prince and soueraigne of all the worlde They sayde Cesar was driuen therto by reason that through his great and large liberalitie he owed aboue DCCC.xxx talentes Some saye that all these thynges were feyned and blowen abrode by their enemies and shoulde in no wyse be beleued that so noble men shoulde confederate them selues with Lentulus Catiline and Cethegus desperate caitiues What certeine knowledge I haue of eyther of them I wyl after in place conuenient declare But when these men that I haue rehersed were there assembled together Catiline tooke them a parte and thus he sayde ¶ The oracion of L Catiline to hys felowes of the conspiracie Cap. v. YOVRE incredible faythefulnes and the great fortitude and manhode that I haue alwaye perceiued in you dothe encourage my herte yea and putteth me in greate hope not onelye to recouer libertie but also to enlarge and augmente our olde dignitie For whan I loke and well beholde eche of you I se no man in this companye that hath not done some noble and worthye acte ne no man but that he derely tēdereth my welth ne no man but either he hath done me pleasure or els I him ne no man but that I am bounde to remembre for euer more his goodnes toward me And therfore now I haue no feare to disclose and open vnto you what I purpose and intende nor I haue no drede nor mistruste but that eche of you wil endeuour hym to the vttermoste of your power to accomplysshe and bringe to effecte that that I shall shewe you For the olde lawe of iuste and trewe amitie that of a longe time hath ben betwene vs is that frendes shulde alwaye wyll one thynge nor there is no bonde of frendshyppe more certayne and sure then the consent and societie of counsayll and wyll And therfore in this cause most specially your wyls and myne ought to be one for soo moche as ye shall well perceiue that those thinges that my harte so sore desyreth to bringe to passe are egally good and euyll bothe for you and me Oftentimes by my selfe thinking on the miseries that we many yeres haue benne wrapped in and as me semeth shall be styll onlesse your moste prudente wysedomes woll prouide remedy I am wonte to call to remembraunce what a wretched life we shal leade in time to come without we set our selfe at libertie For I nede not to reherse to you your selfe beare it well inoughe in in remembraunce howe many and dyuers hurtes and griefes we haue endured sithe the moste common wele through the crueltie of certayne vngratious persones was permitted and let slippe to be vnder the rule order and power of a fewe and suche as began to take more vpon them then all the rest besyde For I lettinge passe to reherse the mishappe and chaunce that ech of vs hath had you maye with one regarde beholde all vs that be here noble stronge and valiante men whiche often tymes for the common weale haue not eschewed perylles moste greate and greuous and hauynge neyther lande nor rent lefte as wretches nedy sorowfull and out castes haue as moche as we can do to defende our liues fame citie and goodes But they whiche violate vexe and trouble all together bothe the lawe of god and mā not onely walowinge in riches and welthe pleasantlye passe awaye theyr tyme where they luste but also euery thynge beinge done at theyr commaundement and wyl seke wayes and meanes to attrappe and destroye the moste noble and valiant men of our citie and they them selfe are in doubte of nothinge finallye theye haue and exercise a regall power I haue no word more greuous when I name this royal power but surely theyr power is greatter than a kinges What kingdome was there euer that had mo kynges at one tyme what kinge was there euer so mightie and soo stronge the whiche had a power to constitute and make kynges But these men haue full power to rule all prouinces and depriue free nacions of theyr landes and to geue and dispose other mennes royalmes and kyngedomes To these men all the whole world kynges princes and straunge nacions haue ben alwaies tributours And so they haue all the power fauoure ryches worshyp and honoure To the satisfiynge of the whole couetousenes surelye it semeth all the whole worlde is to lyttell and ouer straite But nowe if they wolde seeke only to haue the power riches and honoure they shulde be to vs greuous but yet they mought be suffered and borne But what is he that can endure and suffer that they hauynge abundance of cattell golde syluer iuorie ryche araye costlye howsholde stuffe and other thynges shulde daylye lye in awaite to catche vs in some snare that are nedy and want al these thynges and that are with their boastynges and bragges greuouslye wronged ye and beside that to goo aboute styl to depriue vs of this oure sorowfull and most wretched lyfe We are sore thretened and are in perpetuall peryll and dreede of them oure iudgementes and puttynge from all roumes and offices are prepared Whyche thynges howe longe wyll you most valiaunte and noble men pacientlye beare and suffer Were it not better for a man a thousande tymes to dye then to lyue in that citye where he is an abiecte contemned and despised of all other desperate and forsaken tremblynge and quakynge mistrustinge his owne affaires not so hardye to speke without lybertie without auctorite and wythout any shappe of free man Yea and to be subiecte to those the whiche if wee had a common weale wolde be in feare and dreede of vs. Wherfore moste hardy and valiant men let vs at laste shake of our stuggishenesse and let vs take suche hart and courage as besemeth noble Romaynes borne Our forefathers coulde not suffre the proude kynge Tarquimus and canne we suffer not one kynge but many moste cruell tyrantes Surely I will neuer leaue you I wyll monishe you I wyll teache and instructe you I wyll alwaye declare to you what I thynke beste to be done there shall no tyme escape me neyther night nor daye but that I woll minde and imagine what soo euer concerninge oure libertye ought to be thought on that thynge that oughte to be entreprised and done wyll not I make courtsye to doo but shall desyre and praye you to haue the doinge therof fynally I wyll do that that becometh a worthy Romayne to do that is for our libertie I wyll put my life in ieoperdy But I protest before god and man that the victorie is in our handes if we wyll playe the men We haue here at hande Syllas souldiours withe all theyr fauour strengthe and one assente redye to ayde vs by whose sodeyne commynge we shall shortelye haue a stronge and sure hoste of men With like diligence fauour and loue to recouer libertie the moste bolde and valiante men Gn. Piso and P. Siccinius Nucerius haue conspired with vs of the whiche the tone is in the hither Spayne with a great
crueltie and retourne to wryte of hys behaueoure in thys warre of Numidie vnder Marius ¶ After that this Sylla as I haue saide before was come to Affrike and to the hoste of Marius with hys company of horsemen within shorte season he became mooste experte in chiualrie and craftie aboue all other howe be it before this tyme he was but rude and ignorante in dedes of chiualrie And moreouer he treated gouerned his souldiours with maners and meekenes And gaue rewards to many to some which desired him and to some other of his owne pleasure not desired therto But he wolde take no rewardes nor gyftes againe without it were against his wyll And if he so dyd at any tyme againste his wyll than was he more readie to giue againe that which was geuen to hym than to pay that money which he had borowed of other He demaūded nothing againe of any man though it wer due and det to hym but rather he labored and endeuored hym selfe that many might be in his det and bi such meanes to haue them bound to him And how be it that he was one of the greatest of Rome yet disdained he not the cōpany of the most symple souldiours of the hoste but cōmuned and acompanied with them both in sportes and in sadnes In labours he was alway ready In bataile and watching with other busines of war he suffered no man to be before hym Nor in the meane season he neyther hurt the good name of the consul nor of none other good man which thyng men desirous of worshyp honour be often wonte to do for in dispraysinge of other they thynke to obtaine greate laude to thē selfe He only lobored that none myght passe hym neither in counsell nor in myght or manhod of his handes But he passed manye By whiche maners and condicions in shorte tyme he became verye deere and welbeloued not onely to Marius but also to all the hooste ¶ How Marius preuayled in batayl againste the .ii. kinges Jugurth and Bocchus The .lvi. Chapter BVt whan Iugurth had lost the towne of Capsa as is sayd before and diuerse other fortresses and other places defensyues whiche to him wer profitable And also a great quantite of his treasour wherin he mooste trusted Anone he sente messangers to kynge Bocchus requiring him in al hast to come to Numidy to bring his army with him saing that it was hye time to make bataile with Marius But whan he vnderstode that Bocchus prolonged the time in ouerlong tarieng haueyng diuers considerations and war as he that was in dout of the chaunce and fortune of the ende therof Jugurth agayne corrupted the next of his counsel with giftes in likewse as he had done before and promised vnto the king Bocchus himselfe the third part of the kingdome of Numidy if the Romains were dryuen out of Affrike or if the warre shulde be brought to ende with out losse or diminishing of his kingdome and marches thereof The kinge Bocchus induced with hope of this reward with a great multitude of people came to Iugurth and adioyned both their armies together in one ¶ At this tyme Marius wyth hys company was in his iournay toward a prouince which was in the coost of Affrike and apartained to thempire where the sayd Marius purposed to rest with his cōpany tyl the winter were paste But whan he was in his iourney and in least doute Jugurth and Bocchus both together inuaded and set vpon him his men whan the tenth part of the day scarsely remained This dyd they thinking that the night which was nere come shuld to them be great socour and defence if they were ouercome if they dyd ouercome the Romains it shuld be to them no damage nor impediment bicause they knewe the contrey place better then the Romaines But on the other syde bothe these chaunces in darkenes were hard and contrary to the Romains for they knewe not the coastes of that cōtrey Marius anone had vnderstanding of the cōmyng of his enemies by many of his espyes but it was ouer late For as sone as he hadde worde his enemies were euen at hande In so much that before the army coulde be set in order or araye and or they could remoue or gather together their baggage whych at that tyme was abrode and before they could take any commaundement of theyr captayne by worde or sound of trumpets The horsemen of the Mauriens and of the Getulians ran together vpon them not in order or araye of batayl but by companies and bendes together as it fortuned them to come togther in heapes and clusters The Romains for the moste parte were all amased and greuousely abashed for that sodaine and vnprouided feare Neuertheles they forgat not their olde manhod and strength Some drewe them to theyr armoure and other some whiche were armed already defended their felowes tyl they armed them selfe Other some mounted on horsebacke and boldely rode againste their enemies and encountred them valiauntly The fyghte on both partyes was more lyke a skyrmishe amonge brygandes and rouers then to any appointed or ordered batayle For the horsemen and fotemen were myngled together without standerdes cognisances or any ordinaunce araye or order The Mauriens and Numidians were fierse on their syde Some of the Romains they beate downe and ouerthrew Some they wounded mortally And many they berefte vtterly of their lyues and slew them in that place The remenant whiche sharplye and manlye resisted they compased them aboute on euerye side and as well behynd as before assailed them so that neyther manhod strength nor armour was able sufficiently to defend them And no maruel for their enemies were mo in nomber than they and compassed them aboute on euery syde of them But finally the Romayne souldiours which were both of olde and newe therefore both strong bolde and craftie in batayle gathered them as nere together as they myght And wher it fortuned any nomber of them to meete together they tourned backe to backe and ioyned them round one with another in maner of a compasse or cyrcle and so they saued and defended them selfe together that on the backe halfe no man coulde assaile them but if he brake in thorowe the myddes of them which was in maner impossible By this maner they sustayned the myghte of they re enemies and also saued them selfe Nor their captayne Marius in this ieoperdous and sharpe busynes was not afrayed at all nor of lesse corage and boldenes then he was before but styrred about euery where in the batayle And his men of garde about hym whom he had chosen rather of the strongest and boldest menne of the hoste than of suche as were moste familiar wyth hym For he set more by the audacitie of them than by the familiaritie of the other namely in suche a ieopardous case Somtime he socoured his souldiours in their nede or suche as he sawe in paryl And somtyme he ran in among his enemies wher thei wer
