He acquired, in a word, great celebrity by his boldness and energy, and his boldness and energy were themselves increased in their turn as he felt the strength of his position increase with his growing celebrity.
[Sidenote: Death of Marius's wife.] [Sidenote: Caesar's panegyric on Marius's wife.] [Sidenote: Its success.] At length the wife of Marius, who was Caesar's aunt, died.

She had lived in obscurity since her husband's proscription and death, his party having been put down so effectually that it was dangerous to appear to be her friend.

Caesar, however, made preparations for a magnificent funeral for her.

There was a place in the Forum, a sort of pulpit, where public orators were accustomed to stand in addressing the assembly on great occasions.

This pulpit was adorned with the brazen beaks of ships which had been taken by the Romans in former wars The name of such a beak was _rostrum_; in the plural, _rostra_.