35. Erat ea tempestate Romae Numida quidam, nomine Massiva, Gulussae

filius, Masinissae nepos; qui, quia in dissensione regum Jugurthae

adversus fuerat, dedita Cirta et Adherbale interfecto, profugus ex Africa

abierat. Huic Sp. Albinus, qui proximo anno post Bestiam cum Q. Minucio

Rufo consulatum gerebat,[212] persuadet, quoniam ex stirpe Masinissae

sit, Jugurthamque ob scelera invidia cum metu urgueat,[213] regnum

Numidiae ab senatu petat. Avidus consul belli gerundi moveri quam

senescere omnia malebat; ipsi provincia Numidia, Minucio Macedonia

evenerat. Quae postquam Massiva agitare coepit, neque Jugurthae in amicis

satis praesidii est, quod eorum alium conscientia, alium mala fama et

timor impediebat, Bomilcari, proximo ac maxime fido sibi, imperat,

pretio, sicuti multa confecerat, insidiatores Massivae paret, ac

maxime[214] occulte, sin id parum procedat, quovis modo Numidam

interficiat. Bomilcar mature regis mandata exequitur, et per homines

talis negotii artifices itinera egressusque ejus, postremo loca atque

tempora cuncta explorat, deinde, ubi res postulabat, insidias tendit.

Igitur unus ex eo numero, qui ad caedem parati erant, paulo inconsultius

Massivam aggreditur; illum obtruncat, sed ipse deprehensus, multis

hortantibus et in primis Albino consule, indicium profitetur.[215] Fit

reus magis ex aequo bonoque quam ex jure gentium Bomilcar, comes ejus,

qui Romam fide publica venerat. At Jugurtha manifestus[216] tanti

sceleris non prius omisit contra verum niti, quam animum advertit,[217]

supra gratiam atque pecuniam suam invidiam facti esse. Igitur, quamquam

in priore actione ex amicis quinquaginta vades dederat,[218] regno magis

quam vadibus consulens, clam in Numidiam Bomilcarem dimittit, veritus ne

reliquos populares metus invaderet parendi sibi, si de illo supplicium

sumptum foret. Et ipse paucis diebus[219] eodem profectus est, jussus a

senatu Italia decedere. Sed postquam Roma egressus est, fertur saepe eo

tacitus respiciens postremo dixisse: 'urbem venalem et mature perituram,

si emptorem invenerit.'

[212] We here enter the year B.C. 110.

[213] _Urgueat_, 'presses Jugurtha;' that is, he is hindered by the

indignation on account of his past crimes, and at the same time by

the apprehension with which the Roman people regard him.

[214] He would like best that it should be done in secret; but if this

should not succeed, he would like it to be done in any way, whatever

it might be. Instead of _maxime_, the author might have said

_potissimum_. See the same expression chap. 46.

[215] _Profiteri indicium_, 'to declare that you will state everything.'

We must understand that in the defective administration of justice

at Rome, the _index_ (informer) received a promise of impunity.

[216] _Manifestus_, with the genitive of the crime, is a person _qui mani

festo tenetur_, or against whom there is most decisive evidence.

[217] _Animum adverto_, the same as the compound _animadverto_, like

_venum eo_ for _veneo_.

[218] Jugurtha had given fifty sureties in the name of Bomilcar, in order

that he might remain at liberty. These sureties were of course fifty

Roman citizens. As Bomilcar fled, those sureties had to pay the money

with which each guaranteed his appearance, and there can be no doubt

but that Jugurtha secretly paid the money.

[219] _Paucis diebus._ See Zumpt, S 480.

36. Interim Albinus renovato bello commeatum, stipendium aliaque, quae

militibus usui forent, maturat in Africam portare; ac statim ipse

profectus, uti ante comitia, quod tempus[220] haud longe aberat, armis

aut deditione aut quovis modo bellum conficeret. At contra Jugurtha

trahere omnia et alias deinde alias morae causas facere, polliceri

deditionem, ac deinde metum simulare, cedere instanti et paulo post, ne

sui diffiderent, instare; ita belli modo, modo pacis mora consulem

ludificare.[221] Ac fuere, qui tum Albinum haud ignarum consilii regis

existimarent, neque ex tanta properantia tam facile tractum bellum

socordia magis quam dolo crederent.[222] Sed postquam dilapso tempore

comitiorum dies adventabat, Albinus, Aulo fratre in castris pro praetore

relicto Romam decessit.

[220] This season was usually the middle of the year, but was frequently

delayed until the autumn. The consul Albinus seems to have been

commissioned to preside at the elections, because his colleague, who

had obtained Macedonia, was at a still greater distance.

[221] Jugurtha protracted the war, delayed the negotiations for peace,

and in this manner thwarted the consul. We have here restored the

active form _ludificare_, because it exists in all the manuscripts.

It is found also in Cicero, though the deponent _ludificari_ is more

frequent.

[222] Some were convinced that after the hurry which the consul had

shown at the beginning, the war was protracted, not so much by his

carelessness, as by his cunning designs. _Non magis quam_ is

expressed in modern languages as if the Latin were _dolo magis quam

socordia_: 'they believed that the war was protracted by his cunning

designs rather than by his carelessness.' See Zumpt, S 725.

37. Ea tempestate Romae seditionibus tribuniciis atrociter res publica

agitabatur. P. Lucullus et L. Annius, tribuni plebis, resistentibus

collegis, continuare magistratum[223] nitebantur, quae dissensio totius

anni comitia impediebat. Ea mora in spem adductus Aulus, quem pro

praetore in castris relictum supra diximus, aut conficiundi belli aut

terrore exercitus ab rege pecuniae capiundae, milites mense Januario ex

hibernis in expeditionem evocat, magnisque itineribus, hieme aspera,

pervenit ad oppidum Suthul, ubi regis thesauri erant. Quod quamquam et

saevitia temporis et opportunitate loci neque capi neque obsideri poterat

(nam circum murum situm in praerupti montis extremo planities limosa

hiemalibus aquis paludem fecerat[224]), tamen aut simulandi gratia, quo

regi formidinem adderet, aut cupidine caecus ob thesauros oppidi

potiundi, vineas agere, aggerem jacere, aliaque, quae incepto usui

forent, properare.

[223] _Continuare magistratum_, 'to continue for another year in a

magistracy which has been given for only one year.' In the case of

some magistracies this was forbidden by law; in that of tribunes of

the people, it occurs rather frequently in the early times, that they

were re-elected twice or oftener in successive years. The last in

stance of a tribuneship lasting for two years is that of G. Gracchus,

in B.C. 123 and 122; and even then this re-election was the cause of

violent commotions, and it was impossible to carry it for the third

year.

[224] Around the wall, which had been built on the extreme edge of a

precipitous rock, the clayey soil had formed a marsh. Respecting

_extremum_ used substantively, see Zumpt, S 435.

38. At Jugurtha, cognita vanitate atque imperitia legati, subdolus ejus

augere amentiam, missitare[225] supplicantes legatos, ipse quasi

vitabundus per saltuosa loca et tramites exercitum ductare. Denique Aulum

spe pactionis perpulit, uti relicto Suthule in abditas regiones sese

veluti cedentem insequeretur; 'ita delicta occultiora fore.' Interea per

homines callidos die noctuque exercitum temptabat; centuriones ducesque

turmarum partim uti transfugerent corrumpere, alii signo dato locum uti

desererent.[226] Quae postquam ex sententia instruit, intempesta nocte de

improviso multitudine Numidarum Auli castra circumvenit. Milites Romani,

perculsi tumultu insolito, arma capere alii, alii se abdere, pars

territos confirmare, trepidare[227] omnibus locis; vis magna hostium,

coelum nocte atque nubibus obscuratum, periculum anceps,[228] postremo

fugere an manere tutius foret, in incerto erat. Sed ex eo numero, quos

paulo ante corruptos diximus, cohors una Ligurum cum duabus turmis

Thracum et paucis gregariis militibus transiere ad regem,[229] et

centurio primi pili[230] tertiae legionis per munitionem, quam uti

defenderet acceperat, locum hostibus introeundi dedit, eaque Numidae

cuncti irrupere. Nostri foeda fuga, plerique abjectis armis, proximum

collem occupavere. Nox atque praeda castrorum hostes, quo minus victoria

uterentur, remorata sunt. Deinde Jugurtha postero die cum Aulo in

colloquio verba facit: 'tametsi ipsum cum exercitu fame et ferro clausum

tenet,[231] tamen se memorem humanarum rerum, si secum foedus faceret,

incolumes omnes sub jugum missurum,[232] praeterea uti diebus decem

Numidia decederet.' Quae quamquam gravia et flagitii plena erant, tamen,

quia mortis metu mutabantur,[233] sicuti regi libuerat, pax convenit.

[225] Respecting the frequentatives _ductare_ and _missitare_, which last

is a secondary derivative from _mittere_ (as _currere, cursare,

cursitare_), see Zumpt, S 231; and about _vitabundus_, S 248.

[226] The usual arrangement of the words would be: _corrumpere, ut alii

(partim) transfugerent, alii--desererent_. The _ut_ is here repeated

in the second clause, which is rather unusual.

[227] _Trepidare_, in its proper sense, is, 'to run about with fear and

trembling.'

[228] _Anceps_, 'twofold,' on the part of the enemy and of that of

nature.

[229] The author here distinguishes the infantry (_cohors_) and cavalry

(_turma_) of the auxiliaries, and the common soldiers from the Roman

legions.

[230] The _primus pilus_ in a Roman legion is the first company

(_manipulus_) of the third class of legionaries, who were called

_pilani_ or _triarii_, and were employed in battle as a reserve,

while the two other classes of legionaries, the _hastati_ and

_principes_, began the engagement. A legion thus contained ten

maniples of every class; that is, altogether thirty maniples, each of

which consisted of two _centuriae_, and each _centuria_ was commanded

by a _centurio_. Out of these sixty centurions of a legion, the two

commanding the _primus pilus_ (they themselves also were called, like

their companies, _primi pili_) were the first in rank, and again the

_ductor prioris centuriae primi pili_ was the principal centurion in

a legion. The treachery of such an officer, therefore, is the more

surprising. To the pronoun _ea_ supply _via_; _ea_, with this

ellipsis, is used as an adverb in the sense of 'there.' See Zumpt,

S 207, 288.

[231] In accordance with the rules on the oratio obliqua, Sallust ought

to have written _teneat_.

[232] A _jugum_ was formed by two lances fixed in the ground, and a

third fastened across them so as to form a gate. When an army

confessed itself to be conquered, and after capitulating, was allowed

to depart, the troops had to march under a yoke of this description.

[233] Literally: 'because the disgrace was exchanged for the fear of

death;' that is, by enduring it, they became free from the fear of

death.

39. Sed ubi ea Romae comperta sunt, metus atque maeror civitatem

invasere. Pars dolere pro gloria imperii, pars insolita rerum bellicarum

timere libertati,[234] Aulo omnes infesti, ac maxime, qui bello saepe

praeclari fuerant, quod armatus dedecore potius quam manu salutem

quaesiverat. Ob ea consul Albinus ex delicto fratris invidiam ac deinde

periculum timens, senatum de foedere consulebat, et tamen interim

exercitui supplementum scribere, ab sociis et nomine Latino[235] auxilia

accersere, denique omnibus modis festinare. Senatus ita, uti par fuerat,

decernit, suo atque populi injussu nullum potuisse foedus fieri. Consul

impeditus a tribunis plebis, ne, quas paraverat copias, secum portaret,

paucis diebus in Africam proficiscitur; nam omnis exercitus, uti

convenerat, Numidia deductus, in provincia hiemabat. Postquam eo venit,

quamquam persequi Jugurtham et mederi fraternae invidiae animo ardebat,

cognitis militibus, quos praeter fugam, soluto imperio, licentia atque

lascivia corruperat, ex copia rerum[236] statuit sibi nihil agitandum.

[234] _Dolere pro gloria_, 'to be grieved for reputation;' that is, as

they were interested in the glory of their country, they were grieved

at the disgrace (_dedecore_ or _propter dedecus_) they had suffered.