lordeshyp honour and authorite by fraude and falshode rather then by very vertue or good meanes and laudable After such maner as if the offyce of a hye Juge of a Tresourer a Cōsull a Prouost and all suche other great offices were noble excellente of them selfe And nat in maners as if suche offices shulde be counted of worthines and dignite after as the vertue and honour is of such as rule in the same offices and by rowmes But playnlye affirmynge the treuth the man maketh the office noble and worsshypefull yf his maners shyne by vertue But yf his conuersacion be contrary no offyce no rowme can make hym noble nor worshypfull But this omittyng I haue proceded in this prologue wyth ouer ferre circumstaunce and also wyth somewhat to moche libertie of wordes more than in a preface is requisite for that it pyteeth me of these tedious maners of this oure citye of Rome But now wyl I come to my mater purposed and fyrst interpryse begonne ¶ Of what matter Salust intendeth to treate in proces of hys boke and what causes moueth hym of suche mater to wryte The fyrste Chapter IN this warke I purpose to wrytte of the warre whiche the Romaynes had an executed agaynste the tyrannye Iugurthe wronfully vsurpyng the name of a kynge ouer the lande of Numidy Many causes moueth me by writinge to commend this warre to perpetuall memory Fyrst for that in the same was foughten at many tymes with greate multitude of men on eyther partie with moche cruell murdre and variable victorye the Romaines sometyme sometyme the Iugurthius preuaylyng in victory Forthermore bycause that fyrst at this batayle and from thens forwarde the commen people of Rome matched with the princes resistynge theyr pryde For where as before this tyme the noble men of Rome oppressed subdued the commens with vnresonable rigoure the commens elect one named Marius a man of basse byrth to be cōsul of Rome and captayne in this batayle whiche after he had obtayned victory ouer Iugurth with greate glorye triumph and fauoure of the commentie he supported thē in suche wyse agaynst the noble men that of the same rose a cyuile bataile and greuous discorde betwene the noble men and commens of Rome Marius maintenyng the commens partie and Silla susteyninge that partie of the noble men In somoch that finallye bytwene these two partes and captayns of the same was foughten an vnkynde vnnaturall and cruell batell to the greuous ruine of the Romaine empire and subuercion of the cōmen wele whiche contention and variaunce confounded bothe the lawes of god and man and by the same were all good ordinaunces disordred And this same furious debate and folye proceded at last to so vnresonable madnesse excecate fury that it neuer desisted nor this varyaunce and discencion bytwene the noble men and commens neuer ceased tyll tyme that cruell mortall batayle foughten bytwene both parties tyl tyme that also distructiō of the land of Italy compelled both parties at last to consyder theyr owne blynde folye and cruell furor so finallye to mittigate and fynishe theyr debate and vnresonable dyssencion But fyrst or I begyn to write of this batell I shall repeate and declare a few thinges done before this war began to th entent that al thinges moost chiefe worthye expedient to be knowē may be more euidēt open clere to the reders ¶ How the kynge Massinissa came into the fauoure of the Romayns and howe the lande of Numydy was commytted vnto hym The second Chapter THe Romayns had thre notable famous batayls agaynste the Carthaginences in whiche the same Romayns had great dāmage Howe be it in conclusion of euery batayle they wanne victorye of theyr ennemyes in the seconde of these batailes what tyme Haniball duke and captayne of the Carthaginences wasted the welth and riches of Italy more thā any other enemy had euer done before after the Romayns beganne to haue any greate name and to delate theyr dominion A famous prince named Massinissa kynge of the lande of Numydy was receyued into frindshippe and fauour of the Romaynes by one Publius Scipio captayne of the sayd Romaynes whiche Scipio afterward for his manhode was named Scipio affrycan bycause he ouer came and subdued the lande of Affrike This Massinissa so receyued into fauour of the Romayns in the foresayde batayle dyd many noble and famous actes of chyualry with hygh valiantise and corage For whiche dedes after the Romayns had ouercome the Carthaginences and theyr citie and after they had taken prisoner the king Sciphax which had in Affrik a worthy great and large impire the people of Rome gaue frely vnto the same kynge Massinissa all suche cities and landes as they had taken and wone in batayle For whiche benefites so magnificent and ample Massinissa cōtinued vnto them in profitable and faythful frendshyp hys life induring but at last his lyfe ended and the welth of his empire decayed also with hym This kynge departyng lefte behynd hym thre sonnes whose names were Macipsa Manastaball and Galussa of whome Micipsa suceded his father and alone obtayned the kyngedome after that the other two brethern Manastabal and Galussa were departed frome this lyfe by sickenesse This Micipsa had two sonnes named Adherball Hiempsall But Manastaball his brother which departed as sayd is left behynd him one sonne nat lauflly borne but a bastarde begoten of his cōcubine wherfore departing he lefte hym orbate withoute lande or lyuelode This consyderinge Micipsa suffered hym nat to faute nor decaye but forasmoche as he was his brothers sonne receyued hym into his court hym cherished in lyke wise as he dyd his owne sonnes Adherbal Hiemsal This Iugurth after that he was a lytel growen vp to age was myghty in strength comely and fayre of face but moost of all excellente of wyt wysedome Nor he gaue nat hym selfe to be corrupte with lust nor incraftye slouthe but as is the custome maner of the people of Numidi hymselfe he exercised somtyme in rydyng somtime in castyng the dart iustyng somtyme in ronnyng wrestlynge with his companyons of lyke age And nat with standyng that in laud and prayse he passed al his peres yet none enuied hym but he was derely beloued cheryshed lauded of al men Moreouer he passed moche of his tyme in huntynge of wyld bestes which in that land habounded he was the firste or one amonge the firste which durst assaile and stryke the lyon and other cruell and wylde bestes he dyde moche lytel sayd or bosted of hymselfe For suche demeanour his vncle Micipsa at first begynnynge was gladde and ioyefull supposynge that in tyme to come the manly behauour strength of Iugurth shuld be glory honour to al his kyngdome But afterwarde in processe of tyme whan he cōsydred vnderstode his lyfe approchinge fast to ende hys naturall sonnes yonge and vnexperte And this yonge man Iugurth in honour and fauour dayly encreasing more and more
retynue which thing I know for certayne is to your greate pleasure and gladnes For his worthy merytes he is right dere and wel beloued vnto vs. And we shall deuoyr vs to the best of oure power that he may bee lyke deere and well beloued of all the senatours people of Rome I am surely ryght ioyefull on youre behalfe of this youre treasoure Iugurth thauncient amyte betwene you and me byndeth me to be gladde of this your commodite For certaynely lo here haue ye a man of Iugurth wrrthy to discende of such noble stocke as ye are and as his grandefather Massinissa was in his dayes whom he foloweth in all poyntes of vertue and magnanimite ¶ Howe the kyng Micipsa adopted Iugurth vnto his sonne The fyfte Chapter WIth these letters of Scipio Iugurth retourned vnto Numidy vnto his vncle Mycipsa where he was worthely and ioyefully receiued of the coÌ„mentie But after that the king Micipsa vnderstode by these letters of commendacion of the captayne Scipio that the valiaunte and noble actes of Iugurth were trewe whiche longe before he had harde by report of the coÌ„men fame thaÌ„ what for the nobles of Iugurth and fauoure bothe of his dedes and commendacion of Scipio he moued his mynde chaunged froÌ„ his forsayd purpose and not forther intended to oppresse Iugurthe by malyce nor enuy But concluded to attempt to ouercome him with benefites and kindnesse to th entent that he so ouercome shulde not in tyme to come fynde in his hert for pyte to indommage hym nor his heyres And sone after this purpose the same Micipsa adopted Iugurth vnto his sonne and farthermore decreed ordayned in his testament that Iugurth shulde be one of his heyres and partener in possession of his kingdome togyder with his two natural soÌ„nes Adherbal Hiempsall But a fewe yeres after this ordinaunce Micipsa what by age what by sykenesse drew nere vnto his end of lyfe and was consumed by age and disease wherfore consideryng his deth so fast approchynge it is sayd that he called Iugurth before him and than before many of his frendes and kynsmen also in preseÌ„ce of his two natural soÌ„nes Adherbal and Hiempsal he had to the same Iugurth such wordes as he herafter insue folowe ¶ The exortacion which the kyng Micipsa a lytell before his deth had to Iugurth The .vi. Chapter MI dere sonne Iugurth I knowe it is not oute of your remembrauÌ„ce howe after that ye had lost your father my brother I charitably louingly receiued you yonge of tender age into my kyngdome what tyme ye warre without riches wythout conforte and without any hope of comferte or ryches but very lykely to haue bene cast awaye This dyd I thinkyng that for these my benefytes and kyndnesse I shoulde bee vnto you not lesse intyerly beloued than of myne owne naturall chyldren with my body begotten Nor certainly this thing hath not disceiued me For why to ouerpasse your other great magnificente excellente dedes of you valyauntly done before specially now last of all coÌ„mynge from the warre of NumaÌ„ce ye greatly adourned and inhaunced to honoure glory bothe of mine owne person and this my kingdome And where as the Romaynes in fore times were frendes vnto vs by your vertue and manlye actes ye haue establyshed that amitie and of frendes made theÌ„ moche moore frendes So that in Hispayne the name glorie of oure householde by your manhode is renouate and renewed Thus finally ye haue ouercome the enuie of your yl willers onely by your glorious actes and valiaunt interprises whiche is one of the moost difficultie wherfore nowe my sonne Iugurth sithe it is so that nature hath nere concluded the ende of my life I admonishe charge and exhorte you by the faith of your right hand and by the faith and fidelite which ye owe to this my kingdome I obtest and require you that ye loue meintaine and cherishe these my two sonnes Adherbal and Hiempsall whiche of kinnered be nere to you and by my benefite and kindnes are bretherene vnto you Forthremore I exhorte you that ye counte not better and moore pleasure to acquainte and conioine vnto youe forayns or straungers rather than to retâ—yne suche as be ioyned to you by natural blode and kynred For neyther is a great army of men nor habundance of treasours the chefe socours or defence of a kyngdome but â—oche rather trusty faythfull frendes whome a man canne neyther compelled by force of armes nor yet bye with golde nor syluer to parseuer in stedfast amyte but they be optayned kept by kyndnesse good dedes fidelite faythfulnes But among all frendes who can be more frendlye stedfaste in amyte than brother to brother Certaynly none ought to be more louyng of natural inclination Or what strauÌ„ger shal ye fynd faythful and trusty to you if ye shewe your selfe ennemy to your owne kynsmen Forsothe if ye contynue togyder honest good louyng in agreable concorde bytwene your selfe thanne this kyngdome which I committe gaue vnto you shall continue sure and stedfast as it is nowe But coÌ„trarely if ye be yll and disagreynge among your selfe ye shal in short season make it ryght poore feble incertayne For by loue peace concorde small ryches small lordshyppes generally al smal thynges increase and multiplie by discorde the grettest thynges of the worlde decay and fall vtterly to ruyne But you my sonne Iugurthe by cause ye passe these myne other two naturall sonnes in age wysdome therfore it semeth you moche more than them to make suche wyse prouision bothe for your selfe and for them also that nothyng happen other wyse than well For in euery stryffe debate howe be it whiche is mightyer rycher often suffreth iniury Neuerthelesse it semeth more that he dothe wronge thanne his feble aduersary But ye my dere sonnes Adherball Hiempsall se that ye worshipe and loue this Iugurth your worthy vncle And bewar that ye nat offende nor dysplease hym but folow his vertue manly behauour And do your deuoir to the best of your power after his example behauynge your selfe so discretly so wysely that it be nat hereafter reported by me that I haue taken vnto me by adoption better chyldren than I haue begotteÌ„ Thus concluded the kyng Micipsa his words Howe be it Iugurth well perceyued the kynges wordes but fayned and spoken agaynst his herte if any other remedy myghte haue bene founde neuertheles he answered benygnely for the tyme all if he thought and reuoulued in his mynde moche otherwyse and contrary to his humble and mylde answere ¶ Howe the kyng Mycipsa departed from lyfe and of the fyrst cause of dissencion and discord betwene Iugurth Aâ—herball and Hiempsall The .vii. Chapter NOt long after the kynge Micipsa decessed whose deathe was dolourous and sore bewayled of all his subiectes but most of all to his naturall sonnes it was to be lamented and not without greate cause as the processe of this
