THE PROSCRIPTIONS OF SULLA
After his victory over the Samnites, Sulla met the Senate in the temple
of Bellona, without the walls of the city.
Ominous thoughts stole into the minds of the senators and distracted
them, as the general’s speech was suddenly interrupted by terrible
shrieks as of those in agony.
Sulla alone remained undisturbed. But seeing that the senators were not
listening to his speech, he sternly bade them ‘not to busy themselves
with what was doing out of doors.’
The cries were those of the six thousand Samnite prisoners, who were
being ruthlessly slain by Sulla’s orders.
At this time, too, young Marius, who had fought against Sulla, killed
himself rather than fall into the hands of his father’s enemy.
His head was brought to Sulla at Rome. ‘One should be rower before one
takes the helm,’ said the tyrant, looking with unconcern at the hideous
trophy. For he was angry that young Marius had been chosen Consul when
he was only twenty-seven years of age.
The forebodings of many were now justified, for Rome became as a city
of the dead. Sulla had determined to kill all who had been his enemies
while he was absent in Greece.
Day after day the cruel slaughter went on. Forty senators and sixteen
hundred of the citizens were condemned, and to add to the consternation
among those who had escaped, there were others yet to be punished.
Sulla said that he could not remember their names. The suspense in the
city was terrible.
One senator, bolder than the others, said to Sulla: ‘We do not ask you
to pardon any whom you have resolved to destroy, but to free from doubt
those whom you are pleased to spare.’
‘I know not as yet whom I will spare,’ grimly answered the general.
‘Why, then,’ persisted the senator, ‘tell us whom you will punish.’
Sulla promised to do this, and henceforth lists of those who were
doomed were hung up in the Forum. These lists were called the
‘Proscriptions of Sulla.’
In the first list eighty persons were proscribed, and for a moment Rome
dreamed that there would be no more dread uncertainty, that the end of
the death sentences had at least come in sight.
But the horror in the city was but heightened by the proscriptions,
when the first list was followed by another, and yet another.
Moreover, an edict was published, saying that if any one dared to give
shelter or food to a proscribed person he would be punished with death.
While, if any one killed a person whose name was on the list of the
condemned, he would be rewarded. The property of those who perished was
forfeited, and in this way Sulla and his friends soon grew rich. These
cruel proscriptions remain for ever a blot on Sulla’s fame.
For one hundred and twenty years there had been no Dictator. But now
Sulla determined to become the ruler of Rome under that name.
In other times a Dictator was elected only for six months, but Sulla
had no intention of abdicating in so short a time. He meant to remain
Dictator as long as he wished.
The tyrant was of course elected, for no one dared to resist his will.
He took the title toward the end of 82 B.C., and held it for about
three years.
But there was one man in Rome whose influence was fast increasing, and
he was not afraid of Sulla. This was Pompey.
Pompey had been sent to Africa by Sulla, and in forty days had defeated
the enemies of Rome, and restored the King of Numidia to his throne.
When the successful general returned Sulla went out to meet him at the
head of a great procession, and welcomed him as Magnus, or the Great.
And the name clung to him, for from that time he was known as Pompey
the Great.
But when Pompey claimed a triumph, Sulla was not pleased, and refused
to grant it.
Pompey knew that he was liked by the people, while Sulla ruled only
because he had inspired them with terror. It would not be long in the
Dictator’s power to refuse his claim.
‘More worship the rising than the setting sun,’ he murmured, and those
around him who heard these bold words were startled. Sulla, seeing
their amazement, demanded what Pompey had said.
On being told, he cried out testily: ‘Let him triumph, let him triumph.’
In 79 B.C. Sulla, to the surprise and relief of Rome, laid down his
Dictatorship, and retired to a beautiful villa he had built near Cumæ.
Here he employed his time in entertaining men of letters and artists,
and in writing his memoirs. He died in 78 B.C., while his memoirs were
still unfinished.
[Illustration: Lists of those who were doomed were hung up in the
Forum.]