_Timere libertati_, 'to be afraid of losing one's freedom,' it

appearing to be in danger. See Zumpt, S 414.

[235] _Nomen Latinum_ is the same as _socii Latini_, or _Latini_ alone.

The expression properly signifies those who are called Latins; for

this class of people comprised not only those who really belonged to

the nation of the Latins--such as the inhabitants of the ancient

Latin towns of Tibur and Praeneste--but those also whose towns

subsequently received the same privileges. The latter were termed

coloniae Latinae--such as Alba in the country of the Marsians,

Beneventum in Samnium, Cremona and Placentia on the Po.

[236] _Ex copia rerum_, 'according to his present resources,' 'according

to the state of affairs.'

40. Interim Romae C. Mamilius Limetanus tribunus plebis rogationem ad

populum promulgat, uti quaereretur in eos, quorum consilio Jugurtha

senati decreta neglexisset,[237] quique ab eo in legationibus aut

imperiis pecunias accepissent, qui elephantos quique perfugas

tradidissent, item qui de pace aut bello cum hostibus pactiones

fecissent. Huic rogationi partim conscii sibi, alii ex partium invidia

pericula metuentes, quoniam aperte resistere non poterant, quin illa et

alia talia placere sibi faterentur,[238] occulte per amicos ac maxime per

homines nominis Latini et socios Italicos impedimenta parabant. Sed

plebes incredibile memoratu est, quam intenta fuerit quantaque vi

rogationem jusserit, decreverit, voluerit: magis odio nobilitatis, cui

mala illa parabantur, quam cura rei publicae; tanta libido in partibus

erat. Igitur ceteris metu perculsis, M. Scaurus, quem legatum Bestiae

fuisse supra docuimus, inter laetitiam plebis et suorum fugam, trepida

etiamtum civitate quum ex Mamili regatione tres quaesitores rogarentur,

effecerat, uti ipse in eo numero crearetur.[239] Sed quaestio exercita

aspere violenterque ex[240] rumore et libidine plebis; ut saepe

nobilitatem, sic ea tempestate plebem ex secundis rebus insolentia

ceperat.

[237] In a few manuscripts we read _neglegisset_, respecting which see

Zumpt, S 195.

[238] _Quin faterentur_, 'without confessing.' See Zumpt, S 539.

[239] M. Scaurus, who, as Sallust stated before, was himself bribed

by Jugurtha, had availed himself of the time when the people were

rejoicing at his victory, when the city was still under apprehensions

respecting the war, and when many other nobles, from a consciousness

of guilt, kept back; and there can be no doubt that, through the

influence of his friends, he contrived to be himself elected one of

the commissioners who had to institute inquiries about these

briberies, and thus escaped being tried himself.

[240] _Ex_ here signifies 'with respect to.' The people after this

victory were insolent, so that the commissioners yielded to the

wishes of the multitude.

41. Ceterum mos partium popularium et senatus factionum,[241] ac deinde

omnium malarum artium paucis ante annis Romae ortus est otio atque

abundantia earum rerum, quae prima mortales ducunt.[242] Nam ante

Carthaginem deletam populus et senatus Romanus placide modesteque inter

se rem publicam tractabant, neque gloriae neque dominationis certamen

inter cives erat; metus hostilis in bonis artibus civitatem retinebat.

Sed ubi illa formido mentibus decessit, scilicet[243] ea, quae res

secundae amant, lascivia atque superbia incessere. Ita, quod in adversis

rebus optaverant otium, postquam adepti sunt, asperius acerbiusque fuit.

Namque coepere nobilitas dignitatem, populus libertatem in libidinem

vertere, sibi quisque ducere, trahere, rapere. Ita omnia in duas partes

abstracta sunt, res publica, quae media fuerat, dilacerata. Ceterum

nobilitas factione magis pollebat, plebis vis soluta atque dispersa in

multitudine minus poterat. Paucorum arbitrio belli domique agitabatur,

penes eosdem aerarium, provinciae, magistratus, gloriae triumphique

erant; populus militia atque inopia urguebatur; praedas bellicas

imperatores cum paucis diripiebant; interea parentes aut parvi liberi

militum, uti quisque potentiori confinis erat, sedibus pellebantur.[244]

Ita cum potentia avaritia sine modo modestiaque invadere, polluere et

vastare omnia, nihil pensi neque sancti habere, quoad semet ipsa

praecipitavit. Nam ubi primum ex nobilitate reperti sunt, qui veram

gloriam injustae potentiae anteponerent, moveri civitas et dissensio

civilis quasi permixtio terrae[245] oriri coepit.

[241] 'The custom of (forming) parties among the people, and of factions

in the senate;' the people are divided into _partes_, the senate

into _factiones_; the latter evidently implies intriguing

combinations.

[242] 'From the abundance of those things which mortals deem of the

first importance.' _Prima_ is used substantively, and with it the

relative pronoun (_quae_) agrees. Sallust might have said

_quas--primas_.

[243] _Scilicet_, 'naturally,' is used here as an adverb. See Zumpt,

S 271.

[244] The annexation of small free farms to the adjoining large estates,

is described by all the ancient authors as the cause of the great

misery of the Roman state, and, as Sallust remarks, it was

facilitated by the absence of many of the free citizens who were

serving in the armies; for their fathers or children, who were left

behind, were easily induced to sell their small farm to a wealthy and

powerful neighbour. For force was certainly not always applied, and

_pellere_ here signifies 'to displace,' rather than 'to expel.' The

large estates thus formed were called _latifundia_.

[245] _Permixtio terrae_ is said figuratively, as is indicated by

_quasi_, 'a chaos--a mixture of elements.'

42. Nam postquam Tiberius et G. Gracchus, quorum majores Punico atque

aliis bellis multum rei publicae addiderant, vindicare plebem in

libertatem et paucorum scelera patefacere coepere, nobilitas noxia atque

eo perculsa, modo per socios ac nomen Latinum, interdum per equites

Romanos, quos spes societatis a plebe dimoverat, Gracchorum actionibus

obviam ierat, et primo Tiberium, dein paucos post annos eadem

ingredientem Gaium, tribunum alterum, alterum triumvirum coloniis

deducendis, cum M. Fulvio Flacco ferro necaverat.[246] Et sane Gracchis

cupidine victoriae haud satis moderatus animus fuit: sed bono vinci

satius est quam malo more injuriam vincere.[247] Igitur ea victoria

nobilitas ex libidine sua usa multos mortales ferro aut fuga extinxit,

plusque in reliquum sibi timoris quam potentiae addidit. Quae res

plerumque magnas civitates pessumdedit, dum alteri alteros vincere quovis

modo et victos acerbius[248] ulcisci volunt. Sed de studiis partium et

omnis civitatis moribus si singulatim aut pro magnitudine parem

disserere, tempus quam res maturius me deseret.[249] Quamobrem ad

inceptum redeo.

[246] Tib. Gracchus was slain in B.C. 133, and his brother, G. Gracchus,

in B.C. 121. Sallust here states that the faction of the optimates

threw obstacles in the way of the two brothers, sometimes by means of

the _socii_ (in Italy), and sometimes by means of the Roman equites,

who had been drawn into the senate by the popular party. This

refers, in the first place, to the opposition made, through the

instrumentality of the Latins, to the scheme of the Gracchi to

settle poor Roman citizens in Latin colonies; and secondly, to the

ingratitude of the equites, to whom G. Gracchus had transferred

the administration of justice, after having taken it from the senate.

Respecting _modo--interdum_, instead of _modo--modo_, see Zumpt,

S 723.

[247] Sallust admits that the Gracchi went somewhat too far, but blames

the violence with which the faction of the optimates took

vengeance upon them; 'for,' says he, 'a good man prefers being

conquered, to taking revenge for injury done to him in a violent

manner'--intimating that the optimates ought to have borne the

injury done to them by the Gracchi, rather than avenge it with

murder and assassination.

[248] _Acerbius_; that is, _nimis acerbe_, or _acerbius quam par est_.

[249] _Omnis civitatis_ for _totius civitatis_, in opposition to the

patres. _Parem_; that is, _velim_, which is followed in the apodosis

by the same subjunctive present, or the future indicative. See Zumpt,

S 524, note 1. _Res_, the same as _materia_, _argumentum_, 'subject.'

43. Post Auli foedus exercitusque nostri foedam fugam, Metellus et

Silanus consules designati,[250] provincias inter se partiverant,

Metelloque Numidia evenerat, acri viro et quamquam adverso populi

partium,[251] fama tamen aequabili et inviolata. Is ubi primum

magistratum ingressus est, alia omnia sibi cum collega ratus, ad bellum,

quod gesturus erat, animum intendit.[252] Igitur diffidens veteri

exercitui, milites scribere, praesidia[253] undique accersere, arma,

tela, equos et cetera instrumenta militiae parare, ad hoc commeatum

affatim, denique omnia, quae in bello vario et multarum rerum egenti usui

esse solent. Ceteram ad ea patranda senatus auctoritate, socii nomenque

Latinum et reges ultro auxilia mittendo, postremo omnis civitas summo

studio adnitebatur. Itaque ex sententia omnibus rebus paratis

compositisque, in Numidiam proficiscitur, magna spe civium, quum propter

artes bonas, tum maxime, quod adversum divitias invictum animum gerebat,

et avaritia magistratuum ante id tempus in Numidia nostrae opes

contusae[254] hostiumque auctae erant.

[250] The consuls here mentioned entered upon their office on the 1st

of January, 109 B.C. The preparation for the campaign accordingly

belongs to the latter part of the year 110.

[251] 'An opponent of the popular party;' _adversus_ being used as a

substantive, in the sense of _adversarius_; as an adjective, it is

construed with the dative.

[252] _Cum collega_, a short expression for _conjuncta cum collega_,

'everything else he considered as common between himself and his

colleague, but to the Numidian war he alone directed his attention,

as though it were his own exclusive business.'

[253] _Praesidia_ is generally 'resources;' but here the same as

_auxilia_, 'auxiliary troops.'

[254] _Contusae_, from _contundere_, for _imminutae_, _debilitatae_,

_fractae_.

44. Sed ubi in Africam venit, exercitus ei traditur a Sp. Albino pro

consule iners, imbellis, neque periculi neque laboris patiens, lingua

quam manu promptior, praedator[255] ex sociis et ipse praeda hostium,

sine imperio et modestia habitus. Ita imperatori novo plus ex malis

moribus sollicitudinis quam ex copia militum auxilii aut spei bonae

accedebat. Statuit tamen Metellus, quamquam et aestivorum tempus[256]

comitiorum mora imminuerat, et expectatione eventus civium animos

intentos putabat, non prius bellum attingere quam majorum disciplina

milites laborare coegisset. Nam Albinus, Auli fratris exercitusque clade

perculsus, postquam decreverat non egredi provincia, quantum temporis

aestivorum in imperio fuit,[257] plerumque milites stativis castris

habebat, nisi quum odos[258] aut pabuli egestas locum mutare subegerat.

Sed neque muniebantur ea, neque more militari vigiliae deducebantur; uti

cuique libebat, ab signis aberat: lixae permixti cum militibus die

noctuque vagabantur; palantes agros vastare, villas expugnare, pecoris et

mancipiorum praedas certantes agere, eaque mutare cum mercatoribus[259]

vino advectitio et aliis talibus; praeterea frumentum publice datum

vendere, panem in dies mercari; postremo, quaecunque dici aut fingi

queunt ignaviae luxuriaeque probra, ea in illo exercitu cuncta fuere et

alia amplius.

[255] _Praedator_, belonging to _exercitus_, is the same as _praedas

agens_, 'carrying off booty.' See Zumpt, S 102, note 2.

[256] _Aestivorum tempus_ is the time suited for the campaign. To

_aestivorum_ supply _castrorum_, 'a summer-camp,' and 'a campaign

made in summer;' hence, also, 'a campaign' in general, inasmuch as

warlike operations were but rarely carried on in winter.

[257] _Albinus_, during a portion of the summer of the year 109 B. C.,

continued to command as proconsul, while the consul Metellus was

detained at Rome by the election of the consuls for the year

B. C. 108.

[258] _Odos_ for _odor_. See Zumpt, S 7.

