Chapter 19

91. Ceterum in itinere cotidie pecus exercitui per centurias, item turmas [495] aequaliter distribuerat, et ex coriis utres uti fierent curabat; simul et inopiam frumenti lenire et ignaris omnibus parare, quae mox usui forent; denique sexto die, quum ad flumen ventum est, maxima vis utrium effecta. Ibi castris levi munimento positis, milites cibum capere atque, uti simul cum occasu solis egrederentur, paratos esse jubet, omnibus sarcinis abjectis, aqua modo seque et jumenta onerare. Dein, postquam tempus visum, castris egreditur noctemque totam itinere facto consedit; idem proxima facit, dein tertia multo ante lucis adventum pervenit in locum tumulosum ab Capsa non amplius duum[496] milium intervallo; ibique quam occultissime potest, cum omnibus copiis opperitur. Sed ubi dies coepit et Numidae nihil hostile metuentes, multi oppido egressi, repente omnem equitatum et cum his velocissimos pedites cursu tendere ad Capsam et portas obsidere jubet; deinde ipse intentus propere sequi, neque milites praedari sinere. Quae postquam oppidani cognovere, res trepidae,[497] metus ingens, malum improvisum, ad hoc pars civium extra moenia in hostium potestate, coegere, uti deditionem facerent. Ceterum oppidum incensum, Numidae puberes interfecti, alii omnes venumdati, praeda militibus divisa. Id facinus contra jus belli non avaritia neque scelere consulis admissum, sed quia locus Jugurthae opportunus, nobis aditu difficilis, genus hominum mobile, infidum ante, neque beneficio neque metu coercitum.[498]

[495] _Per_ implies an equal distribution among the centuries and turmae. [496] _Duum_ for _duorum_ occurs most frequently in connection with _milium_. See Zumpt, S 115, note 2. [497] _Res trepidae_, 'a dangerous situation.' [498] Sallust feels that he must excuse or explain the destruction of a town which had surrendered at discretion.

92. Postquam tantam rem Marius sine ullo suorum incommodo patravit, magnus et clarus antea, major atque clarior haberi coepit. Omnia non bene consulta in virtutem trahebantur,[499] milites modesto imperio habiti simul et locupletes ad coelum ferre, Numidae magis quam mortalem timere, postremo omnes, socii atque hostes, credere illi aut mentem divinam esse aut deorum nutu cuncta portendi.[500] Sed consul, ubi ea res bene evenit, ad alia oppida pergit, pauca repugnantibus Numidis capit, plura deserta propter Capsensium miserias igni corrumpit; luctu atque caede omnia complentur. Denique multis locis potitus ac plerisque exercitu incruento, aliam rem aggreditur non eadem asperitate qua Capsensium,[501] ceterum haud secus difficilem. Namque haud longe a flumine Mulucha, quod Jugurthae Bocchique regnum disjungebat, erat inter ceteram planitiem mons saxeus, mediocri castello satis patens, in immensum editus, uno perangusto aditu relicta, nam omnia[502] natura velut opere atque consulto praeceps. Quem locum Marius, quod ibi regis thesauri erant, summa vi capere intendit. Sed ea res forte quam consilio melius gesta. Nam castello virorum atque armorum satis magna vis, et frumenti,[503] et fons aquae; aggeribus turribusque et aliis machinationibus locus importunus, iter castellanorum[504] angustum admodum, utrimque praecisum. Vineae cum ingenti periculo frustra agebantur; nam quum eae paulo processerant, igni aut lapidibus corrumpebantur, milites neque pro opere consistere propter iniquitatem loci, neque inter vineas sine periculo administrare;[505] optimus quisque cadere aut sauciari, ceteris metus augeri.

[499] 'All things, not only his good arrangements, were interpreted as good services,' so that to _non_ we have to supply _modo_. For the phrase _in virtutem trahere_, see chap. 85: _ducere in conscientiam_. [500] 'He was either himself endowed with a divine mind, or everything was revealed to him by divine inspiration.' [501] _Capsensium_; supply _res_, 'the undertaking against Capsa;' for the name of the inhabitants of a town is often used for that of the town itself. [502] 'For it was on all sides steep, as if made so by human hands, and purposely.' The accusative _omnia_ is to be taken adverbially, 'on all sides,' just as we frequently find _cetera_ and _reliqua_. See Zumpt, S 459. Other editions and inferior manuscripts have _per omnia_, _omni parte_, _omnis_, all of which are only attempts to explain the true reading. [503] 'For the fort contained a sufficient number of men, arms, and provisions.' This is the reading of the manuscripts; in modern editions _et_ is omitted, and the passage is given with the following punctuation: _nam castello virorum atque armorum satis, magna vis frumenti_, which seems indeed to be supported by the sense; but violates the rule, that when there are three nouns, the conjunction must either be used twice, or omitted altogether. [504] 'The road of the inhabitants of the castle;' that is, the only road which led up to the castle. [505] 'Do their work ;' namely, break through the wall.

