are about the first; and he
endeavoured to gain favour by courting the people and giving way to
the many in order to please them, wherein he went further than was
consistent with the state and dignity of the office, and further than
suited his own temper, for he wished to show himself very compliant
and a man of the people, when in fact his character was altogether
different. Now it is said that in all civil matters and amid the noise
of the popular assemblies Marius was entirely devoid of courage, which
arose from his excessive love of applause; and the undaunted spirit
and firmness which he showed in battle failed him before the people,
where he was disconcerted by the most ordinary expressions of praise
or censure. However, the following story is told of him: Marius had
presented with the citizenship a thousand of the people of Camerinum,
who had particularly distinguished themselves in the war; this was
considered to be an illegal proceeding, and being charged with it by
several persons in public, he replied that he could not hear the law
for the din of arms. Still it is well known that he was discomposed
and alarmed by the shouts in the popular assemblies. In military
matters, it is true, he received great deference and had much
influence, because his services were wanted; but in civil business he
was cut off from attaining the first distinction, and accordingly
there was nothing left for him but to gain the affection and favour of
the many; and in order to become the first man at Rome, he sacrificed
all claim to be considered the best. The consequence was, that he was
at variance with all the aristocratical party, but he feared Metellus
most, who had experienced his ingratitude, and, as a man of sterling
worth, was the natural enemy of those who attempted to insinuate
themselves into the popular favour by dishonourable means, and who had
no other object than to flatter the people. Accordingly Marius formed
a design to eject Metellus from the city; and for this purpose he
allied himself with Glaucia and Saturninus,[105] who were daring men,
and had at their command a rabble of needy and noisy fellows, and he
made them his tools in introducing his measures. He also stirred up
the soldiers, and by mixing them with the people in the assemblies he
overpowered Metellus with his faction. Rutilius,[106] who is a lover
of truth and an honest man, though he was a personal enemy of Marius,
relates in his history, that by giv