[259] _Cum mercatoribus_, 'in intercourse with merchants.' The

merchandise, in return for which another commodity is given, is

expressed by the ablative. See Zumpt, S 456.

45. Sed in ea difficultate Metellum non minus quam in rebus hostilibus

magnum et sapientem virum fuisse comperior; tanta temperantia inter

ambitionem[260] saevitiamque moderatum: namque edicto primum adjumenta

ignaviae sustulisse, ne quisquam in castris panem aut quem alium coctum

cibum venderet, ne lixae exercitum sequerentur, ne miles gregarius in

castris neve in agmine servum aut jumentum haberet; ceteris arte modum

statuisse.[261] Praeterea transversis itineribus cotidie castra movere,

juxta ac si hostes adessent, vallo atque fossa munire, vigilias crebras

ponere et eas ipse cum legatis circumire, item in agmine in primis modo,

modo in postremis, saepe in medio adesse, ne quisquam ordine egrederetur,

uti cum signis frequentes incederent, miles cibum et arma portaret. Ita

prohibendo a delictis magis quam vindicando exercitum brevi confirmavit.

[260] _Ambitio_, 'courting favour;' hence here in the sense of

'indulgence,' 'connivance,' these being the ordinary means to obtain

the favour of the multitude.

[261] _Ceteris arte modum statuisse_ still depends upon _comperior_, 'I

learn (that is, we are informed) that for the rest (of the wants) he

fixed the measure in a close (niggardly) manner;' for _arte_ is the

adverb of _artus_, which is frequently, though not correctly, written

_arcte_. It must not be confounded with _arte_ from _ars_. Sallust

might have said, _ceteris (rebus) artum modum statuisse_.

46. Interea Jugurtha, ubi quae Metellus agebat ex nuntiis accepit, simul

de innocentia ejus certior Romae factus, diffidere suis rebus ac tum

demum veram deditionem facere conatus est. Igitur legatos ad consulem cum

suppliciis[262] mittit, qui tantummodo ipsi liberisque vitam peterent,

alia omnia dederent populo Romano. Sed Metello jam antea experimentis

cognitum erat genus Numidarum infidum, ingenio mobili, novarum rerum

avidum esse. Itaque legatos alium ab alio diversos aggreditur,[263] ac

paulatim temptando, postquam opportunos sibi cognovit, multa pollicendo

persuadet, uti Jugurtham maxime[264] vivum, sin id parum procedat,

necatum sibi traderent; ceterum palam, quae ex voluntate forent,[265]

regi nuntiari jubet. Deinde ipse paucis diebus intento atque infesto

exercitu in Numidiam procedit, ubi contra belli faciem tuguria plena

hominum, pecora cultoresque in agris erant; ex oppidis et mapalibus

praefecti regis obvii procedebant, parati frumentum dare, commeatum

portare, postremo omnia, quae imperarentur, facere. Neque Metellus

idcirco minus, sed pariter ac si hostes adessent, munito agmine incedere,

late explorare omnia, illa deditionis signa ostentui credere et insidiis

locum temptari. Itaque ipse cum expeditis cohortibus, item funditorum et

sagittariorum delecta manu apud primos erat, in postremo G. Marius

legatus cum equitibus curabat, in utrumque latus auxiliarios equites

tribunis legionum et praefectis cohortium dispertiverat, ut cum his

permixti velites, quocunque accederent equitatus[266] hostium,

propulsarent. Nam in Jugurtha tantus dolus tantaque peritia locorum et

militiae erat, ut absens an praesens, pacem an bellum gerens perniciosior

esset, in incerto haberetur.

[262] _Supplicia_ here, as elsewhere, are _supplices preces_, 'humble

prayers,' or 'petitions.' Compare chap. 66.

[263] 'He applies to the ambassadors one by one;' that is, he tries them

one by one, _temptat singulos_.

[264] _Maxime_, the same as _potissimum_. Compare chap. 35.

[265] 'What would be in accordance with his wish;' namely, the granting

of his request.

[266] The plural _equitatus_ is rare; here it refers to different troops

of cavalry, as in Caesar, _Bell. Civ._ i. 61. To _propulsarent_

supply _eos_. See Zumpt, S 766.

47. Erat haud longe ab eo itinere, quo Metellus pergebat, oppidum

Numidarum, nomine Vaga, forum rerum venalium totius regni maxime

celebratum,[267] ubi et incolere et mercari consueverant Italici generis

multi mortales. Huc consul simul temptandi gratia, et si paterentur,

opportunitate loci, praesidium imposuit;[268] praeterea imperavit

frumentum et alia, quae bello usui forent, comportare,[269] ratus id quod

res monebat, frequentiam negotiatorum et commeatum juvaturum exercitum et

jam paratis rebus munimento fore. Inter haec negotia Jugurtha impensius

modo[270] legatos supplices mittere, pacem orare, praeter suam

liberorumque vitam omnia Metello dedere. Quos item, uti priores, consul

illectos ad proditionem domum dimittebat, regi pacem quam postulabat

neque abnuere neque polliceri et inter eas moras promissa legatorum

exspectare.

[267] 'Most frequented;' for _celeber_, _bris_, _bre_, is commonly used

of densely peopled or much frequented places.

[268] Metellus placed a garrison in the city, partly to test the

sentiments of the inhabitants, and partly on account of the

advantages offered to him by the nature of the place, in case the

inhabitants should not object to a garrison of the Romans. The common

reading, _si paterentur opportunitates loci_, must be rejected, for

the words _si paterentur_ must refer to the inhabitants of the place,

and explain the preceding _temptandi gratia_. Another reading,

_opportunitatis_, to which _gratia_ must be supplied by the mind, has

the same meaning as _opportunitate_, the ablative of cause.

[269] 'He believed that the great number of merchants (in the town)

and the corn would be of use to the army, and protect the provisions

(of the Roman army) already accumulated,' so that the Roman stores

might be saved.

[270] _Impensius modo_; that is, _praeter modum_, 'beyond measure,'

'immoderately;' literally, 'stronger than the measure observed in

such matters.'

48. Jugurtha ubi Metelli dicta cum factis composuit ac se suis artibus

temptari animadvertit, quippe cui verbis pax nuntiabatur, ceterum re

bellum asperrimum erat, urbs maxima alienata, ager hostibus cognitus,

animi popularium temptati, coactus rerum necessitudine statuit armis

certare. Igitur explorato hostium itinere, in spem victoriae adductus ex

opportunitate loci, quam maximas potest copias omnium generum parat ac

per tramites occultos exercitum Metelli antevenit.[271] Erat in ea parte

Numidiae, quam Adherbal in divisione possederat, flumen oriens a meridie,

nomine Muthul; a quo aberat mons ferme milia passuum viginti tractu

pari,[272] vastus ab natura et humano cultu. Sed ex eo medio quasi collis

oriebatur, in immensum pertingens,[273] vestitus oleastro ac murtetis

aliisque generibus arborum, quae humi arido atque arenoso[274] gignuntur.

Media autem planities deserta penuria aquae, praeter flumini propinqua

loca; ea consita arbustis, pecore atque cultoribus frequentabantur.

[271] _Exercitum antevenit_. See Zumpt, S 386, note.

[272] 'In an equal direction;' that is, likewise extending from south

to north.

[273] In the midst of this range there arose another group, extending

far and wide; and, as will be seen hereafter (chapter 49), in a

transverse direction (_transverso itinere_) from the range to the

river running parallel with it. _In immensum_, however, must be

understood relatively of a very great extent, and not absolutely of

an infinite extent.

[274] 'On dry and sandy ground' is a very singular expression, and

has been noticed as such by the Roman grammarians themselves;

for _humi_ (on the ground) is otherwise used without an adjective as

an adverb. The adjective is here put in the ablative, to denote the

place where, and in the neuter gender, _humi_ being regarded as

indeclinable. In ordinary language, it would be _in humo arida_.

49. Igitur in eo colle, quem transverso itinere porrectum docuimus,

Jugurtha, extenuata suorum acie,[275] consedit, elephantis et parti

copiarum pedestrium Bomilcarem praefecit eumque edocet, quae ageret; ipse

propior montem[276] cum omni equitatu et peditibus delectis suos

collocat. Dein singulas turmas et manipulos circumiens monet atque

obtestatur, uti memores pristinae virtutis et victoriae sese regnumque

suum ab Romanorum avaritia defendant; cum iis certamen fore, quos antea

victos sub jugum miserint; ducem illis, non animum mutatum; quae ab

imperatore decuerint,[277] omnia suis provisa, locum superiorem, ut

prudentes cum imperitis, ne pauciores cum pluribus aut rudes cum bello

melioribus manum consererent; proinde parati intentique essent signo

dato Romanos invadere; illum diem aut omnes labores et victorias

confirmaturum, aut maximarum aerumnarum initium fore. Ad hoc viritim, uti

quemque ob militare facinus pecunia aut honore extulerat, commonefacere

beneficii sui et eum ipsum aliis ostentare; postremo pro cujusque ingenio

pollicendo, minitando, obtestando, alium alio modo excitare; quum

interim Metellus, ignarus hostium, monte degrediens cum exercitu

conspicitur,[278] primo dubius, quidnam insolita facies ostenderet (nam

inter virgulta equi Numidaeque consederant, neque plane occultati

humilitate arborum, et tamen incerti,[279] quidnam esset, cum natura loci

tum dolo ipsi atque signa militaria obscurati); dein, brevi cognitis

insidiis paulisper agmen constituit. Ibi commutatis ordinibus,[280] in

dextero latere, quod proximum hostes erat, triplicibus subsidiis aciem

instruxit, inter manipulos funditores et sagittarios dispertit, equitatum

omnem in cornibus locat, ac pauca pro tempore milites hortatus aciem,

sicuti instruxerat, transversis principiis[281] in planum deducit.

[275] 'The battle-line being long, but not deep.'

[276] _Montem_, the same as _monti_. See Zumpt, S 411.

[277] _Decuerint_. Sallust might have written _decuerit_ in the singular.

Compare Zumpt, S 226.

[278] _Quum interim Metellus--conspicitur_, is the apodosis. 'Then,

in the meantime, Metellus appears.' Respecting this use of _quum_

with the present indicative, see Zumpt, S 580, 2; for the

circumstance of _interim_ being used here, where we might expect

_subito_, does not alter the case, and only expresses that Jugurtha

was yet engaged in encouraging his army when Metellus became visible.

[279] _Incerti_ is here used passively and personally, 'uncertain what it

might be,' for _de quibus incertum erat, quidnam esset_; and the

neuter _quidnam_ is used in the sense of the masculine plural, 'it

was uncertain whether they were men, and what sort of men.' In like

manner we have seen (chapter 18) _ignarus_ used passively.

[280] 'With an alteration in the ranks,' those soldiers who had before

marched by the side of one another now being placed behind one

another, as the man who had till then been on the right wing of his

detachment suddenly turned to the right, with his face towards the

hill. On the right of the whole marching army, he now formed the

front towards the enemy (_aciem_), and strengthened by a threefold

reserve.

[281] 'The _principia_ standing transversely' (to the direction in which

till then the column had been). The march of the Roman army

was from east to west; the enemy appeared on the right flank, and

the Roman vanguard (_principia_) therefore turned round to face them

(that is, turning its face to the north), and it is this direction

which is expressed by _transversus_. _Principia_ is the vanguard,

because in a Roman legion the ten companies of _principes_ formed the

front line, while the _hastati_ constituted the second, and the

_triarii_ the third. In this manner the _principes_ here faced the

enemy, while the other divisions of the army drew up behind them as

a reserve.

