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
more nere to the sea of Affrike The GetuliaÌ„s iÌ„habited more nere to the sunne rising not far froÌ„ the ferueÌ„t cuntrey of Inde this peple anone had roumes dwelling places for the sea bitwene theÌ„ Spaine was but narow wherfore they agreed with the Spaniards to make exchaÌ„ges bargins of merchaÌ„dise with theÌ„ The LibieÌ„s corrupted their name by litle litle changing the same at last in sted of MedeaÌ„s named theÌ„ selfe MaurieÌ„s by barbarike ê“nuÌ„ciacion of their laÌ„gage But the welth riches of the PersieÌ„s in short tyme increased multiplied In somoch that after they had named theÌ„ selfe NumidiaÌ„s thei iÌ„creased in so gret multitude that theyr fyrst couÌ„trey was not able to noryshe theÌ„ al. So that after ward many of the yong lusty people departed in sonder froÌ„ theyr frindes left their cuntrey resorting to a cuntry nere the citie of Carthage vacaÌ„t at that tyme. In which cuÌ„trey they iÌ„habited theÌ„ selfe named it Numidy after their name Shortly after this both they which remayned stil in their first cuÌ„trei these which remoued theÌ„ce assisted one an other with al maner help socour In so much that what by strength what by feare they brought vnder theyr subieccioÌ„ dominioÌ„ suche other nacions as marched nere theÌ„ so that within short tyme they much inhauÌ„ced augmented their name and glory but namely they which inhabited the part of Affrike which is ouer against Italy nere the Italian sea these most iÌ„creased in welth honor For the Libiens were not so good men of war as the GetuliaÌ„s or NumidiaÌ„s And so al the inward part of Affrike was for the most parte in possession of the Numidians so much dyd they that al the nacions of theÌ„ subdued wer called Numidians after the name of ouercomers Now haue we declared how the Getulians LibieÌ„s wer first inhabitaÌ„tes of Affrike how the Perseans MedeaÌ„s Armeniens came afterward ioyned with theÌ„ How the Perseans named theÌ„selfe Numidians And the MedeaÌ„s Armeniens by corrupcioÌ„ of langage wer called Mauriens And now coÌ„sequently I shal declare what other peple came afterward inhabited the same land of Affrike After al these nacioÌ„s before rehersed out of the land of Phenice cam much peple to inhabit theÌ„ selfe in Affrike Some bicause theyr owne countrey was not sufficieÌ„t to sustaine so grete a multitude as werof theÌ„ And other some great men of birth desirous of lordship raised vp asseÌ„bled the nedy coÌ„men people left their owne cuÌ„trey in hope to fynd some other greter dominioÌ„ els where in proces of tyme ariued at the land of Affrike there builded thre cities vpon the sea cost named Hippona AbrumentuÌ„ Leptis with other diuers cyties but not so gret and famous as these were These cities in short tyme wer so augmeÌ„ted incresed that some of theÌ„ wer honour and some socour ayd to their original cuÌ„tries But of the citie of Carthage whiche also by theÌ„ was bylded afterward became the hed citie of Affrike I thinke it is better to pas ouer with silence thaÌ„ of it to speke a litel thaÌ„ to leue the matter in the myds vnperfet and also this my busines procedeth to an other purpose Neuertheles some what shal I touch the fyrst foundacioÌ„ of this citie of Carthage not folowing mine author Salust which wrteth nothing therof but folowing the opinioÌ„ of Virgil as he writeth in the first boke of Eneas ¶ The quene Dido doughter of Belus kyng of the land of Cipre wife to Sicheus king of Phenice fled wyth her shyps laded with gold other riches out of her owne cuÌ„trey dreding the cruelte of her brother PigmalioÌ„ whiche blinded by couetise and ambicion had slayne her husband Sicheus by tresoÌ„ This Dido at last ariued with her shyps coÌ„pani at the coast of Affrike wher reigned a king named Hierbas which moued with beaute of Dido desired her to wife But for loue whiche she had to her first husbaÌ„d Sicheus she wold not coÌ„sent therto by any meanes but desired to bie of the same kyng as much grouÌ„de as might be coÌ„pased about with the hide of a bul And after that it was grauÌ„ted she cut the hide of smal that with the same she coÌ„pased .iij. myle of grouÌ„de about In which space she buylded a citie which first was named Birsa after in ê“ces of tyme it was called Tiros last of al Carthage Vnder which name bi long coÌ„tinuauÌ„ce so amply it encreased in fame welth that it contained xxiiij miles in compasse But whaÌ„ it was in most excellence it was vtterly distroied bi the Romains Publius Scipio Affricanâ— the tyme being captayne of the Romaine armye Touching the foundacion of this famous citie of Carthage so moch haue I writteÌ„ more than mine authour Salust But now wil I returne to mine institute purpose concerning the discripcion of Affrike brefely bring it to coÌ„clusion The valey of whoÌ„ I spake before named in Affricke langage CathahathmoÌ„ deuided the couÌ„trey of Affrike froÌ„ Egipt on the side saue that an arme of the see is bitwene the first citie or habitacioÌ„ of Affrik toward this valey is called Cirene And nere to the same be other two cities the one named Tolonia the other ThercoÌ„ beiond these thre cities be two