party of the people (the party of Marius), and the
party of the nobles (that of the Senate).

The partisans of Marius committed so many acts of violence that they
ended by making him unpopular. Sulla, a noble, of the great family of
the Cornelii, profited by this circumstance to dispute the power of
Marius; Sulla was also a general. When the Italians rose against Rome
to secure the right of citizenship and levied great armies which
marched almost to the gates of the city, it was Sulla who saved Rome
by fighting the Italians.

He became consul and was charged with the war against Mithradates,
king of Pontus, who had invaded Asia Minor and massacred all the
Romans (88). Marius in jealousy excited a riot in the city; Sulla
departed, joined his army which awaited him in south Italy, then
returned to Rome. Roman religion prohibited soldiers entering the city
under arms; the consul even before passing the gates had to lay aside
his mantle of war and assume the toga. Sulla was the first general who
dared to violate this restriction. Marius took flight.

But when Sulla had left for Asia, Marius came with an army of
adventurers and entered Rome by force (87). Then commenced the
proscriptions.

The principal partisans of Sulla were outlawed, and command was given
to kill them anywhere they were met and to confiscate their goods.
Marius died some months later; but his principal partisan, Cinna,
continued to govern Rome and to put to death whomever he pleased.

During this time Sulla had conquered Mithradates and had assured the
loyalty of his soldiers by giving them the free pillage of Asia. He
returned with his army (83) to Italy. His enemies opposed him with
five armies, but these were defeated or they deserted. Sulla entered
Rome, massacred his prisoners and overthrew the partisans of Marius.
After some days of slaughter he set himself to proceed regularly: he
posted three lists of those whom he wished killed. "I have posted now
all those whom I can recall; I have forgotten many, but their names
will be posted as the names occur to me." Every proscribed man--that
is to say, every man whose name was on the list, was marked for death;
the murderer who brought his head was rewarded. The property of the
proscribed was confiscated. Proscription was not the result of any
trial but of the caprice of the general, and that too without any
warning. Sulla thus massacred not only his enemies but the rich whose
property he coveted. I