SERTORIUS
  130？…72　B。C。
  by　Plutarch
  translated　by　John　Dryden
  IT　is　no　great　wonder　if　in　long　process　of　time；　while　fortune
  takes　her　course　hither　and　thither；　numerous　coincidences　should
  spontaneously　occur。　If　the　number　and　variety　of　subjects　to　be
  wrought　upon　be　infinite；　it　is　all　the　more　easy　for　fortune；　with
  such　an　abundance　of　material；　to　effect　this　similarity　of　results。
  Or　if；　on　the　other　hand；　events　are　limited　to　the　combinations　of
  some　finite　number；　then　of　necessity　the　same　must　often　recur；　and
  in　the　same　sequence。　There　are　people　who　take　a　pleasure　in　making
  collections　of　all　such　fortuitous　occurrences　that　they　have　heard　or
  read　of；　as　look　like　works　of　a　rational　power　and　design；　they
  observe；　for　example；　that　two　eminent　persons　whose　names　were　Attis；
  the　one　a　Syrian；　the　other　of　Arcadia；　were　both　slain　by　a　wild
  boar；　that　of　two　whose　names　were　Actaeon；　the　one　was　torn　in　pieces
  by　his　dogs；　the　other　by　his　lovers；　that　of　two　famous　Scipios；
  the　one　overthrew　the　Carthaginians　in　war；　the　other　totally　ruined
  and　destroyed　them；　the　city　of　Troy　was　the　first　time　taken　by
  Hercules　for　the　horses　promised　him　by　Laomedon；　the　second　time　by
  Agamemnon；　by　means　of　the　celebrated　great　wooden　horse；　and　the
  third　time　by　Charidemus；　by　occasion　of　a　horse　falling　down　at　the
  gate；　which　hindered　the　Trojans；　so　that　they　could　not　shut　them
  soon　enough；　and　of　two　cities　which　take　their　names　from　the　most
  agreeable　odoriferous　plants；　Ios　and　Smyrna；　the　one　from　a　violet；
  the　other　from　myrrh；　the　poet　Homer　is　reported　to　have　been　born
  in　the　one　and　to　have　died　in　the　other。　And　so　to　these　instances
  let　us　further　add；　that　the　most　warlike　commanders；　and　most
  remarkable　for　exploits　of　skilful　stratagem；　have　had　but　one　eye；　as
  Philip；　Antigonus；　Hannibal；　and　Sertorius；　whose　life　and　actions
  we　describe　at　present；　of　whom；　indeed；　we　might　truly　say；　that　he
  was　more　continent　than　Philip；　more　faithful　to　his　friends　than
  Antigonus；　and　more　merciful　to　his　enemies　than　Hannibal；　and　that
  for　prudence　and　judgment　he　gave　place　to　none　of　them；　but　in
  fortune　was　inferior　to　them　all。　Yet　though　he　had　continually　in　her
  a　far　more　difficult　adversary　to　contend　against　than　his　open
  enemies；　he　nevertheless　maintained　his　ground；　with　the　military
  skill　of　Metellus；　the　boldness　of　Pompey；　the　success　of　Sylla；　and
  the　power　of　the　Roman　people；　all　to　be　encountered　by　one　who　was
  a　banished　man　and　a　stranger　at　the　head　of　a　body　of　barbarians。
  Among　Greek　commanders；　Eumenes　of　Cardia　may　be　best　compared　with
  him；　they　were　both　of　them　men　born　for　command；　for　warfare；　and　for
  stratagem；　both　banished　from　their　countries；　and　holding　command
  over　strangers；　both　had　fortune　for　their　adversary；　in　their　last
  days　so　harshly　so；　that　they　were　both　betrayed　and　murdered　by　those
  who　served　them；　and　with　whom　they　had　formerly　overcome　their
  enemies。
  Quintus　Sertorius　was　of　a　noble　family；　born　in　the　city　of　Nursia；
  in　the　country　of　the　Sabines；　his　father　died　when　he　was　young；
  and　he　was　carefully　and　decently　educated　by　his　mother；　whose　name
  was　Rhea；　and　whom　he　appears　to　have　extremely　loved　and　honoured。　He
  paid　some　attention　to　the　study　of　oratory　and　pleading　in　his　youth；
  and　acquired　some　reputation　and　influence　in　Rome　by　his　eloquence；
  but　the　splendour　of　his　actions　in　arms；　and　his　successful
  achievements　in　the　wars；　drew　off　his　ambition　in　that　direction。
  At　his　first　beginning；　he　served　under　Caepio；　when　the　Cimbri
  and　Teutones　invaded　Gaul；　where　the　Romans　fighting　unsuccessfully；
  and　being　put　to　flight；　he　was　wounded　in　many　parts　of　his　body；　and
  lost　his　horse；　yet；　nevertheless；　swam　across　the　river　Rhone　in
  his　armour；　with　his　breastplate　and　shield；　bearing　himself　up
  against　the　violence　of　the　current；　so　strong　and　so　well　inured　to
  hardship　was　his　body。
  The　second　time　that　the　Cimbri　and　Teutones　came　down　with　some
  hundreds　of　thousands；　threatening　death　and　destruction　to　all；
  when　it　was　no　small　piece　of　service　for　a　Roman　soldier　to　keep
  his　ranks　and　obey　his　commander；　Sertorius　undertook；　while　Marius
  led　the　army；　to　spy　out　the　enemy's　camp。　Procuring　a　Celtic　dress；
  and　acquainting　himself　with　the　ordinary　expressions　of　their
  language　requisite　for　common　intercourse；　he　threw　himself　in　amongst
  the　barbarians；　where　having　carefully　seen　with　his　own　eyes；　or