quicksaÌ„des bytwen both the saÌ„des a cite named Leptis Beyond this cite of Leptis is a place named of the Romains PhylenoruÌ„ in english the auters of two brethern called Philenis bicause these two brethern suffred theÌ„ selfe to be quicke buried in the same place for the commeÌ„ wele of their couÌ„tre wherof thistory herafter shal be writteÌ„ at more oportunite This place diuideth the dominioÌ„ of Carthage from Egipt on the side After this place on the side costs be other cities belonging to the dominioÌ„ of Punike Al the places from thens forth to Mauritany or land of the Mauriens be vnder subieccioÌ„ of the Numidians The Mauriens haue theyr habitacion nere to Hispaine But as we rede the Getulians haue theyr habitacioÌ„ beiond the NumidiaÌ„s some in pore lodgis some other more vilely wtout habitacioÌ„ wandring as vagabuÌ„des Beyonde these GetuliaÌ„s is the land of Ethiope froÌ„ thens forth be couÌ„treis so brent with feruour of the soÌ„ne that they be inhabitable But duriÌ„g this war bitwene the RomaiÌ„s Iugurth the Romains had iÌ„ their possessioÌ„ many townes of Punike much of the costes of theÌ„pire of Carthage ruled the same by officers vnder theÌ„ therto assigned A gret part of Numidy of the Getulians vnto a flode named MuluchaÌ„ was vnder the dominioÌ„ of Iugurth Ouer al the MauriaÌ„s raigned one kinge named Bocchus of whoÌ„ the RomaiÌ„s had no knowledge saue of his name only And before this bataile he was nother in peace nor in war acquainted nor knoweÌ„ of the Romains Of Affrik of thinhabitauÌ„tes of the same ynough is spoken
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
greatelye reioyce and glorye that he hathe opteined hys purpose When he shall see this countreye glyster and shyne in bryghte armoure and this citye set on fyre gyue lyghte Than shall hee preyse his inuencions and driftes and extoll his inuincible mynde and thynke he hathe sufficientlye reuenged hym selfe and his fore fathers for the contumelies and rebukes done to hym For he is wonte sometyme to saye that he is of the family and kinred of Tullius Hostilius kynge of the Volscians speciall ennemie to the people of Rome the whiche thynge is the onelye knowen occasion why vniuersallre the name of Romaines is hatefull vnto hym and he shall alway abhorre this common weale by whose dominion the house and family of his ancestours is dymmed and their empiere cleane subdued and ouerthrowen whiche thynge howe great cares it carieth into mennes mindes iudge ye your owne selues This I may only esteme of Cicero that as longe as that enuye of his fore fathers and those olde enmities of vnpacient mynde shall turmoile and vexe his braine he wolle neuer cesse from hys violence and madnes So greate is his vnmoderate luste and mynd to destroye this empiere And euen now truely the hole worlde beyng in peace so many kynges people and straunge nacions subdued all menne bothe by lande and see obeyinge vnto vs and nowe that there is no superior enemie of the people of Rome but doo approue our great puisance and noble actes And therfore he hath no hope to bringe this empiere to destruccion by outward hostilitie All thinges are in sure quiete vnder vs all men wyllinglye obey vnto vs. But for as muche as he greatly desireth to reuenge hym selfe and his ancestours and that his harde and cruell mynde wyll neuer cesse from that opinion he flyeth to those perturbacions with the which priuate enmities fyrst with me lastly he intendeth to greue the hole common weale And so first he accuseth Catline his ennemie and manye other felowes with hym in his conspiracie that they intend to inuade the common weale ouer runne theyr countreye deface the citie to burne houses temples aultares to rauyshe virgins to murther and slee the auncient men the peple and the nobles ne neuer stinte frome wrathe ne spare the sworde vntyll they haue vtterlye destroyed this moste beautifull cytie the soueraine princesse ouer all the world But I swere by the immortall goddes I wot not to what ende this vayne estimacion of men wol come that any mortall man shoulde beleue that there were any so vtterlie an hopelost or so ignorante of reason that dothe not pereriue a certayne zeale and tender loue towarde his cuntreye planted in hym the whyche alwaye throughe a certayne secrete and vehemente power of nature is powred in to mennes breastes Than what Romaine mynde wolde desire to brynge the common weale to so great calamitie For what moste cruell ennemye of the Romaines yea the verye Capitayne of Carthage Anniball coulde inuente and imagine greatter or the lyke hurtes to vs Wolde I inuade the common weale whiche haue for the common weale enterprised and susteyned so excedynge great perilles Shuld I be so bolde to deface the Senate and citie whiche haue adorned my lynage with so many most large benefites Shulde I burne the temples of Rome the which shew forthe so manye grauen images and tables of mine ancestoures Shuld I murder the noble men of bloud or Senatoures that am nowe in honoure and dignitie amonge them Shuld I wearyng the honorable robe defile the citie with other mischeuous dedes that which with all diligence haue withstand that other