triumphavit. Ea tempestate spes atque opes civitatis in

NOTE

ON

THE CAPTURE OF CIRTA.

(Jug. c. 26.)

KRITZ places the capture of Cirta in B.c. 116 (Chronological Table, p. 99). He gives no reasons for fixing this date. I suppose that he deduces the time from Sallust's narrative, but it is impossible to determine from the historian in what year Cirta was taken. In c. 27 he writes as if the conduct of Jugurtha was discussed in the Senate as soon as the news of the capture of Cirta and the death of Adherbal reached Rome. Attempts were made by the partizans of Jugurtha to adjourn the matter, as they knew that Jugurtha's crime would be forgotten if it was not promptly punished. But the Senate fearing public opinion, assigned Numidia as a province to one of the consuls who should be elected for the next year (B.c. 111), and made preparation for war against Jugurtha.

All this seems to show that the news came to Rome in B.C. 112, before the consular elections, and the news of the fall of Cirta might be carried to Rome in a fortnight or less. Accordingly some of the older critics have placed the fall of Cirta in B.c. 112, which Clinton also has done. Livy's Epitome (64) compared with Epit. 63, shows that he placed the capture of Cirta after the defeat of Papirius Carbo, which was in B.C. 113; and Livy therefore places the capture of Cirta in B.C. 112.

Micipsa died in B.C. 118. Clinton places in this year the death of Hiempsal and the expulsion of Adherbal, and he refers to Livy, Epit. 62. He places in B.C. 117 the restoration of Adherbal by the Roman commissioners. Thus he places more than four years between Adherbal's restoration and his death at the capture of Cirta. Part of this time was occupied in the siege of Cirta and the military events which

preceded it, but there is still left a considerable time after the new settlement in в C. 117, during which time we must suppose that Jugurtha kept quiet; if we can suppose that such a man could be quiet.

Kritz places the death of Hiempsal in B.c. 116, and in the same year all the events from the death of Hiempsal to the capture of Cirta (Jug. cc. 20-26). He puts the movements of the tribune Memmius (c. 27) in B.C. 112, about which there is no dispute; but thus there is an interval of three full years, and part of a fourth, between the capture of Cirta and the declaration of war against Jugurtha.

Sallust seems to mean (c. 20) that Jugurtha formed his designs against Adherbal as soon as the Roman commissioners left Africa; and if we look at his narrative, we are led to think that Jugurtha began to execute his designs immediately. Events appear to go on with great rapidity. Adherbal is defeated and shuts himself up in Cirta. He was in the fifth month of the siege when he sent his letter to the Roman Senate (c. 24); and the siege continued some time after, but we cannot tell how long. I doubt if all the events contained in cc. 20-26 would happen within one year, and also the events contained in cc. 12-16, as Kritz has supposed.

I am inclined to think that B.C. 112 is the date of the capture of Cirta, which date agrees with all that Sallust says in c. 27. If this is a right conclusion, Sallust in his rapid style, caring more for effect than for truth, has made it appear as if Hiempsal's death, and the defeat of Adherbal, and the siege of Cirta, all followed in quick succession. If he was pleased with the dramatic style in which he had managed this part of the story, he should not have written c. 27 in such a way as to show that his previous story could not be true as to the matter of time.

INDEX TO THE NOTES.

Ablative, use of, 9, 17, 18, 52, 56, Admissum, 173

Abunde used as an adjective, 33, Adversity better borne than pros-