Sallust, Bellum Iugurthinum, Rev. John Selby Watson, M.A. (Translator), 67

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The Roman soldiers, perplexed with sudden alarm, and not knowing what was best for them to do, were in trepidation. At the citadel,¹ where their standards and shields were, was posted a guard of the enemy; and the city-gates, previously closed, prevented escape. Women and children, too, on the roofs of the houses,² hurled down upon them, with great eagerness, stones and whatever else their position furnished. Thus neither could such twofold danger be guarded against, nor could the bravest resist the feeblest; the worthy and the worthless, the valiant and the cowardly, were alike put to death unavenged. In the midst of this slaughter, while the Numidians were exercising every cruelty, and the town was closed on all sides, Turpilius was the only one, of all the Italians, that escaped unhurt. Whether his flight was the consequence of compassion in his entertainer, of compact, or of chance, I have never discovered; but since, in such a general massacre, he preferred inglorious safety to an honorable name, he seems to have been a worthless and infamous character.³

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.) — 66 focus

1 Interim Iugurtha, postquam omissa deditione bellum incipit, cum magna cura parare omnia, festinare: cogere exercitum; civitatis, quae ab se defecerant, formidine aut ostentando praemia adfectare; conmunire suos locos, arma tela aliaque, quae spe pacis amiserat, reficere aut conmercari; servitia Romanorum adlicere et eos ipsos, qui in praesidiis erant, pecunia temptare; prorsus nihil intactum neque quietum pati, cuncta agitare. 2 igitur Vagenses, quo Metellus initio Iugurtha pacificante praesidium imposuerat, fatigati regis suppliciis neque antea voluntate alienati, principes civitatis inter se coniurant. nam volgus, uti plerumque solet et maxume Numidarum, ingenio mobili, seditiosum atque discordiosum erat, cupidum novarum rerum, quieti et otio advorsum. dein conpositis inter se rebus in diem tertium constituunt, quod is festus celebratusque per omnem Africam ludum et lasciviam magis quam formidinem ostentabat. 3 sed ubi tempus fuit, centuriones tribunosque militaris et ipsum praefectum oppidi T. Turpilium Silanum alius alium domos suas invitant. eos omnis praeter Turpilium inter epulas obtruncant, postea milites palantis inermos, quippe in tali die ac sine imperio, aggrediuntur. 4 idem plebes facit, pars edocti ab nobilitate, alii studio talium rerum incitati, quis acta consiliumque ignorantibus tumultus ipse et res novae satis placebant. 67 1 Romani milites, inproviso metu incerti ignarique, quid potissumum facerent, trepidare. arcem oppidi, ubi signa et scuta erant, praesidium hostium obsidebat; portae ante clausae fugam prohibebant; ad hoc mulieres puerique pro tectis aedificiorum saxa et alia, quae locus praebebat, certatim mittere. 2 ita neque caveri anceps malum neque a fortissumis infirmissumo generi resisti posse: iuxta boni malique, strenui et inbelles inulti obtruncari. 3 in ea tanta asperitate saevissumis Numidis et oppido undique clauso Turpilius praefectus unus ex omnibus Italicis intactus profugit. id misericordiane hospitis an pactione aut casu ita evenerit, parum comperimus, nisi, quia illi in tanto malo turpis vita integra fama potior fuit, inprobus intestabilisque videtur.

Bellum Iugurthinum Perseus (Sallust. Bellum Iugurthinum. (No bibliographic information found).) — 67 focus

Romani milites, improuiso metu incerti ignarique, quid potissimum facerent, trepidare. Arce oppidi, ubi signa et scuta erant, praesidium hostium, portae ante clausae fuga prohibebant; ad hoc mulieres puerique pro tectis aedificiorum saxa et alia, quae locus praebebat, certatim mittere. Ita neque caueri anceps malum neque a fortissimis infirmissimo generi resisti posse: iuxta boni malique, strenui et inbelles inulti obtruncari. In ea tanta asperitate saevissimis Numidis et oppido undique clauso Turpilius praefectus unus ex omnibus Italicis intactus profugit. Id misericordiane hospitis an pactione aut casu ita evenerit, parum comperimus, nisi, quia illi in tanto malo turpis vita integra fama potior fuit, improbus intestabilisque videtur.

Notes on the current edition

The Jugurthine War

1. LXVII. Were in trepidation. At the citadel, etc.] I have translated this passage in conformity with the texts of Gerlach, Kritzius, Dietsch, Müller, and Allen, who put a point between trepidare and ad arcem. Cortius, Havercamp, and Bernouf have trepidare ad arcem, without any point. Which method gives the better sense, any reader can judge.

2. On the roofs of the houses]

Pro tectis œdificiorum.

In front of the roofs of the houses; that is, at the parapets.

"In primâ tectorum parte."

Kritzius. The roofs were flat.

3. Worthless and infamous character]

Improbus intestabilisque.

These words are taken from the twelve tables of the Roman law: See Aul. Gell. vi. 7; xv. 3. Horace, in allusion to them, has intestabilis et sacer, Sat. ii. 3. 181. Intestabilis signified a person to be of so infamous a character that he was not allowed to give evidence in a court of justice.

Sallust Bellum Iugurthinum 67

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

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