shoulde not defile it What hope what mynde what occasion shoulde driue me to do suche a deede Shoulde the luste and desire of dominion and rule whereof a lytle whyle ere Cicero reasoned haue I not quietely opteyned the dignite aboue all haue not I as good hoope lefte me to excuse other dignities as it is lawful for any mortal man to require for I am both of the bloud of noble Senatours and haue opteined the dignitie of a Senatour and here after I may be consul or dictatour The whiche dignities are suche and so greate that not onlye in this moste noble citie but also they far excel the empiers and principalities of all people of all nacions that are in all the worlde What nedeth it then to seke that thinge in harde warre whiche willingelye in peace is prepared for me But peraduenture as Cicero sayde enuie styrred me great dette pouertie immoderate boldenesse to beare a rule But this shuld be estemed of a man that is wylful rashe and brainesicke or of any other the which in hope to wynne and gette goodes maye vnwyselye make soo great a sedicion amonge the people of Rome and not of a man of the noblest bloud borne and in a citie aboundynge in welthe For shuld he that is honestly furnished with riches doubte that he shulde at â—nye tyme wante for so muche lucre and wynning doth euen offer it selfe and suche profite cometh of the common treasure that if a man shulde a lytle decaye and in no wyse obeye vnto honestie it is incredible howe easelye he maye be laded wyth aboundance of riches And to let passe other thinges thou Cicero arte an example vnto me whyche in a maner the other daye entredst into this citye bare nedy of al thynges after thou gottest thee once in office thou gatheredst sodeinly together so great a heap of ryches that all the townes belonginge to Rome as it semed were scasely sufficient for thy factoures Wherfore thou doste but folyshely to laye couetousenes pouertie and greate det vnto my charge All whiche thynges I coulde by a more sure maye appease then to disturbe the common weale to take the vncerteine for certeyne for a lytle commoditie to enterprise exceadynge greate peryls Neither I as touchinge suche thynges as I am accused of wolde for any priuate debate haue goone in hande with so horrible a dede There is no man in thys common weale that I reken to be myne ennemie onlye Cicero is agreued with me because I coulde not cloke his vices whyche he dyd secretlye whose folyshe and trifling toyes if I sholde haue exchewed and put from me I had many wayes to reuenge my selfe wythoute publike peryll Nor I neded no refuge to the hurt of the common weale seynge there was neither drede nor ieopardy to withstande or let me for if he were rydde oute of this lyfe there shulde remaine no man that wold not onely reuenge hym but also mourne at his funerall But god forbydde that I shulde dishoneste my selfe for hys fole hardynes For it is no laude for noble men to be reuenged on abiecte persons yet perchance if I wold haue desired it it shuld not be imputed worthy citizens but that I if I had gone about it at that tyme myghte haue had muche more oportunitie than he shulde haue had Surely if I fortified myne house wyth strength of men of armes broughte in my
withstandinge in very deede ye shall knowe to be true Yet for as much as I prouoked wyth rebukes and iniuries and depriued of the fruite of my labour and diligence opteyned not the state of dignitie as my custome is toke vpon me to defende the cause of suche as are miserable not that I want or haue not sufficient possessions to paye myne owne dettes seyng that the liberalitie of my wyfe Horistilla with her owne and her doughters goodes hath payed other mens dettes but bycause I sawe men vnworthye auaunced to honour and my selfe throughe false suspicion alienated and put from honour And for this cause I haue for the case that I am in gotten metely good hope to conserue suche dignitie as hereafter shal chaunce me As I wold haue written mo thinges it was shewed mee violence was prepared against me Nowe I commende and deliuer Horistilla to your fidelitie prayinge you for the loue that ye beare to your children defende her from iniuries Farewell ¶ Many in the citye blamed the softnes of Cicero that he suffred their enemye to go his waye Cap. xxii BVT when it was knowen at Rome by manye mennes letters and often messages that Catiline was admitted capytaine ouer the armye and that hee intended too make warre vpon his countreye there were verye manye that greatelye blamed the consull bycause he had not taken soo greuous an enemie to the coÌ„mon weale and that he had let scape the principall and chiefe of the conspiracie For at that tyme the people reasoned and commoned amonge them selfes on this maner Catiline longer this tyme ought to haue ben put to deathe by the consulles commaundement and with moste cruell and sharpe tourmentes to haue ben punished This mischief which he hath craftly imagined againste vs oughte to haue ben layde vppon his owne necke For if the consull had put hym to death as he hath deserued we had ben nowe without warre the straytes of Hetruria had not ben fylled with the tentes of our