Colleen McCullough - 1. First Man in Rome

"This is the work of Mars and Bellona, Gaius Marius!" said Sulla. "A gift from the gods of war." "Mars? Bellona? No! This is the work of Fortune, Lucius Cornelius. Your friend and mine, Lucius Cornelius. Fortune!' ' He read on.

"The People having ordered me to get on with the elections, I had little choice but to do so. "Incidentally, after the plebiscites were tabled, none other than Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus feeling a proprietary interest because he regards himself as the founder of our province of Gaul-across-the-Alps, I imagine tried to speak from the rostra against the plebiscite allowing you to stand for consul in absentia. Well, you know how choleric that family are arrogant lot of bad-tempered so-and-sos, all of them! and Gnaeus Domitius was literally spitting with rage. When the crowd got fed up with him and shouted him down, he tried to shout the crowd down! I think being Gnaeus Domitius he had a fair chance of succeeding too. But something gave way inside his head or his heart, for he keeled over right there on the rostra as dead as last week's roast duck. It rather put a damper on things, so the meeting broke up and the crowd went home. The important work was done, anyway. "The plebiscites were passed the next morning, without one dissenting tribe. Leaving me to get the elections under way. I let no grass grow beneath my feet, I can tell you. A polite request to the College of Tribunes of the Plebs got everything going. They polled the new college within days. A very likely-looking and superior lot stood too, I imagine because of matters like warring generals. We have the late lamented Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus's elder son, and the late lamented Lucius Cassius Longinus's elder son. I gather Cassius is out to prove that not every member of his family is an irresponsible killer of Roman soldiers, so he ought to be good value as far as you're concerned, Gaius Marius. And Lucius Marcius Philippus got in, and ho-hum! a Clodius of the Very Many Claudius-Clodius brigade. Ye gods, how they do breed! "The Centuriate Assembly polled yesterday, with the result that as I said a few columns back Gaius Marius was returned as senior consul by every single century in the First Class, plus all of the Second Class required to make up the numbers. Certain senior senators would have loved to destroy your chances, but you are far too well known as a patron of honor and sincere supporter of big business (especially after your scrupulous honoring of all your promises in Africa). The voting knights had no qualms of conscience about details such as running for consul a second time within three years, or standing for consul in absentia."

Marius looked up from the scroll exultantly. "How's that for a mandate from the People, Lucius Cornelius? Consul a second time, and I didn't even know I was standing!" He stretched his arms above his head as if reaching for the stars. "I shall bring Martha the prophetess to Rome with us. She shall see with her own eyes my triumph and my inauguration as consul on one and the same day, Lucius Cornelius! For I have just made up my mind. I'll triumph on New Year's Day." "And we'll be off to Gaul," said Sulla, more interested in this development by far. "That is, Gaius Marius, if you will have me." "My dear fellow, I couldn't do without you! Or without Quintus Sertorius!" "Finish the letter," said Sulla, finding that he needed more time to assimilate all this staggering news before it became necessary to discuss it at length with Marius.

"So when I see you, Gaius Marius, it will be to hand over the trappings of my office to you. I wish I could say I was glad with every tiniest part of me. For Rome's sake, it was vital that you be given the German command, but oh, I wish it could have been done in a more orthodox way! I think of the enemies you will add to those you have already made, and my whole body quails. You have caused too many changes in the way our lawmaking machinery functions. Yes, I know every single one was necessary if you were to survive. But, as it was said by the Greeks about their Odysseus, the strand of his life was so strong it rubbed all the life-strands it crossed until they snapped. I think Marcus Aemilius Scaurus Princeps Senatus has some right on his side in this present situation, for I acquit him of the narrow-minded bigotry of men like Numidicus Piggle-wiggle. Scaurus sees the passing of the old way Rome operated, as indeed do I. And yes, I understand Rome is busy building its own funeral pyre, that if the Senate could be trusted to leave you alone to deal with the Germans in your own way and your own time, none of these startling, extraordinary, unorthodox, and novel measures would be necessary. But I grieve nonetheless."

Marius's voice hadn't wavered, nor his decision to read it all out to Sulla, even though the conclusion was less satisfying, and took the keenest edge off his pleasure. "There's a little more," he said. "I'll read it."

"Your candidacy, I must add in closing, frightened all of honor and repute away. Some decent fellows had got as far as putting their names up for consul, but they all withdrew. As did Quintus Lutatius Catulus Caesar, declaring he wouldn't work with you as his colleague any more than he would with his lapdog had it been elected. Consequently your colleague in the consulship is a man of straw. Which may not dismay you unduly, for he certainly won't give you any battles. I know you're dying to hear who he is, but grant me my little tittle! I would only say of him, he's venal, though I think you already know that about him. His name? Gaius Flavius Fimbria."

Sulla snorted. "Oh, I know him," he said. "A visiting thrill seeker in the stews of a Rome that was mine, not his. And as crooked as a dog's hind leg." The white teeth showed, not the striking sight they would have been in a face even a little darker. "Which means, Gaius Marius, don't let him cock that leg and piss on you." "I shall leap very fast and well to the side," said Marius gravely. He stretched out his hand to Sulla, who took it at once. "A pledge, Lucius Cornelius. That we will beat the Germans, you and I."

The army of Africa and its commander sailed from Utica to Puteoli toward the end of November, in high fettle. The sea was calm for the time of year, and neither the North Wind, Septentrio, nor the Northwest Wind, Corus, disturbed their passage. Which was exactly what Marius expected; his career was in its ascendancy, Fortune was his to command as surely as his soldiers were. Besides, Martha the Syrian prophetess had predicted a quick smooth voyage. She was with Marius in his flagship, replete with honor and gummy cackles, an ancient bag of bones the sailors a superstitious lot, always eyed askance and avoided fearfully. King Gauda had not been keen to part with her; then she spat upon the marble floor in front of his throne and threatened to put the Evil Eye upon him and all his house. After that, he couldn't get rid of her fast enough. In Puteoli, Marius and Sulla were met by one of the brand-new Treasury quaestors, very brisk and anxious to have the tally of booty, but very deferential too. It pleased Marius and Sulla to be graciously helpful, and as they were possessed of admirable account books, everyone was pleased. The army went into camp outside Capua, surrounded by new recruits being drilled by Rutilius Rufus's gladiatorial conscripts. Now Marius's skilled centurions were put to helping. The saddest part, however, was the scarcity of these new recruits. Italy was a dry well, and would be until the younger generation turned seventeen in sufficient numbers to swell the ranks once more. Even the Head Count was exhausted, at least among the Roman citizens. "And I very much doubt if the Senate will condone my recruiting among the Italian Head Count," said Marius. "They haven't much choice," said Sulla. "True. If I push them. But right at the moment it's not in my interests or Rome's interests to push them." Marius and Sulla were splitting up until New Year's Day. Sulla of course was free to enter the city, but Marius, still endowed with his proconsular imperium, could not cross the sacred boundary of the city without losing it. So Sulla was going to Rome, whereas Marius was going to his villa at Cumae.