caius marius-第8章

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founder　of　their　city；　as　having　diverted　a　danger　no　less　threatening
than　was　that　when　the　Gauls　sacked　Rome；　and　every　one；　in　their
feasts　and　rejoicings　at　home　with　their　wives　and　children；　made
offerings　and　libations　in　honour　of　〃The　Gods　and　Marius；〃　and
would　have　had　him　solely　have　the　honour　of　both　the　triumphs。
However；　he　did　not　do　so；　but　triumphed　together　with　Catulus；
being　desirous　to　show　his　moderation　even　in　such　great　circumstances
of　good　fortune；　besides　he　was　not　a　little　afraid　of　the　soldiers　in
Catulus's　army；　lest；　if　he　should　wholly　bereave　their　general　of　the
honour；　they　should　endeavour　to　hinder　him　of　his　triumph。
　　Marius　was　now　in　his　fifth　consulship；　and　he　sued　for　his　sixth　in
such　a　manner　as　never　any　man　before　him　had　done；　even　for　his
first；　he　courted　the　people's　favour　and　ingratiated　himself　with　the
multitude　by　every　sort　of　complaisance；　not　only　derogating　from
the　state　and　dignity　of　his　office；　but　also　belying　his　own
character；　by　attempting　to　seem　popular　and　obliging；　for　which
nature　had　never　designed　him。　His　passion　for　distinction　did；
indeed；　they　say；　make　him　exceedingly　timorous　in　any　political
matters；　or　in　confronting　public　assemblies；　and　that　undaunted
presence　of　mind　he　always　showed　in　battle　against　the　enemy
forsook　him　when　he　was　to　address　the　people；　he　was　easily　upset
by　the　most　ordinary　commendation　or　dispraise。　It　is　told　of　him；
that　having　at　one　time　given　the　freedom　of　the　city　to　one
thousand　men　of　Camerinum　who　had　behaved　valiantly　in　this　war；　and
this　seeming　to　be　illegally　done；　upon　some　one　or　other　calling
him　to　an　account　for　it；　he　answered；　that　the　law　spoke　too　softly
to　be　heard　in　such　a　noise　of　war；　yet　he　himself　appeared　to　be　more
disconcerted　and　overcome　by　the　clamour　made　in　the　assemblies。　The
need　they　had　of　him　in　time　of　war　procured　him　power　and　dignity；
but　in　civil　affairs；　when　he　despaired　of　getting　the　first　place；　he
was　forced　to　betake　himself　to　the　favour　of　the　people；　never　caring
to　be　a　good　man　so　that　he　were　but　a　great　one。
　　He　thus　became　very　odious　to　all　the　nobility；　and　above　all；　he
feared　Metellus；　who　had　been　so　ungratefully　used　by　him；　and　whose
true　virtue　made　him　naturally　an　enemy　to　those　that　sought　influence
with　the　people；　not　by　the　honourable　course；　but　by　subservience　and
complaisance。　Marius；　therefore；　endeavoured　to　banish　him　from　the
city；　and　for　this　purpose　he　contracted　a　close　alliance　with　Glaucia
and　Saturninus　a　couple　of　daring　fellows；　who　had　the　great　mass　of
the　indigent　and　seditious　multitude　at　their　control；　and　by　their
assistance　he　enacted　various　laws；　and　bringing　the　soldiers；　also；
to　attend　the　assembly；　he　was　enabled　to　overpower　Metellus。　And　as
Rutilius　relates　（in　all　other　respects　a　fair　and　faithful　authority；
but；　indeed；　privately　an　enemy　to　Marius）；　he　obtained　his　sixth
consulship　by　distributing　vast　sums　of　money　among　the　tribes；　and　by
this　bribery　kept　out　Metellus；　and　had　Valerius　Flaccus　given　him
as　his　instrument；　rather　than　his　colleague；　in　the　consulship。　The
people　had　never　before　bestowed　so　many　consulships　on　any　one　man；
except　on　Valerius　Corvinus　only；　and　he；　too；　they　say；　was
forty…five　years　between　his　first　and　last；　but　Marius；　from　his
first；　ran　through　five　more；　with　one　current　of　good　fortune。
　　In　the　last；　especially；　he　contracted　a　great　deal　of　hatred；　by