50. Sed ubi Numidas quietos neque colle degredi animadvertit, veritus ex

anni tempore et inopia aquae, ne siti conficeretur exercitus, Rutilium

legatum cum expeditis cohortibus et parte equitum praemisit ad flumen,

uti locum castris antecaperet, existimans hostes crebro impetu et

transversis proeliis[282] iter suum remoraturos, et quoniam armis

diffiderent, lassitudinem et sitim militum temptaturos.[283] Deinde ipse

pro re atque loco, sicuti monte descenderat, paulatim procedere, Marium

post principia habere, ipse cum sinistrae alae equitibus esse, qui in

agmine principes facti erant.[284] At Jugurtha, ubi extremum agmen

Metelli primos suos praetergressum videt, praesidio quasi duum milium

peditum montem occupat, qua Metellus descenderat, ne forte cedentibus

adversariis receptui ac post munimento foret; dein repente signo dato

hostes invadit. Numidae alii postremos caedere, pars a sinistra ac

dextera temptare, infensi adesse atque instare, omnibus locis Romanorum

ordines conturbare, quorum etiam qui firmioribus animis obvii hostibus

fuerant, ludificati incerto proelio, ipsi modo eminus sauciabantur, neque

contra feriundi aut conserendi manum copia erat; ante jam docti ab

Jugurtha equites, ubicunque Romanorum turma insequi coeperat, non

confertim neque in unum sese recipiebant, sed alius alio quam maxime

diversi. Ita numero priores,[285] si ab persequendo hostes deterrere

nequiverant, disjectos ab tergo aut lateribus circumveniebant; sin

opportunior fugae collis quam campi fuerat, ea[286] vero consueti

Numidarum equi facile inter virgulta evadere; nostros asperitas et

insolentia loci retinebat.

[282] _Transversis proeliis_, 'by attacks on the flanks'--namely, if the

Roman army should resume its march westward.

[283] _Temptare lassitudinem militum_, the same as _lassos milites

aggredi_.

[284] The army was drawn up in battle array facing the north, so that,

if it resumed its march westward, the part which formed the left

wing became the head of the column (_agmen_).

[285] _Priores_; that is, _superiores_, 'superior.'

[286] _Ea_, 'on this road,' or 'there.' _Evadere_, 'to ascend.' _Vero_ in

the apodosis renders it strong and emphatic. See Zumpt, S 716.

51. Ceterum facies totius negotii varia, incerta, foeda atque

miserabilis; dispersi a suis pars cedere, alii insequi, neque signa neque

ordines observare, ubi quemque periculum ceperat, ibi resistere ac

propulsare, arma tela,[287] equi viri, hostes atque cives permixti, nihil

consilio neque imperio agi, fors omnia regere: itaque multum diei

processerat, quum etiamtum eventus in incerto erat. Denique omnibus

labore et aestu languidis, Metellus ubi videt Numidas minus instare,

paulatim milites in unum conducit, ordines restituit et cohortes

legionarias quatuor adversum pedites hostium collocat. Eorum magna pars

superioribus locis fessa consederat. Simul orare, hortari milites, ne

deficerent, neu paterentur hostes fugientes vincere; neque illis[288]

castra esse neque munimentum ullum, quo cedentes tenderent, in armis

omnia sita. Sed ne Jugurtha quidem interea quietus erat; circumire,

hortari, renovare proelium et ipse cum delectis temptare omnia, subvenire

suis, hostibus dubiis instare, quos firmos cognoverat, eminus pugnando

retinere.

[287] Respecting the omission of _et_, see Zumpt, S 782. _Arma_ and

_tela_ are the two kinds of arms, the one being used in a close

contest, and the other at a distance; the use of either of them

depended on chance (_fors regebat_). _Itaque_ in the next clause is

the same as et _ita_, and not the conjunction _itaque = igitur_.

[288] They had no camp, no fortifications into which they could retreat.

_Illis_ refers to the Romans addressed, and is rendered by the

emphatic they; instead of _illis_, the speaker might have used

_ipsis_ whereby he would have included himself, whereas now he is

speaking only of the soldiers. Compare Zumpt, S 702.

52. Eo modo inter se duo imperatores, summi viri certabant, ipsi pares,

ceterum opibus disparibus. Nam Metello virtus militum erat, locus

adversus, Jugurthae alia omnia praeter milites opportuna. Denique Romani,

ubi intelligunt neque sibi perfugium esse neque ab hoste copiam pugnandi

fieri (et jam diei[289] vesper erat) adverse colle, sicuti praeceptum

fuerat, evadunt. Amisso loco Numidae fusi fugatique; pauci interiere,

plerosque velocitas et regio hostibus ignara tutata sunt.[290] Interea

Bomilcar, quem elephantis et parti copiarum pedestrium praefectum ab

Jugurtha supra diximus, ubi cum Rutilius praetergressus est, paulatim

suos in aequum locum deducit ac, dum legatus ad flumen, quo praemissus

erat, festinans pergit, quietus, uti res postulabat, aciem exornat, neque

remittit, quid ubique hostis ageret,[291] explorare. Postquam Rutilium

consedisse jam et animo vacuum accepit, simulque ex Jugurthae proelio

clamorem augeri, veritus, ne legatus cognita re laborantibus suis auxilio

foret, aciem, quam diffidens virtuti militum arte statuerat,[292] quo

hostium itineri officeret, latius porrigit, eoque modo ad Rutilii castra

procedit.

[289] _Diei_; other editions have _die_, an obsolete form of the fifth

declension. _Adverso colle evadunt_, 'they worked their way up the

opposite hill.' The author might have said _in adversum collem,_

'they ascended it.'

[290] The neuter predicate _tutata sunt_ here refers to two feminine

nouns, instead of _tutatae sunt_; but it is quite in accordance with

the custom of Sallust. See Zumpt, S 377.

[291] 'What the enemy were doing in every place;' for _ubique_ signifies

'in every place;' not absolutely, but in every one of the places

where anything was done by the enemy. _Ubique_ stands to _ubivis_

in the same relation as _quisque_ to _quivis_. Compare Zumpt, S 710.

[292] 'He had drawn up his corps close together.' About _arte_, see

_Cat._, chap. 59, and p. 110, note 4 [note 261].

53. Romani ex improviso pulveris vim magnam animadvertunt; nam prospectum

ager arbustis consitus prohibebat. Et primo rati humum aridam vento

agitari, post ubi aequabilem manere et, sicuti acies movebatur, magis

magisque appropinquare vident, cognita re properantes arma capiunt ac pro

castris, sicuti imperabatur, consistunt. Deinde, ubi propius ventum est,

utrimque magno clamore concurritur. Numidae tantummodo remorati, dum in

elephantis auxilium putant,[293] postquam eos impeditos ramis arborum

atque ita disjectos circumveniri vident, fugam faciunt ac plerique

abjectis armis collis aut noctis quae jam aderat auxilio integri abeunt.

Elephanti quatuor capti, reliqui omnes numero quadraginta interfecti. At

Romani, quamquam itinere atque opere castrorum et proelio fessi

lassique[294] erant, tamen, quod Metellus amplius opinione morabatur,

instructi intentique obviam procedunt. Nam dolus Numidarum nihil languidi

neque remissi patiebatur. Ac primo, obscura nocte, postquam haud procul

inter se erant, strepitu, velut hostes adventarent,[295] alteri apud

alteros formidinem simul et tumultum facere, et paene imprudentia

admissum[296] facinus miserabile, ni utrimque praemissi equites rem

exploravissent. Igitur pro metu repente gaudium exortum, milites alius

alium laeti appellant, acta edocent atque audiunt, sua quisque fortia

facta ad coelum fert. Quippe res humanae ita sese habent: in victoria vel

ignavis gloriari licet, adversae res etiam bonos detractant.[297]

[293] 'They held out only so long as they believed that they had an

assistance in their elephants.' When they were disappointed in this

hope, they took to flight; for _fugam facere_ is here the same as

_fugere_, though generally it is equivalent to _fugare_.

[294] 'Tired and worn out.'

[295] The two detachments of the Roman army approaching each other, threw

each other into fear and confusion by the noise of their march, as

they imagined lhat the enemy was approaching. We have retained

_adventarent_, the reading of the early editions; the one now

generally received, _adventare_, must be rendered, 'when they were

not far from one another, they approached in a noisy manner, like

enemies, (and) filled each other mutually with fear.' But here

the verb _adventare_ is offensive, it having already been said that

they were not far from one another; so also is the mere ablative

_strepitu adventare_ and the omission of _et_, for which we cannot

see any reason.

[296] Supply _esset_.

[297] 'Misfortunes lower even good men;' that is, diminish their

reputation.

54. Metellus in iisdem castris quatriduo[298] moratus, saucios cum cura

reficit, meritos in proeliis more militiae donat, universos in contione

laudat atque agit gratias; hortatur ad cetera, quae levia sunt,[299]

parem animum gerant; pro victoria satis jam pugnatum, reliquos labores

pro praeda fore. Tamen interim transfugas et alios opportunos, Jugurtha

ubi gentium[300] aut quid agitaret, cum paucisne esset, an exercitum

haberet, ut sese victus gereret, exploratum misit. At ille sese in loca

saltuosa et natura munita receperat, ibique cogebat exercitum numero

hominum ampliorem, sed hebetem infirmumque, agri ac pecoris magis quam

belli cultorem.[301] Id ea gratia[302] eveniebat, quod praeter regios

equites nemo omnium Numidarum ex fuga regem sequitur; quo cujusque animus

fert, eo discedunt, neque id flagitium militiae ducitur; ita se mores

habent. Igitur Metellus ubi videt etiamtum regis animum ferocem esse,

bellum renovari, quod nisi ex illius libidine geri non posset,[303]

praeterea iniquum certamen sibi cum hostibus, minore detrimento illos

vinci quam suos vincere, statuit non proeliis neque in acie, sed alio

more bellum gerundum. Itaque in Numidiae loca opulentissima pergit, agros

vastat, multa castella et oppida temere[304] munita aut sine praesidio

capit incenditque; puberes interfici jubet, alia omnia militum praedam

esse. Ea formidine multi mortales Romanis dediti obsides; frumentum et

alia, quae usui forent, affatim praebita, ubicunque res postulabat,

praesidium impositum. Quae negotia multo magis quam proelium male

pugnatum ab suis, regem terrebant; quippe cui spes omnis in fuga sita

erat, sequi cogebatur, et qui sua loca[305] defendere nequiverat, in

alienis bellum gerere. Tamen ex copia[306] quod optimum videbatur

consilium capit, exercitum plerumque in iisdem locis opperiri jubet, ipse

cum delectis equitibus Metellum sequitur, nocturnis et aviis itineribus

ignoratus Romanos palantes repente aggreditur. Eorum plerique inermes

cadunt, multi capiuntur, nemo omnium intactus profugit, et Numidae,

priusquam ex castris subveniretur, sicuti jussi erant, in proximos colles

discedunt.

[298] Duration of time is properly expressed by the accusative, but the

ablative also is not unfrequently employed. See Zumpt, S 396.

[299] _Sunt_ here changes the oratio obiiqua into the oratio recta;

according to the grammatical rule, it ought to be _sint_ or _essent_.

[300] _Gentium_ is added to increase the expression of uncertainty. See

Zumpt, S 434.

[301] A bold combination of terms: soldiers who were in the habit of

being more concerned about the cattle and the field than about war.

Respecting the substantive _cultor_, instead of the participle

_colens_, see p. 109, note 5 [note 255].

[302] _Ea gratia_, a concise expression for _ejus (rei) gratia_, 'on this

account.' In like manner we find _hac, ea causa_.

[303] 'Which could not be carried on otherwise than according to his

pleasure;' because, considering the number and condition of his

irregular troops, he had it in his power both to attack and to

retreat, and thus to draw the Romans hither and thither.

[304] _Temere_ signifies that which is done without any lasting effect,

without serious consideration, or what is suggested by mere accident

or chance.

[305] _Sua loca_ are 'convenient' or 'favourable places;' _aliena_,

'inconvenient ;' that is, such as he would not have chosen himself.

[306] 'According to circumstances,' as in chap. 39: _ex copia rerum_,

'according to the state of circumstances.'

