sylla-第11节

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refrain　from　intermeddling　in　public　affairs。　For；　ten　days　before　his
decease；　he　composed　the　differences　of　the　people　of　Dicaearchia；　and
prescribed　laws　for　their　better　government。　And　the　very　day　before
his　end；　it　being　told　him　that　the　magistrate　Granius　deferred　the
payment　of　a　public　debt；　in　expectation　of　his　death；　he　sent　for　him
to　his　house；　and　placing　his　attendants　about　him；　caused　him　to　be
strangled；　but　through　the　straining　of　his　voice　and　body；　the
imposthume　breaking；　he　lost　a　great　quantity　of　blood。　Upon　this；　his
strength　failing　him；　after　spending　a　troublesome　night；　he　died；
leaving　behind　him　two　young　children　by　Metella。　Valeria　was
afterwards　delivered　of　a　daughter；　named　Posthuma；　for　so　the
Romans　call　those　who　are　born　after　the　father's　death。
　　Many　ran　tumultuously　together；　and　joined　with　Lepidus　to　deprive
the　corpse　of　the　accustomed　solemnities；　but　Pompey；　though
offended　at　Sylla　（for　he　alone　of　all　his　friends　was　not　mentioned
in　his　will）；　having　kept　off　some　by　his　interest　and　entreaty；
others　by　menaces；　conveyed　the　body　to　Rome；　and　gave　it　a　secure　and
honourable　burial。　It　is　said　that　the　Roman　ladies　contributed　such
vast　heaps　of　spices；　that　besides　what　was　carried　on　two　hundred　and
ten　litters；　there　was　sufficient　to　form　a　large　figure　of　Sylla
himself；　and　another　representing　a　lictor；　out　of　the　costly
frankincense　and　cinnamon。　The　day　being　cloudy　in　the　morning；　they
deferred　carrying　forth　the　corpse　till　about　three　in　the
afternoon；　expecting　it　would　rain。　But　a　strong　wind　blowing　full
upon　the　funeral　pile；　and　setting　it　all　in　a　bright　flame；　the
body　was　consumed　so　exactly　in　good　time；　that　the　pyre　had　begun
to　smoulder；　and　the　fire　was　upon　the　point　of　expiring；　when　a
violent　rain　came　down；　which　continued　till　night。　So　that　his　good
fortune　was　firm　even　to　the　last；　and　did　as　it　were　officiate　at　his
funeral。　His　monument　stands　in　the　Campus　Martius；　with　an　epitaph　of
his　own　writing；　the　substance　of　it　being；　that　he　had　not　been
outdone　by　any　of　his　friends　in　doing　good　turns；　nor　by　any　of　his
foes　in　doing　bad。




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