eclared a public enemy at the age of seventy, was obliged to
save himself, unattended and on foot, from the pursuit of those who
sought his life. 2. After having wandered for some time in this
deplorable condition, he found every day his dangers increase, and his
pursuers making nearer advances. In this distress he concealed himself
in the marshes of Mintur'nae, where he continued a night up to the chin
in a quagmire. 3. At break of day he left this dismal place, and made
towards the seaside, in hopes of finding a ship to facilitate his
escape; but being known and discovered by some of the inhabitants, he
was conducted to a neighbouring town, with a halter round his neck,
without clothes, and covered with mud; and in this condition was sent
to prison. 4. The governor of the place, willing to conform to the
orders of the senate, soon after sent a Cim'brian slave to despatch
him; but the barbarian no sooner entered the dungeon for this purpose
than he stopped short, intimidated by the dreadful visage and awful
voice of the fallen general, who sternly demanded if he had the
presumption to kill Ca'ius Ma'rius? The slave, unable to reply, threw
down his sword, and rushing back from the prison, cried
out, that he found it impossible to kill him! 5. The governor,
considering the fear of the slave as an omen in the unhappy exile's
favour, gave him his freedom; and, commending him to his fortune,
provided him with a ship to convey him from Italy. 6. He was forced by
a tempest on the coast of Sicily. A Roman quaestor, who happened to be
there, resolved to seize him; and he lost sixteen of his crew, who
were killed in their endeavours to cover his retreat to the ship. He
afterwards landed in Africa, near Carthage, and, overwhelmed with
melancholy, sat himself down amongst the ruins of that desolate place.
He soon, however had orders from the praetor to retire. 7. Marius, who
remembered his having once served this very man in necessity, could
not suppress his indignation at finding ingratitude every where: and,
preparing to obey, bid the messenger tell his master, that he had seen
Ma'rius sitting among the ruins of Carthage; intimating the greatness
of his fall, by the desolation that was around him. 8. He once more
embarked, and not knowing where to land without encountering an enemy,
he spent the winter at sea, expecting every hour the return of a
messenger from his son, whom he had sent to solicit protection from
the African prin