　condition；　left　it；　but　a　company　of　Chaldaeans；
sacrificers；　and　interpreters　of　the　Sibyl's　books　persuaded
Octavius　that　things　could　turn　out　happily；　and　kept　him　at　Rome。
He　was；　indeed；　of　all　the　Romans　the　most　upright　and　just；　and
maintained　the　honour　of　the　consulate；　without　cringing　or
compliance；　as　strictly　in　accordance　with　ancient　laws　and　usages
as　though　they　had　been　immutable　mathematical　truths；　and　yet　fell；　I
know　not　how；　into　some　weaknesses；　giving　more　observance　to
fortune…tellers　and　diviners；　than　to　men　skilled　in　civil　and
military　affairs。　He　therefore；　before　Marius　entered　the　city；　was
pulled　down　from　the　rostra　and　murdered　by　those　that　were　sent
before　by　Marius；　and　it　is　reported　there　was　a　Chaldaean　writing
found　in　his　gown　when　he　was　slain。　And　it　seemed　a　thing　very
unaccountable；　that　of　two　famous　generals；　Marius　should　be　often
successful　by　the　observing　divinations；　and　Octavius　ruined　by　the
same　means。
　　When　affairs　were　in　this　posture；　the　senate　assembled；　and　sent
a　deputation　to　Cinna　and　Marius；　desiring　them　to　come　into　the
city　peaceably　and　spare　the　citizens。　Cinna；　as　consul；　received
the　embassy；　sitting　in　the　curule　chair；　and　returned　a　kind　answer
to　the　messengers；　Marius　stood　by　him　and　said　nothing；　but　gave
sufficient　testimony；　by　the　gloominess　of　his　countenance　and　the
sternness　of　his　looks；　that　he　would　in　a　short　time　fill　the　city
with　blood。　As　soon　as　the　council　arose；　they　went　toward　the　city；
where　Cinna　entered　with　his　guards；　but　Marius　stayed　at　the　gates；
and；　dissembling　his　rage；　professed　that　he　was　then　an　exile　and
banished　his　country　by　course　of　law；　that　if　his　presence　were
necessary；　they　must；　by　a　new　decree；　repeal　the　former　act　by
which　he　was　banished；　as　though　he　were；　indeed；　a　religious　observer
of　the　laws；　and　as　if　he　were　returning　to　a　city　free　from　fear　or
oppression。　Hereupon　the　people　were　assembled；　but　before　three　or
four　tribes　had　given　their　votes；　throwing　up　his　pretences　and　his
legal　scruples　about　his　banishment；　he　carried　into　the　city　with　a
select　guard　of　the　slaves　who　had　joined　him；　whom　he　called
Bardyaei。　These　proceeded　to　murder　a　number　of　citizens；　as　he　gave
command；　partly　by　word　of　mouth；　partly　by　the　signal　of　his　nod。
At　length　Ancharius；　a　senator；　and　one　that　had　been　praetor；
coming　to　Marius；　and　not　being　re…saluted　by　him；　they　with　their
drawn　swords　slew　him　before　Marius's　face；　and　henceforth　this　was
their　token；　immediately　to　kill　all　those　who　met　Marius　and　saluting
him　were　taken　no　notice　of；　nor　answered　with　the　like　courtesy；　so
that　his　very　friends　were　not　without　dreadful　apprehensions　and
horror；　whensoever　they　came　to　speak　with　him。
　　When　they　had　now　butchered　a　great　number；　Cinna　grew　more　remiss
and　cloyed　with　murders；　but　Marius's　rage　continued　still　fresh　and
unsatisfied；　and　he　daily　sought　for　all　that　were　any　way　suspected
by　him。　Now　was　every　road　and　every　town　filled　with　those　that
pursued　and　hunted　them　that　fled　and　hid　themselves；　and　it　was
remarkable　that　there　was　no　more　confidence　to　be　placed；　as　things
stood；　either　in　hospitality　or　friendship；　for　there　were　found　but　a
very　few　that　did　not　betray　those　that　fled　to　them　for　shelter。
And　thus　the　servants　of　Cornutus　deserve　the　greater　praise　and
admiration；　who；　having　concealed　their　master　in　the　house；　took
the　body　of　one　of　the　slain；　cut　off　the　head；　put　a　gold　ring　on　the
finger；　and　showed　it　to　Marius's　guards；　and　buried　it　with　the
same　solemnity　as　if　it　had　been　their　own　master。　This　trick　was
perceived　by　nobody；　and　so　Cornutus　escaped；　and　was　conveyed　by
his　domestics　into　Gaul。
　　Marcus　Antonius；　the　orator；　though　he；　too；　found　a　true　friend；
had　ill…fortune。　The　man　was　but　poor　and　a　plebeian；　and　as　he　was
entertaining　a　man　of　the　greatest　rank　in　Rome；　trying　to　provide　for
him　with　the　best　he　could；　he　sent　his　servant　to　get　some　wine　of
a　neighbouring　vintner。　The　servant　carefully　tasting　it　and　bidding
him　draw　better；　the　fellow　asked　him　what　was　the　matter；　that　he　did
not　buy　new　and　ordinary　wine　as　he　used　to　do；　but　richer　and　of　a
greater　price；　he　without　any　designs　told　him；　as　his　old　friend
and　acquaintance；　that　his　master　entertained　Marcus　Antonius；　who　was
concealed　with　him。　The　villainous　vintner；　as　soon　as　the　servant　was
gone；　went　himself　to　Marius；　then　at　supper；　and　being　brought　into
his　presence；　told　him　he　would　deliver　Antonius　into　his　hands。　As
soon　as　he　heard　it；　it　is　said　he　gave　a　great　shout；　and　clapped　his
hands　for　joy；　and　had　very　nearly　risen　up　and　gone　to　the　place
himself；　but　being　detained　by　his　friends；　he　sent　Annius；　and　some
soldiers　with　him；　and　commanded　him　to　bring　Antonius's　head　to　him
with　all　speed。　When　they　came　to　the　house；　Annius　stayed　at　the
door；　and　the　soldiers　went　upstairs　into　the　chamber；　where；　seeing
Antonius；　they　endeavoured　to　shuffle　off　the　murder　from　one　another；
for　so　great　it　seems　were　the　graces　and　charms　of　his　oratory；
that　as　soon　as　he　began　t