honoure and not by falsehoode and robberie Haue ye not dayly experience seynge that symple bondmen bought solde for money wyl not suffer nor endure the vniust commaundementes of theyr lordes or maisters But contrarye wyse ye gentylmen fre borne cetezyns are contented to suffre wyth meke myndes thys bondage wherin ye are holden subiecte by the power of these lordes But I praye you what maner of men be these whiche thus subdue you and presume thus longe to occupy the commen weale at this season Forsothe they be menne most vicious â–ª with bloddy handes infected with the blode of innocentes Men of immoderate and insaciable couetyse noysom and greuous to euery good man Whose pride incredible no man can comprehend which for money haue sold dayly are redy for to sell for lucre theyr fidelite theyr worshyppe theyr deuocyon and good name And brefely all thynges honest dishonest are they redy to do for auantage Wherby it apereth euidently that all theyr ioye and felicite resteth in couetyse Some of them count hymself more assured bycause they haue slayne the protectours of the commentie to the intent that other may drede theÌ„ so much more And other some of them in wronge examinacions and inquisicions had agaynst you reioyse count them selfe hardy and surer therby And many other thinketh their defence and auauncement in murdring of you bostyng them selfe of the same and thus howe muche wors that eche of them doth the more sure he is more set by In so much that wher they ought to fere you for theyr mysdedes they transpose that fear vnto you and cause you by your cowardyse to fear and drede them whiche are conioyned al togyder agaynst you in one maner desyre of yl in one maner couetyse iÌ„ one hateredde of good in one maner fere of your auauncemet but among good men to be al of one mynde vnder this maner one not withstandynge an other it is to be counted for amyte and frendshyppe Among yl men such agreynge of maners is but a knot of discorde and causeth sedicion variaunce and debate But verily if ye had so great desyre and care to recouer your lybertye whiche is lost as they haue to encrease theyr lordeshyppe than shulde not the commen we le be oppressed and wasted as it is nowe and than shoulde the offices maiestershyppes and dignitees of Rome whiche are your benefites to gyue where lykethe you be in handes of good and vertuous men and not in the handes of bolde bosters and iniust men confederate in myschefe The comentie of Rome youre forefathers beefore this tyme haue armed themselfe and forsaken the senatours two sondrye tymes and kepte them selfe togyther vpon the hyll of Aduentyue onely bycause they wolde haue a lawe decreed and inacted of them And maisters or officers electe for them whiche shulde be theyr protectours againste the iniury and extorcyon of the estates whan nede shuldâ—â—â—quyre whiche thinge at last was graunted to them and manye other lyberties also Than shulde not â—e laboure mouche more wyth all youre myghte for coâ—seruacion of the same lyberties whiche they haue lâ—â—te vnto you as hole as euer they had them And speciall for this cause ought ye to defend your priuileges for that it is more shame and rebuke to lese the priuilege and lybertie goten than neuer to haue optayned them And speciallye what shame is it to you nothynge to augmente nor encrease that authorite whiche youre elders and forefathers haue lefte to you but to suffer the same by youre cowardise by lytell and lytell to decay and at laste vtterly to be loste come to noughte But anye of you maye than requyre of me what is youre mynde what wyll ye that we doo I wyll forsouthe and counsell that punyshemente be taken vppon them whiche haue betrayed the honour of the common wele vnto your enemy Iugurth without aduyse of the Senatours or of the commenty but this my counsel is not to punyssh them violenly with your power in batayle for certes that were more dyshonoure vnto you to do than to them to suffre the same Not withstandynge that they be worthy so to be delt withall But this thyng mai be best done bi inquysition examinacion and confession of Iugurth hymselfe and by his accusacion of these treatours whiche Iugurth surely wyll be obedient to come hyther to Rome at your commaundement if it be true that he hath yelded hymselfe But if he dyspise your commaundementes than may ye wel thinke and consider what peace or yeldinge he hath made by the which yeldyng he is vnpunyshed and pardoned of his detestable and shamefull dedes and these estates laded with richesse and treasure But our cite and welthe of the commenty is come to losse dammage and vtter shame disworshyp Thus muste ye do suche examinacions muste ye make without ye thynke that these great men haue not yet sufficieÌ„t lordshyppe and power in theyr handes or els without ye shewe outward that ye were better pleased and content with that season whan kyngdomes prouinces iustices lawes iugementes batayle peace finally euery thyng both diuine humaine were in handes of a few estates Than ye be now pleased with the season and tyme that now is whan your lybertie is gyuen to you which ye are able to mayntayne if ye so be disposed But in that season passed howe beit ye were vnouercome of your ennemies maisters and emperours ouer the most part of the worlde yet had ye ynough to do to defende your own lyfe from the cruelty of these few mighty men For of you al who was so bolde to withstaÌ„d their subieccion and boÌ„dage Wherfore if ye entend to endure and suffre the destruction of your libertie as ye begyn than truely the tyme which is to come shal be much more cruell to you than the tyme passed But as for me not withstandyng that I vnderstand the great offence and abhominable of this wycked Iugurth is suffred vnpunyshed yet wolde I suffre paciently that ye shulde forgyue and pardoÌ„ the wicked doers of this dede as men most vngracious bycause they be citezins If it wer not so that such mercy and forgyuenes shulde tourne to our dystruction and ruyne of our empire For ye may se how great oportunite sufferance they haue in somoch that they counte but a smal thyng to do vnhappely without punishment Wherfore they now dayly encrease theyr cruelty against you if ye do not herafter take from them the power and authorite therof And specially coÌ„tynual busynes without end shal remayne vnto you whan ye se playnly that outher ye must be seruauntes or bondemen or els ye must retaygne and defende your libertie by strength of your handes For what hope or trust is there of faithfulnes or of concord bytwene you and them None surely For their mynde is vtterly set to be lordes ouer you and ye on the other parte wyl nedes be fre and at libertie They be extremely inclined and
he reueyled many thynges in minde greatly moued with such solicitude and busenesse Forthermore he consydred that all men of kynde be naturally inclyned to desyre to rule and commaunde by lordeshyppe rather than to be ruled and subiecte And howe man is proue and hedlyng inclined to fulfyll the desyers of his mynde dredynge no daungers nor suspectynge no peryl while he is excecate by ambicion and desyre of lordship Moreouer aduisyng the oportunite of his owne age of the age of his chyldren whiche for youth were not able to resyst any power or violence which oportunite is wonte to be not small confort audacite and courage not onelye to bolde hertes but also to meane men and cowardes intendyng to conspyre agaynst theyr princes in hope of praye and promocions Suche consyderacyons feared sore the mynde of Micipsa besyde these hys drede and doloure was augmented whan he behelde the fauoure and hertes of all his subiectes of the lande of Numidy vtterly inclyned to Iugurth wherefore to put to death the same Iugurth by anye gyle as hys purpose was to to he dreade moost of all dowtynge leste thereof myght succede bytwene hym and hys subiectes some insurrexion or battayle Micipsa compased on euery syde wyth these dyfficultyes was soore troubled in mind And whā he saw the nother by strēgth nor gyle he might destroy a man so well beloued of the commens as was Iugurth at last he deuised an other waye to ryde hym and that without daunger or suspeccion wherfore wherfore Micipsa aduertynge that Iugurth was redy of hande to strike auenterous moche desyrous of honour and laude of chiualry he concluded with himselfe to obiect hym to daunger peryl of war and by that meane to assay the fortune of batayle ¶ Now at the same seasō the Romains warred against a cite of Hispayne named Numaunce vnto which war diuers kinges to the commens associate sent vnto them succours agaynst the same cite Among whom Micipsa also sent a fayre companye of horsmen and fotemen ouer whome he made Iugurth captaine and sent hym forth wyth them into Hispayne trustynge that there he lyghtlye shulde be ouerthrowen and slayne in batayle other in shewynge his manhod and strength or els by fyersnes and crueltye of his enemyes But this thynge fortuned moche contrary to his opinion For Iugurth was of mynde and courage valiaunt and bolde and of wytte quicke and redye so that after he had parceyued the disposision behauour and maners of Publius Scipio at that tyme captayne of the Romains and whā he had consydred also the maners of his ennemyes he behaued hymselfe in such wise with moch labour besines and cure in obeynge his captayne with so good maner and often tymes countryng his enemies without dred of perill In somoch that within shorte tyme he came to so great fame and worshyppe that vnto the Romayns he was marueylous dere and well beloued and of the Numantines dreade as deth and certaynly among the chefyst he was worthy and valiaunte in batayle and also good of counsell of wysedome pregnaunt and circumspect Whiche two thinges be muche harde to be in one man both togyder for wysedome is often wonte to make men aferde and to drede many peryls because of prouidence But boldnes and audacite causeth men to be rasshe and folehardy bycause of stout courage But his wysedome directed his strength and his strengthe was obediente to wysdome Wherfore Scipio the captaine dyd almost euery ieopardous and whyghty thing by hande and counsell of Iugurth hym countynge among his chefe frendes and daily cherysshed him more and more and no marueyle for there was no counsell nor interprise begone of Iugurth frustrate or in vayne but all came to good effect Besyde these gyftes aboue sayd he was curtes of mynde lyberal and of wyt right discreate and prudent by which giftes he adioyned vnto hym many of the Romayns in familier frendshype At that same season in the army of Rome were ryghte many newe and also auncient gentylmen whiche sette more by riches than goodnes or honeste At home in Rome were they sowers of dyscord and debatful great in fame among the frendes of the Romains But more famous by worshyppe and rowme than by honest conuersacion These kyndled the mynde of Iugurth nat a lytell-promising often tymes and sayenge to set his corage on fyre that if the kyng Micipsa discessed