Sylla killed the officers for daring to bring him such a message, and began immediately to march toward Rome.
In retaliation for the murder of the tribunes, the party of Marius in the city killed some of Sylla's prominent friends there, and a general alarm spread itself throughout the population.

The Senate, which was a sort of House of Lords, embodying mainly the power and influence of the patrician party, and was, of course, on Sylla's side, sent out to him, when he had arrived within a few miles of the city, urging him to come no further.

He pretended to comply; he marked out the ground for a camp; but he did not, on that account, materially delay his march.

The next morning he was in possession of the city.

The friends of Marius attempted to resist him, by throwing stones upon his troops from the roofs of the houses.