Chapter 16

[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]