In such a life as his was, oscillating between passionate intoxication and more than sober awaking, illusions are speedily dissipated.

Wishing and striving probably appeared to him folly in a world which withal was absolutely governed by chance, and in which, if men were to strive after anything at all, this chance could be the only aim of their efforts.

He followed the general tendency of the age in addicting himself at once to unbelief and to superstition.

His whimsical credulity was not the plebeian superstition of Marius, who got a priest to prophesy to him for money and determined his actions accordingly; still less was it the sullen belief of the fanatic in destiny; it was that faith in the absurd, which necessarily makes its appearance in every man who has out and out ceased to believe in a connected order of things--the superstition of the fortunate player, who deems himself privileged by fate to throw on each and every occasion the right number.

In practical questions Sulla understood very well how to satisfy ironically the demands of religion.