[223] That Cinna and Sylla had ruled already--_Cinnam atque Syllam
antea._ "Had ruled," or something similar, must be supplied. Cinna
had been the means of recalling Marius from Africa, in conjunction
with whom he domineered over the city, and made it a scene of
bloodshed and desolation.

[224] Their seals--_Signa sua_. "Leurs cachets, leurs sceaux."
Bernouf. The Romans tied their letters round with a string, the knot
of which they covered with wax, and impressed with a seal. To open the
letter it was necessary to cut the string: "_nos linum incidimus_."
Cic. Or. in Cat. iii. 5. See also C. Nep. Panc. 4, and Adam's _Roman
Antiquities_. The seal of Lentulus had on it a likeness of one of his
ancestors; see Cicero, _loc. cit._

[225] In private custody--_In liberis custodiis._ Literally, in
"free custody," but "private custody" conveys a better notion of the
arrangement to the mind of the English reader. It was called _free_
because the persons in custody were not confined in prison. Plutarch
calls it [Greek: _adeomon phylakin_] as also Dion., cap. lviii. 3. See
Tacit. Ann. vi. 8. It was adopted in the case of persons of rank and
consideration.

[226] XLVIII. If the public faith were pledged to him--_Si fides
publica data, esset_. See c. 47.

[227] And to facilitate the escape of those in custody--_Et illi
facilius e periculo eriperentur_.

[228] A man of such power--_Tanta vis hominis_. So great power of
the man.