He, Sulla, had dared to have a seal made, with a picture of Jugurtha being delivered into his hands stamped upon it. Nor did he scruple to use the seal to stamp his letters, so that all the world might see.
Moreover, those who were jealous of Marius tried to take away from his renown, muttering to one another: ‘The chief battles of the war were fought by Metellus, and its end is achieved by Sulla.’
These things chafed the pride and ambition of Marius.
CHAPTER LXXXVIII
JUGURTHA IS BROUGHT TO ROME IN CHAINS
In 106 B.C., the same year that Jugurtha was captured, Rome was disturbed by the rumour that a great army of barbarians was approaching Italy.
They were tall and blue-eyed, these hordes of barbarians, and were believed to come from the shores of the North Sea, where the German races had their home.
The Senate sent brave generals and strong armies against these terrible foes, but the barbarians scattered the Roman legions and shamed the brave generals.
Their victories made the Teutones and Cimbri insolent and proud.
‘We can destroy the Roman legions,’ they said, ‘so it will be an easy task to plunder Italy, and destroy even Rome herself.’