Fow-kays (fow as in “cow”) Soo-boo-rye
Felix
Fay-licks
fellator
fell-ah-tor (fell as in “sell”)
flamen
flah-men (men as in “ten”)
flamen Dialis
flah-men Dee-ah-lis
flumen
floo-men (floo as in “too”)
Fortuna
For-too-nah
forum
for-oom
Forum Boarium
Boh-ah-ree-oom
Forum Frumentarium
Froo-men-tah-ree-oom
Forum Holitorium
Hol-it-or-ee-oom (hoi as in “doll”)
Forum Piscinum
Piss-kee-noom
Forum Romanum
Roh-mah-noom
Gades
Gah-days
Gaetuli
Gye-too-lee
Gallia
Gal-ee-ah (gal as in “pal”)
Gallia Comata
Com-ah-tah (com as in “torn”)
garum
ga-room (ga as in “gap”)
Garumna
Gah-room-nah
Gauda
Gow-dah (gow as in “cow”)
gens
gens (the g as in “get”—word rhymes with “hens”)
Germalus
Ger-mah-luss (the g as in “get”—ger as in “her”)
Germani
Ger-mah-nee (the g as in “get”—ger as in “her”)
Getorix
Gay-tor-ix (ix as in “six”)
Halicyae
Hal-ee-kee-eye (hal as in “pal”)
Hiempsal
Hee-emp-sal
Hispania
Hiss-pah-nee-ah
Hispania Citerior
Kit-er-ee-or (kit as in “sit”)
Hispania Ulterior
Ool-ter-ee-or
hubris
hoo-briss
lampsas
Yamp-sahss (yamp as in “lamp”)
lamus
Yah-muss
Icosium
Ee-koh-see-oom
Illyricum
Ill-ir-ee-coom (ir as in “stirrup”)
imagines
im-ah-gee-nays (the g as in “gear”)
imago
im-ah-goh (im as in “him”)
imperator
im-pair-ah-tor
imperium
im-pair-ee-oom (English, im-peer-ee-oom)
insula
in-soo-lah
lol
Yol (as in “doll”)
Irrumator
irr-oo-mah-tor (irr as in “stir-rup”)
iugera
yew-gair-ah
iugerum
yew-gair-oom (yew as in “few”)
Juba
Joo-bah
Jugurtha
Joo-goor-thah (English, Joo-ger-thuh)
Julia
Joo-lee-ah
Julilla
Joo-lil-lah
Juturna
Joo-toor-nah
Lares
Lah-rays
Lares Permarini
Pair-mah-ree-nee
Lares Praestites
Prye-stit-ays (stit as in “sit”)
Lautumiae
Low-too-mee-eye (low as in “cow”)
Licinia
Lick-in-ee-ah
Lugdunum
Loog-doo-noom
macellum
mack-ell-oom (mack as in “tack”)
Marcia
Mar-kee-ah (English, Marsh-uh or Mar-see-uh)
Marcomanni
Mar-koh-mah-nee
Marrucini
Mar-oo-kee-nee (heavy r—mar as in “tar”)
Marsi
Mar-see
Masinissa
Mah-sin-iss-ah (sin as in “tin”)
Mastanabal
Mah-stan-ah-bahl (stan as in “ran”)
Mauretania
Mow-ret-ah-nee-ah (mow as in “cow”)
mentula
men-too-lah (men as in “ten”)
mentulam coco
men-too-lahm kah-koh
Metrobius
Met-roh-bee-uss (met as in “set”)
Micipsa
Mick-ip-sah
Milo
Mee-loh (English, Mye-loh)
Misenum
Mee-say-noom
Mithridates
Mith-rid-ah-tays (English, Mith-rid-ay-tees)
Muluchath
Moo-loo-kath
Myrto
Meer-toh
Nabataea
Nah-bah-tye-ah
Nabdalsa
Nab-dahl-sah (nab as in “cab”)
Naevius
Nye-vee-uss
Narbo
Nor-boh or Nah-boh
Neapolis
Nay-ah-pol-iss (pol as in “doll”)
nefas
neff-ahss (neff as in “left”—ahss as in “arse”)
nemo
nay-moh
Nicopoiis
Nick-op-ol-iss
Numantia
Noo-man-tee-ah (man as in “man”)
Numidia
Noo-mid-ee-ah (mid as in “bid”)
Ocelum
Ock-ell-oom (ock as in “sock”)
Odysseus
Odd-iss-oos (English, Odd-iss-ee-uss)
Oedipus
Ee-dee-puss (American, Ed-ee-puss)
oppidum
op-id-oom (op as in “hop”—id as in “bid”)
opus incertum
op-uss in-ker-toom
Oxyntas
Ox-in-tahss (in as in “sin”)
Paeligni
Pye-leen-yee
Pamphylia
Pam-fee-lee-ah (pam as in “ham”)
Paphlagonia