the time shulde come that Iugurth alone shulde enioye the hole kyngdome of Numidy wythout any partiner For in hym they sayde was greate vertue greate manhode strength and audacite wyth wisedome able to gouerne suche a kyngdō and nothing was so iniust and false but that might be iustified at Rome for gold and all thynges were there to be sold by couetyse of noble men ¶ Howe Publius Scipio counselled Iugurth at his departyng after the cyte of Numance was dystroyed The thyrde Chapter THus contynued Iugurth in the Romains army in Hispayne wyth greate fauoure of the Romains and namely of Scipio the captaine tyll at last the army of Rome had distroyed the sayde citie of Numance Thā Publius Scipio cōcluded to retourne agayne to Rome and to congye and lycence suche socours as were sente vnto him from other kynges amonge all other he called Iugurth vnto him and before the multitude of all the army assembled lauded and commended him magnificently recitynge his glorious actes and manly dedes of chyualry And after that worthely and rychelye rewarded hym for his labours This done he conueied hym into the captains tente and there secretly warned hym that he shuld continue and worshyp the frindeship of the people of Rome rather hole togyder and comenly thā priuatly leanyng to any singuler rulers Moreouer addynge these monicions that he shulde nat rather rewarde and be liberall to a fewe priuatly than to a hole commente sayeng that it was a perillous thyng to bye that of a fewe persons whiche belonge vnto many in commen If he wolde perseuer and continue in so noble condicions as he had begon he shulde shortely come to greate honour glory and dignite royall more than he wolde desyre But if he wolde procede and labour to ascende ouer hastely than shulde both he and his ryches fall heedlynge to ruyne and decaye After Scipio had sayd these wordes with suche like he licensed Iugurth to depart and sent him vnto his vncle Mycipsa againe into the lande of Numidy wyth letters directe vnto the same kynge Micipsa of whiche letters the tenure and sentence hereafter ensueth and was suche ¶ The sentence of the letter dyrect from Publius Scipio captaine of the Romayne army in Hyspayne vnto Micipsa kynge of Numidy The fourthe Chapter PVblius Scipio Captaine of the Romayne army in Hispayne sendeth helth and salutacion to Micipsa kynge of Numidy frende felowe of the empire of Rome The vertue strength and noblenes of your neuewe Iugurth whome ye sent vnto our socours hathe bene proued in this warre of Numance ferre excellent aboue any other warriour of our
of the place Anone as the Numidians had foūde him they slewe him without any mecri And as they were commaunded cutte of his hed brought the same to Iugurth but shortly after the fame of this cruell tyrannous dede was diuulgate ouer spred all the landes of Affrike Adherball and all they whiche were vnder subieccion of Micipsa whyle he lyued were sore troubled and abasshed with fere for this tyrannous crueltie of Iugurth The Numidians anone duyded themselfe into two parties The moost part drewe and leaned to Adherball but suche as were most manly and best to batayle drew them to the other parte and leaned to Iugurth Wherfore he made redy as great an armie as he myght ioininge vnto him and bringing vnder his subieccion the townes and cities of Numidi some by violence some other by theyr owne volūtary will Insomoch that finally he kept vnder his subieccion and bondage the hole lande of Numidy But notwithstanding that Adherbal had sent embassadours to Rome to certify the senatours of the deth of his brother how cowardly he was murdred also to informe thē of his own miserable fortune in what case he was neuer thelesse he made himselfe redy to fyght with Iugurth as he which had trust confidence in multitude of his souldyours assembled redy to batayle ¶ Howe Iugurth ouercame Adherball in battayl and putte hym to flyght howe Adherball fledde to Rome to complayne to the senatours and howe Iugurth accloyed wyth rewardes many of the rulers of Rome by whose fauour hys crueltie was defended The .ix. Chapter NOwe had Iugurth assembled hys hoost redy vnto batayle not lyke in multitude of the company of Adharbal but as I sayd before moche bolder better experte and exercised in warre On the other partie Adherball had his people redy apointed both the armyes approched togider But whan they ioyned batayle whan it came to byckerynge that the matter must be tryed with strokes Anone Adherball was vanquished and to saue his life fledde from the batayle into a prouince marchynge on the land of Numidi from thens with all hast sped him vnto Rome to complayne his miserable fortune to requyre socours as I shall after warde declare But thā Iugurth whē he had al the land of Numidy at his pleasure counselled with his frendes of many thinges At conclusion whan he considred himself that he had slaine Hiempsall and chased Adherball out of his kingdome whan he was ydle at rest he oftē secretly reuolued in mynd his owne crueltie sore dredyng what punisshmēt the Romains wold ordeine agaynst the same Nor against the ire displeasure of the Romains had he none other hope nor conforte saue in the couetyse of the noble men of Rome and in thabundaunce of his treasoure wherwith he trusted to corrupte the rulers of Rome to be fauorable to him This consydred within fewe dayes after he sent to Rome embassadours with moche golde siluer to whome he gaue in commaundement that first of al they shuld satisfy his olde frendes with rewardes and money and thā to spare no gyftes to get vnto him mo new frendes And brefely that they shulde not spare nor tary to procure vnto him fauourers mainteiners of his part and all thinges for his auauntage by giftes promisses But after these embassadours were come to Rome according to the cōmaundement of theyr king they gaue sent to his acquayntaunce and frendes and to suche as among the senatours at that time had most authorite large and great rewardes In somoche that anone among thē was so great a chaunge that the maruelous enuy hatred euyl wil which they had agaynst Iugurth was al chaunged into fauour grace among the noble men Of whome some wer so induced by gyftes receyued some other by hope of brybes in tyme to come that they went about among the senatours from one to one labourynge intreatyng that at that season nothyng shuld be extremely nor greuously determined against Iugurth Thus after the embassadours of Iugurth hadde confidence and trust ynough in theyr cause they laboured to haue a day apointed to apere in courte The day of apearaunce was graunted as wel to them as to Adherball to Adherball as playntife and to the embassadours as defendentes for Iugurth whan the daye assigned was come bothe the parties appered in courte before the senatours than after audience graunted Adherball began to speke vnder forme folowynge for complainte and declaracion of his iniuries and oppression ¶ Here insueth the oration of Adherball deuysed in forme deliberatiue in whiche he exhorteth the senatours to commaunde socours and ayde to be assigned vnto hym prouynge the same to be profytable honest and easy to the Romaines to do profitable that he myght continue a frende vnto the empyre of Rome honest for his father and graunfather hadde so deserued easy to be done for the Romains at that tyme had no other warre els where The .x. Chapter MOost discrete chosen fathers and noble senatours Micipsa my father at houre of his deth commaunded me that I shulde thinke nought els of the land of Numidie to apertaine to me saue onely the rule and admynistracion of the same affirmynge that the title of possession and empire of the same belonged to you and to the people of Rome Moreouer he gaue me in commaūdemente to do my deuoure to be vnto you seruisable aboue all thinges both in place and warre And that I shulde count you vnto me in place of kynsmen and nerest frendes of alyaunce Saienge that if I so dyd thā by your amite and frendshyppe I shuld fynde socoure riches and defence of the kyngdome of Numidy and of me and myne all tymes of nede whiche preceptes of my father whyle I caste in mynde to obserue sodaynlye Iugurthe the moost cruell and cursed of all men whome the grounde susteyneth dyspisynge youre empyre hathe dryuen me frome youre kyngdome and frome all my other goodes of fortune nothynge regardynge that I am neuewe of Massiniss◠and by myne auncestry a felowe and frende of the empyre and people of Roome But certaynlye worthye and chosen fathers sythe I am come to that myserye that necessytye constrayneth me to desyre youre ayde and succoures I wolde moche rather that I myghte call for youre helpe for myne owne merytes agaynste you doone than for the merytes of my forefathers and that by suche meanes of myne owne deseruynge youre benefytes and socours were due vnto me whiche wolde God that I neded not at all but yf this youre socoures myghte soo of you be desyred by my merytes and deseruynge than shulde I call boldlye to you and vse youre socours of duetye as myne auncestrye haue doone in tymes passed But nowe sythe it is soo that honeste lyfe and innocencye in thys worlde fyndeth lytell surenesse by theim selfe wythoute protection of some other Moreouer syth it was not in my power to mitigate nor to withstande this tyrannous iniurye
of Iugurthe Therfore chosen fathers I am nowe flede vnto you as to my chefe refuge coarted to necessitie to requyre youre socours and constrayned to put you to besynes and charge before I haue done anye pleasure or profete vnto you whiche thynge greued me moost of all and is one of my gretest myseryes Ryght worthy senatours other kynges haue ben receiued into your frindshyp fauoure after ye haue ouercō them in battayle or els perceyuinge them selfe in danger and in doubtefull chaunces of fortune they haue coueited and desyred your feloweshype and fauour rather for theyr owne we le than for yours But moch cōcontrarely our forefathers and rote of our linage Massinissa confederated hymselfe with the people of Rome in the secōd bataile of Carthage what tyme was more faythfulnes to be trusted in thē theyr good wil thē of welth or riches to be optained of the Romains beinge at that tyme assayled with warre on euery side theyr riches and treasours consumed by often batayles Thus it is euident that our auncestry confederat not themself to your felowship for their owne defence in hope of dominion nor for any other priuate profet but onelye for fauour loue whiche they had vnto your empire wherfore noble senatours suffre not the progeny and braunches of his stocke to be distroied Suffer not me which am neuew of your trusty frēd Massinissa to aske of you helpe and socoure in vaine But prudent fathers if it were so that I had none other cause to demaūd socours of you saue onely this miserable fortune wherewith I am oppressed that I whiche was lately a kynge by lyneall discent myghty of auncestry excellent and clere of fame habundaunte in riches and of men of armes and and now disformed by miserable calamite poore nedy so that I am constrained to seke helpe and socours of other men if I had none other mater whereof to cōplaine saue this miserable fortune onely Neuertheles it longeth and is conueniente to the magesty of the people of Roome to prohibite and to withstande iniurye nat to suffer the kyngedome or dominion of anye man to ryse and increase by falshode and mischeuous tyrannye And the ryght heires agaynst right agaynst iustice and agaynst reason to be excluded from theyr true heritage But verely I am excluded and cast forthe of that countrey which the Romaines in time passed gaue vnto my forefathers out of the which countrey my father and grandfather accompayned with your army helpe haue chased the kyng Siphax and also the Carthaginences bothe moost violente enmyes to the empyre of Rome Your benefites be spoyled fro me In this myne iniurye be ye dispysed Wo is me miserable exulate Alas my dere father Micipsa are youre good dedes and kyndnesses against Jugurth come to this poynte and conclusion that he before all other shoulde namelye be dystroyer of your lynage and chyldren whome ye haue made felowe with your owne sonnes and also partiner of youre kyngedome alas than shall oure stocke and houshold neuer be quyet Shal we alway be tossed and turned in effusion of blode and in batayle in exyle and in chasing from our countrie ¶ While the Carthaginences reigned in prosperite we suffered and that paciently and not vndeserued al cruelte vexation For then were our enemies on euery side of vs our frendes in whome we shulde haue found socoure at tyme of nede were ferre