was near the Porta
Lavernalis, as Varro says (_Ling. Lat._ v. 163). Horatius (1 _Ep._
xvi. 60) represents the rogue as putting up a prayer "to the Fair
Laverna," that he may appear to be what he is not, an honest man, and
that night and darkness may kindly cover his sins. The phaenomenon
which Sulla describes appears to have been of a volcanic character;
and if so, it is the most recent on record within the volcanic region
of the Seven Hills.]

[Footnote 184: Apparently Aulus Postumius Albinus, who was consul with
Marcus Antonius B.C. 99. Valerius Maximus tells the story (ix. 8, 3).]

[Footnote 185: This was Sulla'a first consulship, B.C. 88. If he was
now fifty, he was born B.C. 138. His colleague was Quintus Pompeius
Rufus, who was killed in this same year at the instigation or at least
with the approbation of Cn. Pompeius Strabo, the father of Pompeius
Magnus. (Appian, _Civil Wars_, i. 63.)]

[Footnote 186: Caecilia Metella was the fourth wife of Sulla. The other
three are mentioned in this chapter. Ilia is perhaps a mistake for
Julia. Sulla's fifth and last wife was Valeria, c. 35.]

[Footnote 187: Drumann (_Geschichte Roms_, Caecilii) has shown that
Plutarch is mistaken in supposing Caecilia to be the daughter of
Metellus Pius, who was consul with Sulla B.C. 80. She was the daughter
of L. Metellus Dalmaticus, who was the brother of Metellus Numidicus
and the uncle of Metellus Pius. Her first husband was M. Scaurus,
consul B.C. 115, by whom she had several children, and among them the
Scaurus whom Cicero defended. Metella had children by Sulla also. (See
c. 36, notes.)]

[Footnote 188: The historian of Rome. These events belonged to the
seventy-seventh book of Livius, which is lost. The Epitome shows what
this book contained.]

[Footnote 189: This word occurs three times in this chapter. In the
first instance, the word is _the daemonium_; in the second it is _the
god_ ([Greek: ho theos]); in the third, it is _the daemonium_ again.]

[Footnote 190: The Senate often met in the temple of Duellona or
Bellona, the goddess of War. Duellona and Bellona are the same.
Compare the Bacchanalian Inscription, and Livius (28, c. 9, &c.).

The last sentence of this chapter is corrupt, and the precise meaning
is uncertain.]

[Footnote 191: See Marius, c. 35.]

[Footnote 192: A man might be manumitted so as either to have the
complete citizenship or not. If Plutarch's account is true, the
citizenship was sold to those l