Being now absolute sovereign of Rome, Sylla abro gated every law that stood in the way of his ambitious purposes, and enacted others to sanction the objects he had in view. To the surprise, however, both of his friends and of his enemies, he resigned the dictator ship, and retired to a villa at Puteoli, where he spent the rest of his clays in the society of licentious persons, and in the occasional pursuits of literature. IIis in temperance hastened his death, which took place in the 60th year of his age. The public honoured him with a magnificent funeral, and a monument, with an inscription written by himself, was erected to his memory in the field of Mars.
About this time, Caesar and Pompey, who had been long distinguished by their military achievements, be gan that career of rivalry and ambition which proved so fatal to their country. After the death of Marius and Cinna, Sertorius fled to Spain, where he esta blished an independent republic. Pompey and Metel lus, who were sent against him, were defeated in every battle, and, though the best generals of the age, they were compelled to abandon their enterprise against him. The officers of Sertorius, however, jealous of his fame, conspired against him. At a public banquet, Perpenna overturned a glass of wine as a signal to the conspirators, and immediately Antonius, another officer, stabbed the aged general to the heart. Desti tute of talents, the conspirators were unable to supply the place of their former leader; and Pompey put a speedy termination to the Spanish war.
The tranquillity of the republic was now disturbed by Spartacus, a Thracian shepherd, who was one of the gladiators kept at Capita, in the house of Lentulus. Escaping from his confinement with thirty of his com panions, he took up arms against the Romans. At the head of 10,000 men he laid waste the country, hiding himself at first in the solitary regions of Cam pania; but as his army increased in numbers, and im proved in discipline, he engaged the Romans in open battle, and defeated with great loss two consuls that were sent against him. Crassus was next placed at the head of a powerful army, and though he at first despaired of success, yet he at last succeeded in de feating Spartacus in a bloody engagement, and putting 12,000 of the slaves to the sword. Spartacus displayed great personal valour in this encounter. When wound
ed in the leg be fought on his knees, wielding his sword in the one hand, and shielding himself with his buckler in the other; and when he was overpowered by an irresistible force, he breathed his last above a heap of Romans who had fallen beneath his sword. A part of the army of Spartacus, however, rallied after their defeat, and, being routed by Pompey, this ambitious leader claimed too great a portion of the glory which was due to Crassus.
Pompey was now chosen consul along with Crassus; and it soon became evident that the commonwealth was to suffer from the ambition of these two rivals. After they had with difficulty been made to lay down their arms, they entered into a contest for popular favour. Pompey attempted to ingratiate himself with the people, by reinstating the tribunes in their rights, of which Sylla had deprived them. Crassus, who was the richest man in Rome, and whose property exceeded considerably a million of English money, entertained the populace in the most liberal manner at 10,000 tables, and distributed among them corn sufficient to serve their families for three months.
With the view of putting down the numerous pira cies which prevailed, Pompey received absolute autho rity for three years over all the isles within the Pillars of Hercules, and over all the countries 400 furlongs from the sea. He was authorized to raise soldiers and sailors, to take the necessary sums out of the public treasury without being accountable for them, and to select fifteen senators as his lieutenants. The tribune Roscius attempted in vain to resist this grant of power and of money. The law was passed, and Pompey executed the duties of his office to the satisfaction of his country. Without resigning his sovereignty of the seas, he was nominated general of all the forces in Asia, by a law which was supported by Cxsar and by Cicero. This great charge he executed with the highest success, and completed the conquest of Pon tus and other eastern countries.
Rome was at this time nearly destroyed by the con spiracy of Catiline, to which it has been said that both Cxsar and Crassus were privy. The history of the conspiracy, and an account of the defeat and death of Catiline, have already been given under our article CATILINE.