enemies the common welthe had ben nowe in quiete and rest It was no nede at that tyme to haue vsed mercy it had ben a very mercifull dede most sharply to haue punyshed oure ennemie and by the deathe of one wicked personne to haue preserued the whole common wealthe Some other vsinge the aunciente examples shewed howe that Sp. Elius desiringe to reigne alone was slayne of P. Seruilius Hala. And lykewise Tiberius Gracchus of P. Scipio and also howe that C. Marius slew L. Saturnius protectour of the commonaltie and C Seruilius Glaucia the mayre for certaine suspicions of sedicion But Cicero hath commaunded him whom he knewe to be an enemy most greuous whom also he perceiued to be loked for of their enemies to be their capâ—taine and gouernour to go vnto his armye and so to make warre ageynste his countreye ¶ O the miserable estate of them that gouerned suche coÌ„mon welthes in the which he that is diligeÌ„te is called wayward and hard to please He that is negligente dyshoneste where he that is constante and iuste is called cruell and vngentle and he that is mercifull fearfull and dissolute wherin is geuen no pardon to them that do amysse and small praise to them that do well Or euer it was spoken that L. Catiline was gone in exile it was sayde that he was not by Cicero spoyled of his armours of boldenes that he was not circumuented and weakened by the diligente labour and councel of Cicero and that he had altered his intente not bycause that he dyd greatly feare but that he vncondemned and an innocent was exiled only by the wordes and power of the consull He was not then called vnhappy but fearefull Contrary wyse the consull not diligente but cruel But seynge there were menne that spake these thinges what wolde they haue saide if Catiline had ben put to deathe Nowe for as muche as Catiline lyueth and is vnpunished they call Cicero a manne of no greate counsell but ignoraunte fearefull and dissolute Certes there is nothinge more ignorant and vnwise than the vulgare people whiche without any difference or wisedome iudgeth and onelye pondreth the chaunce of the thynge and to whom any thynge well happeneth hym they saye to be very prouident and circumspecte and to whome otherwyse he to perceyue and knowe nothinge But let vs omytte these thinges ¶ Catiline and Manlius be proclaymed ennemies vnto whom fled very many hopeâ— ostes Cap. xxiii BVT when it was surelye knowen at Rome that Catiline was admitted capitayne ouer the armye and intended to make warre vpon his countrey there was an acte of parliament made in the whiche Catiline and Manlius were iudged to be vtter enemies to the common welthe And to all other there was a daye appoynted sauynge to those that were alredy condemned that it shuld be lawful for them to departe from the army vnpunyshed And if any man after that tyme shulde go vnto Catiline the senate to take hym as a traytoure againste the common weale and agaynste all mennes safegarde and profite The senate also decreed that the consuls shulde muster and that C. Antonius with suche ayde as he myght gather shulde pursue Catiline bothe by lande and sea and Cicero to defende the citye frome al deceites and mischaunces Neuerthelesse the mindes of desperate persons were nothynge refrained by these sharpe decrees For there was none out of soo greate a company of conspiratours that departed from Catiline excepte it were eyther to spye or to doo some myschiefe but contrary wyse there were many that drewe to hym bothe out of the countrey and out of the citye But of all those that drewe to hym he refused bonde seruantes of whoÌ„ an innumerable multitude fled to hym he estemed it a thinge vnsemely that runnagates shulde haue to do in citizens matters and thynkinge this also whiche in dede shoulde haue come to passe if his companions at Rome had performed their enterprise that huge routes of snaphances and hope lostes from all partes of Italy wolde resorte to hym For not onlye they that were confederate in the conspiracye coueted that Catiline shulde victoriousely ouercome but also whosoeuer were greatly indetted who soo euer had solde awaye their landes who so euer were in tyme paste condemned or atteinted Many also by troublynge of the common weale looked to be aduaunced to honours and moost hyghe ronmes many desired warre by reason that of such ruffeling and dissencions they opteyned power Farthermore in a greate city are alwayes many naughty yll doers hope lostes malaperte troublous sedicious and nedye felowes which with a becke are redy to disturbe the quiet and rest of a citie But most specially the delycate youth and lytle bearded yonge men or Catilines flocke wythout beardes whiche smellynge all of muske their heares featelye comed wearinge veyles and not gownes allowed Catilines counsayles And of these manye got them to catilines armye And of that number was one Fuluius the sonne of Aulus a Snatour the whyche if he coulde
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
