Caius Marius   

time obtained power with the people, but his vehement disposition, his
indefatigable labours, and his plain way of living, of themselves
gained him esteem and influence; so that he made an honourable match
with Julia, of the distinguished family of the Caesars, to whom that
Caesar was nephew who was afterwards so great among the Romans, and,
in some degree, from his relationship, made Marius his example, as
in his life we have observed.
Marius is praised for both temperance and endurance, of which latter
he gave a decided instance in an operation of surgery. For having,
as it seems, both his legs full of great tumours, and disliking the
deformity, he determined to put himself into the hands of an operator;
when, without being tied, he stretched out one of his legs, and
silently, without changing countenance, endured most excessive
torments in the cutting, never either flinching or complaining; but
when the surgeon went to the other, he declined to have it done,
saying, "I see the cure is not worth the pain."
The consul Caecilius Metellus, being declared general in the war
against Jugurtha in Africa took with him Marius for lieutenant; where,
eager himself to do great deeds and services that would get him
distinction, he did not, like others, consult Metellus's glory and the
serving his interest, and attributing his honour of lieutenancy not to
Metellus, but to fortune, which had presented him with a proper
opportunity and theatre of great actions, he exerted his utmost
courage. That war, too, affording several difficulties, he neither
declined the greatest, nor disdained undertaking the least of them,
but surpassing his equals in counsel and conduct, and matching the
very common soldiers in labour and abstemiousness, he gained great
popularity with them; as indeed any voluntary partaking with people in
their labour is felt as an easing of that labour, as it seems to
take away the constraint and necessity of it. It is the most
obliging sight in the world to the Roman soldier to see a commander
eat the same bread as himself, or lie upon an ordinary bed, or
assist the work in the drawing a trench and raising a bulwark. For
they do not so much admire those that confer honours and riches upon
them, as those that partake of the same labour and danger with
themselves; but love them better that will vouchsafe to join in
their work, than those that encourage their idleness.
Marius thus employed, and thus winning the affections of the
soldiers, before long filled both Africa and Rome with his fame, and
some, too, wrote home from the army that the war with Africa would
never be brought to a conclusion unless they chose Caius Marius
consul. All which was evidently unpleasing to Metellus; but what
more especially grieved him was the calamity of Turpillius. This
Turpillius had, from his ancestors, been a friend of Metellus, and
kept up a constant hospitality with him, and was now serving in the
war in command of the smiths and carpenters of the army. Having the
charge of a garrison in Vaga, a considerable city, and trusting too
much to the inhabitants, because he treated them civilly and kindly,
he unawares fell into the enemy's hands. They received Jugurtha into
the city; yet nevertheless, at their request, Turpillius was dismissed
safe and without receiving any injury; whereupon he was accused of
betraying it to the enemy. Marius, being one of the council of war,
was not only violent against him himself, but also incensed most of
the others, so that Metellus was forced, much against his will, to put
him to death. Not long after the accusation proved false, and when
others were comforting Metellus, who took heavily the loss of his
friend, Marius, rather insulting and arrogating it to himself, boasted
in all companies that he had involved Metellus in the guilt of putting
his friend to death.
Henceforward they were at open variance; and it is reported that
Metellus once, when Marius was present, said insultingly, "You, sir,
design to leave us to go home and stand for the consulship, and will
not be content to wait and be consul with this boy of mine?"
Metellus's son being a mere boy at the time. Yet for all this Marius