me.] Then began a reign of terror. Not only did he kill his enemies,
but gave over to his creatures men against whom he had no complaint to
make. At last a young noble, Caius Metellus, asked him in the Senate,
'Tell us, Sulla, when there is to be an end of our calamities. We do
not ask thee to spare those whom those hast marked out for punishment,
but to relieve the suspense of those whom thou hast determined to
save.' Sulla replied that he did not yet know. 'Then,' said Metellus,
'let us know whom thou intendest to destroy.' [Sidenote: Sulla's
proscriptions.] Sulla answered by issuing a first proscription list,
including eighty names. People murmured at the illegality of this, and
in two days, as if to rebuke their presumption, he issued a second of
220, and as many more the next day. Then he told the people from the
rostrum that he had now proscribed all that he remembered, and those
whom he had forgotten must come into some future proscription. Such
a speech would seem incredible if put into the mouth of any other
character it history; but it is in keeping with Sulla's passionless
and nonchalant brutality. The ashes of Marius he ordered to be dug up
and scattered in the Anio, the only unpractical act we ever read of
him committing. Death was ordained for every one who should harbour or
save a proscribed person, even his own brother, son, or parent. But
he who killed a proscribed man, even if it was a slave who slew his
master or a son his father, was to receive two talents. Even the son
and grandson of those proscribed were deprived of the privileges of
citizenship, and their property was confiscated. Not only in Rome but
in all the cities of Italy this went on. Lists were posted everywhere,
and it was a common saying among the ruffianly executioners, 'His fine
home was the death of such an one, his gardens of another, his hot
baths of a third,' for they hunted down men for their wealth more than
from revenge. [Sidenote: Story illustrative of the time.] One day a
quiet citizen came into the Forum, and out of mere curiosity read the
proscription list. To his horror he saw his own name. 'Wretch,' he
cried, 'that I am, my Alban villa pursues me!' and he had not gone far
when a ruffian came up and killed him. [Sidenote: Sulla and Julius
Caesar.] The famous Julius Caesar was one of those in danger. He would
not divorce his wife at the bidding of Sulla, who confiscated her
property if not his as well, being so far merciful f