93. At Marius, multis diebus et laboribus consumptis, anxius trahere cum animo suo, omitteretne inceptum, quoniam frustra erat, an fortunam opperiretur, qua saepe prospere usus fuerat. Quae quum multos dies noctesque aestuans[506] agitaret, forte quidam Ligus,[507] ex cohortibus auxiliariis miles gregarius, castris aquatum egressus, haud procul ab latere castelli, quod aversum proeliantibus erat, animum advertit inter saxa repentes cochleas; quarum quum unam atque alteram, dein plures peteret, studio legundi paulatim prope ad summum montis egressus est.[508] Ubi postquam solitudinem intellexit, more humani ingenii cupido difficilia faciundi animum vertit.[509] Et forte in eo loco grandis ilex coaluerat inter saxa paulum modo prona, dein flexa atque aucta in altitudinem, quo cuncta gignentium natura fert; cujus ramis modo, modo eminentibus saxis nisus Ligus castelli planitiem perscribit,[510] quod cuncti Numidae intenti proeliantibus aderant.[511] Exploratis omnibus, quae mox usui fore ducebat, eadem regreditur, non temere, uti escenderat, sed temptans omnia et circumspiciens. Itaque Marium propere adit, acta edocet, hortatur, ab ea parte, qua ipse escenderat, castellum temptet; pollicetur sese itineris periculique ducem. Marius cum Ligure, promissa ejus cognitum, ex praesentibus misit;[512] quorum uti cujusque ingenium erat, ita rem difficilem aut facilem nuntiavere. Consulis animus tamen paulum arrectus. Itaque ex copia tubicinum et cornicinum numero quinque quam velocissimos delegit,[513] et cum his, praesidio qui forent, quatuor centuriones, omnesque Liguri parere jubet, et ei negotio proximum diem constituit.

[506] _Aestuans_ is here used figuratively of one who is in care and anxiety. [507] _Ligus_, 'a Ligurian,' belonging to the country of Liguria, which was then not yet considered as belonging to Italy, and the capital of which was Genoa. Four cohorts of Ligurian auxiliares in the Roman army were mentioned in chap. 77, and those auxiliaries were no doubt of great service to the Romans in this war, since they were accustomed to climbing, ascending heights, and other hardships, from their own mountainous country. Livy, too, praises the quickness, perseverance, and adroitness of the Ligurians in the petty warfare in which they were engaged for many years against the Romans. [508] _Egressus est_, the same as _escendit_ or _evasit_, 'he got up.' [509] 'The desire to accomplish difficult things changed his mind,' inasmuch as he gave up collecting snails, and planned an attack upon the castle. [510] 'He drew an accurate plan of the area of the castle,' as from his high position he could survey the whole. It is indeed hard to suppose that the Ligurian had with him the necessary drawing materials; but _perscribit_ may possibly mean only to mark such points as would enable the soldier to make an accurate drawing of the locality after his return to the camp. [511] 'The Numidians were most intently observing the combatants, being with them.' [512] 'Marius despatched some of his followers to test the promises of the Ligurian.' [513] 'Out of the horn-blowers and trumpeters he chose five in number.' _Numero_ is almost superfluous.

