GAIUS MARIUS BECOMES COMMANDER OF THE ARMY
When Metellus reached Africa, he found that the discipline of the army
was so lax that it was unfitted to fight with any hope of success.
So he drilled and trained his men with great strictness and
persistency, until he believed that they were again worthy to fight for
their country.
Meanwhile Jugurtha found that here at length was a Roman who scorned
to touch his gold. This same Roman, too, had so disciplined his troops
that Jugurtha now distrusted his power to meet them. He therefore
offered to submit, if Metellus would promise to spare his life and the
lives of his children.
But the general paid no attention to this offer, and led his army into
Numidia. Gaius Marius was with the Consul, in command of the cavalry.
Now Marius did not love his general, and he cared less that Metellus
should be successful in battle than that he himself should win glory by
his deeds.
But already the soldiers adored Marius, for he shared their life,
giving up his own comfortable quarters to sleep, as did they, on a
rough camp bed; often, too, eating their hard bread. When they found
him even digging in the trenches their enthusiasm knew no bounds.
Jugurtha, meanwhile, had encamped in a strong position, but Metellus
dislodged him, and at length defeated him, so that he was forced to
flee.
The king determined that he would not risk another battle, so for a
time he took refuge among the hills of his native land.
But even as he had bribed the Romans, so now he found that Metellus had
won some of his officers from their allegiance, either with gold or
with promises. This made him gradually suspicious of all who surrounded
him.
Growing more and more uneasy, Jugurtha at length marched across the
desert to a town named Thala. Metellus, however, hastened after him and
besieged the town, which after forty days was in his hands. But the
Roman general was not satisfied, for it was Jugurtha himself whom he
wished to capture, and the king and his children had escaped from the
town by night.
Jugurtha knew that Metellus was more than a match for him alone, but if
he could secure a powerful ally the Romans might yet be driven from his
land.
So, in 108 B.C., Jugurtha persuaded his father-in-law, Bocchus, King of
Upper Numidia, to join him, and together they marched upon Cirta, near
which town the Romans were encamped.
It was here that Metellus learned that he had not been elected Consul
for the following year.
Meanwhile, Marius had begun to show his dislike of his commander.
The general had entrusted the care of an important town in Numidia to a
friend of his own named Turpulius.
Turpulius was honest and kind, but he was not clever, and he did not
see that the inhabitants of the town were taking advantage of his
kindness.
Before he was aware, they had succeeded in betraying the town into the
hands of Jugurtha, while he, owing to the goodwill of the townsfolk,
was allowed to escape uninjured.
Among the Roman officers there were some ready to blame Turpulius, not
only for negligence, but for actually giving the town up to Jugurtha.
A council of war was held, and on this council was Marius. He attacked
Turpulius more fiercely than any other officer, and this he did knowing
that he was the trusted friend of Metellus.
It was due to the influence of Marius that the other members condemned
Turpulius, and Metellus was forced to sentence his friend to death.
Soon after the unfortunate man was executed it was clearly proved that
he was innocent.
Metellus was overpowered with grief, and his officers did what they
could to comfort him, all save Marius. He was heard to boast that he
had caused the catastrophe, and he showed no sympathy for the distress
of his general.
It was natural that from this time Metellus should look on Marius
with aversion, and the two men were soon open enemies. Marius did not
disguise that he hoped some day to supplant the general in his command.
During the winter of 108 B.C., Marius applied for leave, that he might
go home to stand for election as Consul.
Metellus was indignant at what seemed to him the presumption of his
officer, and he refused to let him go.
Marius was not disturbed by the refusal. He knew that in due time he
would go to Italy, and meanwhile he wrote home unfavourable reports of
his general, hinting, too, that if he had been in command of the army,
Jugurtha would have been captured long ago.
The soldiers, he knew well, adored him, and when they sent messages
home would say nothing but good of him.
After some time had passed, Marius again asked for leave to go to Rome.
Then Metellus scoffed at his desire, saying: ‘Will you not be content
to wait and be Consul with this little son of mine?’
As the son of the general was a lad of about twenty, and as Marius was
already forty-nine years of age, the taunt was not easy to bear.
But at length, as Marius persisted in asking leave, Metellus was
forced to let him go. Only a short time was now left before those who
intended to stand for the Consulships must be in Rome.
The journey from the camp to the coast was a long one, but Marius
accomplished it in two days and a night.
In spite of the need for haste, he waited to offer a sacrifice before
he sailed. And it seemed to him well that he had done so, for the
priest bade him go his way, assured that success, greater than he had
dreamed, would be his.
So in great good temper Marius went on board ship, and in four days
landed on Italian soil.
In Rome he was received with favour, and before long his ambition was
satisfied. He was elected Consul, and given the command of the army in
Africa.
When Marius returned to take up his new position in Africa, Metellus
had already left the army in charge of an officer. His pride would not
let him stay to receive his erstwhile subordinate, who, as he said in
anger, had now usurped his command.
Soon after this Metellus sailed for Rome, with the miserable feeling
that he had been disgraced. He was, however, surprised by the welcome
the people gave to him. They had not forgotten that he had refused to
touch the gold of Jugurtha.