55. Interim Romae gaudium ingens ortum cognitis Metelli rebus, ut seque

et exercitum more majorum gereret, in adverso loco victor tamen virtute

fuisset hostium agro potiretur, Jugurtham magnificum[307] ex Auli

socordia spem salutis in solitudine aut fuga coegisset habere. Itaque

senatus ob ea felicitur acta dis immortalibus supplicia[308] decernere,

civitas trepida antea et sollicita de belli eventu laeta agere, fama de

Metello praeclara esse. Igitur eo intentior ad victoriam niti, omnibus

modis festinare, cavere tamen, necubi[309] hosti opportunus fieret,

meminisse post gloriam invidiam sequi. Ita quo clarior, eo magis anxius

erat, neque post insidias Jugurthae[310] effuso exercitu praedari; ubi

frumento aut pabulo opus erat, cohortes cum omni equitatu praesidium

agitabant; exercitus partem ipse, reliquos Marius ducebat. Sed igni magis

quam praeda ager vastabatur. Duobus locis haud longe inter se castra

faciebant; ubi vi opus erat, cuncti aderant; ceterum, quo fuga atque

formido latius cresceret, diversi agebant. Eo tempore Jugurtha per colles

sequi, tempus aut locum pugnae quaerere; qua venturum hostem audierat,

pabulum et aquarum fontes, quorum penuria erat, corrumpere; modo se

Metello, interdum Mario ostendere, postremo in agmine temptare ac statim

in colles regredi, rursus aliis, post aliis minitari, neque proelium

facere neque otium pati, tantummodo hostem ab incepto retinere.

[307] _Magnificus_, 'boasting,' 'insolent,' as in chap. 31: _incedunt per

ora, vestra magnifci_.

[308] Such a public thanksgiving ordered by the senate is commonly called

_supplicatio_, and was a sign that the general was likely to be

honoured with a triumph.

[309] _Necubi_ for _ne alicubi_, 'in order that not somewhere.' See

Zumpt, S 136.

[310] _Post insidias Jugurthae_, 'after he had once experienced attacks

made from an ambuscade.'

56. Romanus imperator ubi se dolis fatigari videt neque ab hoste copiam

pugnandi fieri, urbem magnam et in ea parte qua sita erat arcem regni,

nomine Zamam,[311] statuit oppugnare, ratus id quod negotium poscebat

Jugurtham laborantibus suis auxilio venturum ibique proelium fore. At

ille, quae parabantur a perfugis edoctus, magnis itineribus Metellum

antevenit, oppidanos hortatur, moenia defendant, additis auxilio

perfugis, quod genus ex copiis regis, quia fallere nequibat, firmissimum

erat. Praeterea pollicetur in tempore[312] semet cum exercitu affore. Ita

compositis rebus in loca quam maxime occulta discedit ac post paulo

cognoscit Marium ex itinere frumentatum cum paucis cohortibus Siccam

missum, quod oppidum primum omnium post malam pugnam ab rege defecerat.

Eo cum delectis equitibus noctu pergit et jam egredientibus Romanis in

porta pugnam facit; simul magna voce Siccenses hortatur, uti cohortes ab

tergo circumveniant; fortunam illis praeclari facinoris casum dare; si id

fecerint, postea sese in regno, illos in libertate sine metu aetatem

acturos. Ac ni Marius signa inferre atque evadere oppido properavisset,

profecto cuncti aut magna pars Siccensium fidem mutavissent; tanta

mobilitate sese Numidae agunt. Sed milites Jugurthini paulisper ab rege

sustentati, postquam majore vi hostes urguent, paucis amissis profugi

discedunt.

[311] _Zama_, a town celebrated for the victory gained, about one hundred

years before, by Scipio over Hannibal. It was situated, according

to Polybius, five days' march south of Carthage.

[312] _In tempore_, 'in due time,' 'in proper time.' Zumpt, S 475, note.

57. Marius ad Zamam pervenit; id oppidum in campo situm, magis opere quam

natura munitum erat, nullius idoneae rei egens, armis virisque opulentum.

Igitur Metellus pro tempore atque loco paratis rebus cuncta moenia

exercitu circumvenit, legatis imperat, ubi quisque curaret. Deinde signo

dato undique simul clamor ingens oritur; neque ea res Numidas terret,

infensi intentique sine tumultu manent; proelium incipitur. Romani, pro

ingenio quisque, pars eminus glande aut lapidibus pugnare; alii succedere

ac murum modo suffodere, modo scalis aggredi, cupere proelium in manibus

facere.[313] Contra ea oppidani in proximos saxa volvere, sudes, pila,

praeterea pice et sulfure taedam mixtam ardenti[314] mittere. Sed ne

illos quidem, qui procul manserant, timor animi satis muniverat; nam

plerosque jacula tormentis aut manu emissa vulnerabant, parique periculo,

sed fama impari, boni atque ignavi erant.

[313] _Proelium facere in manibus_, the same as _pugnare cominus, manus

conserere_, 'to be engaged in close combat.'

[314] 'Torches mixed of burning pitch and sulphur;' that is, burning

torches of pitch and sulphur. The singular _taedam_ is used in a

collective sense for the plural _taedas_.

58. Dum apud Zamam sic certatur, Jugurtha ex improviso castra hostium cum

magna manu invadit, remissis, qui in praesidio erant,[315] et omnia magis

quam proelium expectantibus, portam irrumpit. At nostri, repentino metu

perculsi, sibi quisque pro moribus consulunt; alii fugere, alii arma

capere, magna pars vulnerati aut occisi. Ceterum ex omni multitudine non

amplius quadraginta memores nominis Romani grege facto locum cepere paulo

quam alii editiorem, neque inde maxima vi depelli quiverunt, sed tela

eminus missa remittere, pauci in pluribus minus frustrari;[316] sin

Numidae propius accessissent, ibi vero[317] virtutem ostendere et eos

maxima vi caedere, fundere atque fugare. Interim Metellus quum accerrime

rem gereret, clamorem hostilem a tergo accepit, dein converso equo

animadvertit fugam ad se versum fieri, quae res indicabat populares esse.

Igitur equitatum omnem ad castra propere mittit, ac statim G. Marium

cum cohortibus sociorum, eumque lacrimans per amicitiam perque rem

publicam obsecrat, ne quam contumeliam remanere in exercitu victore neve

hostes inultos abire sinat. Ille brevi mandata efficit. At Jugurtha

munimento castrorum impeditus, quum alii super vallum praecipitarentur,

alii in angustiis ipsi sibi properantes officerent, multis amissis in

loca munita sese recepit. Metellus, infecto negotio, postquam nox aderat,

in castra cum exercitu revertitur.

[315] 'Those who had been left behind to protect the camp being remiss'

(careless, unconcerned); a figurative use of _remissus_, taken from a

bow when it is not stretched.

[316] 'As they, being few, less missed in throwing their darts among

the many.' The deponent _frustari_ here has a reflective meaning,

'to exert one's self in vain,' 'to deceive one's self,' and must be

conceived to come from the active _frustrare_, 'to frustrate.'

[317] 'Then, indeed (in truth), they showed,' &c. Respecting _vero_ in

the apodosis, see note on chap. 50.

59. Igitur postero die, prius quam ad oppugnandum egrederetur, equitatum

omnem in ea parte, qua regis adventus erat, pro castris agitare jubet,

portas et proxima loca tribunis dispertit, deinde ipse pergit ad oppidum

atque uti superiore die murum aggreditur. Interim Jugurtha ex occulto

repente nostros invadit; qui in proximo locati fuerant, paulisper territi

perturbantur, reliqui cito subveniunt. Neque diutius Numidae resistere

quivissent, ni pedites cum equitibus permixti magnam cladem in congressu

facerent;[318] quibus illi freti, non uti equestri proelio solet, sequi,

dein cedere, sed adversis equis concurrere, implicare ac perturbare

aciem; ita expeditis peditibus suis hostes paene victos dare.

[318] 'The Numidian horsemen would not have resisted any longer, had not

their infantry mingled with the cavalry caused a great carnage'

(among the Romans). Respecting the imperfect in the protasis, though

the apodosis contains the pluperfect, see Zumpt, S 525. The Numidian

horse, accordingly, here did not follow their usual custom of making

a sudden attack, and then retreating; on the contrary, they fought in

such a manner that their own horses and those of the Romans stood

head to head, and thus gained an almost complete victory, by

procuring a respite for their struggling infantry.

60. Eodem tempore apud Zamam magna vi certabatur. Ubi quisque legatus aut

tribunus curabat, eo acerrime niti,[319] neque alius in alio magis quam

in sese[320] spem habere: pariterque oppidani agere; oppugnare aut parare

omnibus locis, avidius alteri alteros sauciare quam semet tegere, clamor

permixtus hortatione, laetitia, gemitu, item strepitus armorum ad coelum

ferri, tela utrimque volare. Sed illi, qui moenia defensabant, ubi hostes

paulum modo pugnam remiserant, intenti proelium equestre prospectabant,

eos, uti quaeque Jugurthae res erant, laetos modo, modo pavidos

animadverteres,[321] ac, sicuti audiri a suis aut cerni possent,[322]

monere alii, alii hortari aut manu significare aut niti corporibus,[323]

et ea huc et illuc quasi vitabundi aut jacientes tela agitare. Quod ubi

Mario cognitum est (nam is in ea parte curabat) consulto lenius agere ac

diffidentiam rei simulare, pati Numidas sine tumultu[324] regis proelium

visere. Ita illis studio suorum astrictis,[325] repente magna vi murum

aggreditur, et jam scalis egressi milites prope summa ceperant, quum

oppidani concurrunt, lapides, ignem, alia praeterea tela ingerunt. Nostri

primo resistere, deinde, ubi unae atque alterae scalae comminutae, qui

supersteterant, afflicti sunt, ceteri, quoquo modo potuere, pauci

integri, magna pars vulneribus confecti abeunt Denique utrimque proelium

nox diremit.

[319] 'There they exerted themselves most actively,' _eo_ having the

meaning of _eo loco_, or _ibi_.

[320] 'More upon themselves than upon others.' See Zumpt, S 725.

[321] 'One might observe them.' Zumpt, S 528, note 2.

[322] _Sicuti--possent_, 'just as if,' as _sicut_, like _quasi_, is used

for _velut_. See chap. 31. For it is not possible that the two places

of the struggle, near the walls of Zama, and on the other side of the

Roman camp, should have been so near that the men could hear one

another, or even distinctly see the separate charges.

[323] _Niti corporibus_, 'to exert one's self bodily,' inasmuch as the

body of the combatants is sometimes moved forward, and sometimes

backward. The plural _corpora_ is as common in Latin as _animi_, when

several persons are spoken of.

[324] _Sine tumultu_, 'without disturbance' or 'hindrance.'

[325] _Astrictus_, 'fixed intent,' whose attention was entirely directed

to the contest at a distance. _Occupatis_ also might have been used.

61. Metellus, postquam videt frustra inceptum neque oppidum capi, neque

Jugurtham nisi ex insidiis aut suo loco pugnam facere, et jam aestatem

exactam esse, ab Zama discedit et in iis urbibus, quae ad se[326]

defecerant, satisque munitae loco aut moenibus erant, praesidia imponit;

ceterum exercitum in provinciam, quae proxima est Numidiae, hiemandi

gratia collocat. Neque id tempus ex aliorum more quieti aut luxuriae

concedit, sed quoniam armis bellum parum procedebat, insidias regi per

amicos tendere et eorum perfidia pro armis uti parat. Igitur Bomilcarem,

qui Romae cum Jugurtha fuerat et inde vadibus datis clam Massivae de nece

judicium fugerat, quod ei per maximam amicitiam maxima copia fallendi

erat, multis pollicitationibus aggreditur. Ac primo efficit, uti ad se

colloquendi gratia occultus veniat, dein fide data, si Jugurtham vivum

aut necatum sibi tradidisset, fore, ut illi senatus impunitatem et sua

omnia concederet, facile Numidae persuadet, cum ingenio infido,[327] tum

metunti, ne, si pax cum Romanis fieret, ipse per condiciones ad

supplicium traderetur.

[326] _Ad eum_, or _ad illum_, would have been strictly grammatical; and

as Sallust uses _ad se_, it would have been more consistent to use

the subjunctive _defecissent_; but the indicative is necessary,

because a fact is to be expressed. All doubts would have been removed

by _ad ipsum_, for this pronoun would turn our attention away from

the secondary subject, _urbes_, and direct it to the leading subject,

Metellus. But the ancient authors do not very often use this pronoun

where _is_ or _sui_, _sibi_, _se_, can be employed. Compare chap. 66,

and Zumpt, S 550.

