XL.  Everything was soon got ready through these zealous exertions, and a ship was supplied for Marius by one Belaeus, who afterwards caused a painting to be made representing these events, and dedicated it in the temple.  Marius embarking, was carried along by the wind, and by chance was taken to the island AEnaria, where he found Granius and the rest of his friends, and set sail with them for Libya.  As their water failed, they were compelled to touch at Erycina in Sicily.  Now the Roman quaestor, who happened to be about these parts on the look-out, was very nearly taking Marius when he landed; and he killed about sixteen of the men who were sent to get water.  Marius, hastily embarking and crossing the sea to the island of Meninx,[132] there learnt for the first time that his son had escaped with Cethegus, and that they were going to Iampsas (Hiempsal), king of the Numidians, to ask aid of him.  This news encouraged him a little, and he was emboldened to move from the island to the neighbourhood of Carthage.  At this time the governor of Libya was Sextilius, a Roman, who had neither received injury nor favour from Marius, and it was expected that he would help him, at least as far as feelings of compassion move a man.  But no sooner had Marius landed with a few of his party, than an officer met him, and standing right in front of him said, “The Governor Sextilius forbids you, Marius, to set foot on Libya, and he says that if you do, he will support the decree of the Senate by treating you as an enemy.”  On hearing this, grief and indignation deprived Marius of utterance, and he was a long time silent, looking fixedly at the officer.  Upon the officer asking Marius what he had to say, what reply he had for the governor, he answered with a deep groan, “Tell him you have seen Caius Marius a fugitive sitting on the ruins of Carthage”:  a reply in which he not unaptly compared the fate of that city and his own changed fortunes.  In the meantime, Iampsas, the king of the Numidians, being unresolved which way to act, treated young Marius and his companions with respect, but still detained them on some new pretext whenever they wished to leave; and it was evident that he had no fair object in view in thus deferring their departure.  However, an incident happened of no uncommon kind, which brought about their deliverance.  The younger Marius was handsome, and one of the king’s concubines was grieved to see him in a condition unbefitting his station; and this feeling of compassion was a beginning and motive towards love.  At first, however, Marius rejected the woman’s proposals, but seeing that there were no other means of escape, and that her conduct proceeded from more serious motives than mere passion, he accepted her proffered favours, and with her aid stole away with his friends and made his escape to his father.  After embracing one another, they went along the shore, where they saw some scorpions fighting, which Marius considered to be a bad omen.  Accordingly they forthwith embarked in a fishing boat, and passed over to the island Cercina, which was no great distance from the mainland; and it happened that they had only just set sail, when some horsemen despatched by the king were seen riding to the spot where they embarked.  Marius thus escaped a danger equal to any that ever threatened him.