senator before the age fixed for it; but it was a very
extraordinary instance of honor to lead up a triumph before he was a
senator. And it contributed not a little to gain him the affections of
the multitude; the people were delighted to see him, after his triumph,
class with the equestrian order.

The power of the pirates had its foundation in Cilicia. Their progress
was the more dangerous, because at first it was little taken notice
of. In the Mithridatic war they assumed new confidence and courage, on
account of some services they had rendered the king. After this, the
Romans being engaged in civil wars at the very gates of their capital,
the sea was left unguarded, and the pirates by degrees attempted higher
things; they not only attacked ships, but islands, and maritime towns.
Many persons, distinguished for their wealth, their birth, and their
capacity, embarked with them, and assisted in the depredations, as if
their employment had been worthy the ambition of men of honor. They
had in various places arsenals, ports, and watch-towers, all strongly
fortified. Their fleets were not only extremely well manned, supplied
with skillful pilots, and fitted for their business by their lightness
and celerity; but there was a parade of vanity about them more
mortifying than their strength, in gilded sterns, purpose canopies, and
plated oars; as if they took a pride and triumphed in their villainy.
Music resounded, and drunken revels were exhibited on every coast. Here
generals were made prisoners; there the cities the pirates had taken
were paying their ransom; all to the great disgrace of the Roman power.
The number of their galleys amounted to one thousand, and the cities
they were masters of to four hundred.

Temples which had stood inviolably sacred till that time, they
plundered. They ruined the temple of Apollo at Claros, that of the
Cabiri in Samothrace, of Ceres at Hermione, of Aesculapius at Epidaurus,
those of Neptune in the Isthmus, at Taenarus and in Calauria, those
of Apollo at Actium and in the isle of Leucas, those of Juno at Samos,
Argos, and the promontory of Lacinium.

They likewise offered strange sacrifices; those of Olympus I mean; and
they celebrated certain secret mysteries, among which those of Mithra
continue to this day, being originally instituted by them. They not only
insulted the Romans at sea but infested the great roads, and plundered
the villas near the coast; they carried off Sextilius an