committing　several　gross　misdemeanours　in　compliance　with　the
desires　of　Saturninus；　among　which　was　the　murder　of　Nonius　whom
Saturninus　slew　because　he　stood　in　competition　with　him　for　the
tribuneship。　And　when；　afterwards；　Saturninus；　on　becoming　tribune；
brought　forward　his　law　for　the　division　of　lands；　with　a　clause
enacting　that　the　senate　publicly　swear　to　confirm　whatever　the　people
should　vote；　and　not　to　oppose　them　in　anything；　Marius；　in　the
senate；　cunningly　feigned　to　be　against　this　provision；　and　said
that　he　would　not　take　any　such　oath；　nor　would　any　man；　he　thought；
who　was　wise；　for　if　there　were　no　ill　design　in　the　law；　still　it
would　be　an　affront　to　the　senate　to　be　compelled　to　give　their
approbation；　and　not　to　do　it　willingly　and　upon　persuasion。　This　he
said；　not　that　it　was　agreeable　to　his　own　sentiments；　but　that　he
might　entrap　Metellus　beyond　any　possibility　of　escape。　For　Marius；　in
whose　ideas　virtue　and　capacity　consisted　largely　in　deceit；　made　very
little　account　of　what　he　had　openly　professed　to　the　senate；　and
knowing　that　Metellus　was　one　of　a　fixed　resolution；　and；　as　Pindar
has　it；　esteemed　〃truth　the　first　principle　of　heroic　virtue；〃　he
hoped　to　ensnare　him　into　a　declaration　before　the　senate；　and　on
his　refusing；　as　he　was　sure　to　do；　afterwards　to　take　the　oath；　he
expected　to　bring　him　into　such　odium　with　the　people　as　should
never　be　wiped　off。　The　design　succeeded　to　his　wish。　As　soon　as
Metellus　had　declared　that　he　would　not　swear　to　it；　the　senate
adjourned。　A　few　days　after　on　Saturninus　citing　the　senators　to
make　their　appearance；　and　take　the　oath　before　the　people；　Marius
stepped　forth　amidst　a　profound　silence；　every　one　being　intent　to
hear　him；　and　bidding　farewell　to　those　fine　speeches　he　had　before
made　in　the　senate；　said；　that　his　back　was　not　so　broad　that　he
should　think　himself　bound；　once　for　all；　by　any　opinion　once　given　on
so　important　a　matter；　he　would　willingly　swear　and　submit　to　the　law；
if　so　be　it　were　one；　a　proviso　which　he　added　as　a　mere　cover　for　his
effrontery。　The　people；　in　great　joy　at　his　taking　the　oath；　loudly
clapped　and　applauded　him；　while　the　nobility　stood　by　ashamed　and
vexed　at　his　inconstancy；　but　they　submitted　out　of　fear　of　the
people；　and　all　in　order　took　the　oath；　till　it　came　to　Metellus's
turn。　But　he；　though　his　friends　begged　and　entreated　him　to　take
it；　and　not　to　plunge　himself　irrecoverably　into　the　penalties　which
Saturninus　had　provided　for　those　that　should　refuse　it；　would　not
flinch　from　his　resolution；　nor　swear；　but；　according　to　his　fixed
custom；　being　ready　to　suffer　anything　rather　than　do　a　base；　unworthy
action；　he　left　the　forum；　telling　those　that　were　with　him　that　to　do
wrong　things　is　base；　and　to　do　well　where　there　is　no　danger；　common；
the　good　man's　characteristic　is　to　do　so　where　there　is　danger。
　　Hereupon　Saturninus　put　it　to　the　vote；　that　the　consuls　should
place　Metellus　under　their　interdict；　and　forbid　him　fire；　water；
and　lodging。　There　were　enough；　too；　of　the　basest　of　people　ready
to　kill　him。　Nevertheless；　when　many　of　the　better　sort　were　extremely
concerned；　and　gathered　about　Metellus；　he　would　not　suffer　them　to
raise　a　sedition　upon　his　account；　but　with　this　calm　reflection
left　the　city；　〃Either　when　the　posture　of　affairs　is　mended　and　the
people　repent；　I　shall　be　recalled；　or　if　things　remain　in　their
present　condition；　it　will　be　best　to　be　absent。〃　But　what　great
favour　and　honour　Metellus　received　in　his　banishment；　and　in　what
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；