94. Sed ubi ex praecepto tempus visum, paratis compositisque omnibus ad locum pergit.[514] Ceterum illi, qui ascensuri erant, praedocti ab duce, arma ornatumque mutaverant, capite atque pedibus nudis, uti prospectus nisusque per saxa facilius foret;[515] super terga gladii et scuta, verum ea Numidica ex coriis, ponderis gratia simul et offensa quo levius streperent.[516] Igitur praegrediens Ligus saxa, et si quae vetustate radices eminebant,[517] laqueis vinciebat, quibus allevati milites facilius escenderent, interdum timidos insolentia itineris levare manu, ubi paulo asperior ascensus erat, singulos prae se inermes mittere, deinde ipse cum illorum armis sequi, quae dubia nisu videbantur, potissimus temptare,[518] ac saepius eadem ascendens descendensque, dein statim digrediens,[519] ceteris audaciam addere. Igitur diu multumque fatigati tandem in castellum perveniunt, desertum ab ea parte, quod omnes sicuti aliis diebus adversum hostes aderant. Marius, ubi ex nuntiis, quae Ligus egerat, cognovit, quamquam toto die intentos proelio Numidas habuerat, tum vero cohortatus milites et ipse extra vineas egressus, testudine acta succedere et simul hostem tormentis sagittariisque et funditoribus eminus terrere. At Numidae saepe antea vineis Romanorum subversis, item incensis, non castelli moenibus sese tutabantur; sed pro muro dies noctesque agitare, maledicere Romanis ac Mario vecordiam objectare; militibus nostris Jugurthae servitium minari, secundis rebus feroces esse. Interim omnibus, Romanis hostibusque, proelio intentis, magna utrimque vi pro gloria atque imperio his, illis pro salute certantibus, repente a tergo signa canere; ac primo mulieres et pueri, qui visum processerant, fugere, deinde uti quisque muro proximus erat, postremo cuncti, armati inermesque. Quod ubi accidit, eo acrius Romani instare, fundere ac plerosque tanturamodo sauciare, dein super occisorum corpora vadere, avidi gloriae certantes murum petere, neque quemquam omnium praeda morari. Sic forte correcta Marii temeritas gloriam ex culpa invenit.[520]

[514] _Pergit_; namely, _Ligus_. [515] 'That it might proceed more easily.' [516] 'In order that, if they stumbled against anything, they might make less noise.' [517] 'And the roots which, owing to their old age, were standing forth;' for the roots of old trees rise out of the ground, and such knots remain on the surface even when the trees no longer exist. [518] 'He himself foremost (_potissimus_) tried those places which it was doubtful (dangerous) to climb up.' [519] 'And then immediately withdrawing;' namely, in order to make room for those who followed. [520] 'The inconsiderate boldness of Marius (of attacking an impregnable fortress), when it became adjusted (justified, _correcta_) by chance, found praise instead of blame.' The sudden terror of the Numidians on their hearing the military music of the Romans in their rear, was, according to Sallust, most advantageous to the Romans; for if the Numidians, while engaged in fighting, had despatched fifty men, they might easily have thrown down the few Romans who had found their way up; for the number of four centurions for the protection of the trumpeters is indeed surprisingly small, and we might almost be inclined to suppose that these centurions were followed by their centuries at some distance.

95. Ceterum dum ea res geritur, L. Sulla quaestor cum magno equitatu in castra venit, quos[521] uti ex Latio et a sociis cogeret, Romae relictus erat. Sed quoniam nos tanti viri res admonuit,[522] idoneum visum est de natura cultuque ejus paucis dicere; neque enim alio loco de Sullae rebus dicturi sumus, et L. Sisenna optime et diligentissime omnium, qui eas res dixere, persecutus,[523] parum mihi libero ore locutus videtur. Igitur Sulla gentis patriciae nobilis fuit, familia prope jam extincta majorum ignavia,[524] litteris Graecis atque Latinis juxta, atque doctissime,[525] eruditus, animo ingenti, cupidus voluptatum, sed gloriae cupidior, otio luxurioso esse; tamen, ab negotiis nunquam voluptas remorata, nisi quod[526] de uxore potuit honestius consuli; facundus, callidus et amicitia facilis;[527] ad simulanda negotia altitudo ingenii incredibilis;[528] multarum rerum ac maxime pecuniae largitor. Atque illi, felicissimo omnium ante civilem victoriam, nunquam super industriam fortuna fuit,[529] multique dubitavere, fortior an felicior esset; nam postea quae fecerit, incertum habeo, pudeat magis an pigeat disserere.

[521] _Quos_ refers to the _equites_ implied in the word _equitatus_. This is a construction _ad sensum_, of which many examples occur in Sallust (compare _Cat._ 7), though the present case is rather unusual. [522] _Res_, 'the subject,' 'the present discussion,' or 'the context of the narrative.' [523] _Persecutus_; supply _Sullae naturam cultumque_. L. Sisenna, an early contemporary of Cicero, had written a history of the civil war between Marius and Sulla; he was himself a partisan of Sulla, and therefore not quite unbiassed in his judgment. [524] The patrician gens to which Sulla belonged was the gens Cornelia. The statement that the family of Sulla was almost extinct, in consequence of the inactivity of the ancestors of the great Sulla, applies to their loss of power and influence rather than to a physical decay of the family. [525] _Atque doctissime_, 'and that very profoundly;' the same as _et doctissime quidem_. [526] _Nisi quod_ adds a limitation or exception to something stated before. Here the preceding praise is qualified or limited by the remark, that in his matrimonial relation he might have behaved better; for he was married several times, and chose his wives at the spur of a momentary passion. _Potuit consuli_; supply _ab eo_; that is, _potuisset consulere_. [527] _Amicitia facilis_, 'pleasing and agreeable in his friendship or friendly intercourse.' [528] _Altitudo animi_, the unfathomableness of a man's character and designs--a character which shows nothing outwardly of what is going on within. Such a character has all the requisites to become hypocritical, _ad simulationem et dissimulationem_. [529] 'His good fortune was never greater than his activity;' that is, his activity was equal to his good fortune, and he therefore deserved all praise. But his doings after his victory in the civil war are utterly condemned by Sallust, who then assigns to him neither good-luck nor activity.

