howed no eagerness
for it, seeking, as they say, reputation from what was unusual. For it
was nothing surprising if Pompeius were a senator before the age, but
it was a most distinguished honour for him to triumph before he was a
senator. Another thing also gained him the good-will of the many in no
small degree, for the people were delighted at his being reviewed
among the Equites after the triumph.

XV. Sulla[219] was annoyed to see to what a height of reputation and
power Pompeius was advancing, but as he was ashamed to attempt to
check his career he kept quiet. However, when Pompeius had brought
about the election of Lepidus as consul in spite of Sulla and against
his wish, by canvassing for Lepidus, and by employing the affection of
the people towards himself to induce them to favour Lepidus, Sulla
seeing Pompeius retiring with the crowd through the Forum, said, "I
see, young man, that you are pleased with your victory: and indeed how
can it be otherwise than generous and noble, for Lepidus, the vilest
of men, to be declared consul before Catulus the best, through your
management of the people? However, it is time for you not to slumber,
but to attend to affairs, for you have strengthened your rival against
yourself." Sulla showed mainly by his testament that he was not well
disposed to Pompeius, for he left legacies to his other friends, and
made them his son's guardians, but he passed over Pompeius
altogether. But Pompeius took this very quietly, and behaved on the
occasion as a citizen should do; and accordingly, when Lepidus and
some others were putting impediments in the way of the body being
interred in the Field of Mars, and were not for allowing the funeral
to be public, Pompeius brought his aid, and gave to the interment both
splendour and security.

XVI. As soon as Sulla's death made his prophetic warnings manifest,
and Lepidus was attempting to put himself in Sulla's place, not by any
circuitous movement or contrivance, but by taking up arms forthwith,
and again stirring up and gathering round him the remnants of the
factions which had long been enfeebled and had escaped from Sulla; and
his colleague Catulus, to whom the most honest and soundest part of
the Senate and the people attached themselves, was the first of the
Romans of the day for reputation of temperance and integrity, but was
considered to be better adapted for the conduct of civil than of
military affairs, and circumstances themselves wer