alship, Sulla
owed his final success. Five cohorts deserted at Sacriportus. Five
more went over from Carbo to Metellus. Two hundred and seventy cavalry
went over from Carbo to Sulla in Etruria. A whole legion, despatched
by Carbo to relieve Praeneste, joined Pompeius. At the battle of
Faventia 6000 deserted, and a Lucanian legion did the same directly
afterwards. Naples and Narbo were both banded over by treachery. We
hear also of commanders deserting. On the other hand, nothing is said
of anyone deserting from Sulla, so that from the very beginning the
contest could never have been really considered doubtful.

[Sidenote: Sertorius sent to Spain. No capable man left to oppose
Sulla.] After this signal success at Teanum Sertorius was sent to
Spain, either because, as is likely, he made bitter comments on the
consul's incompetence, or because it was important to hold Spain as a
place for retreat. Carbo hastened to Rome to and at his instigation
the Senate outlawed all the senators who had joined Sulla--a suicidal
step, which would contrast fatally with Sulla's crafty moderation.
[Sidenote: Burning of the Capitol.] It was about this time that the
Capitol, and in it the Sibylline books, were burnt. Some people said
that Carbo burnt it, though what his motive could be is difficult to
conjecture. Sulla very likely regretted the loss of the Sibylline
books as much as any man. [Sidenote: Sulla's situation at the close of
83 B.C.] With this the first year of the civil war ended. Sulla was
master of Picenum, Apulia, and Campania; had disposed of two consuls
and their armies; and had, by conciliation and swearing to respect
their rights, made friends of some of the newly-enfranchised Italian
towns.

The consuls for the next year (82) were Carbo and young Marius. The
Marian governor in Africa was suspected of wishing to raise the slaves
and to make himself absolute in the province. Consequently the Roman
merchants stirred up a tumult, in which he was burnt alive in his
house. In Sardinia the renegade Philippus did some service by
defeating the Marian praetor, and so securing for Sulla the corn
supply of the islands. In the spring Sulla seized Setia, a strong
position on the west of the Volscian Mountains. Marius was in the same
neighbourhood, and he retreated to Sacriportus on the east of the same
range. [Sidenote: Battle of Sacriportus.] Sulla followed him, his aim
being to get to Rome. A battle took place at Sacriportus. Marius