as muche as is requisite of necessite to the processe of this hystory Nowe wyll I make regression and prosecute my first purposed mater insuing mine authour Salust ¶ Howe Iugurth inuaded the kingdome of Adherball yet ones agayne and howe Adherball agayne was ouercome in batayle and put to flyght The .xiii. Chapter AFter the embassadours of Rome of whom I haue spokeÌ„ before had deuided the realme of Numidy bytwene Adherbal Iugurth wer departed out of Affricke toward Rome anone Iugurth reuoulued in mynd how he had escaped vnpunished for his crueltie otherwise thaÌ„ his mind feared before And how iÌ„ sted of punishemeÌ„t for his sine he was rewarded with the better part of the land of Numidy Now he considred that al was true which his freÌ„des had told him before whyle he was in Hispaine with the Romayne armie in the war of NumaÌ„ce that is to saye That nothing was so false iniust but that myghte be iustified at Rome for money for all thinge mighte be bought ther for money This coÌ„sideracioÌ„ inhauÌ„ced his mynde vnto esperauÌ„ce that not a litel Forthermore he was inflamed with the large promesses of theÌ„ whom he had acloied before with gyftes rewardes at Rome In somoch that agayne of newe he fixed his mind to inuade vsurpe the kingdoÌ„ of Adherbal by some poynt of prodicioÌ„ to take him in trape as he had done HieÌ„psal his brother Thus Iugurth was fierce sharpe apte to war wel inured with the same expert in feates therof but coÌ„trarely Adherbal whoÌ„ he assaied pursued was a mete maÌ„ oportune to take in iurye more fereful dreding other thaÌ„ to be dread of other Wherefore sodeÌ„ly without any prouisioÌ„ on party of Adherbal Iugurth inuaded the marches of hys kingdoÌ„ with a great power multitud of meÌ„ of armes many of thinhabitaÌ„tes he murdred many toke he prisoners with bestes al other maner of praies robbiÌ„g spoiling euery wher as for as his armie dispersed townes castels other edifices he brente beate downe many other places he assailed inuaded more inwardly iÌ„ the couÌ„trey by excourses of his horsemeÌ„ This done he returned into his couÌ„trey with al his multitude prayes and prisoners supposing the Adherbal moued wyth angre displeasure wold reuenge these iniuryes and the thing shuld be cause and occasion of open war bytwene theÌ„ But Adherbal aduised him selfe wel by remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of his first bataile had with Iugurth that he was not able to coÌ„tend with him in bataile nor with force of armes more ouer he had more confidence and trust in freÌ„dship of the Romains thaÌ„ in the incoÌ„stant NumidyaÌ„ whiche leaned more to his ennemy thaÌ„ to him These thynges coÌ„sidred he send embassadours to Iugurth to coÌ„playne of these iniures But these embassadours had noughte els of him but coÌ„tumelious proud and hastye wordes And so disposed of Iugurth returned agayne to theyr lorde Adherbal though such answers myght haue moued any coragious hert neuerthelesse Adherbal determined in mind to suffer al thiÌ„ges and to take manye in iures pacieÌ„tly rather thaÌ„ againe to begyn bataile wyth Iugurthe For as said is the bataile foughteÌ„ befoore bytwene theÌ„ was both disshonour also great daÌ„mage But for al this sufferauÌ„ce of Adherbal the mind of Iugurth was not more pacified nor lessed of his cruelte The pacience of Adherbal abated not the ire of Iugurth but it augmeÌ„ted For all redy he had coÌ„cluded in mind to inuade the hole kingdoÌ„ of Numidy Therfore he begaÌ„ againe of new not as before with a coÌ„pany of rouers but with a mighty and gret army asseÌ„bled togither demeaning opeÌ„ war and chalaÌ„ging openly the hole empire of Numidy and with such power proceded into the land of Adherball wasting the townes fyldes on euery syde driuing away praies of catel other riches and increasing corage to his men and dred to his ennemis Whan Adherbal saw it was come to that point that he must nedes other abandoÌ„ and giue ouer his kingdome or els maintayne it with force of armes as he which was coÌ„strayned by extreme necessite he asseÌ„bled empareiled an army aswel as he might with the same proceded forthe to mete Iugurth At last the two hostes of Adherbal of Iugurth approched rested nere togither beside a towne named Cirtha not fer distant from the see coost for asmoch as the day drew nere to night the bataile was not anone begon but either remained in theyr tentes Anone after moch of the night was ouerpassed and the starre lyght some what dimmed with obscurite of cloudes The soudiours of Iugurth raysed by the sound of trumpettes vnwarly sodenly inuaded and assailed the tentes and felde of Adherbal some they murdrâ—â— halfe slepinge and some other they slewe whyle they were in hand to arme them selfe On the part of Adherball was pityful murdre and on Iugurthes syde no mercy but obstinate persecucioÌ„ and vengeauÌ„ce so fiersly fought Iugurth his coÌ„panye the shortly Adherball fled to the towne of Cirtha acompaned with a few horsemeÌ„ But Iugurth pursued him so nerely that if the inhabitaÌ„tes of the towne of Cirtha in hast and with great multitude had not receyued Adherbal and with force of armes defended the walles and kept forth the soudiours of Iugurth whiche persued Adherbal the bataile bitwene theÌ„ both shulde haue begoÌ„ and ended that same daye and the to destruction of Adherbal But Iugurth