ils; and these are the exploits of his consulship, which he
will exhibit to the citizens when he returns to Rome. Does he fear the
fate of Carbo and Caepio, who were defeated by the enemy? But they were
far inferior to Marius in reputation and merit, and they were at the
head of much inferior armies. And it is better to do something, even
if we perish like them, than to sit here and see the lands of our
allies plundered."

XVII. Marius, who was pleased to hear such expressions as these,
pacified the soldiers by saying that he did not distrust them, but was
waiting for the time and the place of victory pursuant to certain
oracles. And in fact he carried about with him in a litter, with great
tokens of respect, a Syrian woman named Martha,[81] who was said to
possess the gift of divination, and he sacrificed pursuant to her
directions. This woman had formerly applied to the Senate, and offered
to foretell future events, but her proposal was rejected. Having got
access to the women, she allowed them to make trial of her skill; and
especially on one occasion, when she sat at the feet of the wife of
Marius, she was successful in foretelling what gladiators would win,
and this led to her being sent to Marius, who was much struck with her
skill. She generally accompanied the army in a litter, and assisted at
the sacrifices in a double purple robe fastened with a clasp, and
carrying a spear wreathed with ribands and chaplets. This exhibition
made many doubt whether Marius produced the woman in public because he
really believed in her, or whether he merely pretended to do so, and
played a part in the matter. But the affair of the vultures, which
Alexander[82] of Myndus has related, is certainly wonderful. Two
vultures were always seen hovering about the army before a victory,
and accompanying it; they were known by brass rings round their necks,
for the soldiers had caught the birds, and after putting on the rings
had let them go. Ever after this time as the soldiers recognised the
birds, they saluted them; and whenever the birds appeared on the
occasion of the army moving, the soldiers rejoiced, as they were
confident of success. Though there were many signs about this time,
all of them were of an ordinary kind, except what was reported from
Ameria and Tuder, two towns of Italy, where at night there was the
appearance in the heavens of fiery spears and shields, which at first
moved about in various directions, and then closed t