s generally approved for
his excellence and good nature, and he thought he would cause no
trouble: the other he well knew was an unprincipled person, but he did
not wish to antagonize him, because the man had some influence and was
ready, as he had said and declared on oath, to assist him in every way
possible. Sulla himself, though an adept at discovering the minds of
men and inferring correctly in regard to the nature of things, made a
thorough mistake in this matter and bequeathed a great war to the
State. (Valesius, p. 642.)

2. (Par.) Octavius was naturally dull in politics. (Valesius, ib.)

3. (Par.) The Romans, when civil war set in, sent for Metellus,
urging him to help them. (Ursinus, p. 386.)

4. (Par.) The Romans, at odds with one another, sent for Metellus and
bade him come to terms with the Samnites, as he best might: for at this
time they alone were still damaging Campania and the district beyond
it. He, however, concluded no truce with them. They demanded
citizenship to be given not to themselves alone but also to those who
had deserted to their side, refused to give up any of the booty which
they had, but demanded back all the captives and deserters from their
own ranks, so that even the senators no longer chose to make peace
with them on these terms. (Ursinus, p. 385.)

5. (Par.) When Cinna had put in force again the law regarding the return
of exiles, Marius and the rest of his followers who had been expelled
leaped into the city with the army left to them by all the gates at
once; these they shut, so that no one could make his escape, and
despatched every man they met, making no distinction, but treating
them all alike as enemies. They took special pains to destroy any
persons who had possessions, because they coveted such property, and
outraged their children and wives as if they had enslaved some foreign
city. The heads of the most eminent citizens they fastened to the
rostra. That sight was no less cruel than their ruin; for the thought
might occur to the spectators that what their ancestors had adorned
with the beaks of the enemy was now being deformed by the heads of the
citizens.

For, in fine, so great a desire and greed for slaughter possessed
Marius, that when he had killed most of his enemies and no one because
of the great confusion prevailing occurred to him whom he wished to
destroy, he gave the word to the soldiers to stab all in succession of
the passers-by to whom he should not e