Pharsalia [20]
was a signal for massacre. (Plutarch, "Marius", 49.)
(6) The Marian massacre was in B.C. 87-86; the Sullan in 82-81.
(7) The head of Antonius was struck off and brought to Marius at
supper. He was the grandfather of the triumvir.
(8) Scaevola, it would appear, was put to death after Marius the
elder died, by the younger Marius. He was Pontifex Maximus,
and slain by the altar of Vesta.
(9) B.C. 86, Marius and Cinna were Consuls. Marius died
seventeen days afterwards, in the seventieth year of his
age.
(10) The Battle of Sacriportus was fought between Marius the
younger and the Sullan army in B.C. 82. Marius was defeated
with great loss, and fled to Praeneste, a town which
afterwards submitted to Sulla, who put all the inhabitants
to death (line 216). At the Colline gate was fought the
decisive battle between Sulla and the Saranires, who, after
a furious contest, were defeated.
(11) Diomedes was said to feed his horses on human flesh. (For
Antaeus see Book IV., 660.) Enomaus was king of Pisa in
Elis. Those who came to sue for his daughter's hand had to
compete with him in a chariot race, and if defeated were put
to death.
(12) The brother of the Consul.
(13) So Cicero: "Our Cnaeus is wonderfully anxious for such a
royalty as Sulla's. I who tell you know it." ("Ep. ad
Att.", ix. 7.)
(14) Marcia was first married to Cato, and bore him three sons;
he then yielded her to Hortensius. On his death she
returned to Cato. (Plutarch, "Cato", 25, 52.) It was in
reference to this that Caesar charged him with making a
traffic of his marriage; but Plutarch says "to accuse Cato
of filthy lucre is like upbraiding Hercules with cowardice."
After the marriage Marcia remained at Rome while Cato
hurried after Pompeius.
(15) The bride was carried over the threshold of her new home,
for to stumble on it would be of evil omen. Plutarch
("Romulus") refers this custom to the rape of the Sabine
women, who were "so lift up and carried away by force."
(North, volume i., p. 88, Edition by Windham.) I have read
"vetuit" in this passage, though "vitat" appears to be a
better variation according to the manuscripts.
(16) The bride was dressed in a long white robe, bound round the
waist with a girdle. She had a veil of bright yellow
colour. ("Dict. Antiq.")
(17) Capua, supposed to be founded by Capys, the Trojan hero.
(Virgil, "Aeneid", x., 145.)
(18) Phaethon's sisters, who yoked the horses of the Sun to the
chariot for their brother, were turned into poplars.
Phaethon was flung by Jupiter into the river Po.
(19) See the note to Book I., 164. In reality Caesar found
little resistance, and did not ravage the country.
(20) Thermus. to whom Iguvium had been entrusted by the Senate,
was compelled to quit it owing to the disaffection of the
inhabitants. (Merivale, chapter xiv.) Auximon in a similar
way rose against Varus.
(21) After Caesar's campaign with the Nervii, Pompeius had lent
him a legion. When the Parthian war broke out and the
Senate required each of the two leaders to supply a legion
for it, Pompeius demanded the return of the legion which he
had sent to Gaul; and Caesar returned it, together with one
of his own. They were, however, retained in Italy.
(22) See Book VII., 695.
(23) See Book I., 368.
(24) That is to say, by the breaking of the bridge, the river
would become a serious obstacle to Caesar.
(25) See line 497.
(26) This family is also alluded to by Horace ("Ars Poetica,") as
having worn a garment of ancient fashion leaving their arms
bare. (See also Book VI., 945.)
(27) In B.C. 77, after the death of Sulla, Carbo had been
defeated by Pompeius in 81 B.C., in which occasion Pompeius
had, at the early age of twenty-five, demanded and obtained
his first triumph. The war with Sertorius lasted till 71
(6) The Marian massacre was in B.C. 87-86; the Sullan in 82-81.
(7) The head of Antonius was struck off and brought to Marius at
supper. He was the grandfather of the triumvir.
(8) Scaevola, it would appear, was put to death after Marius the
elder died, by the younger Marius. He was Pontifex Maximus,
and slain by the altar of Vesta.
(9) B.C. 86, Marius and Cinna were Consuls. Marius died
seventeen days afterwards, in the seventieth year of his
age.
(10) The Battle of Sacriportus was fought between Marius the
younger and the Sullan army in B.C. 82. Marius was defeated
with great loss, and fled to Praeneste, a town which
afterwards submitted to Sulla, who put all the inhabitants
to death (line 216). At the Colline gate was fought the
decisive battle between Sulla and the Saranires, who, after
a furious contest, were defeated.
(11) Diomedes was said to feed his horses on human flesh. (For
Antaeus see Book IV., 660.) Enomaus was king of Pisa in
Elis. Those who came to sue for his daughter's hand had to
compete with him in a chariot race, and if defeated were put
to death.
(12) The brother of the Consul.
(13) So Cicero: "Our Cnaeus is wonderfully anxious for such a
royalty as Sulla's. I who tell you know it." ("Ep. ad
Att.", ix. 7.)
(14) Marcia was first married to Cato, and bore him three sons;
he then yielded her to Hortensius. On his death she
returned to Cato. (Plutarch, "Cato", 25, 52.) It was in
reference to this that Caesar charged him with making a
traffic of his marriage; but Plutarch says "to accuse Cato
of filthy lucre is like upbraiding Hercules with cowardice."
After the marriage Marcia remained at Rome while Cato
hurried after Pompeius.
(15) The bride was carried over the threshold of her new home,
for to stumble on it would be of evil omen. Plutarch
("Romulus") refers this custom to the rape of the Sabine
women, who were "so lift up and carried away by force."
(North, volume i., p. 88, Edition by Windham.) I have read
"vetuit" in this passage, though "vitat" appears to be a
better variation according to the manuscripts.
(16) The bride was dressed in a long white robe, bound round the
waist with a girdle. She had a veil of bright yellow
colour. ("Dict. Antiq.")
(17) Capua, supposed to be founded by Capys, the Trojan hero.
(Virgil, "Aeneid", x., 145.)
(18) Phaethon's sisters, who yoked the horses of the Sun to the
chariot for their brother, were turned into poplars.
Phaethon was flung by Jupiter into the river Po.
(19) See the note to Book I., 164. In reality Caesar found
little resistance, and did not ravage the country.
(20) Thermus. to whom Iguvium had been entrusted by the Senate,
was compelled to quit it owing to the disaffection of the
inhabitants. (Merivale, chapter xiv.) Auximon in a similar
way rose against Varus.
(21) After Caesar's campaign with the Nervii, Pompeius had lent
him a legion. When the Parthian war broke out and the
Senate required each of the two leaders to supply a legion
for it, Pompeius demanded the return of the legion which he
had sent to Gaul; and Caesar returned it, together with one
of his own. They were, however, retained in Italy.
(22) See Book VII., 695.
(23) See Book I., 368.
(24) That is to say, by the breaking of the bridge, the river
would become a serious obstacle to Caesar.
(25) See line 497.
(26) This family is also alluded to by Horace ("Ars Poetica,") as
having worn a garment of ancient fashion leaving their arms
bare. (See also Book VI., 945.)
(27) In B.C. 77, after the death of Sulla, Carbo had been
defeated by Pompeius in 81 B.C., in which occasion Pompeius
had, at the early age of twenty-five, demanded and obtained
his first triumph. The war with Sertorius lasted till 71