officers. The soldiers he used to station on
the rampart in turns, and bid them look at the enemy,
and thus he accustomed them to the aspect of the barbarians
and their strange and savage shouts, and to make themselves
acquainted with their armour and movements, so that
in course of time what appeared formidable to their
imagination would become familiar by being often seen.
For it was the opinion of Marius that mere strangeness
adds many imaginary dangers to real danger; but that
through familiarity even real dangers lose their terrors.
Now the daily sight of the enemy not only took away
somewhat of the first alarm, but the threats of the
barbarians and their intolerable arrogance roused the
courage of the Roman soldiers and inflamed their passions,
for the enemy plundered and devastated all the country
around, and often attacked the ramparts with much
insolence and temerity, so that the words and indignant
expressions of the soldiers were repeated to Marius.
The soldiers asked, “If Marius had discovered
any cowardice in them, that he kept them from battle,
like women under lock and key? Why should we
not, like free men, ask him whether he is waiting for
others to fight for Italy, and intends to employ us
always as labourers when there may be occasion to
dig canals, to clear out mud, and to divert the course
of rivers? It was for this, as it seems, that
he disciplined us in so many toils; and these are
the exploits of his consulship, which he will exhibit
to the citizens when he returns to Rome. Does
he fear the fate of Carbo and Caepio, who were defeated
by the enemy? But they were far inferior to Marius
in reputation and merit, and they were at the head
of much inferior armies. And it is better to do
something, even if we perish like them, than to sit
here and see the lands of our allies plundered.”
XVII. Marius, who was pleased to hear such expressions
as these, pacified the soldiers by saying that he
did not distrust them, but was waiting for the time
and the place of victory pursuant to certain oracles.
And in fact he carried about with him in a litter,
with great tokens of respect, a Syrian woman named
Martha,[81] who was said to possess the gift of divination,
and he sacrificed pursuant to her directions.
This woman had formerly applied to the Senate, and
offered to foretell future events, but her proposal
was rejected. Having got access to the women,
she allowed them to make trial of her skill; and especially
on one occasion, when she sat at the feet of the wife
of Marius, she was successful in foretelling what
gladiators would win, and this led to her being sent
to Marius, who was much struck with her skill.
She generally accompanied the army in a litter, and
assisted at the sacrifices in a double purple robe
fastened with a clasp, and carrying a spear wreathed
with ribands and chaplets. This exhibition made
many doubt whether Marius produced the woman in public
because he really believed in her, or whether he merely