] there learnt for the
first time that his son had escaped with Cethegus, and that they were
going to Iampsas (Hiempsal), king of the Numidians, to ask aid of him.
This news encouraged him a little, and he was emboldened to move from
the island to the neighbourhood of Carthage. At this time the governor
of Libya was Sextilius, a Roman, who had neither received injury nor
favour from Marius, and it was expected that he would help him, at
least as far as feelings of compassion move a man. But no sooner had
Marius landed with a few of his party, than an officer met him, and
standing right in front of him said, "The Governor Sextilius forbids
you, Marius, to set foot on Libya, and he says that if you do, he will
support the decree of the Senate by treating you as an enemy." On
hearing this, grief and indignation deprived Marius of utterance, and
he was a long time silent, looking fixedly at the officer. Upon the
officer asking Marius what he had to say, what reply he had for the
governor, he answered with a deep groan, "Tell him you have seen Caius
Marius a fugitive sitting on the ruins of Carthage": a reply in which
he not unaptly compared the fate of that city and his own changed
fortunes. In the meantime, Iampsas, the king of the Numidians, being
unresolved which way to act, treated young Marius and his companions
with respect, but still detained them on some new pretext whenever
they wished to leave; and it was evident that he had no fair object in
view in thus deferring their departure. However, an incident happened
of no uncommon kind, which brought about their deliverance. The
younger Marius was handsome, and one of the king's concubines was
grieved to see him in a condition unbefitting his station; and this
feeling of compassion was a beginning and motive towards love. At
first, however, Marius rejected the woman's proposals, but seeing that
there were no other means of escape, and that her conduct proceeded
from more serious motives than mere passion, he accepted her proffered
favours, and with her aid stole away with his friends and made his
escape to his father. After embracing one another, they went along the
shore, where they saw some scorpions fighting, which Marius considered
to be a bad omen. Accordingly they forthwith embarked in a fishing
boat, and passed over to the island Cercina, which was no great
distance from the mainland; and it happened that they had only just
set sail, when some horsemen despatched