94. See the animated picture drawn by Sallust, in the
Jugurthine war, of the pride of the nobles, and even of the
virtuous Metellus, who was unable to brook the idea that the
honour of the consulship should be bestowed on the obscure
merit of his lieutenant Marius (c. 64). Two hundred years
before, the race of the Metelli themselves were confounded
among the Plebeians of Rome, and from the etymology of their
name of Caecilius, there is reason to believe that those
haughty nobles derived their origin from a sutler.