Sallust, Bellum Iugurthinum, 22

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Legati in Africam maturantes veniunt, eo magis quod Romae, dum proficisci parant, de proelio facto et oppugnatione Cirtae audiebatur; sed is rumor clemens erat. Quorum Iugurtha accepta oratione respondit sibi neque maius quicquam neque carius auctoritate senatus esse. Ab adulescentia ita se enisum, ut ab optimo quoque probaretur; virtute, non malitia P. Scipioni, summo viro, placuisse; ob easdem artis a Micipsa, non penuria liberorum in regnum adoptatum esse. Ceterum, quo plura bene atque strenue fecisset, eo animum suum iniuriam minus tolerare. Adherbalem dolis vitae suae insidiatum; quod ubi comperisset, sceleri eius obviam isse. Populum Romanum neque recte neque pro bono facturum, si ab iure gentium sese prohibuerit. Postremo de omnibus rebus legatos Romam brevi missurum. Ita utrique digrediuntur. Adherbalis appellandi copia non fuit.

Bellum Iugurthinum. Sallust. . .

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Bellum Iugurthinum (Sallust. Bellum Iugurthinum. (No bibliographic information found).)

Editions (1)

Bellum Iugurthinum Perseus (Sallust. C. Sallusti Crispi Catilina, Iugurtha, orationes et epistulae excerptae de historiis. Ahlberg, Axel Wilhelm, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1919.) — 23 focus

1 Iugurtha ubi eos Africa decessisse ratus est neque propter loci naturam Cirtam armis expugnare potest, vallo atque fossa moenia circumdat, turris extruit easque praesidiis firmat; praeterea dies noctisque aut per vim aut dolis temptare; defensoribus moenium praemia modo, modo formidinem ostentare; suos hortando ad virtutem adrigere; prorsus intentus cuncta parare. 2 Adherbal ubi intellegit omnis suas fortunas in extremo sitas, hostem infestum, auxili spem nullam, penuria rerum necessariarum bellum trahi non posse, ex iis, qui una Cirtam profugerant, duos maxume inpigros delegit; eos multa pollicendo ac miserando casum suom confirmat, uti per hostium munitiones noctu ad proxumum mare, dein Romam pergerent. 24 1 Numidae paucis diebus iussa efficiunt. litterae Adherbalis in senatu recitatae, quarum sententia haec fuit:

2 'Non mea culpa saepe ad vos oratum mitto, patres conscripti, sed vis Iugurthae subigit, quem tanta lubido extinguendi me invasit, ut neque vos neque deos inmortalis in animo habeat, sanguinem meum quam omnia malit. 3 itaque quintum iam mensem socius et amicus populi Romani armis obsessus teneor; neque mihi Micipsae patris mei beneficia neque vostra decreta auxiliantur; ferro an fame acrius urgear, incertus sum.

4 Plura de Iugurtha scribere dehortatur me fortuna mea, et iam antea expertus sum parum fidei miseris esse; 5 nisi tamen intellego illum supra quam ego sum petere neque simul amicitiam vostram et regnum meum sperare. utrum gravius existumet, nemini occultum est. 6 nam initio occidit Hiempsalem fratrem meum, deinde patrio regno me expulit. quae sane fuerint nostrae iniuriae, nihil ad vos. 7 verum nunc vostrum regnum armis tenet; me, quem vos imperatorem Numidis posuistis, clausum obsidet; legatorum verba quanti fecerit, pericula mea declarant. 8 quid est reliquom nisi vis vostra, quo moveri possit? 9 nam ego quidem vellem, et haec, quae scribo, et illa, quae antea in senatu questus sum, vana forent potius, quam miseria mea fidem verbis faceret.

10 Sed quoniam eo natus sum, ut Iugurthae scelerum ostentui essem, non iam mortem neque aerumnas, tantummodo inimici imperium et cruciatus corporis deprecor. regno Numidiae, quod vostrum est, uti lubet, consulite; me manibus inpiis eripite, per maiestatem imperi, per amicitiae fidem, si ulla apud vos memoria remanet avi mei Masinissae.'

Translations (1)

Jugurthine War Perseus (Sallust. Sallust, Florus, and Velleius Paterculus. Watson, J. S. (John Selby), translator. London: Harper & Brothers, 1899.) — 22 focus

These deputies soon arrived in Africa, using the greater dispatch, because, while they were preparing for their journey, a report was spread at Rome of the- battle which had been fought, and of the siege of Cirta; but this report told much less than the truth.¹ Jugurtha, having given them an audience, replied, "that nothing was of greater weight with him, nothing more respected, than the authority of the senate; that it had been his endeavor, from his youth, to deserve the esteem of all men of worth; that he had gained the favor of Publius Scipio, a man of the highest eminence, not by dishonorable practices, but by merit; that, for the same good qualities, and not from want of heirs to the throne, he had been adopted by Micipsa; but that, the more honorable and spirited his conduct had been, the less could his feelings endure injustice; that Adherbal had formed designs against his life, on discovering which, he had counteracted his malice; that the Romans would act neither justly nor reasonably, if they withheld from him the common right of nations;² and, in conclusion, that he would soon send embassadors to Rome to explain the whole of his proceedings." On this understanding, both parties separated. Of addressing Adherbal the deputies had no opportunity.

Sallust Bellum Iugurthinum 22

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