perceiuinge the entre into the towne denied to him a none beseged it on euerye side with al maner ingines inuasiue to his ennemies defeÌ„siue to his coÌ„pany he caused hastely to be framed large pauaises and towers of timbre to be driuen vpoÌ„ whelis toward the walles of the towne And with these al maner other ingins wente in hand fiersly to assayle the towne somoch more hastely he sped him to thinteÌ„t to bring his purpose to effect before any embassadours shulde come froÌ„ Rome to resist his enterprise For asmoch as before this bataile he herd that Adherbal had seÌ„d embassadours to Rome to certifie the senatours of his miserable state ¶ How the fauourers of Iugurth at Rome laboured so in his cause that thre yong me inexperte without policy were send embassadours into Affâ—ike to cesse this strife bitwene the two kinges how these embassadours retourned to Rome without any thing done The .xiiii. Chap. BVt after Senatours at Rome herd tidinges of this battel they send into Affrike thre yonge gentilmeÌ„ embassad coÌ„maunding them to go to both the kinges to coÌ„maund theÌ„ in behalfe of the Senatours and of the hole people of Rome to cesse theyr warre and to shewe them that the senate and Romains wylled and vtterly commaunded them so to do And so doing they shulde do as it semed them and as of congruence they ought to do bothe for pleasure of the Romains and for theyr owne honour profite The embassadours with suche
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
gyue credēce to that blind errour shewed many tokēs to them in such maner sacrifice which tokēs they often found true But now to my purpose The preest of the ydolles whiche sacrifysed for Marius shewed great and marueylous tokēs vnto him wherby he might greatly trust to come to his intent and purpose byddyng him prosecute that thing on whiche he had sette his mynde and haue sure confidence in his goddes Sayng that if he wold proue the extremite of fortune diligētly and often than doutlesse euery thing prosperously shuld happen to him But Maryus afore that tyme a longe season wonderouslye desyred in his minde the dignite of the consull And to say trueth he wanted nothing which longed to him whiche shulde haue suche a dignite saue onely antiquite of his progeny auncient noblenes of birth For thoughe he were but a gentyl man of the first heed neuertheles his cōdicions were worthy and excellēt In him was great experiēce of wisdome much probite honestie and sadnesse He had greate polycy and conning in chyualry in batayle his mynde was excellent and bolde But in peace it was lowe and moderate He ouercame couetise and sensualite of his body He desyred nor coueyted nothing erthly saue glorie lande and worshyp This Marius was borne and brought vp by all his chyldhode in the coūtrey of Champayne beionde Fraunce in a towne named Arpine But assone as he was encreased so that he might bere harnesse and bide the herdnes of warfare he concluded to lyue on the wages of chyualrie And in that study he exarcysed hymselfe and not in eloquence of greke langage or in other study or science nor yet in the superfluous aparayle nor carnall lustes of citezins vnto whiche he neuer subdued his body And thus was he indued with good maners and excercysed amonge honest ocupacions and so continued that his hole and vndefyled wytte shortly encreased and exalted himselfe growyng to honour vertu First whan this Marius desyred of the commenty of Rome to haue an office that is to say to be ordained protectour of the souldyours many of the citezins knewe not his persone bycause he was alway from the citie in warre and batayle but his actes made his name wel knowen Wherfore after that the cōmentye vnderstode that he was Marius of whose nobles al Italy much cōmuned and talked anone they graunted his peticion and proclaimed hym protectour of the souldyours ouer all the prouinces and tribes of Italy In that maistership and office he behaued himselfe so well and wisely that after that he obtained an other office of more worship and authorite and after that againe an other of hyer dignite And shortly to speke in euery office and dignite he so behaued himselfe that euery man thought coūted him worthyer of more dignite and honour than he had How beit for al these cōdicions as honorable as he was he durst neuer before desyre thoffice of consull of Rome tyll this tyme whan he had suche comfort by his sacrifice But whan he was thus warned and put in hope and confort euer after he was hedlyng enclined to ambicion couetise of that dignite ¶ At this season the commenty of Rome had all other offices amonge them or at their gyfte and dystribucion But the estates and noble men kept among them and in their handes the consulship yerely one succedyng other by election So that of the commenty was none so noble nor excellent of dedes but that was reputed vnworthy of that dignite and as who saithe vyle and polluted But whan Marius sawe and consydred that the wordes and counsel of the enchauntour and preest whiche he helde his sacrifice pretended to the same poynte and conclusion as the desyre of his mynde moued him longe before Anone he came to his captiaine