ness of his brow and his
gloomy look that he intended to fill Rome with slaughter. After the
audience was over, they marched to the city. Cinna entered accompanied
by his guards, but Marius halting at the gates angrily affected to
have some scruples about entering. He said he was an exile and was
excluded from his country by a law, and if anybody wanted to have him
in the city, they must go to the vote again and undo the vote by which
he was banished, just as if he were a man who respected the laws and
were returning from exile to a free state. Accordingly he summoned the
people to the Forum, but before three or four of the tribes had voted,
throwing off the mask and setting aside all the talk about being
legally recalled, he entered with some guards selected from the slaves
who had flocked to him, and who were called Bardiaei. These fellows
killed many persons by his express orders and many on the mere signal
of his nod; and at last meeting with Ancharius, a senator who had
filled the office of praetor, they struck him down with their daggers
in the presence of Marius, when they saw that Marius did not salute
him. After this whenever he did not salute a man or return his salute,
this was a signal for them to massacre him forthwith in the streets,
in consequence of which even the friends of Marius were filled with
consternation and horror when they approached him. The slaughter was
now great, and Cinna's appetite was dulled and he was satisfied with
blood; but Marius daily went on with his passion at the highest pitch
and thirsting for vengeance, through the whole list of those whom
suspected in any degree. And every road and every city was filled with
the pursuers, hunting out those who attempted to escape and conceal
themselves, and the ties of hospitality and friendship were proved to
be no security in misfortune, for they were very few who did not
betray those who sought refuge with them. This rendered the conduct of
the slaves of Cornutus the more worthy of praise and admiration, for
they concealed their master at home, and hanging up by the neck the
dead body of some obscure person, and putting a gold ring on his
finger, they showed him to the guards of Marius, and then wrapping up
the body as if it were their master's, they interred it. The device
went unsuspected, and Cornutus being thus secreted by his slaves, made
his escape to Gaul.

XLIV. The orator Marcus Antonius[138] found a faithful friend, but
still he