Sallust, Bellum Iugurthinum, Rev. John Selby Watson, M.A. (Translator), 56

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The Roman commander, finding himself thus harassed by artifices, and allowed no opportunity of coming to a general engagement, resolved on laying siege to a large city, named Zama, which was the bulwark of that part of the kingdom in which it was situate; expecting that Jugurtha, as a necessary consequence, would come to the relief of his subjects in distress, and that a battle would then follow. But the king, being apprised by some deserters of the consul's design, reached the place, by rapid marches, before him, and exhorted the inhabitants to defend their walls, giving them, as a reinforcement, a body of deserters; a class of men, who, of all the royal forces, were the most to be trusted, inasmuch as they dared not be guilty of treachery.¹ He also promised to support them, whenever it should be necessary, with his whole army.

Having taken these precautions, he retired into the deserts of the interior; where he soon after learned that Marius, with a few cohorts, had been dispatched from the line of march to bring provisions from Sicca,² a town which had been the first to revolt from him after his defeat. To this place he hastened by night, accompanied by a select body of cavalry, and attacked the Romans at the gate, just as they were leaving the city; calling to the inhabitants, at the same time, with a loud voice, to surround the cohorts in the rear; adding, that Fortune had given them an opportunity for a glorious exploit; and that, if they took advantage of it, he would henceforth enjoy his kingdom, and they their liberty, without fear. And had not Marius hastened to advance the standards, and to escape from the town, it is certain that all, or the greater part of the inhabitants, would have changed their allegiance; so great is the fickleness which the Numidians exhibit in their conduct. The soldiers of Jugurtha, animated for a time by their king, but finding the enemy pressing them with superior force, betook themselves, after losing a few of their number, to flight.

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.) — 56 focus

1 Romanus imperator ubi se dolis fatigari videt neque ab hoste copiam pugnandi fieri, urbem magnam et in ea parte, qua sita erat, arcem regni nomine Zamam statuit oppugnare, ratus, id quod negotium poscebat, Iugurtham laborantibus suis auxilio venturum ibique proelium fore. 2 at ille, quae parabantur a perfugis edoctus, magnis itineribus Metellum antevenit. oppidanos hortatur, moenia defendant, additis auxilio perfugis, quod genus ex copiis regis, quia fallere nequibat, firmissumum erat; praeterea pollicetur in tempore semet cum exercitu adfore. 3 ita conpositis rebus in loca quam maxume occulta discedit, ac post paulo cognoscit Marium ex itinere frumentatum cum paucis cohortibus Siccam missum, quod oppidum primum omnium post malam pugnam ab rege defecerat. 4 eo cum delectis equitibus noctu pergit et iam egredientibus Romanis in porta pugnam facit, simul magna voce Siccensis hortatur, uti cohortis ab tergo circumveniant: fortunam illis praeclari facinoris casum dare; si id fecerint, postea sese in regno, illos in libertate sine metu aetatem acturos. 5 ac ni Marius signa inferre atque evadere oppido properavisset, profecto cuncti aut magna pars Siccensium fidem mutavissent: tanta mobilitate sese Numidae gerunt. 6 sed milites Iugurthini, paulisper ab rege sustentati, postquam maiore vi hostes urgent, paucis amissis profugi discedunt.

57 1 Marius ad Zamam pervenit. id oppidum, in campo situm, magis opere quam natura munitum erat, nullius idoneae rei egens, armis virisque opulentum. 2 igitur Metellus pro tempore atque loco paratis rebus cuncta moenia exercitu circumvenit, legatis imperat, ubi quisque curaret. 3 deinde signo dato undique simul clamor ingens oritur, neque ea res Numidas terret: infensi intentique sine tumultu manent, proelium incipitur. 4 Romani, pro ingenio quisque, pars eminus glande aut lapidibus pugnare, alii succedere ac murum modo subfodere modo scalis aggredi, cupere proelium in manibus facere. 5 contra ea oppidani in proxumos saxa volvere, sudis, pila, praeterea picem sulphure et taeda mixtam ardentia mittere. 6 sed ne illos quidem, qui procul manserant, timor animi satis muniverat; nam plerosque iacula tormentis aut manu emissa volnerabant, parique periculo sed fama inpari boni atque ignavi erant.

Bellum Iugurthinum Perseus (Sallust. Bellum Iugurthinum. (No bibliographic information found).) — 56 focus

Romanus imperator ubi se dolis fatigari videt neque ab hoste copiam pugnandi fieri, urbem magnam et in ea parte, qua sita erat, arcem regni nomine Zamam statuit oppugnare, ratus, id quod negotium poscebat, Iugurtham laborantibus suis auxilio venturum ibique proelium fore. At ille, quae parabantur a perfugis edoctus, magnis itineribus Metellum anteuenit. Oppidanos hortatur, moenia defendant, additis auxilio perfugis, quod genus ex copiis regis, quia fallere nequibat, firmissimum erat; praeterea pollicetur in tempore semet cum exercitu affore. Ita compositis rebus in loca quam maxime occulta discedit, ac post paulo cohortibus Siccam missum, frumentatum cum paucis cohortibus Siccam missum, quod oppidum primum omnium post malam pugnam ab rege defecerat. Eo cum delectis equitibus noctu pergit et iam egredientibus Romanis in porta pugnam facit, simul magna voce Siccensis hortatur, uti cohortis ab tergo circumveniant: fortunam illis praeclari facinoris casum dare; si id fecerint, postea sese in regno, illos in libertate sine metu aetatem acturos. Ac ni Marius signa inferre atque euadere oppido properauisset, profecto cuncti aut magna pars Siccensium fidem mutauissent: tanta mobilitate sese Numidae gerunt. Sed milites Iugurthini, paulisper ab rege sustentati, postquam maiore vi hostes urgent, paucis amissis profugi discedunt.

Notes on the current edition

The Jugurthine War

1. LVI. Dared not be guilty of treachery]

Fallere nequibant.

"Through dread of the severest punishments if they should fall into the hands of the Romans. Valerius Maximus, ii. 7, speaks of deserters having been deprived of their hands by Quintus Fabius Maximus; of others who were crucified or beheaded by the elder Africanus; of others who were thrown to wild beasts by Africanus the younger; and of others who were sentenced by Paulus Æmilius to be trampled to death by elephants. Hence it appears that the punishment of deserters was left to the pleasure of the general."

Bernouf.

2. Sicca] It stood on the banks of the Bagradas, at some distance from the coast, and contained a celebrated Temple of Venus. Val. Max., ii. 6. D'Anville thinks it the same as the modern Kef.

Sallust Bellum Iugurthinum 56

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

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