he war; their vast forces were scattered about
Italy, in different armies, under different generals; the soldiers had
no confidence in their commanders, and no enthusiasm in their cause; and
the consequence was, that whole hosts of them deserted to Sulla on the
first opportunity. Sulla's soldiers, on the contrary, were veterans, who
had frequently fought by each other's sides, and had acquired that
confidence in themselves and in their general which frequent victories
always give. Still, if the Italians had remained faithful to the cause
of the Marian party, Sulla would hardly have conquered, and therefore
one of his first cares after landing at Brundusium was to detach them
from his enemies. For this purpose he would not allow his troops to do
any injury to the towns or fields of the Italians in his march from
Brundusium through Calabria and Apulia, and he formed separate treaties
with many of the Italian towns, by which he secured to them all the
rights and privileges of Roman citizens which they then enjoyed. Among
the Italians the Samnites continued to be the most formidable enemies of
Sulla. They had joined the Marian party, not simply with the design of
securing the supremacy for the latter, but with the hope of conquering
Rome by their means, and then destroying forever their hated oppressor.
Thus this Civil war became merely another phase of the Social war, and
the struggle between Rome and Samnium for the supremacy of the peninsula
was renewed after the subjection of the latter for more than two hundred
years.

Sulla marched from Apulia into Campania without meeting with any
resistance. In Campania he gained his first victory over the Consul
Norbanus, who was defeated with great loss, and obliged to take refuge
in Capua. His colleague Scipio, who was at no great distance, willingly
accepted a truce which Sulla offered him, although Sertorius, the ablest
of the Marian generals, warned him against entering into any
negotiations. His caution was justified by the event. By means of his
emissaries Sulla seduced the troops of Scipio, who at length found
himself deserted by all his soldiers, and was taken prisoner in his
tent. Sulla, however, dismissed him uninjured. On hearing of this, Carbo
is said to have observed "that he had to contend in Sulla both with a
lion and a fox, but that the fox gave him more trouble." Many
distinguished Romans meantime had taken up arms on behalf of Sulla. Cn.
Pompey, the son of Cn. Po