Paff-la-goh-nee-ah
papyrus
pap-eye-russ (pap as in “tap”)
Patavium
Pat-ah-vee-oom (pat as in “cat”)
paterfamilias
pat-er-fam-ill-ee-ahss
Patrae
Pat-rye
Penates
Pen-ah-tays (pen as in “ten”)
Perseus
Per-soos (English, Per-see-uss)
phalerae
fal-er-eye (fal as in “pal”)
Phrygia
Fridge-ee-ah
Picenum
Pee-kay-noom
pilum
pee-loom
Placentia
Plah-ken-tee-ah
plebs
rhymes with “webs”
podex
poh-dex (dex as in “sex”)
pomerium
poh-mair-ee-oom
praefectus fabrutn
prye-feck-tuss fab-room (fab as in “cab”)
praenomen
prye-noh-men
praetor
prye-tor
praetor peregrinus
pair-egg-ree-nuss
praetor urbanus
oor-bah-nuss
primus inter pares
pree-muss in-ter pah-rays
Princeps Senatus
Prin-keps Sen-ah-tuss
Priscilla
Priss-kill-ah (English, Priss-ill-uh)
privatus
pree-vah-tuss
pteryges
terry-gays
Ptolemy
Tol-em-ee (tol as in “doll”)
Ptolemy Apion
Ah-pee-on
Ptolemy Euergetes
Er-air-get-ays
Puteoli
Poo-tay-oh-lee
Pyrrhus
Pirr-uss (pirr as in “stirrup”)
Reate
Ray-ah-tay
Regia
Ray-gee-ah (the g as in “gear”)
Remus
Rem-uss (rem as in “hem”—English, Ree-muss)
Rhenus
Ray-nuss
Rhodanus
Rod-an-uss (rod as in “cod”)
Roh-mah
Romulus
Roh-moo-luss
rostra
roh-strah
Rusicade
Roo-see-kah-day
Rutilia
Roo-tee-lee-ah
saepta
sye-p-tah
sagum
sag-oom (sag as in “hag”)
saltatrix tonsa
sal-tah-tricks ton-sah (ton as in “upon”)
Samnium
Sam-nee-oom (sam as in “ham”)
satrap
sat-rap
Scordisci
Skor-disk-ee
Scylax
Skee-lacks (English, Sky-lacks)
Scylla
Skee-lah (English, Skill-uh or Sill-uh)
Servilia
Sair-vee-lee-ah (sair as in “air”)
Servilia Caepionis
Kye-pee-oh-niss
smaragdus
smah-rag-duss
Smyrna
Smeer-nah (English, Smur-nuh—smur as in “fur”)
stibium
stib-ee-oom (stib as in “crib”)
stimulus
stim-oo-luss (stim as in “dim”)
Subura
Soo-boo-rah
Sulpicia
Sool-pick-ee-ah
suovetaurilia
soo-of-et-ow-rill-ee-ah
Syrtis
Seer-tiss (seer as in “leer”)
Taprobane
Tap-roh-bah-nay
Tarpeian
Tar-pay-ee-an
tata
tah-tah
Teutobod
Ter-toh-bod (bod as in “cod”)
Teutones
Ter-toh-nays
Thermopylae
Ther-mop-ee-lye
torc
tork
tribuni
trib-oo-nee (trib as in “crib”)
tribuni aerarii
eye-rah-ree-ee
tribuni militum
mill-it-oom (mill as in “will”)
tribuni plebis
pleb-iss (pleb as in “web”)
Tullianum
Tool-ee-ah-noom
Tusculum
Tuss-koo-loom (tuss as in “puss”)
Tyrrhenian
Tir-ray-nee-an (tir as in “stirrup”)
Ubus
Oo-buss
Ulysses
Oo-liss-ays (English, Yew-liss-ees)
Utica
Oo-tee-kah
Vediovis
Ved-ee-of-iss (ved as in “bed”— of as in “of”)
Velabrum
Vel-ab-room (vel as in “sell”—ab as in “cab”)
Velia
Vel-ee-ah
Vercellae
Ver-kell-eye
via
vee-ah
Via Aemilia
Eye-mill-ee-ah
Via Aemilia Scauri
Eye-mill-ee-ah Skow-ree (skow as in “cow”)
Via Annia
Ah-nee-ah
Via Appia
Ah-pee-ah
Via Aurelia
Ow-ray-lee-ah (ow as in “cow”)
Via Domitia
Dom-it-ee-ah (dom as in “tom”—it as in “sit”)
Via Flaminia
Flam-in-ee-ah (flam as in “ham”)
Via Lata
Lah-tah
Via Latina
Lat-ee-nah (lat as in “sat”)
Via Nova
Noh-vah
via praetoria
prye-tor-ee-ah
via principalis
prin-kip-ah-liss
Via Sacra
Sack-ran
Via Salaria
Sal-ah-ree-ah (sal as in “pal”)
Via Tiburtina
