Colleen McCullough - 1. First Man in Rome

The tool was on his way to Italian Gaul to see Gaius Marius, more anxious to form an alliance with Marius than Marius was with him at that stage; for Saturninus was living in the Roman political arena, whereas Marius was still living in a military commander's Elysium. They met in the little resort town of Comum on the shores of Lake Larius, where Gaius Marius had hired a villa belonging to the late Lucius Calpurnius Piso, the same who had died with Lucius Cassius at Burdigala. For Marius was more tired than he would ever have admitted to Catulus Caesar, nearly ten years his junior; he packed Catulus Caesar off to the far end of the province to hear the assizes, and packed himself off very quietly to enjoy a vacation, leaving Sulla in command. Naturally when Saturninus turned up, Marius invited him to stay; the two men settled down in welcome leisure to have their talks against the background of a lake far lovelier than any in Italy proper. Not that Marius had grown more convoluted; when the time came to broach the subject, he attacked it straight on. "I don't want Metellus Numidicus for my consular colleague next year," he said abruptly. "I've got Lucius Valerius Flaccus in mind. He's a malleable man." "He'd suit you well," said Saturninus, "but you won't pull it off, I'm afraid. The Policy Makers are already canvassing support for Metellus Numidicus." He looked at Marius curiously. "Anyway, why are you running for a sixth term? Surely with the Germans defeated, you can rest on your laurels." "I only wish I could, Lucius Appuleius. But the job is not finished just because the Germans are defeated. I have two Head Count armies to discharge or rather, I have one of six overstrength legions, and Quintus Lutatius has one of six very understrength legions. But I regard both armies as my responsibility, because Quintus Lutatius thinks he can just issue them with their discharge papers and forget about them." "You're still determined to give them land, aren't you?" asked Saturninus. "I am. If I don't, Lucius Appuleius, Rome will be the poorer in many ways. First off, because over fifty thousand veteran legionaries are going to descend upon Rome and Italy with a bit of money jingling in their purses. They'll spend the lot in a few days, and then turn into a perpetual source of trouble wherever they live. If there's a war, they'll re-enlist. But if there's no war on, they're going to be a real nuisance," said Marius. Saturninus inclined his head. "I can see that." "I got the idea when I was in Africa, and that's why I had the African islands reserved for veterans to settle in. Tiberius Gracchus wanted to resettle Rome's poor on the land in Campania to make the city more comfortable and safer, and to put some new blood onto the land. But Italy was a mistake, Lucius Appuleius," Marius said dreamily. "We need Romans of humble sort in our provinces. Especially veteran soldiers." The view was so beautiful, but Saturninus didn't see it. "Well, we all heard the speech about bringing Rome's way of life to the provinces," he said. "And we all heard Dalmaticus's reply. But that's not your real object, is it, Gaius Marius?'' The eyes flashed beneath the eyebrows. "How very acute of you! Of course it's not!" He leaned forward in his chair. "It costs Rome a great deal of money to send armies to the provinces to put down rebellions and police the laws. Look at Macedonia. Two legions on permanent duty there -not Roman legions, admittedly, but they still cost the State money it could put to better use elsewhere. Now what if twenty or thirty thousand Roman veterans were settled in three or four colonies across Macedonia? Greece and Macedonia are very empty places these days, have been for a century or more the people all left. Ghost towns everywhere! And Roman absentee landlords owning enormous properties, producing little, putting nothing back into the country, parsimonious about employing local men and women. And whenever the Scordisci come down across the border, there's war, and the absentee landlords bleat to the Senate, and the governor runs in different directions dealing with marauding Celts on the one hand, and irate letters from Rome on the other. Well, I'd put the land held by Roman absentee landlords to better use. I'd fill it up with veteran soldier colonies. More populous by far and a ready-made garrison force in case of serious war." "And you got this idea in Africa," said Saturninus. "While I was doling out vast tracts to Roman men who will rarely if ever visit Africa. They'll put in overseers and gangs of grain slaves, ignore local conditions and the local people, keep Africa from going ahead, and lay it wide open to another Jugurtha. I don't want Roman ownership of provincial land to stop I just want some parcels of provincial land to contain large numbers of well-trained professional Romans we can call on in times of need." He forced himself to lie back again, not to betray the urgency of his desire. "There's already been one small example of how veteran colonies in foreign lands can help in times of emergency. My first little lot I settled personally on the island of Meninx heard about the Sicilian slave uprising, organized themselves into units, hired some ships, and reached Lilybaeum just in time to prevent the city's falling to Athenion the slave." "I do see what you're trying to achieve, Gaius Marius," Saturninus said. "It's an excellent scheme." "But they'll fight me, if for no other reason than it's me," said Marius with a sigh. A tiny shiver ran up Saturninus's spine; quickly he turned head and eyes away, pretended to admire the reflection of trees and mountains and sky and clouds in the perfect mirror of the lake. Marius was tired! Marius was slowing down! Marius was not looking forward to his sixth consulship one little bit! "I daresay you witnessed all the squealing and shouting in Rome about my giving the citizenship to those wonderful soldiers from Camerinum?" Marius asked. "I did. All Italy heard the racket," said Saturninus, "and all Italy liked what you did. Where Rome of the Policy Makers definitely did not." "Well, and why shouldn't they be Roman citizens?" Marius demanded angrily. "They fought better than any other men on the field, Lucius Appuleius, and that's a fact. If I had my way, I'd confer the citizenship on every man in the whole of Italy." He drew a breath. "When I say I want land for the Head Count veterans, I mean just that. Land for the lot of them Romans, Latins and Italians." Saturninus whistled. "That's asking for trouble! The Policy Makers will never lie down for it." "I know. What I don't know is if you've got the courage to stand up for it." "I've never really taken a good long look at courage," said Saturninus thoughtfully, "so I'm not sure how much of it I own. But yes, Gaius Marius, I think I have the courage to stand up for it." "I don't need to bribe to secure my own election I can't lose," Marius said. "However, there's no reason why I can't hire a few fellows to distribute bribes for the post of junior consul. And for you, if you need help, Lucius Appuleius. And for Gaius Servilius Glaucia too. I understand he's going to be running for election as a praetor?" "He is indeed. And yes, Gaius Marius, we'd both be happy to accept help in getting elected. In return, we'll do whatever is necessary to assist you in getting your land." Marius drew a roll of paper out of his sleeve. "I've done a little work already just sketched out the sort of bill I think is necessary. Unfortunately I'm not one of Rome's greatest legal draftsmen. Where you are. But and I hope you'll not take exception to my saying it Glaucia is a lawmaking genius. Can the pair of you formulate great laws from my ill-educated scribbles?" "You help us into office, Gaius Marius, and I assure you we'll give you your laws," said Saturninus. There could be no mistaking the relief which coursed through Marius's big fit body; he sagged. "Only let me pull this off, Lucius Appuleius, and I swear I don't care if I'm never consul a seventh time," he said. "A seventh time?" "It was prophesied that I would be consul seven times." Saturninus laughed. "Why not? No one would ever have thought it possible that one man would be consul six times. But you will be."