once; these they shut, so that no one could make his escape, and
despatched every man they met, making no distinction, but treating
them all alike as enemies. They took special pains to destroy any
persons who had possessions, because they coveted such property, and
outraged their children and wives as if they had enslaved some foreign
city. The heads of the most eminent citizens they fastened to the
rostra. That sight was no less cruel than their ruin; for the thought
might occur to the spectators that what their ancestors had adorned
with the beaks of the enemy was now being deformed by the heads of the
citizens.

For, in fine, so great a desire and greed for slaughter possessed
Marius, that when he had killed most of his enemies and no one because
of the great confusion prevailing occurred to him whom he wished to
destroy, he gave the word to the soldiers to stab all in succession of
the passers-by to whom he should not extend his hand. For Roman
affairs had come to this, that a man had to die not only without a
trial and without having incurred enmity, but by reason of Marius's
hand not being stretched out. Now naturally in so great a throng and
uproar it was not only no object to Marius to make the gesture, but it
was not even possible, no matter how much he wished it, to use his
hand as he pleased. Hence many died for naught who ought certainly on
every account not to have been slain. The entire number of the
murdered is beyond finding out; for the slaughter went on five whole
days and an equal number of nights. (Valesius, p. 642.)

[Sidenote: B.C. 86 (_a.u._ 668)] 6. ¶While the Romans were offering
the New Year's sacrifice at the opening of the season and making their
vows[66] for their magistrate according to ancestral rites, the son of
Marius killed a tribune with his own hands, sending his head to the