Tib-er-tee-nah (lib as in “crib”)
vicus
vee-kuss
Vicus Patricii
Pat-rick-ee-ee (pat as in “sat”)
Vicus Tuscus
Tuss-kuss (as in “puss”)
Volcae Tectosages
Vol-kye Teck-toh-sah-gays
Volscian
Vol-skee-an
First published in the UK in 1990 by Century
This ebook edition first published in the UK in 2013 by Head of Zeus Ltd
Copyright © Colleen McCullough, 1990
The moral right of Colleen McCullough to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
9 7 5 3 1 2 4 6 8
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN (E) 9781781857915
Head of Zeus Ltd
Clerkenwell House
45-47 Clerkenwell Green
London EC1R 0HT
www.headofzeus.com
Contents
Cover
Welcome Page
Dedication
A Note to the Reader Page
List of Maps and Illustrations
Maps
Illustrations
The Main Characters
Caepio
Caesar
Cotta
Decumius
Drusus
Glaucia
Jugurtha
Marius
Metellus
Rutilius Rufus
Saturninus
Scaurus
Sertorius
Sulla
The First Year
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
The Second Year
Chapter 1
The Third Year
Chapter 1
The Fourth Year
Chapter 1
The Fifth Year
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
The Sixth Year
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
The Seventh Year
The Eighth Year
The Ninth Year
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
The Tenth Year
The Eleventh Year
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Author’s Note
Glossary
Pronunciation Guide to Roman Masculine Names
Pronunciation Guide to Other Names and Terms
Copyright
Rome, 97BC
Gaius Marius is triumphant. Under his command, Rome has conquered the Western world, weathered invasion and crushed its enemies. There is just one prize left to him: an unprecedented seventh consulship.
But the greatest prize demands the highest price. Marius, now aging and ailing, is pitted against a new generation of assassins, power-seekers, and Senate intriguers. There are many who would like to see him fail, not least Lucius Cornelius Sulla, once his closest ally, now his most dangerous rival. Sulla and Marius’ contest can only be won through treachery and blood. As a deadly enmity engulfs both men and plunges them towards madness, Rome must fight its own battle for survival.
Table of Contents
For
Frank Esposito
with love, thanks,
admiration and respect
A note to the reader: to shed light on the world of ancient Rome, several maps and illustrations have been included throughout this book. Their locations are noted here. A list of the main characters can be found here. An author’s note appears here. If you would like to know more about the historical background of The Grass Crown, click here for a list of the consuls holding office during this period or click here for a glossary explaining some Latin word and unfamiliar terms.
MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS
Maps
Italia
Mundus Romanus
Conquests of Mithridates 113–110 B.C.
Masters of Rome Boxset: First Man in Rome, the Grass Crown, Fortune's Favourites, Caesar's Women, Caesar Page 119
