[For context, Marius, recently revered as a savior of Rome, is now being hunted by his political enemies as an enemy of the State. Here, he is hiding in a village, and the villagers hatch a plan to dispatch him.]
Meanwhile the magistrates and councilors of Minturnae consulted together, and determined not to delay any longer, but immediately to kill Marius; and when none of their citizens durst undertake the business, a certain soldier, a Gaulish or Cimbrian horseman (the story is told both ways), went in with his sword drawn to him. The room itself was not very light, that part of it especially where he then lay was dark, from whence Marius’s eyes, they say, seemed to the fellow to dart out flames at him, and a loud voice to say, out of the dark, “Fellow, darest thou kill Caius Marius?”
The barbarian hereupon immediately fled, and leaving his sword in the place, rushed out of doors, crying only this, “I cannot kill Caius Marius.” At which they were all at first astonished, and presently began to feel pity, and remorse, and anger at themselves for making so unjust and ungrateful a decree against one who had preserved Italy, and whom it was bad enough not to assist.
”Let him go,” said they, “where he please to banishment, and find his fate somewhere else; we only entreat pardon of the gods for thrusting Marius distressed and deserted out of our city.”
Source:
Plutarch, John Dryden, and Arthur Hugh Clough. "Caius Marius." Plutarch's Lives. New York: Modern Library, 2001. 577. Print.
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