  having　been　fully　informed　by　persons　upon　the　place　of　all　their　most
  important　concerns；　he　returned　to　Marius；　from　whose　hands　he
  received　the　rewards　of　valour；　and　afterwards　giving　frequent　proof
  both　of　conduct　and　courage　in　all　the　following　war；　he　was
  advanced　to　places　of　honour　and　trust　under　his　general。　After　the
  wars　with　the　Cimbri　and　Teutones；　he　was　sent　into　Spain；　having
  the　command　of　a　thousand　men　under　Didius；　the　Roman　general；　and
  wintered　in　the　country　of　the　Celtiberians；　in　the　city　of　Castulo；
  where　the　soldiers　enjoying　great　plenty；　and　growing　insolent　and
  continually　drinking；　the　inhabitants　despised　them　and　sent　for　aid
  by　night　to　the　Gyrisoenians；　their　near　neighbours；　who　fell　upon　the
  Romans　in　their　lodgings　and　slew　a　great　number　of　them。　Sertorius；
  with　a　few　of　his　soldiers；　made　his　way　out；　and　rallying　together
  the　rest　who　escaped；　he　marched　round　about　the　walls；　and　finding
  the　gate　open；　by　which　the　Gyrisoenians　had　made　their　secret
  entrance；　he　gave　not　them　the　same　opportunity；　but　placing　a　guard
  at　the　gate；　and　seizing　upon　all　quarters　of　the　city；　he　slew　all
  who　were　of　age　to　bear　arms；　and　then　ordering　his　soldiers　to　lay
  aside　their　weapons　and　put　off　their　own　clothes；　and　put　on　the
  accoutrements　of　the　barbarians；　he　commanded　them　to　follow　him　to
  the　city　from　whence　the　men　came　who　had　made　this　night　attack
  upon　the　Romans。　And　thus　deceiving　the　Gyrisoenians　with　the　sight　of
  their　own　armour；　he　found　the　gates　of　their　city　open；　and　took　a
  great　number　prisoners；　who　came　out　thinking　to　meet　their　friends
  and　fellow…citizens　come　home　from　a　successful　expedition。　Most　of
  them　were　thus　slain　by　the　Romans　at　their　own　gates；　and　the　rest
  within　yielded　up　themselves　and　were　sold　for　slaves。
  This　action　made　Sertorius　highly　renowned　throughout　all　Spain；　and
  as　soon　as　be　returned　to　Rome　he　was　appointed　quaestor　of
  Cisalpine　Gaul；　at　a　very　seasonable　moment　for　his　country；　the
  Marsian　war　being　on　the　point　of　breaking　out。　Sertorius　was
  ordered　to　raise　soldiers　and　provide　arms；　which　he　performed　with
  a　diligence　and　alacrity；　so　contrasting　with　the　feebleness　and
  slothfulness　of　other　officers　of　his　age；　that　he　got　the　repute　of　a
  man　whose　life　would　be　one　of　action。　Nor　did　he　relinquish　the
  part　of　a　soldier；　now　that　he　had　arrived　at　the　dignity　of　a
  commander；　but　performed　wonders　with　his　own　hands；　and　never　sparing
  himself；　but　exposing　his　body　freely　in　all　conflicts；　he　lost　one　of
  his　eyes。　This　he　always　esteemed　an　honour　to　him；　observing　that
  others　do　not　continually　carry　about　with　them　the　marks　and
  testimonies　of　their　valour；　but　must　often　lay　aside　their　chains
  of　gold；　their　spears　and　crowns；　whereas　his　ensigns　of　honour；　and
  the　manifestations　of　his　courage；　always　remained　with　him；　and　those
  who　beheld　his　misfortune　must　at　the　same　time　recognize　his
  merits。　The　people　also　paid　him　the　respect　he　deserved；　and　when
  he　came　into　the　theatre；　received　him　with　plaudits　and　joyful
  acclamations；　an　honour　rarely　bestowed　even　on　persons　of　advanced
  standing　and　established　reputation。　Yet；　notwithstanding　this
  popularity；　when　he　stood　to　be　tribune　of　the　people；　he　was
  disappointed；　and　lost　the　place；　being　opposed　by　the　party　of　Sylla；
  which　seems　to　have　been　the　principal　cause　of　his　subsequent
  enmity　to　Sylla。
  After　that　Marius　was　overcome　by　Sylla　and　fled　into　Africa；　and
  Sylla　had　left　Italy　to　go　to　the　wars　against　Mithridates；　and　of　the
  two　consuls　Octavius　and　Cinna；　Octavius　remained　steadfast　to　the
  policy　of　Sylla；　but　Cinna；　desirous　of　a　new　revolution；　attempted　to
  recall　the　lost　interest　of　Marius；　Sertorius　joined　Cinna's　party；
  more　particularly　as　he　saw　that　Octavius　was　not　very　capable；　and
  was　also　suspicious　of　any　one　that　was　a　friend　to　Marius。　When　a
  great　battle　was　fought　between　the　two　consuls　in　the　forum；　Octavius
  overcame；　and　Cinna　and　Sertorius；　having　lost　not　less　than　ten
  thousand　men；　left　the　city；　and　gaining　over　most　part　of　the
  troops　who　were　dispersed　about　and　remained　still　in　many　parts　of
  Italy；　they　in　a　short　time　mustered　up　a　force　against　Octavius
  sufficient　to　give　him　battle　again；　and　Marius；　also；　now　coming　by
  sea　out　of　Africa；　proffered　himself　to　serve　under　Cinna；　as　a
  private　soldier　under　his　consul　and　commander。
  Most　were　for　the　immediate　reception　of　Marius；　but　Sertorius
  openly　declared　against　it；　whether　he　thought　that　Cinna　would　not
  now　p