Sulla

Sulla now busied himself with slaughter, and murders without number or limit filled the city. Many, too, were killed to gratify private hatreds, although they had no relations with Sulla, but he gave his consent in order to gratify his adherents. At last one of the younger men, Caius Metellus, made bold to ask Sulla in the senate what end there was to be of these evils, and how far he would proceed before they might expect such doings to cease.

We do not ask thee, he said, to free from punishment those whom thou hast determined to slay, but to free from suspense those whom thou hast determined to save. And when Sulla answered that he did not yet know whom he would spare, Well, then, said Metellus in reply, let us know whom thou intendest to punish. This Sulla said he would do.