an,
but inactive as a soldier. Sulla being entrusted by Catulus with all
matters of the greatest moment, thus attained both influence and
reputation. In his military operations he reduced a large part of the
Alpine barbarians; and on one occasion, when there was a scarcity of
provisions in the camp, he undertook to supply the want, which he did
so effectually that the soldiers of Catulus had not only abundance for
themselves, but were enabled to relieve the army of Marius. This, as
Sulla himself says, greatly annoyed Marius. Now this enmity, so slight
and childish in its foundation and origin, was continued through
civil war and the inveterate animosity of faction, till it resulted in
the establishment of a tyranny and the complete overthrow of the
constitution; which shows that Euripides[171] was a wise man and well
acquainted with the diseases incident to states, when he warned
against ambition, as the most dangerous and the worst of daemons to
those who are governed by her.

V. Sulla now thought that his military reputation entitled him to
aspire to a political career, and accordingly as soon as the campaign
was ended he began to seek the favour of the people, and became a
candidate for the praetorship; but he was disappointed in his
expectations. He attributed his failure to the populace, for he says
that they knew he was a friend of Bocchus, and if he filled the office
of aedile before that of praetor, they expected to have brilliant
hunting exhibitions and fights of Libyan[172] wild beasts, and that
therefore they elected others to the praetorship, with the view of
forcing him to serve as aedile. But that Sulla does not state the real
cause of his failure appears evident from what followed. In the next
year he obtained the praetorship, having gained the votes of the
people, partly by solicitation and partly by bribery. It was in
allusion to this, and during his praetorship when he was threatening
Caesar[173] to use his own authority against him, that Caesar replied
with a laugh, You are right in considering your authority as your own,
for you bought it. After the expiration of his praetorship he was sent
to Cappadocia, for the purpose, as it was given out, of restoring
Ariobarzanes[174] to his power, but in reality to check
Mithridates,[175] who was very active and was acquiring new territory
and dominion as extensive as what he already had. Sulla took with him
no large force of his own, but meeting with zealous