[327] That is, _Bomilcar ingenio infidus erat et metuebat_.

62. Is, ubi primum opportunum fuit, Jugurtham anxium ac miserantem

fortunas suas accedit; monet atque lacrimans obtestatur, uti aliquando

sibi liberisque et genti Numidarum optime merenti provideat, omnibus

proeliis sese victos, agrum vastatum, multos mortales captos, occisos,

regni opes comminutas esse; satis saepe jam et virtutem militum et

fortunam temptatam; caveat, ne illo[328] cunctante Numidae sibi

consulant. His atque talibus aliis ad deditionem regis animum impellit.

Mittuntur ad imperatorem legati, qui Jugurtham imperata facturum dicerent

ac sine ulla pactione sese regnumque suum in illius fidem tradere.

Metellus propere cunctos senatorii ordinis ex hibernis accersi jubet,

eorum atque aliorum, quos idoneos ducebat, consilium habet. Ita more

majorum[329] ex consilii decreto per legates Jugurthae imperat argenti

pondo[330] ducenta milia, elephantos omnes, equorum et armorum

aliquantum. Quae postquam sine mora facta sunt, jubet omnes perfugas

vinctos adduci; eorum magna pars, uti jussum erat, adducti, pauci, quum

primum deditio coepit, ad regem Bocchum in Mauretaniam abierant. Igitur

Jugurtha, ubi armis virisque et pecunia spoliatus est, quum ipse ad

imperandum Tisidium vocaretur,[331] rursus coepit flectere animum suum et

ex mala conscientia digna[332] timere. Denique multis diebus per

dubitationem consumptis quum modo taedio rerum adversarum omnia bello

potiora duceret, interdum secum ipse reputaret, quam gravis casus in

servitium ex regno foret, multis magnisque praesidiis nequidquam

perditis, de integro bellum sumit. Et Romae senatus de provinciis

consultus Numidiam Metello decreverat.[333]

[328] _Ne illo_, &.c. refers to Jugurtha, 'if he hesitated still longer.'

[329] _More majorum_ refers to the custom according to which Roman

generals were not allowed to fix the terms of treaties and peace

according to their own discretion, but had to assemble and consult a

council of war. This council of war consisted of the superior

officers, the legates, the quaestor, the tribuni militum, and the

praefects of the allies. Sometimes the centuriones primipilares also

took part in it, especially when the subjects of discussion were of a

purely military nature.

[330] _Pondo_, 'pound,' properly _librarum pondo_ (depending upon

_milia_). See Zumpt, S 87. As in the time of the Roman republic

eighty-four denarii were coined out of one pound of silver, and

twenty-five denarii (or 100 sesterces) constituted one Roman aureus,

the amount of silver here mentioned is equivalent to 672,000 nummi

aurei.

[331] 'When he himself was summoned to receive his orders.' There

is an ancient military expression, _Ad imperium vocari_, or _adesse_,

by which a person present receives a command which he has to carry

into effect. See Zumpt, S 658.

[332] _Digna_, 'what is due to him;' here of course bodily suffering or

punishment.

[333] We are here already at the beginning of the year B.C. 108, in

which Metellus was no longer consul; but the senate had prolonged

his imperium, which accordingly he continued to hold for this year

as proconsul.

63. Per idem tempus Uticae forte G. Mario per hostias dis supplicanti,

magna atque mirabilia portendi haruspex dixerat; proinde, quae animo

agitabat,[334] fretus dis ageret, fortunam quam saepissime experiretur,

cuncta prospere eventura. At illum jam antea consulatus ingens cupido

exagitabat, ad quem capiundum praeter vetustatem familiae alia omnia

abunde erant,[335] industria, probitas militiae magna scientia, animus

belli[336] ingens, domi modicus, libidinis et divitiarum victor,

tantummodo gloriae avidus. Sed is natus et omnem pueritiam Arpini

altus,[337] ubi primum aetas militiae patiens fuit, stipendiis faciundis,

non Graeca facundia neque urbanis munditiis sese exercuit; ita inter

artes bonas integrum ingenium brevi adolevit. Ergo ubi primum tribunatum

militarem a populo petit, plerisque faciem ejus ignorantibus,[338] facile

notus per omnes tribus declaratur. Deinde ab eo magistratu alium post

alium sibi peperit, semperque in potestatibus eo modo agitabat, ut

ampliore quam gerebat dignus haberetur. Tamea is ad id locorum[339] talis

vir (nam postea ambitione praeceps datus est) consulatum appetere non

audebat. Etiamtum alios magistratus plebes, consulatum nobilitas inter se

per manus tradebat.[340] Novus nemo tam clarus neque tam egregiis factis

erat, quin is indignus illo honore et quasi pollutus haberetur.

[334] _Agitabat_ does not express the sentiment of the haruspex; for if

so, the verb would be in the subjunctive.

[335] Marius accordingly possessed every qualification required of a

candidate for the consulship in a very high degree, but he was not

a member of an ancient family, being a Roman eques of the municipium

of Arpinum. The term 'ancient family' means one which had _imagines_,

or images of ancestors who had been invested with the highest offices

of the state. A Roman eques answers pretty nearly to a modern country

gentleman, and was, generally speaking, a person who had property

enough to enable him to serve on horseback in the army. In point of

rank he was far below a senator; and no services that he could render

to the state as an eques could raise him to the senatorial rank,

which was attainable only through the high offices to which he might

be elected by the people, and by virtue of which he became a member

of the senate. Marius himself had been a senator long before this, as

he had been tribune of the people and praetor, and after his

praetorship, he now was legatus (lieutenant-general) with Metellus.

[336] _Belli_; that is, _in bello_, on account of the following _domi_.

[337] _Altus_; that is, _alitus_. See Zumpt, S 198.

[338] That is, _quamquam plerique faciem ejus ignorabant, facile tamen

notus factus_, &c.; namely, by the report of his distinguished

services in the war, which, in the assembly of the people, was

communicated by one person to another.

[339] _Ad id locorum_, 'until then,' 'until that time,' as in chap. 72:

_post id locorum_. See Zumpt, S 434. Marius did not venture to aspire

to the consulship; for _appetere_ is not the same as _petere_, the

latter denoting the actual suit or canvass. His ambition had not

yet been directed to that highest of all offices, until religious

superstition suggested it to him, and encouraged him.

[340] The _nobiles_ transmitted the consulship to one another _per

manus_; that is, after one _nobilis_ had been invested with it, it

was, as it were by agreement, given to another, care being taken that

no _homo novus_ should come forward as a candidate.

64. Igitur ubi Marius haruspicis dicta eodem intendere videt, quo cupido

animi hortabatur, ab Metello petundi gratia missionem[341] rogat. Cui

quamquam virtus, gloria atque alia optanda bonis superabant,[342] tamen

inerat contemptor animus et superbia, commune nobilitatis malum. Itaque

primum commotus insolita re mirari ejus consilium et quasi per amicitiam

monere, ne tam prava inciperet neu super fortunam animum gereret; non

omnia omnibus cupiunda esse; debere illi res suas satis placere; postremo

caveret id petere a populo Romano, quod illi jure negaretur. Postquam

haec atque alia talia dixit neque animus Marii flectitur, respondit, ubi

primum potuisset per negotia publica,[343] facturum sese, quae peteret.

Ac postea saepius eadem postulanti fertur dixisse, ne festinaret abire;

satis mature illum cum filio suo consulatum petiturum. Is eo tempore

contubernio patris[344] ibidem militabat, annos natus circiter viginti;

quae res Marium cum pro[345] honore, quem affectabat, tum contra Metellum

vehementer accenderat. Ita cupidine atque ira, pessimis consultoribus,

grassari,[346] neque facto ullo neque dicto abstinere, quod modo

ambitiosum[347] foret, milites, quibus in hibernis praeerat, laxiore

imperio quam antea habere, apud negotiatores, quorum magna multitudo

Uticae erat, criminose, simul et magnifice de bello loqui, dimidia pars

exercitus si sibi permitteretur, paucis diebus Jugurtham in catenis

habiturum; ab imperatore consulto trahi, quod homo inanis[348] et regiae

superbiae imperio nimis gauderet. Quae omnia illis eo firmiora

videbantur, quod diuturnitate belli res familiares corruperant et animo

cupienti nihil satis festinatur.

[341] His dismissal from the post of legate. If he had wished to return

to the service, he would have asked _commeatum_, 'leave of absence.'

He was confident that in his canvass for the consulship he would be

successful.

[342] _Superabant_; that is, _supererant, abunde erant_.

Metellus had all the other qualifications in a great degree, but at

the same time he had a haughty contempt for all who were not nobly

born.

[343] 'He would grant him his dismissal as soon as he could do so

consistently with the duties he owed to the republic.'

[344] _Contubernio patris_ for _in contubernio patris_, as

_contubernalis_ of the commander-in-chief. It was the custom for

young Roman nobles to perform their first military service as equites

in the suite, and as attaches (adjutants) to a general, whereas other

less favoured Romans served _in ordine_; that is, enlisted in some

detachment of cavalry or infantry.

[345] _Pro_, 'in regard to,' 'in consideration of.'

[346] _Grassari_, 'to go on,' 'proceed;' but at the same time contains

the idea of excitement or vehemence.

[347] _Ambitio_, 'courting favour;' _ambitiosum_, something the object

or consequence of which is to gain favour; hence 'winning,'

'captivating.'

[348] _Inanis_, 'empty.' Of persons, signifies a man devoid of substance,

one who has only the appearance of something, and is satisfied with

it; hence 'vain,' 'superficial.' _Vanus_ also is used in the same

sense. _Regia superbia_. See chap. 31.

65. Erat praeterea in exercitu nostro Numida quidam, nomine Gauda,

Mastanabalis filius, Masinissae nepos, quem Micipsa testamento secundum

heredem[349] scripserat, morbis confectus et ob eam causam mente paulum

imminuta. Cui Metellus petenti more regum ut sellam juxta poneret, item

postea custodiae causa turmam equitum Romanorum, utrumque negaverat,

honorem, quod eorum modo foret, quos populus Romanus reges appellavisset,

praesidium, quod contumeliosum in eos[350] foret, si equites Romani

satellites Numidae traderentur. Hunc Marius anxium aggreditur atque

hortatur, ut contumeliarum imperatori[351] cum suo auxilio poenas petat;

hominem ob morbos animo parum valido secunda oratione extollit: illum

regem, ingentem virum, Masinissae nepotem esse; si Jugurtha captus aut

occisus foret, imperium Numidiae sine mora habiturum; id adeo[352] mature

posse evenire, si ipse consul ad id bellum missus foret. Itaque et illum

et equites Romanes, milites et negotiatores[353] alios ipse, plerosque

pacis spes impellit, uti Romam ad suos necessarios aspere in Metellum de

bello scribant, Marium imperatorem poscant. Sic illi a multis mortalibus

honestissima suffragatione[354] consulatus petebatur; simul ea tempestate

plebes, nobilitate fusa per legem Mamiliam,[355] novos extollebat. Ita

Mario cuncta procedere.

[349] _Secundus heres_ is the person who is pointed out in a will to

supply the place of the real heir, in case of the latter being unable

or unwilling to accept the inheritance, especially in case of his

death without leaving any issue.

[350] _In eos_; that is, _in equites Romanos_, referring to what follows.

[351] _Imperatori_, a dativus incommodi, _cui poena imponantur_, 'that

with his assistance he should endeavour to find punishments for the

general in return for the insults offered to him.'

[352] 'This might happen even very soon.' _Adeo_ points out that which is

essential in a thing. See Zumpt, S 281.

[353] The words _milites et negotiatiores_ are in apposition to _equites

Romanos_, and describe the two classes of Roman equites existing in

the province, some serving in the army, and others carrying on

business (_negotiabantur_) in the towns. If the sentence were to be

understood otherwise, the copulative conjunction would not have been

omitted before _milites_. See Zumpt, S 783. The _milites gregarii_

and their sentiments are not mentioned, probably because such persons

had little or no communication with their friends at Rome.