Metellus besechyng hym to be dyscharged of the batayle tyll he mighte go to Rome to thintente to desyre the consulship of the Senatours But how beit that in his Metellus was vertu glorye worship and al other things longing to a good man plentifully ynough Neuerthelesse of his courage and mynde was he sōwhat proude despisinge and dysdaynyng other which were not come of so hye lynage as he was But speciallye he was statelye and proude of minde which is a commen vyce and mischefe amonge estates and gentylmen Wherfore Metellus hering this interprise of Marius first of al was moued with the nouelty of his peticion For at that tyme were none wonte to speke for that dignite but if they were come of a noble stocke And so was not Marius And thus Metellus marueyled much at his enterpryse and who might counsel him therto warninge him as vnder colour of amyte and frendshyppe not to presume vpon so contrary and vnlikely a thyng nor to exalt his mynd so hy aboue fortune cōuenient for his state and cōdicion Sayng also to hym that euery thing was not to be coueyted or desired of euery man And that it became him wel by reason to be contented pleased and satisfied with that honoure which he had and that was his owne and not to desyre thyngs vnmete for his degre And finally he exhorted and counselled hym to beware to desyre the thynge of the Romayns whyche lawfullye myghte be denyed vnto hym considerynge and hauyng regarde to hys lynage and auncestrie ¶ After Metellus had counseiled Marius wyth these wordes and other lyke and that he could not turne nor apease hys mynde he answered hym at last that assone as he could conuenyently not lettynge the busynesse of of the commen weale he wold graunt his desyre and peticion But after this when Marius desired the same discharge importunely and often he made hym answer saying that he shuld not make so gret hast to Rome for that purpose for he shulde come tymely ynoughe to demaund that dignitie acompanied with the sonne of the same Metellus which sonne shuld also go to Rome in tyme to come to demaunde of the Senatours the same dignitie wyth Marius This sonne of Metellus was at that tyme in the armye of hys father continually exercising the feates of warre notwythstandinge that he was but twenty yeres of age Thys answer of Metellus stirred ▪ Marius against him with greuous yre and wrath what for the honour which he desired and what for the lycence to departe whyche he could not obtayne of hym by no prayer nor requeste at hys pleasure In so muche that he enraged agaynste Metellus moued by desyre of that office and prouoked by yre whyche two vyces ambicion and yre counselled and impelled thys Marius to muche euyll agaynste the sayde Metellus sparyng neyther worde nor deede whiche myght endamage or hynder hym hys honour and name And that myght helpe or auaunce hym selfe by ambicion to come to the dygnitie whyche he desyred He gouerned the souldiours which passed forth the winter vnder his gouernāce not as he ought to do but suffered them to haue their pleasure to the intente thereby to optaine their fauoure and good
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
done But at laste he suffered the Romaines to passe escape safe and sound for loue of Volux drede of Bocchus his father And within a fewe daies after Volux and Sylla with their cōpany came to Bocchus wher they intēded ¶ Of the metyng and secrete apoyntmentes betwene Bocchus Sylla and howe betwene them they bothe abused Asper the imbassadour of Iugurth The .lxiiii. Chapyter AT the same seasō was with Bocchus a certaine yonge Numidian named Asper send before Bocchus frō Iugurth by craft and subtyltie to espie his counsell assoone as it was heard that Bocchus had send for Silla This Numidian was muche and familiarly cōuersant with Bocchus at that tyme. Moreouer there was an other named Dabar the son of Massagrade which of his fathers syde was of the stocke of Massinissa but of his mothers side vnlike of birth for his mother was borne of a cōcubine This Dabar as I haue said was at this season also in the company of Bocchus to him dere and welbeloued for subtel wit great artes which he had done before and namely bycause that Bocchus had founde and proued him trusty and faithfull many tymes before Anone Bocchus send this Dabar to Sylla commaunding Dabar to shew him that he was redy to do euery thinge whyche the Romaines to him wolde commaunde or assigne And that Silla himselfe shulde apoint and chose a time and place where thei might commen together of their maters that he shulde not fere nor dout though the embassadoure of Iugurthe were ther with him For he had reserued al thinges touching their counsell hole tyll comming of Silla of nothing had apointed communed nor concluded with the same imbassadour of Iugurth Whiche imbassadour was called thider to thintent that their cōmen besinesses might be done more at libertie and with lesse suspection of Iugurth for by other meanes they coulde not resyste nor make prouision againste his giles Such wordes sende Bocchus to Silla by his trusty secuant Dabar But not withstanding al these fayre promisses of Bocchus it was vnderstande that he