96. Igitur Sulla, uti supra dictum est, postquam in Africam atque in castra Marii cum equitatu venit, rudis antea et ignarus belli, sollertissimus omnium in paucis tempestatibus[530] factus est. Ad hoc milites benigne appellare, multis rogantibus, aliis per se ipse dare beneficia, invitus accipere, sed ea properantius quam aes mutuum reddere, ipse ab nullo repetere, magis id laborare,[531] ut illi quam plurimi deberent, joca atque seria cum humillimis agere, in operibus, in agmine atque ad vigilias multus adesse,[532] neque interim, quod prava ambitio solet, consulis aut cujusquam boni famam laedere, tantummodo neque consilio neque manu priorem alium pati, plerosque antevenire. Quis rebus et artibus brevi Mario militibusque carissimus factus.

[530] For _intra breves tempestates_, see note 3, page 59 [note 304 in Cat.]. [531] _Id laboro_. See Zumpt, S 385. _Ut illi deberent_ should properly be _sibi_ or _ipsi_; but see Zumpt, S 550. [532] _Multus adesse_, 'he was present in many places,' multiplying, as it were, his own person. Compare chap. 84.

97. At Jugurtha, postquam oppidum Capsam aliosque locos munitos et sibi utiles, simul et magnam pecuniam amiserat, ad Bocchum nuntios mittit, quam primum in Numidiam copias adduceret, proelii faciundi tempus adesse. Quem ubi cunctari accepit et dubium belli atque pacis rationes trahere,[533] rursus, uti antea, proximos ejus donis corrumpit, ipsique Mauro pollicetur Numidiae partem tertiam, si aut Romani Africa expulsi, aut integris suis finibus bellum compositum foret. Eo praemio illectus Boechus cum magna multitudine Jugurtham accedit. Ita amborum exercitu conjuncto, Marium jam in hiberna proficiscentem, vix decima parte die[534] reliqua, invadunt, rati noctem, quae jam aderat, et victis sibi munimento fore et, si vicissent, nullo impedimento,[535] quia locorum scientes erant, contra Romania utrumque casum in tenebris difficiliorem fore. Igitur simul consul ex multis de hostium adventu cognovit, et ipsi hostes aderant[536] et, priusquam exercitus aut instrui aut sarcinas colligere, denique antequam signum[537] aut imperium ullum accipere quivit, equites Mauri atque Gaetuli, non acie neque ullo more proelii, sed catervatim, uti quosque fors conglobaverat, in nostros concurrunt; qui omnes trepidi improviso metu, ac tamen virtutis memores, aut arma capiebant aut capientes alios ab hostibus defensabant, pars equos ascendere, obviam ire hostibus, pugna latrocinio[538] magis quam proelio similis fieri, sine signis, sine ordinibus equites peditesque permixti; caedere alios, alios obtruncare;[539] multos, contra adversos acerrime pugnantes, ab tergo circumvenire; neque virtus neque arma satis tegere, quod hostes numero plures et undique circumfusi erant; denique Romani veteres novique et ob ea[540] scientes belli, si quos locus aut casus conjunxerat, orbes facere, atque ita ab omnibus partibus simul tecti et instructi hostium vim sustentabant.

[533] _Rationes trahere_ implies slow and careful deliberation, as in chaps. 34 and 93. [534] _Die_ for _diei_. See page 115, note 3 [note 289]. [535] 'The night would not he an obstacle to them' (in their pursuit). _Nullo_ obsolete for _nulli_. See Zumpt, S 140. [536] _Simul cognovit_--_et hostes aderant_, 'he at once learned--and the enemy was there;' that is, between the receiving of the information and the actual attack of the enemy there was no interval. _Sarcinas colligere_; the baggage was laid down before an engagement, and put together in a heap, as in Caes. _Bell_. _Gall_. vii. 18. [537] _Signum_ here is 'the watchword,' which is given out by the general, and is communicated among the soldiers by one man telling another. Sometimes _signum_ is the signal given by a _cornu_ or _tuba_. To make the former known throughout an army required some time, but not so the latter. _Signa_ afterwards are the standards of the maniples, cohorts, and legions. [538] _Latrocinium_, 'a predatory attack,' as opposed to a regular battle. [539] _Obtruncare_ in opposition to _caedere_ (cut down) signifies 'to mutilate by cutting off a limb or limbs.' The word _multos_ is chosen here only for variety's sake, instead of _alios_. [540] The words _veteres novique_ express a whole sentence: 'as old and new soldiers were united in the several divisions (maniples and cohorts) of the army;' and it is to this meaning that _ob ea_ (for this reason) refers. The scattered Romans, as old and new soldiers were everywhere mixed together, profited by the experience of the old ones, and formed dense circles (we should say _squares_), which was, in fact, the only safe means of warding off the attack of a superior enemy.