[354] _Suffragatio_, the inclination to give one's vote in favour of a

person, and the effort to procure him the votes of others; hence 'the

support given to a person's election.' A vote is _suffragium_, and

_suffragari_, to vote for a person.

[355] This decree of the people, instituting a criminal investigation

into the acts of bribery committed by Jugurtha, was mentioned in

chap. 40, where it was farther observed that the whole nobility was

terrified by it.

66. Interim Jugurtha postquam omissa deditione bellum incipit, cum magna

cura parare omnia, festinare, cogere exercitum, civitates, quae ab se

defecerant, formidine aut ostentando praemia affectare,[356] communire

suos locos, arma, tela, aliaque, quae spe pacis amiserat, reficere aut

commercari, servitia Romanorum allicere et eos ipsos, qui in praesidiis

erant, pecunia temptare; prorsus nihil intactum neque quietum pati, cunta

agitare. Igitur Vagenses, quo Metellus initio, Jugurtha pacificante,

praesidium imposuerat, fatigati regis suppliciis neque antea voluntate

alienati,[357] principes civitatis inter se conjurant; nam vulgus, uti

plerumque solet, et maxime Numidarum, ingenio mobili, seditiosum atque

discordiosum[358] erat, cupidum novarum rerum, quieti et otio adversum.

Dein, compositis inter se rebus, in diem tertium constituunt, quod is

festus celebratusque per omnem Africam ludum et lasciviam magis quam

formidinem ostentabat.[359] Sed ubi tempus fuit, centuriones tribunosque

militares et ipsum praefectum oppidi, T. Turpilium Silanum, alius alium

domos suas invitant; eos omnes praeter Turpilium inter epulas obtruncant;

postea milites palantes, inermos, quippe in tali die[360] ac sine

imperio, aggrediuntur. Idem plebes facit, pars edocti ab nobilitate, alii

studio talium rerum incitati, quis acta consiliumque ignorantibus

tumultus ipse et res novae satis placebant.

[356] _Affectare_, 'to try to obtain a thing,' 'to exert one's self for a

thing.'

[357] _Voluntate alienati_; that is, _sua sponte alienati_.

[358] _Discordiosus_, 'quarrelsome;' a very rare word, but formed with

perfect correctness. Zumpt, S 252.

[359] 'The day promised (beforehand) recreation and enjoyment, rather

than apprehension and terror;' namely, to the Romans or the Roman

garrison.

[360] _In tali die_. The preposition here is unusual, but is justified by

the addition _tali_, indicating the particular circumstances of that

day of joy. See Zumpt, S 475, note. _Inermos_ is much more rare than

_inermes_. See Zumpt, S 101, note.

67. Romani milites, improviso metu incerti ignarique, quid potissimum

facerent, trepidare; ad arcem oppidi, ubi signa et scuta erant,

praesidium hostium; portae ante clausae fugam prohibebant; ad hoc

mulieres puerique pro tectis aedificiorum[361] saxa et alia, quae locus

praebebat, certatim mittere. Ita neque caveri anceps malum,[362] neque a

fortissimis infirmissimo generi resisti posse; juxta boni malique,

strenui et imbelles inulti obtruncari. In ea tanta asperitate,

saevissimis Numidis et oppido undique clauso, Turpilius praefectus unus

ex omnibus Italicis intactus profugit; id misericordiane hospitis, an

pactione aut casu ita evenerit, parum comperimus; nisi, quia illi in

tanto malo turpis vita integra fama potior fuit, improbus intestabilisque

videtur.[363]

[361] _Pro tectis_, 'on the edge of the roofs.'

[362] _Anceps malum_, 'the double attack;' namely, the one made on even

ground, and that from the roofs.

[363] Respecting the connection of _nisi_--_videtur_, instead of the

complete expression _nisi hoc constat_--_eum videri_, see p. 92,

note 2 [note 153]. _Intestabilis_, properly, 'a person unfit to give

his evidence, and incapable of making a will;' hence, according to

Roman usage, equivalent to 'infamous;' _detestabilis_, which also

properly signifies 'one deserving to be excluded in the will,' or 'to

be disinherited.'

68. Metellus, postquam de rebus Vagae actis comperit, paulisper moestus e

conspectu abit; deinde, ubi ira et aegritudo permixta sunt, cum maxima

cura ultum ire injurias festinat. Legionem, cum qua hiemabat, et quam

plurimos potest Numidas equites pariter cum occasu solis expeditos

educit, et postera die circiter horam tertiam pervenit in quandam

planitiem, locis paulo superioribus circumventam. Ibi milites fessos

itineris magnitudine et jam abnuentes omnia[364] docet oppidum Vagam non

amplius mille passuum[365] abesse, decere illos reliquum laborem aequo

animo pati, dum pro civibus suis, viris fortissimis atque miserrimis,

poenas caperent; praeterea praedam benigne ostentat. Sic animis eorum

arrectis, equites in primo[366] late, pedites quam artissime ire et signa

occultare jubet.

[364] 'Declining everything;' that is, refusing to obey any order that

was given them.

[365] _Passuum_ might also be _passus_. See Zumpt, S 116, note.

[366] _In primo_, 'at the head,' or 'in front,' the line being spread out

(_late_), so as to conceal the infantry marching behind the cavalry.

69. Vagenses ubi animum advertere ad se versum exercitum pergere, primo,

uti erat res, Metellum esse rati, portas clausere, deinde ubi neque agros

vastari et eos, qui primi aderant, Numidas equites vident, rursum

Jugurtham arbitrati cum magno gaudio obvii procedunt. Equites peditesque

repente signo dato alii vulgum effusum oppido caedere, alii ad portas

festinare, pars turres capere; ira atque praedae spes amplius quam

lassitudo posse. Ita Vagenses biduum modo ex perfidia laetati; civitas

magna et opulens cuncta poenae aut praedae fuit.[367] Turpilius, quem

praefectum oppidi unum ex omnibus profugisse supra ostendimus, jussus a

Metello causam dicere,[368] postquam sese parum expurgat, condemnatus

verberatusque capite poenas solvit; nam is civis ex Latio erat.

[367] 'The whole town was given up to punishment or booty.' We cannot say

_urbs poenae fuit_ alone; but the dative _poenae_ is explained

by the common expression _praedae fuit_, with which it is connected.

[368] 'Ordered to defend himself' against the charge of treachery

which was brought against him. For a _reus_ (a person standing

accused of a crime) _causam dicit_; that is, conducts his case, or

defends himself. Turpilius was condemned by the war council, and paid

the forfeit with his life, after having previously been scourged.

This ancient severity, according to which the condemned was bound

to a post, and scourged with rods on his naked body, had been

abolished by a lex Porcia for Roman citizens. See page 52, note 5.

[note 260 in Cat.] For this reason Sallust adds the remark, that

Turpilius was a citizen from Latium; that is, he did not possess the

full Roman franchise, but only that part of it which was not

incompatible with his retaining the franchise in some Latin town.

Such half-citizens or Latins, to whom the Roman franchise was given

in this manner, that thereby they acquired the right to settle in the

territory of Rome, and become members of a Roman tribe, provided they

renounced their Latin franchise, were at that time still very

numerous; but they ceased to exist in B.C. 91, when what were called

the Latin towns received the Roman franchise.

70. Per idem tempus Bomilcar, cujus impulsu Jugurtha deditionem, quam

metu deseruit, inceperat, suspectus regi et ipse eum suspiciens, novas

res cupere, ad perniciem ejus dolum quaerere, diu noctuque fatigare

animum;[369] denique omnia temptando, socium sibi adjungit Nabdalsam,

hominem nobilem, magnis opibus, carum acceptumque popularibus suis, qui

plerumque seorsum ab rege exercitum ductare et omnes res exequi solitus

erat, quae Jugurthae fesso aut majoribus astricto superaverant;[370] ex

quo illi gloria opesque inventae. Igitur utriusque consilio dies insidiis

statuitur; cetera, uti res posceret, ex tempore parari placuit; Nabdalsa

ad exercitum profectus, quem inter hiberna Romanorum jussus habebat, ne

ager inultis hostibus vastaretur.[371] Is postquam magnitudine facinoris

perculsus ad tempus non venit metusque rem impediebat,[372] Bomilcar

simul cupidus incepta patrandi et timore socii anxius, ne omisso vetere

consilio novum quaereret,[373] litteras ad eum per homines fideles

mittit, in quis mollitiem socordiamque viri accusare,[374] testari deos,

per quos juravisset, monere ne praemia Metelli in pestem converteret;

Jugurthae exitium adesse; ceterum suane an virtute Metelli periret, id

modo agitari;[375] proinde reputaret cum animo suo, praemia an cruciatum

mallet.

[369] 'He tormented himself day and night with the thought.' Respecting

this paraphrase of one's own person by the word _animus_, see Zumpt,

S 678.

[370] _Quae Jugurthae_--_superaverant_, 'which had been left for

Jugurtha;' that is, which he himself had not been able to accomplish.

[371] 'That the open country might not be laid waste by the enemy

in such a manner as to leave the enemy unpunished' (_inultis_).

[372] _Metusque_--_impediebat_. The imperfect describes the lasting

condition of the matter, while the perfect, _venit_, expresses the

momentary act, and the clause _metus impediebat_ represents an

inserted clause denoting cause: _metus enim rem impediebat_.

[373] Bomilcar was seized with fear in consequence of the timidity shown

by Nabdalsa.

[374] _In quis_--_accusare_. The historical infinitive in a relative

clause is very rare, but _in quis_ here supplies the place of _et in

his_.

[375] 'The question only was, whether Jugurtha should perish by their

(that is, Bomilcar and Nabdalsa's) valour, or by that of Metellus,'

since his doom was fixed at all events. _Id agitari_ for _id agi_,

which in this sense is far more frequent.

71. Sed quum hae litterae allatae,[376] forte Nabdalsa exercito corpore

fessus in lecto quiescebat, ubi cognitis Bomilcaris verbis primo cura,

deinde, uti aegrum animum solet,[377] somnus cepit. Erat ei Numida quidam

negotiorum curator, fidus acceptusque et omnium consiliorum nisi

novissimi particeps. Qui postquam allatas litteras audivit, ex

consuetudine ratus opera aut ingenio suo opus esse, in tabernaculum

introiit, dormiente illo epistolam, super caput in pulvino temere

positam, sumit ac perlegit, dein propere, cognitis insidiis, ad regem

pergit. Nabdalsa post paulo experrectus ubi neque epistolam repperit[378]

et rem omnem, uti acta erat, cognovit, primo indicem persequi conatus,

postquam id frustra fuit, Jugurtham placandi gratia accedit; dicit quae

ipse paravisset facere perfidia clientis sui praeventa;[379] lacrimans

obtestatur per amicitiam perque sua antea fideliter acta, ne super[380]

tali scelere suspectum sese haberet.

[376] _Allatae_; supply _essent_, an ellipsis, which is not very common

after a conjunction, governing the subjunctive.

[377] _Solet_, supply _capere_.

[378] _Repperit_; for the orthography of this word, see Zumpt, S 22.

[379] _Res praevenitur_, 'a thing is anticipated,' or 'something is done

previously,' is found very rarely instead of _occupatur_. _Homo

praevenitur_, 'a person is anticipated in a thing,' is more common.

[380] _Super_, the same as _de_. See Zumpt, S 320.

72. Ad ea rex, aliter atque animo gerebat,[381] placide respondit.

Bomilcare aliisque multis, quos socios insidiarum cognoverat, interfectis

iram oppresserat, ne qua ex eo negotio seditio oriretur. Neque post id

locorum Jugurthae dies aut nox ulla quieta fuit, neque loco neque mortali

cuiquam aut tempori satis credere, cives hostesque juxta metuere,

circumspectare omnia et omni strepitu pavescere, alio atque alio loco

saepe contra decus regium noctu requiescere, interdum somno excitus

arreptis armis tumultum facere; ita formidine quasi vecordia

exagitari.[382]

[381] 'Differently from what he carried in his mind;' that is, from what

he intended in his mind.

[382] A beautiful and vivid description of a man who is conscious of

his guilt, and is pursued by all: it is a situation which would have

paralysed the mental energy of even the most enterprising barbarian.