disioyned and separate from vs. Thus all our hope all our trust was in oure strength and armoure But nowe after that pestilente dystruction of the Carthaginences is chased and casten out of affrike we continued a tyme ioyfull quiet passinge oure life in peace and tranquilite for why we had no ennemy excepte paraduenture for any iniury done agaynste you ye wolde commaunde vs to take youre enmy for ours also as reason and ryghte requyred But now sodainly vnwarely to vs this Jugurth exaltyng him selfe by his intollerable audacite by cruelte pride hath first slaine my brother his own nere kinsman Hiempsall in augmenting his mischefe hath vsurped to him as in pray my brothers part porcion of the kingdome of Numidy after seing that he mighte not take me lyke maner of trayne as he had done my brother what time I douted nothing lesse than any violence or bataile in the kingdō whiche I holde of you he hath chased me as ye maie se out of your kingdome and hath made me as an abiect outlaw chased frō my coūtrey and dwelling place oppressed with pouertye laded with miseries In so moch that I maie be ī more surety saue garde in any place of the worlde than in owne natife countrey kingdome whiche I holde of you Forsoth worthy senatours I haue euer thought in like maner as I haue oftentimes herd my father Micipsa openly reporte with sadnesse saieng the they whiche shulde dyligentlye continue in youre frendship by theyr merites must take great labours at many tymes vpon themselfe in your causes but of all men they were most sure from iniury of any man And sothely all my linage hath done asmouche as in them was at your desyres And euer hath ben redy in all batails and nedes to assyst you Wherfore if ye folow the precepts of gratitude if ye bere in remembraunce these merites of myne auncestry it is both right honesty that in this myne extreme necessite ye ayde and socoure me and restore me againe to quietnesse whyle ye haue none othere businesse in hande whiche maye be to youe inpedimente in this enterprise Moost discrete fathers more brefely and clerly to declare vnto you my complaint and my myseries And also to certifie youre excellence moore playnlye of myne vnnaturall and vnkynde kynseman Jugurth and of his cruelte It is not vnknowen vnto youre maiestie that my father Micipsa after his departing lefte behynde him vs two brethern his naturall and lauful sonnes supposynge that by his benefites and merites Iugurth shulde be ioyned wyth vs as thyrde brother But alas muche contrary the one of vs is murdred by this cruell Iugurthe blynded by insaciable ambicion and desyre of dominion And I my selfe the second brother scarselye and wyth greate difficulte haue escaped his cruell and vnmercifull handes what maye I doo or whether shall I rathest flee for conforte vnhappye exulate thus desolate and infortunate as I am All the socours all the comforte of my stocke and kinred is extincte by dethe my grandfather Massinissa and my father Micipsa as necessite hathe constrayned them haue payed the generall tribute of nature delyuered frome these mundayne vexacions by naturall deth My nere kynsman Iugurth moch otherwyse thā it be came him to doo hathe cursedlye berefte my brother of his lyfe by tyranny and myscheuous couetise of dominion mine other kinsmen by consanguinite and affinite with mine other frendes by his cruelte bene also oppressed or put to dethe some by one meanes and some by other some of them be taken captiue
some put to shameful death of gybet galous or crosse wyth most cruel tourmēt some be casten to wylde and rauenous beastes to be deuoured of thē A fewe which ar left with theyr lyues ar closed ī dongions darkenes passīg theyr miserable liues with mournīg wayling more greuous thā dethe Thus am I inuironed with anguish on euery side But if it were so that all these socours whiche I haue lost by crueltie of Jugurth or if all thinges which be turned to me frō prosperite to aduersite remained to this hour hole with oute detriment or dāmage lyke as they were in my best estate yet certainly noble senatours if any yll or misfortune prouided shuld happen to me I durst be bolde to call your ayde and conforte Bycause it semeth you to haue cure of right and wrong belongyng to euery man consydryng the excellent magnitude gretnes of your empire and to suffer no vertue vnrewarded or vice vnpunished and finally no wretch oppressed to cōtinue vndefended But now moost of all syth I am exulate frō my natife countrey frome the kyngdome which my father ruled vnder you and from my owne house dwellynge place also nedy and poore of all thinges belongynge to myne estate and alone without company or defence to whome or to what place may I resorte or in whom may I cal for ayde or conforte in these my manifolde miseries Shall I resorte or call for socours of nations or of kynges adiacent and aboute the lande of Numidy alas I shulde lytell preuayle or nought at al. Sith al they for your amite ioyned with you be mortal ennemies to vs so oure linage maye I resorte to any contrey aboute vs but that I shulde fynde there many tokens of cruelte of warre which my fathers haue don in theyr times passed in your causes Whether shall any of them whiche haue bene olde ennemies haue mercy or compassion on vs nowe in this extremite But finally most noble senatours my father Micipsa thus ordred vs at his departinge and gaue vs in commaundement that we shulde obserue nor mentayne the frendeshyppe of none other king nor people saue onely of the people of Rome and that we shuld seke no new felowshype nor newe confederacions or bondes of concorde sayeng that in your frendshyp and helpe we shulde find great-socours ayde and that largely But if it shulde fortune that the welth of this your empire shuld fall into ruyne or change from this excellence which the goddes defende than sayde he that we and our kingdome of necessite shulde also decay togyther with you But nowe landed be the goddes by whose helpe and fauour and by your owne strength vertue ye be at this tyme myghty and riche al thyng to you is prosperous and to your cōmaundement obeyng Wherfore it is so moche more laufull easy and conueniente to you to take cure charge in redressynge thiniuries done to youre frendes and felowes I am onely in drede and dout of this one thyng lest the frendshipe and singuler fauoure of Iugurth not parfetly knowen as he is worthy do induce the mindes of some so parcialite against Iustice right I here vnderstande that suche laboure with all theyr myght for fauour of Iugurth goynge aboute from mā to man praing and intreating with moche solicitude many of you aparte by one and one desirynge and requyring you to determine nothyng against Iugurth while he is absent and the matter and cause not knowen perfetly I here suche persons corrupt with parcialitie and fauour obiectinge secretly agaynst me and sayeng that I fayne and ymagine these wordes to accuse Iugurth vndeseruyngly and that I fayne to be chased forthe of my lande by hym where as I might surelye ynoughe haue remayned within the kyngdome of Numidy That wold god I might se once the cursed vnkind kinsman of mine Iugurth by whose vnmerciful cruel dedes I am castē in these miseries in such case that he wer faining the same thinges vnder like maner as I faine thē at this time wold god I might ones se hī as truely without fayning driuen out the land of Numidy as I am now chased frō the same by his cruelty wold god that at last other ye or els the immortall goddes wold so care for the businesses troubles of vs miserable mē in erth that the same Iugurth which now bereth himselfe proud of his sīfull dedes shewinge himselfe coūting hī noble onely bicause he escapeth vnpunished for his sinne cruelte might therfore suffer greuous punishmēt with all my miseries other mischeues yls accordīg to his deseruing for his vnmerciful cruelte shewed against our father Micipsa ī murdrīg of my dere brother Hiempsal chasīg me forth of my natife coūtre thus oppressed with al miseries ī extreme necessite O my brother my brother Hiēpsal most dere to my hart of al creatures how be it nowe thy life is berefte that in thy flourīg youth lōg before thy natural hour of deth and that by cruelte of him whō it semed not of al mē so to haue done neuertheles me thīketh ī my mind this chaūce of thy deth more to be ioyed of thā to be sorowed For thou hast not onely lost thy life thy kingdom but also thou hast escaped this chasīg this flight this exile this ned this pouerty with al other wretchednesses miseries which oppresseth me wtout confort or socours But I vnhappy miserable exulate thus throwē downe frō my fathers kingdome into so many yls so greate myseries may wel be an example spectacle to al the world of the mutable courses wherein fortune turneth mankinde O my dere brother vncertayne am I what I doo whyther I thus distitute of socour ayde maye persecute and reuenge thy iniuries and thy deth or els whether I may prouide seke socours for recoueringe of the land of Numidy I am in that case that my life deth dependeth in the socour of other men wold god I were dead out of hande yf death mighte be an honeste conclusion of these my miserable misfortunes rather than to be counted as contente pleased to lyue in rebuke and shame as an exulate weryed and ouercome with iniures and giuenge place to the iniust cruelte of tyrannous persecucion and not able nor bolde to resiste the same But nowe certaynly it is against my wyl that I liue for in my life I haue no likinge nor pleasure yet can I not dye without disshonour Wherfore moost prudente fathers and noble senatours these premisses cōsidered I obtest and humbly requyre you in honour of the goddes immortall for the aunciente amite bytwene you my forefathers for the naturall loue which ye haue against your children and parentes and by the magestie of the people of Rome this your most excellēt empire haue pite of my manifold calamites socour this my miserie Resist this tirānous dealyng iniury of Iugurth cōmitted not onelye against my
wretched persoÌ„ but also against you your empire Suffre not the kingdoÌ„ of Numidy which is youre owne to decay be destroied by cruel tiraÌ„ny of Iugurth by the effusioÌ„ of blod murdre of the linage of Massinissa somtyme most faythfull and constant friend of this your empire ¶ How the embassadours of Iugurth replied against these wordes of Adherbal what direccion was taken for bothe partes of the Senatours of Rome The .xi. Chapter AFter that Adherbal in forme aboue writeÌ„ had ended his coÌ„plaint anone the embassadours of Iugurth arose answered brefely in few wordes as they whiche had more trust and confidence in theyr greate giftes giuen befoore to manye of the rulers of Rome than in any right of theyr cause thus they replyed in effecte saieng before the senatours that Hiempsall was slayne of the Numidians for his owne hastynes cruelte and not by knowlege of Iugurth and as touchyng Adherbaâ— he began warre agaynst Iugurth of his owne froward mynde without any occasion but after he was ouercome in batayle bycause he was not able to reuenge him self nor to make his partie good he fled vnto Rome to complayne hym to the senatours of Iugurth where al the faute was in himselfe in none other concernyng the partie of Iugurth they requyred the senatours in his behalfe in his absence to count him none other than he was proued knowen in the warre of Numance that they wold not set more by the wordes of his ennemy than by his dedes magnificently proued This saide anone after bothe parties departed in sonder from the court Immediatly the Senatours toke couÌ„sell what best was to be done in the cause The fauourers of Iugurth of his embassadours and more ouer a great part of the Senatours wer corrupt before by parcialite fauour and rewardes of Iugurth so deprauat that they contemned set at nought the wordes of Adherball exaltyng coÌ„mendynge the manhode of Iugurth with laude fauour couÌ„tenaunce voyce all other signes And so finally they laboured by al maner of meanes for an other myscheuous vice cruell crime to defende the same as if it had ben in defence of theyr owne honor worshyp honeste But on the other part were a fewe other whiche set more by iustice honeste than by false goten riches these counselled to socour Adherbal sharply to punisshe reueÌ„ge the death of HieÌ„psall But amonge al other of this opinion was one named Emilius Scaurus a man of noble byrth redy to disturbe euery busynes debatfull besye desirous of power of authorite of honour of riches but crafty in cloking of these his fautes After this Emiliê° Scaurê° sawe his gyueng of brybes of Iugurth so shamfully