Sallust, Bellum Iugurthinum, Rev. John Selby Watson, M.A. (Translator), 12

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At the first meeting of the princes, of which I have just spoken, it had been resolved, in consequence of their disagreement, that the treasures should be divided among them, and that limits should be set to the jurisdiction of each. Days were accordingly appointed for both these purposes, but the earlier of the two for the division of the money. The princes, in the mean time, retired into separate places of abode in the neighborhood of the treasury. Hiempsal, residing in the town of Thirmida, happened to occupy the house of a man, who, being Jugurtha's chief lictor,¹ had always been liked and favored by his master. This man, thus opportunely presented as an instrument, Jugurtha loaded with promises, and induced him to go to his house, as if for the purpose of looking over it, and provide himself with false keys to the gates; for the true ones used to be given to Hiempsal; adding, that he himself, when circumstances should call for his presence, would be at the place with a large body of men. This commission the Numidian speedily executed, and, according to his instructions, admitted Jugurtha's men in the night, who, as soon as they had entered the house, went different ways in quest of the prince; some of his attendants they killed while asleep, and others as they met them; they searched into secret places, broke open those that were shut, and filled the whole premises with uproar and tumult. Hiempsal, after a time, was found concealed in the hut of a maid-servant,² where, in his alarm and ignorance of the locality, he had at first taken refuge. The Numidians, as they had been ordered, brought his head to Jugurtha.

Bellum Iugurthinum. Sallust. Rev. John Selby Watson, M.A. (Translator). New York and London. 1899.

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Current edition Perseus

Jugurthine War (English) (Sallust. Sallust, Florus, and Velleius Paterculus. Watson, J. S. (John Selby), translator. London: Harper & Brothers, 1899.)

Editions (2)

Bellum Iugurthinum Perseus (Sallust. C. Sallusti Crispi Catilina, Iugurtha, orationes et epistulae excerptae de historiis. Ahlberg, Axel Wilhelm, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1919.) — 12 focus

1 Primo conventu, quem ab regulis factum supra memoravi, propter dissensionem placuerat dividi thesauros finisque imperi singulis constitui. 2 itaque tempus ad utramque rem decernitur, sed maturius ad pecuniam distribuendam. reguli interea in loca propinqua thesauris alius alio concessere. 3 sed Hiempsal in oppido Thirmida forte eius domo utebatur, qui proxumus lictor Iugurthae carus acceptusque ei semper fuerat. quem ille casu ministrum oblatum promissis onerat inpellitque, uti tamquam sua m visens domum eat, portarum clavis adulterinas paret — nam verae ad Hiempsalem referebantur — ceterum, ubi res postularet, se ipsum cum magna manu venturum. 4 Numida mandata brevi conficit atque, uti doctus erat, noctu Iugurthae milites introducit. 5 qui postquam in aedis inrupere, divorsi regem quaerere, dormientis alios alios occursantis interficere, scrutari loca abdita, clausa effringere, strepitu et tumultu omnia miscere, quom interim Hiempsal reperitur occultans se tugurio mulieries ancillae, quo initio pavidus et ignarus loci perfugerat. 6 Numidae caput eius, uti iussi erant, ad Iugurtham referunt.

13 1 Ceterum fama tanti facinoris per omnem Africam brevi divolgatur. Adherbalem omnisque, qui sub imperio Micipsae fuerant, metus invadit. in duas partis discedunt Numidae: plures Adherbalem sequontur, sed illum alterum bello meliores. 2 igitur Iugurtha quam maxumas potest copias armat, urbis partim vi alias voluntate imperio suo adiungit, omni Numidiae imperare parat. 3 Adherbal tametsi Romam legatos miserat, qui senatum docerent de caede fratris et fortunis suis, tamen fretus multitudine militum parabat armis contendere. 4 sed ubi res ad certamen venit, victus ex proelio profugit in provinciam ac deinde Romam contendit. 5 tum Iugurtha patratis consiliis, postquam omni Numidia potiebatur, in otio facinus suom cum animo reputans timere populum Romanum neque advorsus iram eius usquam nisi in avaritia nobilitatis et pecunia sua spem habere. 6 itaque paucis diebus cum auro et argento multo Romam legatos mittit, quis praecipit, primum uti veteres amicos muneribus expleant, deinde novos adquirant, postremo quaecumque possint largiundo parare ne cunctentur. 7 sed ubi Romam legati venere et ex praecepto regis hospitibus aliisque, quorum ea tempestate in senatu auctoritas pollebat, magna munera misere, tanta conmutatio incessit, ut ex maxuma invidia in gratiam et favorem nobilitatis Iugurtha veniret. 8 quorum pars spe, alii praemio inducti singulos ex senatu ambiundo nitebantur, ne gravius in eum consuleretur. 9 igitur ubi legati satis confidunt, die constituto senatus utrisque datur. tum Adherbalem hoc modo locutum accepimus:

Bellum Iugurthinum Perseus (Sallust. Bellum Iugurthinum. (No bibliographic information found).) — 12 focus

Primo conventu, quem ab regulis factum supra memoravi, propter dissensionem placuerat dividi thesauros finisque imperi singulis constitui. Itaque tempus ad utramque rem decernitur, sed maturius ad pecuniam distribuendam. Reguli interea in loca propinqua thesauris alius alio concessere. Sed Hiempsal in oppido Thirmida forte eius domo utebatur, qui proximus lictor Iugurthae carus acceptusque ei semper fuerat. Quem ille casu ministrum oblatum promissis onerat impellitque, uti tamquam suam visens domum eat, portarum clauis adulterinas paret— nam verae ad Hiempsalem referebantur—ceterum, ubi res postularet, se ipsum cum magna manu venturum. Numida mandata brevi conficit atque, uti doctus erat, noctu Iugurthae milites introducit. Qui postquam in aedis irrupere, diuersi regem quaerere, dormientis alios, alios occursantis interficere, scrutari loca abdita, clausa effringere, strepitu et tumultu omnia miscere, cum interim Hiempsal reperitur occultans se tugurio mulieris ancillae, quo initio pauidus et ignarus loci perfugerat. Numidae caput eius, uti iussi erant, ad Iugurtham referunt.

Notes on the current edition

The Jugurthine War

1. XII. Chief lictor]

Proxumus lictor.

"The proximus lictor was he who, when the lictors walked before the prince or magistrate in a regular line, one behind the other, was last, or next to the person on whom they attended."

Cortius. He would thus be ready to receive the great man's commands, and be in immediate communication with him. We must suppose either that Sallust merely speaks in conformity with the practice of the Romans, or, what is more probable, that the Roman custom of being preceded by lictors had been adopted in Numidia .

2. Hut of a maid-servant]

Tugurio mulieris ancillœ.

Rose renders tugurio "a mean apartment," and other translators have given something similar, as if they thought that the servant must have had a room in the house. But she, and other Numidian servants, may have had huts apart from the dwelling-house. Tugurium undoubtedly signifies a hut in general.

Sallust Bellum Iugurthinum 12

Rev. John Selby Watson, M.A. (Translator)

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