d he never allowed them the opportunity
of getting any advantage, but when he was intrenched in his camp he
submitted to be insulted by them and was never irritated by any
challenge to give them battle. It is recorded that Publius Silo,[115]
who had the highest reputation and influence of any man on the side of
the enemy, addressed him to this effect: "If you are a great general,
Marius, come down and fight;" to which Marius replied, "Nay, do you,
if you are a great general, compel me to fight against my will." And
again, on another occasion when the enemy presented a favourable
opportunity for attacking them, but the Romans lacked courage, and
both sides retired, he summoned his soldiers together, and said, "I
don't know whether to call the enemy or you greater cowards; for they
could not see your back, nor you their nape." At last, however, he
gave up the command, on the ground that his weakness rendered him
unable to endure the fatigue of the campaign.

XXXIV. The Italians had now given in, and many persons at Rome were
intriguing for the command in the Mithridatic war with the assistance
of the demagogues; but, contrary to all expectation, the tribune
Sulpicius,[116] a most audacious fellow, brought forward Marius and
proposed him as proconsul with power to prosecute the war against
Mithridates. The people indeed were divided, some being for Marius and
others in favour of Sulla; and they bade Marius go to the warm baths
of Baiae[117] and look after his health, inasmuch as he was worn out
with old age and defluxions, as he admitted himself. Marius had in the
neighbourhood of Misenum a sumptuous house, furnished with luxuries
and accommodation too delicately for a man who had served in so many
wars and campaigns. It is said that Cornelia bought this house for
seventy-five thousand;[118] and that no long time after it was
purchased by Lucius Lucullus for two millions five hundred thousand;
so quickly did extravagant expenditure spring up and so great was the
increase of luxury. But Marius, moved thereto by boyish emulation,
throwing off his old age and his infirmities, went daily to the Campus
Martius, where he took his exercises with the young men, and showed
that he was still active in arms and sat firm in all the movements of
horsemanship, though he was not of a compact form in his old age, but
very fat and heavy. Some were pleased at his being thus occupied, and
they came down to the Campus to see and admire his em