niciosa siti magis quam alia re accenditur. Ejus potiundi Marium maxima cupido invaserat, quum propter usum belli, tum quia res aspera videbatur, et Metellus oppidum Thalam magna gloria ceperat, haud dissimiliter situm munitumque, nisi quod apud Thalam non longe a moenibus aliquot fontes erant, Capsenses una modo atque ea intra oppidum jugi aqua,1 ceterâ pluvia utebantur. Id ibique et in omni Africa, quae procul a mari incultius agebat,2 eo facilius tolerabatur, quia Numidae plerumque lacte et ferina carne vescebantur et neque salem neque alia irritamenta gulae quaerebant; cibus illis adversum famem atque sitim, non libidini neque luxuriae

erat.

90. Igitur consul omnibus exploratis, credo dis fretus (nam contra tantas difficultates consilio satis providere non poterat, quippe etiam frumenti inopia temptabatur, quod Numidae pabulo pecoris magis quam arvo student, et quodcumque natum fuerat jussu regis in loca munita contulerant, ager autem aridus et frugum vacuus ea tempestate, nam aestatis extremum erat), tamen pro rei copia satis providenter exornat;5 pecus omne, quod superioribus diebus praedae fuerat, equitibus auxiliariis agendum attribuit, A. Manlium legatum cum cohortibus expeditis ad oppidum Lares, ubi stipendium et commeatum locaverat, ire jubet dicitque se praedabundum post paucos dies eodem venturum. Sic incepto suo occultato pergit ad flumen Tanam.

91. Ceterum in itinere cotidie pecus exercitui per centurias, item turmas 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.

1 Jugis aqua, running water,' or 'a well perpetually flowing.' The other water which they used was rain water, and to pluvia we must supply aqua.

2 Africa-incultius agebat, Africa, which was in a state of greater want of cultivation;' an unusual transfer of the verb agere (to be in a condition) from the inhabitants of a country to the country itself. 3He was brought into danger' or 'difficulty.'

4 They take more care about pastures than cultivated fields.'

5 Exornat; supply rem, expeditionem, 'the undertaking or campaign.' Per implies an equal distribution among the centuries and turniae.

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 duum1 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,2 metus ingens, malum improvisum, ad hoc pars civium extra moenia in hostium potestate, coëgere, 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 coërcitum.3

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,4 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.5 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,6 ceterum haud secus difficilem. Namque haud longe a flumine

1 Duum for duorum occurs most frequently in connection with milium. See Zumpt, § 115, note 2.

2 Res trepidae, 'a dangerous situation.'

3 Sallust feels that he must excuse or explain the destruction of a town which had surrendered at discretion.

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.

5 He was either himself endowed with a divine mind, or everything was revealed to him by divine inspiration.'

6 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.

Mulucha, quod Jugurthae Bocchique regnum disjungebat, erat inter ceteram planitiem mons saxeus, mediocri castello satis patens, in immensum editus, uno perangusto aditu relicta, nam omnia1 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,2 et fons aquae; aggeribus turribusque et aliis machinationibus locus importunus, iter castellanorum3 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; optimus quisque cadere aut sauciari, ceteris metus augeri.

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 agitaret, forte quidam Ligus,6 ex cohortibus auxiliariis miles gregarius, castris aquatum egressus, haud procul ab latere castelli, quod aversum proeliantibus erat, animum advertit

1 '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, § 459. Other editions and inferior manuscripts have per omnia, omni parte, omnis, all of which are only attempts to explain the true reading.

2 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.

3The road of the inhabitants of the castle;' that is, the only road which led up to the castle.

4' Do their work;' namely, break through the wall.

5 Aestuans is here used figuratively of one who is in care and anxiety. 6 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.

inter saxa repentes cochleas; quarum quum unam atque alteram, dein plures peteret, studio legundi paulatim prope ad summum montis egressus est.1 Ubi postquam solitudinem intellexit, more humani ingenii cupido difficilia faciundi animum vertit.2 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,3 quod cuncti Numidae intenti proeliantibus aderant.4 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;5 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,6 et cum his, praesidio qui forent, quatuor centuriones, omnesque Liguri parere jubet, et ei negotio proximum diem constituit.

94. Sed ubi ex praecepto tempus visum, paratis compositisque omnibus ad locum pergit.7 Ceterum illi, qui ascensuri erant, praedocti ab duce, arma ornatumque mutaverant, capite atque pedibus nudis, uti prospectus nisusque per saxa facilius foret; super terga gladii et scuta, verum ea Numidica ex coriis, ponderis gratia simul et offensa quo levius

1 Egressus est, the same as escendit or evasit,' he got up.'

2 The desire to accomplish difficult things changed his mind,' inasmuch as he gave up collecting snails, and planned an attack upon the castle.

3' 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.

4 The Numidians were most intently observing the combatants, being with them.'

5 Marius despatched some of his followers to test the promises of the Ligurian.'

6Out of the horn-blowers and trumpeters he chose five in number.' Numero is almost superfluous.

7 Pergit; namely, Ligus.

8 That it might proceed more easily.'

streperent. Igitur praegrediens Ligus saxa, et si quae vetustate radices eminebant,2 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,3 ac saepius eadem ascendens descendensque, dein statim digrediens, 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 tantummodo 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.5

In order that, if they stumbled against anything, they might make less noise.'

2' 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.

3 He himself foremost (potissimus) tried those places which it was doubtful (dangerous) to climb up.'

4' And then immediately withdrawing;' namely, in order to make room for those who followed.

5The 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