openly knowne he fered lest the corrupcion of the Senatours and head rulers of Rome might ingendre enuie debate and slaughter betwene them and the commons lyke as in suche cases often had fortuned in tymes before Wherefore in this consideracion he refrained his mynde at this tyme from his accostumed vnlawful lustes Neuertheles among the Senatours in this counsell the worste parte preuayled and that part which set more by fauour and rewardes then by right and equitie ouercame the other part whiche labored to sustaine the ryght without any fauour or parcialitie And so the fauorers of Iugurthe optayned their purpose and hys crueltie had no punyshement Neuertheles it was concluded and decreed that .x. embassadours shuld be sente into Numidie to deuide the kingdome which longed to Micipsa betwene Iugurth and Adherbal The principal of this ambassad was one named Lucius Opimus a man of noble fame of greate authoritie and power amonge the Senatours in those daies what tyme Caius Gracchus and Marcus Fuluius great fauorers of the coÌ„mens were slaine of the noble men of Rome for the same cause After victorie of the noble men againste the coÌ„mons the same two princes this L. Opimus enraged greuously with rigorous sharpe inquisicions examinacions against the pore comontie and was one of the chiefe oppressors of them What time this L. Opimus with his companie was come to Numidye Iugurth deuouringe all thinges whiche they maye ouercome But this omittinge I wyll now brefelye declare what maner people firste of all inhabited this couÌ„trey of Affrike what people thither resorted to inhabite nexte after theÌ„ And how the same peoples wer mingled togyder Howe be it that whiche I shall write is moche diuers from the commen fame and opinion of many men neuerthelesse I shall folowe the bokes writen in Affrike langage which as it is sayd belonged to the yong prince Hiempsall whome Iugurth murdred of the same bokes I shall folowe the true interpretacion in this mater and lyke as the inhabitauntes of the same countrey affirme to be true But touchynge the very credence of the truthe of the mater I reporte that to the authours ¶ The first people which inhabited the countrey of Affrike weere named Getulians and Libians a people harde sharpe and vnmanerd These lyued of fleshe of wylde beastes and fedde vpon the grounde as beastes vnresonable And were not ruled by any maners but lyued without lordes or lawes as vagabundes rouers They had no certayne bydinge place but wher as the night toke theÌ„ ther they rested for the time But after that Hercules died in Hispain as the Affricans say his armye whiche was assembled of dyuers nations whan their captayne and heede was lost dispersed theÌ„ abrode anone after his deth and came to dyuers places of the world to seke theyr fortune wher they might optaine any habitacion or lordshyppe Of whiche company the Medeans Perseans and Armenians arriued wyth their shyppes in that coost of Affrike whiche was nerest to the empire of Rome and longe tyme after occupied those costes But the Persians inhabited theÌ„ self more inward in the cuntrei toward the ocean sea in stede of houses thei turned their ships botoms vpward dwelled vnder the same And no marueil for in that cuntrei about theÌ„ grew no timber nor other stuffe mete for building nor of the Spaniards which inhabited next to theÌ„ might they nether bie nor borowe For the sea was so gret teÌ„pesteous betwen theÌ„ their laÌ„gages so diuers vnknowen to either people that by these .ij. iÌ„pedimentes they wer letted froÌ„ the cours of marchaÌ„dise or exchanges betwen theÌ„ These PersieÌ„s by mean of mariages by lytle litle miÌ„gled the GetuliaÌ„s with theÌ„ bicause thei proued ofteÌ„times the coÌ„moditie of their grouÌ„d fildes by often coÌ„mutacioÌ„s changings one with other at last thei named theÌ„ selfe NumidiaÌ„s that is to say herdmeÌ„ diuided And to this preseÌ„t day the cotages or tylmens houses be made long with croked sides or couerturs bowing iÌ„ward as if thei wer belies of ships traÌ„suersed or turned vp set downe Touching the MedeaÌ„s Armeniens thei ioyned theÌ„ self with the LibieÌ„s For the Medeans and Armeniens dwelled before
dethe shulde be taken of theÌ„ as of theyr mortal enemy if he wold nat shortly coÌ„fesse and discouer the felowes partiners and supporters of his cruell dedes Caius MeÌ„mius heryng herof called togyder the coÌ„menty and alayed the mocyon and wrath of theyr myndes apeasing theyr vnauised rancour And requiringe them to kepe the fayth and trouth of citie which they had promysed to Iugurth clere inuiolate and vndefyled Thus dyd Memmius exhort them as he which more regarded set more by the conseruacion of the dignite of Rome than by the parfourminge and satisfyeng the wrath and ire of the rude coÌ„mens But whan sylence was made among all the assemble anone Iugurth was brought forth before them al. Memmiê° than began to speke to him demurely rehersing openli recounting how he had corrupt the estates of Rome with his treasur cruelli against right had done mani abhominable dedes at Rome also in Numidi against the king Micipsa and his sonnes as slaine Adherball and Hiempsall falsly dysceiued the king Micipsa and wasted the kingdome of Numidi And howe beit sayd Memmius that the Romaynes knewe well his supporters yet they wolde moste of all that Iugurth shuld openly discouer and accuse them himselfe Wherfore he desired him truely to coÌ„fesse the names of theÌ„ by whose supportacion he was so bolde to coÌ„myt so many inmoderate and cruel dedes Sayng that if he wolde so do confesse disclose the trouth than might he haue great trust and confydence in the fauour clemency and mercy of the people of Rome But if he wolde not so do he shulde do no profite by his silence to the noble menne of Rome whiche had supported him And also he shuld be dystruction and vndoinge of himselfe and of his riches also On this pointe Memmins ceased his wordes and helde hym styll Anone Iugurth was commaunded of the commente to make answere But whan he was redy to haue spoken Caius Bebius whome he had corrupted with treasure as I haue made mencion before commaunded hym to holde his peace In somoche that howe be it the people sore moued wyth displeasure put him in feare with exclamacion agaynste hym with angry countenances and often violentlye rennynge vpon hym and with other tokens of yre and dyspleasure Neuerthelesse for all this the frowarde counsell of Bebius ouercame theyr threatnyng in somuche that Iugurth wolde nothing speke nor dysclose And thus the people had in derision and abused departed from the coÌ„gregacion and assemble So the myndes of Iugurthe of Calphurnius and of other theyr partyners were thaÌ„ inhansed increased in boldnesse which wer troubled and moche ferefull before whan Iugurth was fyrste sende for and brought to be examined ¶ Howe Iugurth encreased his crueltie at Rome and renued his murdre in sleyng an other noble man of the stocke of Micipsa by occasion wherof he was constrained to departe from Rome the batayle renewed againe of hole The .xxiii. Chapyter AT the same season was a gentelman at Rome named Massiua borne of the countrye of Numidy whiche was the sonne of Galussa and neuewe to the good kynge Massinissa Thys Massyua was agaynste Iugurth in the stryfe and discencion betwene Adherball and hym whan the towne of Cirtha was yelded and Adherball slayne Wherfore he trusted not Iugurth but to saue hymselfe fled from Numidy vnto Rome Nowe was a lordâ— at Rome named Albinus whiche was creat consull wyth an other partayninge felowe named Minucius the next yere after Calphurnius This Albinus came to Massiua and counsayled hym bicause he was of the stocke of Massinissa to greue Iugurth asmoche as he coulde wyth enuy feare and displeasure for his offences and cruelte And by peticion to desyre of the Senatours the administracion of the kyngdome of Numidy Albinus gaue to hym this couÌ„sel for as much as he hymselfe was desirous of bataile wherfore he wold much rather that euery thynge were moued wyth trouble than pacified or at rest ThaÌ„ was a custome at Rome that the consull shulde haue a partynge felowe and bytwene them the prouinces belongynge to Rome shulde be deuided Thus in departyng of the prouinces the countre of Numidy fel to Albinus and the countrey of Macidony to his felow Minutus Shortly after Massiua begaÌ„ to moue the mater to the senatours touchynge administracion of the kyngdome of Numidy Iugurth heringe of thys had not so greate trust in hys mater not to hys frendes as he had before For some of them wyth drewe theyr selfe for knowlege of theyr fautes and other some for feare of yll name fame or rumour of the people Wherfore Iugurth consyderynge this requyred Bomilchar one of his moste nere and trusty frendes to prouyde and to hyer by gyftes and rewardes a company to sle the sayde Massiua and that as pryuely as coulde be done But if it coulde not priuely be done thaÌ„ to sle him openlie by one meane or other Bomilchar shortly went about the commaundement of Iugurth and anone prouided men and hyred such as were mete for such a dede and commaunded theÌ„ to espy and serche his wayes his goynges commnigs and to wayte a season and place coÌ„uenient to parforme theyr enterprise But afterward whan he sawe his time he prepared to execute this treason Wherfore one of theÌ„ which were ordayned and assigned to this murdre assayled Massiua rashely with smal prouisyon or auisement and slewe hym vnware But he whiche dyd the deede anone was taken and brought before the iudges The people in great nombre desyred and at last constrayned him to tell by whose counsell he dyd that myscheuous dede and specially Albinus the consul coarted hym therto The murderer anone confessed the treuth declared howe he had done it at the instigacion and counsell of Bomilchar And not withstaÌ„ding that the same Bomilchar came to Rome vnder sauegarde and assurance of the fayth of the commente as dyd Iugurth yet he was iudged gyltie of the dede consideryng that he was counselloure therto and not accordyng to the common lawe but after very equite and good coÌ„science But Iugurth consyderyng himselfe culpable in the same faute ye wold by no meane confesse nor knowlege hymselfe fautie tyll tyme that he vnderstode and sawe that the enuy and displeasure which was taken agaynst this dede passed al his fauour and rewardes which he had gyuen at Rome so that at last in his giftes he found no socour nor ayde But howe be it in the first accion or accusemeÌ„t which was layed agaynst him he had brought in and layd .l. suerties of his frendes for hym and all other of his retynue that he shuld purge hymselfe of euery thing which was or shuld be layed agaynst hym yet thought he better to prouide for the proteccion for his pledges or suerties And this coÌ„sydring he priuely sent Bomilchar a way from Rome vnto Numidy dredinge that if condyng and worthy punyshement were taken of Bomylchar at Rome lest the other commentie of his realme