73. Igitur Metellus, ubi de casu Bomilcaris et indicio patefacto[383] ex

perfugis cognovit, rursus tamquam ad integrum bellum cuncta parat

festinatque. Marium, fatigantem de profectione, simul et invitum et

offensum sibi parum idoneum ratus, domum dimittit. Et Romae plebes,

litteris, quae de Metello ac Mario missae erant, cognitis, volenti animo

de ambobus acceperant.[384] Imperatori nobilitas, quae antea decori,

invidiae esse; at illi alteri generis humilitas favorem addiderat;

ceterum in utroque magis studia partium quam bona aut mala sua

moderata.[385] Praeterea seditiosi magistratus vulgum exagitare, Metellum

omnibus contionibus capitis arcessere,[386] Marii virtutem in majus

celebrare. Denique plebes sic accensa, uti opifices agrestesque omnes,

quorum res fidesque[387] in manibus sitae erant, relictis operibus

frequentarent Marium[388] et sua necessaria post illius honorem ducerent.

Ita perculsa nobilitate post multas tempestates novo homini consulatus

mandatur, et postea populus a tribuno plebis Manlio Mancino rogatus, quem

vellet cum Jugurtha bellum gerere, frequens Marium jussit. Sed senatus

paulo ante Metello decreverat; ea res frustra fuit.[389]

[383] _Indicio patefacto_ is a kind of pleonasm, as _indicio facto_ would

be sufficient; for _indicium fit, res ipsa_ (that is, _conjuratio_)

_patefit_--'the denunciation is made, the conspiracy is revealed.'

[384] _Plebs--acceperant_ for _acceperat_, _plebs_ being a collective

noun. Zumpt, S 366.

[385] 'However, the party-zeal was in both men more decisive than

either their virtues or their faults.' _Moderata sunt_, from the

deponent _moderor_, 'I determine,' 'I guide;' as in Cicero, _mens

moderatur omnia_, 'the mind determines everything.' _Sua bona aut

mala_, 'their own virtues or vices,' in apposition to the party-zeal

of others. _Suus_ here is not reflective, but only designates

something as opposed to that which belongs to another. See Zumpt,

S 550.

[386] _Arcessere_, 'to summon before a court of justice,' with the

genitive of the crime or punishment. The forms _arcessere_ and

_accersere_ have the same meaning, but _arcessere_ is more frequent

in the sense of 'to summon,' or 'to accuse.'

[387] _Res fidesque_, 'property and credit.'

[388] 'Crowded around Marius,' whenever he appeared in public, to show

him their attachment. _Post honorem Marii ducerent_, the same, as

_postponerent honori Marii_, the preposition in this sense being

commonly joined to the verb. Compare _Cat_. chap. 23.

[389] From this instance, we see that the popular assembly was sovereign

in the Roman state; that is, when the people were called upon

to decide a question, which happened but rarely, since it was

customary to leave to the senate the provinces and the current

administration of foreign affairs.

74. Eodem tempore Jugurtha amissis amicis, quorum plerosque ipse

necaverat, ceteri formidine, pars ad Romanos, alii ad regem Bocchum[390]

profugerant, quum neque bellum geri sine administris posset, et novorum

fidem in tanta perfidia veterum experiri periculosum duceret, varius

incertusque agitabat. Neque illi res neque consilium aut quisquam hominum

satis placebat; itinera praefectosque in dies mutare, modo adversum

hostes, interdum in solitudines pergere, saepe in fuga ac post paulo in

armis spem habere, dubitare, virtuti an fidei popularium minus crederet;

ita quocunque intenderat, res adversae erant. Sed inter eas moras repente

sese Metellus cum exercitu ostendit. Numidae ab Jugurtha pro tempore

parati instructique; dein proelium incipitur. Qua in parte rex pugnae

affuit, ibi aliquamdiu certatum, ceteri ejus omnes milites primo

congressu pulsi fugatique. Romani signorum et armorum aliquanto

numero;[391] hostium paucorum potiti; nam ferme Numidas in omnibus

proeliis magis pedes quam arma tuta sunt.[392]

[390] _Bocchus_, king of Mauretania, west of Numidia, and extending as

far as the Ocean, opposite to Spain. It accordingly comprised the

modern empire of Fez and Morocco.

[391] 'The Romans gained possession of a considerable number of

standards.' The adjective _aliquantus_, with the exception of the

neuter in an absolute sense, is rarely used. We have here to observe

the varying construction of _potior_. See Zumpt, SS 465, 466. Sallust

often prefers variety to uniformity.

[392] _Tuta sunt_ might also be _tuentur_; for the perfect is here used

of things which usually happened, and still happen. _Tuta_ is less

common than _tuita_ or _tutata_, which in this passage is found in

some good manuscripts, and must perhaps be received into the text.

75. Ea fuga Jugurtha impensius modo[393] rebus suis diffidens cum

perfugis et parte equitatus in solitudines, dein Thalam pervenit, in

oppidum magnum atque opulentum, ubi plerique thesauri filiorumque ejus

multus pueritiae cultus[394] erat. Quae postquam Metello comperta sunt,

quamquam inter Thalam flumenque proximum in spatio milium quinquaginta,

loca arida atque vasta esse cognoverat, tamen spe patrandi belli, si ejus

oppidi potitus foret, omnes asperitates supervadere ac naturam etiam

vincere aggreditur. Igitur omnia jumenta sarcinis levari jubet nisi

frumento dierum decem, ceterum utres modo et alia aquae idonea[395]

portari. Praeterea conquirit ex agris quam plurimum potest domiti

pecoris, eoque imponit vasa cujusque modi, sed pleraque lignea, collecta

ex tuguriis Numidarum. Ad hoc finitimis imperat, qui se post regis fugam

Metello dederant, quam plurimum quisque aquae portaret; diem locumque,

ubi praesto fuerint,[396] praedicit. Ipse ex flumine, quam proximam

oppido aquam esse supra diximus, jumenta onerat; eo modo instructus ad

Thalam proficiscitur. Deinde ubi ad id loci ventum, quo Numidis

praeceperat, et castra posita munitaque sunt, tauta repente coelo missa

vis aquae dicitur, ut ea modo[397] exercitui satis superque foret.

Praeterea commeatus spe amplior, quia Numidae, sicuti plerique in nova

deditione, officia intenderant. Ceterum milites religione pluvia magis

usi, eaque res multum animis eorum addidit; nam rati sese dis

immortalibus curae esse. Deinde postero die contra opinionem Jugurthae ad

Thalam perveniunt. Oppidani, qui se locorum asperitate munitos

crediderant, magna atque insolita re perculsi, nihilo segnius bellum

parare; idem nostri facere.

[393] _Impensius modo_ may be 'still more strongly,' his despondency

having already been mentioned; or _modo_ is the ablative, and

_impensius modo_ is stronger than the (ordinary) measure; that is,

beyond measure, _ultra modum_.

[394] _Cultus_ is everything belonging to the regulation of life, apart

from eating and drinking; so that _pueritiae cultus_ comprises the

regulations for a youth's residence, his education, and the things

and persons by whom he is surrounded.

[395] 'And other things fit to contain water;' probably vessels to keep

water in, and apparatus to purify and mix water, for example, with

vinegar, a beverage usually drunk by the soldiers.

[396] 'Where they should be assembled.'

[397] _Modo_ is commonly used only to denote that something is less

than it might be, but has here the unusual meaning of 'that alone,'

or 'even that alone.'

76. Sed rex nihil jam infectum Metello credens,[398] quippe qui omnia,

arma tela, locos tempora, denique naturam ipsam ceteris imperitantem

industria vicerat, cum liberis et magna parte pecuniae ex oppido noctu

profugit, neque postea in ullo loco amplius uno die aut una nocte moratus

simulabat sese negotii gratia properare; ceterum proditionem timebat,

quam vitare posse celeritate putabat; nam talia consilia per otium et ex

opportunitate capi. At Metellus, ubi oppidanos proelio intentos, simul

oppidum et operibus et loco munitum videt, vallo fossaque moenia

circumvenit. Deinde locis ex copia[399] maxime idoneis vineas agere,

aggerem jacere et super aggerem impositis turribus opus et administros

tutari. Contra haec oppidani festinare, parare; prorsus ab utrisque nihil

reliquum fieri. Denique Romani multo ante labore proeliisque

fatigati,[400] post dies quadraginta quam eo ventum erat, oppido modo

potiti, praeda omnis ab perfugis corrupta. Ii postquam murum arietibus

feriri resque suas afflictas vident, aurum atque argentum et alia, quae

prima ducuntur, domum regiam comportant; ibi vino et epulis onerati,

illaque et domum et semet igni corrumpunt, et quas victi ab hostibus

poenas metuerant, eas ipsi volentes pependere.[401]

[398] 'That for Metellus nothing was now impossible,' the perfect

participle with the negative prefix denoting impossibility--as

_invictus_, invincible; _incorruptus_, incorruptible; _inaccessus_,

inaccessible. See Zumpt, S 328.

[399] _Ex copia_, 'according to circumstances,' here referring especially

to the different nature of the locality. _Vinea_, properly 'a bower

formed of vines;' hence 'a protecting roof,' under which the soldiers

attacked the fortifications of the enemy.

[400] 'After they had previously worn themselves out by great exertions:'

_ante_ here is superfluous.

[401] _Poenas pendere_, the same as _poenas solvere_, 'to pay a penalty.'

In _corrumpunt_ we may notice a zeugma, as out of _corrumpunt_ we

have to take _interficiunt_. See Zumpt, S 775.

77. Sed pariter cum capta Thala legati ex oppido Lepti ad Metellum

venerant orantes, uti praesidium praefectumque eo mitteret; Hamilcarem

quendam, hominem nobilem, factiosum, novis rebus studere, adversum quem

neque imperia magistratuum neque leges valerent; ni id festinaret, in

summo periculo suam salutem, illorum[402] socios fore. Nam Leptitani jam

inde a principio belli Jugurthini ad Bestiam consulem et postea Romam

miserant amicitiam societatemque rogatum. Deinde, ubi ea impetrata,

semper boni fidelesque mansere et cuncta a Bestia, Albino Metelloque

imperata nave[403] fecerant. Itaque ab imperatore facile, quae petebant,

adepti. Emissae eo cohortes Ligurum quatuor et G. Annius praefectus.

[402] _Illorum_; that is, _Romanorum_. Respecting the situation of Leptis

magna, see chap. 19.

[403] _Nave_ or _naviter_ ('actively') is the correct orthography, for

which other editions have _gnave_. See Zumpt, S 12. Its case is the

same as that of _natus_, which in composition takes the _g_--as

_cognatus_, _agnatus_; and also _narus_, _ignarus_.

78. Id oppidum ab Sidoniis conditum est, quos accepimus profugos ob

discordias civiles, navibus in eos locos venisse; ceterum situm inter

duas Syrtes, quibus nomen ex re inditum. Nam duo sunt sinus prope in

extrema Africa, impares magnitudine, pari natura; quorum proxima terrae

praealta sunt, cetera, uti fors tulit, alta,[404] alia in tempestate

vadosa. Nam ubi mare magnum esse et saevire ventis coepit, limum

arenamque et saxa ingentia fluctus trahunt; ita facies locorum cum ventis

simul mutatur: Syrtes ab tractu nominatae.[405] Ejus civitatis lingua

modo[406] conversa connubio Numidarum, legum cultusque pleraque Sidonica,

quae eo facilius retinebant, quod procul ab imperio regis aetatem

agebant. Inter illos et frequentem Numidiam multi vastique loci erant.

[404] _Alta_; supply _in alia tempestate_, 'sometimes deep, and sometimes

shallow.'

[405] 'They have been called Syrtes from this current, which draws

other things along with it;' for the Greek [Greek: surein] signifies

'to draw,' or 'drag along.'

[406] It was only the language of the inhabitants of Leptis that had

experienced a change, in consequence of their matrimonial connections

with the Numidians, otherwise they had for the most part preserved

their Sidonian, that is, Phoenician, laws and habits, being separated

from the inhabited part of Numidia by extensive deserts, which was

also the reason of the Numidian king's seldom residing at Leptis,

although the town belonged to his kingdom.