absolute master of Rome. It
is not part of my purpose to give a history of this man. He was a great
soldier who had won victories in Africa and Asia over the enemies of
Rome, and in Italy itself over the "allies," as they were called, that
is the Italian nations, who at various times had made treaties with
Rome, and who in the early part of the first century B.C. rebelled
against her, thinking that they were robbed of the rights and privileges
which belonged to them. And he was the leader of the party of the
nobles, just as Marius was the leader of the party of the people. Once
before he had made himself supreme in the capital; and then he had used
his power with moderation. But he was called away to carry on the war in
Asia against Mithridates, the great King of Pontus; and his enemies had
got the upper hand, and had used the opportunity most cruelly. A
terrible list of victims, called the "proscription," because it was
posted up in the forum, was prepared. Fifty senators and a thousand
knights (peers and gentlemen we should call them) were put to death,
almost all of them without any kind of trial. Sulla himself was
outlawed. But he had an army which he had led to victory and had
enriched with prize-money, and which was entirely devoted to him; and he
was not inclined to let his enemies triumph. He hastened back to Italy,
and landed in the spring of 83. In the November of the following year,
just outside the walls of Rome, was fought the final battle of the war.

The opposing army was absolutely destroyed and Sulla had every thing at
his mercy. He waited for a few days outside the city till the Senate had
passed a decree giving him absolute power to change the laws, to fill
the offices of State, and to deal with the lives and properties of
citizens as it might please him. This done, he entered Rome. Then came
another proscription. The chief of his enemies, Marius. was gone. He had
died, tormented it was said by remorse, seventeen days after he had
reached the crowning glory, promised him in his youth by an oracle, and
had been made consul for the seventh time. The conqueror had to content
himself with the same vengeance that Charles II. in our own country
exacted from the remains of Cromwell. The ashes of Marius were taken out
of his tomb on the Flaminian Way, the great North Road of Rome, and were
thrown into the Anio. But many of his friends and partisans survived,
and these were slaughtered without mercy. Eighty nam