commaunded ouer all the citie sacrifices and suffrages to be done to their ydolles The citizens which before were fearful sore troubled douting the vnsure chance and incertaine fortune of the ende of this warre demeaned nowe amonge them myrth and gladnesse ouer all The honour and fame of Metellus was recounted very noble excellente glorious in euery mans mouthe Wherfore he so much was the more diligent labored more busely towarde the victory laboring hastyng to finyshe the warre by all meanes and wayes so it might be to his honoure and confusion of Iugurth But neuertheles he was well ware from puttyng himselfe in danger of his ennemies and was ware exchuynge oportunite of their gile in euery place where he went He remēbred well and consydred that often after laude and glorie foloweth enny and euyl wyll And therfore howe muche more noble that he was reputed the more besy and dilygent he was to meyntayne his fame and honour and in drede to lose this worthy fame whiche he optayned Nor after the foresayd gyle of Iugurth he suffred not his hoost to deuide nor to departe themselfe dispersed one from an other nor to make excourses to forage or spoyle in diuers places far dystant in sonder But whan they had neede eyther of mannes meate or horsemeate all the horsemen with great companyes of the fotemen went forth and kept them nere about suche as were sende forthe to make prouision to defende and socour them if nede shulde requyre Metellus himselfe deuyded his hoost in two partes the one part he kept with himselfe and the other he commytted to a noble warriour of his hoost named Marius bytwene them both they distroied and wasted the contrey on euery side but rather with fire than with robbry or prayes Metellus and Marius set their tentes in places not farar distant in sondre But whan any perilous or nedy besines was to be done with Iugurth or his company whiche required great might than anone Metellus and Marius were redy together but they kept themselfe thus in sonder in diuerse places to trouble the Numidiens and increase their feare more largely in eueery coost and to make them fle and auoyde fer abrode in cōpas for fear ¶ At his season Iugurth ensued by the hylles and desert places sekyng and espyeng a conuenient season or place to make some skirmishe with the Romains that is to say if he coudle espy any parcell of them sekyng forth foūtayns of water for the army of the which was much penury in those costes If he might any such espy than anone wold he breke downe from the hylles vpon them Somtyme he shewed himselfe to Metellus somtyme to Marius somtyme he wolde assemble his company togyder in a bend as if he wolde fight with the Romayns to attēpt them and after wold he retourne againe vnto the mountaynes And afterwarde sodenly appere againe thretning nowe the one company of the Romayns and nowe the other Yet wold he neyther anēture batayle nor suffre neyther the Romayns to be ydle or in rest nor yet himselfe His mynde was onely sette to kepe his ennemies from their begynnyng and purpose of distroying of the contrey which they intēded ¶ How Metellus besieged Samam one of the strongest townes of Numidie and how Marius vndercaptayne of Metellus escaped the daunger of Iugurth The .xxxv. Chapyter WHan Metellus sawe hym selfe so weryed with the gyles and craftes of Iugurth and that by no policy he coudle haue faculty or tyme to fight with him in playn batayle at last he concluded to besiege assaile a great towne named zamā which was the most chife strōgest holde of all the realme of Numidy in that part of the lande where it was buylded And so sped him thyder with all his army ordinance wher the sayd holde was thinkyng as the mater requyred that Iugurth wolde drawe thyther for defence of his chife towne and for socour and relefe of his people and so shuld the batayle be there foughten bytwene thē But whā Metellus was in his iourney thyder warde anone were certayn of his army whiche fled to Iugurth and certified him of this prouision and interprise of Metellus Whan Iugurth herof was certified he hasted him by gret iourneis so that he ouerpassed the cōpayy of Metellus and came to the towne of zamam before him and there exhorted the inhabitātes boldly to defend the walles And farthermore assigned to socour and helpe thē all suche as had fled frō the Romains had brought him those tidings These traitours were the surest men which Iugurth had For they could not disceiue him but if they wold yelde them agayne to the Romains whome they had forsaken and betrayed which thing was not sure to them to do Whā Iugurth had ioyned these souldiours to the garnison socours of the towne and castell had ordred apointed all other thinges acording to his mind thā he promised to be there agayne with them with all his hole army in tyme of nede This done he departed frō the towne into the most preuy and secret places which he knewe in his coūtrei ther by But whā Metellus was in his iourney toward zaman he send Marius for prouision of whete and other corne and vitayle for the army vnto a towne name Sicca which was the first towne that forsoke Iugurth was yelded to Marius after the batel late foughten with Iugurth to his great damage Whā Iugurth had knowledge herof he went thyder by nyght priuely with his elect souldiours so that whā Marius had sped his maters was redy to depart forth of the town Iugruth was redy at the gates to assayl the Romains cruelly crieng with a hye voyce to them of the towne and exhortynge thē to assail the Romains also on the backehalf saing that fortune had offred to thē the chaunce of a noble acte of an excellēt glorious dede so that if they wold folowe his desire they shulde restore him againe into his kingdome and thē selfe into their lybertie frō thens forth passe their tyme without peryl wythout danger or drede And certeynly if Marius had not boldly and strongely broken out of the towne with his stādardes and men of armes through the thickest of his enemies which wer in the gates All they of the towne or the most part wold haue broken their othe promes which thei had made before to Metellus whē thei first yelded thēself the citie to him The mindes of the Numidiās be so vnstedfast mouable But Iugurth so cōforted his souldiors that they resisted the Romains a litle seasō But whē Marius his cōpani began to encrese their violence against the Iugurthius and more fiersly to prease vpon thē Anone some wer slain the residue fled with their master Iugurth This daunger ouer passed Marius departed thens toward the town of zamā at the last came thither safe with al his cōpany busines sped wherfore he was sēt
wyll in his enterpryse Also he spake often in blaming Metellus and proudly coÌ„mending and exalting him selfe to the marchantes of Rome of whom was great resorte and concours to the sayd citye of Vtica where Marius soiourned And ofteÌ„ tymes he boasted saying to them that if the one halfe of the armye were graunted and committed to hym within fewe dayes he woulde so behaue hym selfe that he wolde haue Iugurthe in bondes and subieccion Furthermore he sayde to them in auauncinge him selfe that Metellus proloÌ„ged the bataile for the nonce for a craft because he was a man pompous and desirous of glory and worshyp vtterly reioysing in authoritie and geuen to pryde and affeccion of dygnitie and because he knew well that whyle the batayle continued he shulde be reputed in maner as a kyng therfore he dyd hys deuoyre the more to prolonge the warre to the ende that in the meane tyme he myghte exalte and magnifie hym selfe The wordes of Marius semed to the sayd marchantes certayne and trewe and also as they thoughte by suche informacion moste expediente to the common weale that some newe captayne were chosen whiche shortely wolde fynyshe that warre For by longe continuance of the same warre many of the sayde marchauntes hadde wasted and spente muche of their sayde substaunce and rychesse And also to suche desyrefull myndes as they had nothing could to faste be hasted or brought to end ¶ Moreouer at thys season was in companye of the Romayne armye a certeine Numidian named Gauda whiche was sonne of Manastaball and neuewe vnto Massinissa Micipsa in his testameÌ„t ordeined that this Gauda shuld be second heire of Numidi after the death of his two sonnes and of Iugurthe This Gauda was sore enfebled wyth diseases and sickenes and for that cause his mynd was a lytle endulled and priuate of reason and memorie While this Gauda as sayd is was in the Romains army he required of Metellus to suffer hym to haue his seate and siege next vnto hym after the vse of kynges of Numidye Also after that because of defence and garde of his body he desired that a company of souldiours of the Romayns myght be graunted and assigned to hym But Metellus extremely denyed both his peticions saying for the firste that suche honour longed only to them whom the Romaines toke and named for kynges And also for the second peticion he sayd that it were vnaduised and iniurious ordinance if the Romaine souldiours were geueÌ„ or assigned to the garde and seruice of a Numidian which was no kyng but a souldiour lyke many mo hyred for stipend Whyle Gauda was displeased and angry wyth Metellus for denying of these his peticions Marius came to hym and prouoked hym to reuenge the displeasure and iniurye whiche the captayne hadde done to hym with hys helpe and auauncement This Gauda as I haue sayd before was feble and vnstable minde and the mannes wytte was of lytle valour by meanes of diseases whyche long hadde holden hym Wherefore Marius wyth hys elegante fayre and flatteryng wordes at his owne pleasure induced hym and exalted hys mynde sayinge that he was a kynge and an excellente and great man and also neuewe to the worthy and noble kyng Massinissa Wherfore sayd he yf Iugurth wer eyther slayne or taken prisoner it were lickely to come to that poynt that the kyngdome of Numidi shulde be assigned and commytted to him of the Senatours without any tary or resystence whiche thynge shulde shortely be brought to passe yf Marius himselfe were creat consull in place of Metellus and than assigned to execute finyshe the warre with Iugurth Vnder this maner Marius couÌ„selled and induced bothe the said Gauda the Romayne knyghtes the commen souldyours and also the marchauntes and occupyers whiche were in the towne at that season with many other whoÌ„ he impelled with his wordes so that some of them for loue whiche they had to Marius And other some for great hope and desyre whiche they had to haue peace and concorde wrote to Rome to their to kynsmen and frendes of the bataile of Numidy and that very sharpely agaynst Metellus desyring and beseching them to labour at Rome with all their myght that Marius might be elect consul assigned to erecte the warre of Numidi And thus at Rome was the consulshyp desyred by many men with great fauour and very honest peticioÌ„s for Marius Also at that tyme had the said Marius this auauntage For the coÌ„mentie at that season deposed many of the states and exalted suche as were newe gentelmen after the lawe of one named Manlius whiche before had ben protectour of the commentie This Manlius ordeyned inacted a lawe that if any thing were vngoodly done and against right of the states beynge in any office or dignitie than he whiche so had done shuld be deposed of his office and in his place some newe gentyll or actyue man of the coÌ„mentie sette and deputed and so exalted This lawe in those daies was kepte in effecte and executed at Rome wherfore euery thynge proceded prosperousely to the purpose and profite of Marius For as I haue saide before in hym was no noblenesse of auncient lynage nor byrthe ¶ But here wyll I leaue to speake of the ambicion of Marius and retourne to write of Iugurth and howe he behaued hym selfe against Metellus ¶ How Jugurth renewed the warre agaynst Metellus and how the Numidians inhabiters of the towne of Vacca by treason murdred the garnison of the Romayns whych Metellus had set in the same towne The â—l Chapter IN the meane tyme whan Jugurthe hadde brokeÌ„ the composicion which he had before made with Metellus by counsel of Bomilchar had concluded againe to begyn the war theÌ„ anone he prepared al things necessary to warre with great diligence and with great hast he asseÌ„bled an army Moreouer he dayly troubled with thretnings or feare or els with great rewardes suche cities townes as before had forsaken hym and yelded theÌ„ selfe to Metellus So that he spared no pollicye to make them render them selfe againe to hym In suche holdes townes as were in his possession he set garnison and defence of men of war He renewed bought agayne armour and wepen set al other thinges which he had lost before or deliuered to Metellus in hoope of peace He attised to hym many of the Romaine subiects and bondmen by promising to theÌ„ their lybertie He also proued attempted with rewards theÌ„ whom Metellus had set assigned in garnisoÌ„ gard defence of such places as he had wonne in Numidy so that vtterly he suffered nothing to be left quiet or vnassayed but by all maner meanes made prouysion for him selfe mouyng and puttyng in profe euery thinge But among al other thinhabitantes of the citie called Vacca in which Metellus at beginning had set his garnisoÌ„ whan Jugurth first sought his peace of Metellus were desired often of Jugurthe and with great and importune instance exited to treason In somuche that at