98. Neque in eo tam aspero negotio Marius territus aut magis quam antea demisso animo fuit, sed cum turma sua, quam ex fortissimis magis quam familiarissimis paraverat, vagari passim, ac modo laborantibus suis succurrere, modo hostes, ubi confertissimi obstiterant, invadere; manu consulere militibus, quoniam imperare, conturbatis omnibus, non poterat. Jamque dies consumptus erat, quum tamen barbari nihil remittere,[541] atque, uti reges praeceperant, noctem pro se rati, acrius instare. Tum Marius ex copia rerum consilium trahit, atque, uti suis receptui locus esset, colles duos propinquos inter se occupat, quorum in uno, castris parum amplo, fons aquae magnus erat, alter usui opportunus, quia magna parte editus et praeceps pauca munimenta quaerebat.[542] Ceterum apud aquam Sullam cum equitibus noctem agitare jubet; ipse paulatim dispersos milites, neque minus hostibus conturbatis,[543] in unum contrahit, dein cunctos pleno gradu[544] in collem subducit. Ita reges loci difficultate coacti proelio deterrentur, neque tamen suos longius abire sinunt, sed, utroque colle multitudine circumdato, effusi consedere. Dein crebris ignibus factis, plerumque noctis barbari more suo laetari, exultare, strepere vocibus, et ipsi duces feroces, quia non fugere, ut pro[545] victoribus egere. Sed ea cuncta Romanis ex tenebris et editioribus locis facilia visa magnoque hortamento erant.

[541] _Quam tamen_--_nihil remittere_, 'while the barbarians nevertheless did not leave off.' For _quum_ with the historical infinitive, see Zumpt, S 582. _Pro se_, 'favourable to them.' [542] Marius occupies two hills close by each other, the one only to have the command of water, but the other to pitch his camp on, as it required only to be slightly fortified. _Quaerebat_ for _requirebat_, which is more common in this sense. [543] 'As the enemy also had fallen into no less confusion;' so that _neque_, being properly used for _et non_, must here be taken for _etiam non_ or _ne_--_quidem_. [544] _Pleno gradu_, 'at a quick pace,' which, however, is not running. This retreat up the hill is, after all, a proof that the Romans had been worsted in the attack. [545] _Fugere, ut pro_, is the reading of the manuscripts, 'as they did not flee, they acted as though they were the victors.' _Ut pro_ signifies 'both as victors and as if they were,' the _ut_ and _pro_ signifying nearly the same thing.

99. Plurimum vero Marius imperitia hostium confirmatus, quam maximum silentium haberi jubet, ne signa quidem, uti per vigilias solebant, canere,[546] deinde, ubi lux adventabat, defessis jam hostibus et paulo ante somno captis, de improviso vigiles, item cohortium, turmarum, legionum tubicines simul omnes signa canere, milites clamorem tollere atque portis erumpere. Mauri atque Gaetuli, ignoto et horribili sonitu repente exciti, neque fugere neque arma capere neque omnino facere aut providere quicquam poterant; ita cunctos strepitu, clamore, nullo subveniente, nostris instantibus, tumultu, terrore, formido quasi vecordia ceperat.[547] Denique omnes fusi fugatique; arma et signa militaria pleraque capta, pluresque eo proelio quam omnibus superioribus interempti. Nam somno et metu insolito impedita fuga.

[546] 'Not even the signals were to be sounded, which were usually heard at the different night watches.' The night was divided by the Romans into four watches (_vigiliae_), the beginning of which was announced by a horn (_buccina_). _Canere_ is here used intransitively, 'to sound,' as in _Cat_. chap. 59 Below, it is used transitively, in the sense of 'to blow,' or 'give a signal.' [547] The description of the consternation among the barbarians is in some parts very minute. _Formido_ is the highest degree of fear (_timor_), which almost makes people mad, whence the addition _quasi vecordia_.