namely bycause the place is called the Phylen auters me thynketh it requisyte to declare the cause of that denominacion For this place of our hystorie so requireth ¶ What tyme the Carthaginēses had in possession and wer lordes ouer the moost part of Affryke at the same season the Cirenenses also were great and famous of name and abundant of welth riches Than betwene the costes of these two cities was a great and large feld all ouer spred with sande without diuision perticion or difference But bytwene them was neyther flod nor mountayne whiche myght discerne the boundes and marches of bothe their coostes whiche thyng caused cōtinuall and longe warre often and great batayls bytwene bothe parties But after that manye armies on both sydes were ouercome slayne or put to flight bothe by land by sea and whan bothe people had somewhat wasted the one the other by spoylyng and murder than began they to perceiue their owne foly on both partes fearing lest some other nacion anone after shuld assaile them both the ouercommers and them that were ouer come when they were wasted and weried wyth batails and brought to extremitie Wherfore this cōsidred they toke truce bytwene them both and to auoide that longe variaunce betwene them they made agremente and couenant that messengers or embassadours of bothe parties shulde depart out of their cities at one certaine day and houre assigned And that same place wher the messengers of both the cities shuld meete together shuld be for euer after taken for the bowndes marches of the contrey of both the nacions and cities without more cōtencion or variance To bryng this apointment to effect and cōclusion forth of the citie of Cyren were chosen .ij. for their parte and send forth at the daye and houre appointed And in lykewyse out of Charthage were sende two brethern named Phelen which swyftely sped them in their iourney But the Cirenenses wente much more slowely whether it so fortuned by negligence or chaunce I know but lytle the truth But this is knowen for certayne that aboute those costes tempeste of wynd wether is wonte to let men and prolonge their iourney in lykewyse as vpon the sea and that for this cause For whan by those euen places wyde and bare without any thyng growyng on them the wynd ryseth and styrreth the small sand from the ground the same sande moued by greate violence of the wynde is wonte to fyll the faces mouthes and eyes of such as passe that waye with dust and sande And thus often by lettyng of their sight their iournay is prolonged hyndred But after whan the Cyrenenses sawe themselfe some what ouer slowe and late in their iourney they fered punishemēt at their retournynge home for their negligēce And blamynge they accused the Carthaginenses obiectyng and saying that they had come forth of their citye before the tyme assigned and thus they troubled al the mater and brake the ordynance But shortly to speke these Cirenenses concluded rather to suffre death and to do any thynge possible than to retourne home again ouercome Wherfore the Carthaginenses desired some other condicion or apointment to be made indifferēt and equal bytwene both the parties The Cirenenses consented therto and put the Carthaginenses in choyse whyther they wolde be quicke buryed in that same place whiche they desired for their marches boūdes or els that the Cirenenses vnder the same condicion shuld procede forward to that place whiche they desyred for their marches and there to be quicke buryed vnder the same maner The .ii. bretherne both named Phelene alowed and graunted the condicion subduyng and abandonyng their bodyes to death for the profet and we le of their contrey and cite of Carthage and so were they buryed quicke Wherfore the Carthaginenses in the same place where they were buryed raysed and halowed .ii. auters in worshyp and remembrance of these two brethern whiche set more by encrese of their contrey than by their owne liues These auters to this present day be called the Phylene auters after the name of the .ii. brethern named Phylenis ther vnder buryed as sayd is for wele of their contrey Also besyde this memorial within the cite of Carthage were many other thyngs ordained to the great honour of thē and remembrance of theyr worthy dede ¶ But now I wyll leaue this matter and returne to my purpose ¶ How Iugurth assembled a new army of the rude Getulians agaynst the Romayns and how he associated to hym Bocchus kynge of the Mauriens to strength hym in batayle agaynst Metellus The .xlvii. Chapter WHan Iugurth had loste the citie of Thala one of the strongest cities of his land as sayd is before then he considered wel that in al his kyngdome was no place stronge ynough to resyst the myght of Metellus Wherfore he hasted hym with a small cōpany through deserts great wyldernesses flying from his owne contrey And at last he came to the land of Getulia which is a maner of people rude wyld and wythout order or maners at that season naught knowing of the preeminent honor fame of the Romain empire Of thys people Iugurth assembled a multitude together and by lytle lytle enduced taughte them by costume exercise to folowe the order of chiualry to kepe araye to insue their standerds to obaye the cōmaundements of their captaines to decerne haue knowledge of the signifiyng of the soundes of trūpettes to obserue al other pointes belōging to warfare chiualry These thinges with other lyke necessary to bataile Iugurthe ceassed not to prepare and ordaine with all diligence ¶ Moreouer he prouoked to hys fauour feloweshyp by great rewardes and much greater promises such as wer most nere frindes to Bocchus kyng of the Mauriens by whose help he hym selfe went to kyng Bocchus desired hym in his quarel with hym to warre ageinst the Romains To which request of Iugurth Bocchus agreed so much the more for as muche as at the first beginninge of the same warre this Bocchus sente vnto Rome embassadours to desire of the Romains amitie and a bond of continuall peace betwene him and them But notwithstanding that this peticion and peace was muche expedient and necessary to the Romains for dyuerse consideracions and namely because of this war Not the lesse it was not graunted by me me of a fewe such as at Rome blynded with auarice wer wont to sel for money euery thinge both honest dishonest Also before this time the doughter of Iugurth was spoused to the sayd Bocchus But this bond of friendshyp or affinitie amonge the Numidiens Mauriens is reputed but of lytel or none effecte because they are wont euery mā to haue diuers mani wiues according to their substance riches Some .x. and some mo after as they ar of abilitie or power to meinteine But the kinges because they are of most power substance therfore they haue mo than other Thus is their
mynd fauour distracte and diuersly deuided from all their wiues for the multitude of thē and because they haue so many that they reserue none for their speciall bedfelow Wherfore they al ar reputed vyle litle set by after one maner Thus the affinitie betwene these .ij. kinges Iugurth Bocchus was lytle set by and smal auayled in this busines Not withstanding both they and their hostes came together in one place apointed therto wher after they had geuen and takē faith truth one to other of fidelitie to be obserued betwene thē Iugurth inhaunced lifted vp the minde of Bocchus with his words saying that the Romaines were vniust grounded in auarice without suffisance or measure cōmon enemies to euery man to euery contrey that they had as much quarel againste Bocchus as against hym and one selfe cause to war against thē both and also against manye other nacions which cause was but only the plesure of great lordshyp and riches So that for the same cause al kyngdoms to thē were aduerse contrary that he hym selfe to thē was enemy for the same cause And not long before that tyme the Carthaginenses afterward Perses kyng of Macedony were subdued and vndone by the Romains without any iust tytle or cause of bataile saue only ambicion and enuy which the Romaines had against thē And that in tyme to come euerye nacion whiche shulde haue welth and riches shuld become enemies to the Romains for their inordinate pride insaciable couetise ¶ Wyth these wordes and other lyke Iugurth moued the mynde of Bocchus agaynste the Romaynes In so muche that anone a daye was appointed betwene both the kynges to procede forthe together to the towne of Cyrtha and to assayle the same wyth bothe their powers conioyned Thys towne they purposed firste of all to besiege because Metellus had lefte within the same towne prayes and prisoners whiche he hadde taken of Iugurth And also muche of his owne ordinaunce had he lefte there to auoyde impedimente in his voyage Thus Iugurth thoughte mooste expediente to do For if he myght wynne the towne by assaulte before the rescous of Metellus he thoughte that shulde be moste to hys honour and profite Or elles if the Romayne captayne Metellus and hys armie shulde come to succour the towne than thoughte he that there bothe hym selfe and Bocchus shoulde geue batayle to Metellus Iugurthe for crafte and subtyltie hasted thereto so muche the moare to tangle Bocchus in the warre before anye place shulde be moued bytwene him and the Romayns And lest the same Bocchus by prolōging of the time might rather encline to peace than to warre after he at leasour shulde haue taken better counsell and aduisement For Iugurth suspected at beginninge that Metellus in proces of time wolde desyre this Bocchus not to medyll in this war assistyng the part of Iugurth nor mentayning his cause ¶ How Metellus vsed hym selfe heryng that these two kynges were confederate agaynste hym and howe after he was certified that the prouince of Numidy was assigned to Marius the new consull he ceassed the warre for the nonce The .xlviii. Chapter WHan Metellus knewe that the two kinges were associate together he thought not to fyght with them rashely without prouision nor in euery place for his aduantage or not as he was wont to do often tymes before after the first time that he had ouercome Iugurth But within his feldes well and surely defended he kept him selfe abydinge the commynge of the two kinges and that not farre from the towne of Cirtha This dyd he thinking it best to knowe the myght maners and condicions of the Mauriens firste or he wolde fyght with them bycause the were but newe enemies and therfore their maners vnknowen to him And whan he saw his best auantage than thought he to gyue them bataile ¶ In the meane time while Metellus taryed the comminge of the two kinges letters wer brought vnto him from Rome whiche certefied hym that the prouince of Numidi was cōmitted and giuen to Marius the new consull For he had herde long before this time that the sayd Marius was elect consull but this was the firste time that he vnderstode the prouince of Numidy committed to him For this cause was Metellus moued and displeased muche more than longed to measure or honesty In somuche that he coude neyther refraine his eyes from wepyng nor measure his tong from speking yll by Marius This Metellus was a synguler noble worthy man in all other cōdicions but the displeasure of his minde he toke ouer womanly and tenderly to his hert and namely in this cause Whiche condicion some reputed to procede of a proude hert of Metellus And other some thought it no meruayle though his noble hert wer moued and kindled with anger for this iniury and wrong done to hym And many sayd that Metellus toke so great sorow and displeasure bycause the victorie whiche he had almoost optayned shulde be pulled out of his handes his selfe hauing the labour parill and an other man the tryumphe and honour But to be playne in the mater indifferently to write it was not vnknowen to the wisest Romains but that the dignite auancement and honour of Marius greued Metellus much more thā dyd his owne iniury And that he wold not haue taken it so heuely if the prouince of Numidy which was taken from him had ben giuen to any other noble man than to Marius Wherfore Metellus was let from his first besines for the sayd displeasure so that he purposed not to vexe himselfe from thensforth with out thanke or profet And also he thought it foly to take in hande the charge of another mannes mater to his owne paryll labour paine Wherfore he sende messangers to the king Bocchus desiring him not to become ennemy to the Romains without occasion And saieng that he was yet in suche case that he myght adioine with the Romayns felowshyp loue and amitie whiche shulde be muche better to hym and more profitable And how beit he trusted gretly in his power rychesse and treasour yet ought he not to change certayne thynges for thynges incertayne For euery batayle to begyn is easy and lyght but it is a very hard thynge to ende the same whan it is ones begon The begynning and endynge therof is not alway in the power of one same man For warre may be begon of a cowarde or of any other wretch but it can not be left of againe nor ceassed but whan it pleaseth him which is strongest and is maister hauynge the vpper hand And finally he had him better to prouide for himselfe and for his kingdom than he began to do and not to adioyne nor myngle his goodes treasour and fortune which were in estate royall florishyng with the goodes and fortune of Iugurth whiche were lost and distroyed to the vttermost The embassadours of Metellus came to king Bocchus and shewed him their capitains wyl as is said