prolonged the Romains and the Numidians in hope of peace rather for falshod and treason after the credence of affricans than for profet to the Romains or trouth of suche thinges as he promised to Silla And often times he cast in his minde douted whether he might betray Iugurth to the Romains or els Silla to Iugurthe the pleasure and desire of his mynd aduised moued and counselled him againste the Romains but the drede which he had of punishment in time to come moued him with the Romains But to our purpose Sylla answered to Dabar the messanger of Bocchus that he wolde come thyder and firste speke a litel of the peace and of such other thinges in presence of Asper the imbassadour of Iugurth but concerninge the remenant of the besinesse he wolde differ that to commen secretly with Bocchus few or none called to coūsel And also he taughte Dabar what wordes Bocchus shulde answere vnto him againe whan they shuld come to communicacion and so departed Dabar But whan Silla sawe his time he went to Bocchus and said that he was sent from Marius the consull to enquire yf he wold leuer peace or war and wheron he wold conclude Than Bocchus as Dabar had warned hym before commaunded Silla to retourne agayne after .x. dayes and than shulde an answere be gyuen vnto him For at that tyme nothing was concluded That answere well noted and harde Asper the embassadoure of Iugurth whiche was sent to espye the intreatement so thought he that nothing shuld be treated nor concluded without his knowlege And thus after this answere Bocchus and Silla departed eche to their tentes ¶ Of the second comming together of Bocchus Sylla the wordes of Bocchus hed to Sylla replicacion answere of Sylla agayne to hym And how Bocchus graunted concluded to betraye Iugurth to the Romaynes The .lxv. Chapter BUt after that much of the night was ouerpassed Bocchus priuelye sende for Sylla none beinge in their company saue such as on both partes might truly interpret declare the sentence vnderstanding of their wordes And also Dabar the saide messanger was present whiche solemply swore and promised to be a faithful interpreter of both their sayinges and sentences Thā Bocchus anone began his words in this sentence ¶ I haue thought forsoth that it shulde neuer haue fortuned that I the greattest king of al thē in these landes and rychest of al them that I knowe shulde haue ben bound to a meane priuate person And forsoth Sylla or euer I hard of you I haue giuen helpe and socours to many other men To some of mine owne voluntary and frewil And to some other required of thē my selfe not neding helpe of any man But now sith I haue knowen you I haue nede of your helpe and frendshyp of which I am glad notwithstanding other men ar wont to be sory of such fortune And certenly this nede whiche I haue of your frendship is not of me counted damage nor losse but muche profet and pleasure For inwardly in my mind nothing is derer nor more acceptable whiche ye may conueniently proue if it please you demande and take of me armour men treasour vse and occupy the same as your owne And thinke ye for certaine that while ye liue I together I can neuer render worthie thankes to your kindnes nor condignly recōpence your great humanite but euer my good wil minde shal be hole newe against you And certaynly if I may know your minde and wil ye shall not nede to desyre of me I shal preuent your requestes with mi benefites so that ye shal coueyt nothinge in vaine Verely as I thinke it is lesse reprouable and lesse dishonour a king to be ouer come wyth armour than wyth liberalite Wherfore I haue concluded in minde that a man shal rather ouer come me in batayle with weapen and force of armes than with liberalite ¶ But touching your commen weal for whose besines ye be sende hither as procuratour of the same thys is my sentence and mynde in fewe wordes Agaynste the Romains nor agaynste their empire I neuer moued nor made war nor to make bataile against them it was neuer in my mynde by my wyl But the boundes of my marchesse haue I endeuoured me to defende agaynste the violence of your armed men But this I leaue and set a side syth I se that pleaseth you to do the same execute and cōtinue ye batayle with Iugurth as ye will And as touchyng me I shall not ouerpasse the water of Mulucha whiche was boundes bytwene my marches and Micipsa whyle he lyued Nor into my countrey I shall not suffre Iugurth from hens forthe to entre for socours as he hath done in time passed Farthermore if ye desire any thinge of me conueniently whiche I may worthely graunt my royalte not distayned it shall not be denyed to you Thus
suffred none of these to pay any thinge at all but elect many of them for his souldyours Manye of the Romaines surmysed that Marius elected vnto warre these abiect persons for want of other good souldyours Some other demed that he so dyd for fauoure ambicion and parcialite bycause this sort of people assisted and honoured hym by auauncement at beginning of his promocion And also men coÌ„sidred that vnâ—o a man desyrous of dignitie and power the most nedy men be most mete and behouable For suche nedy wretches he moost auenturous for they haue nought to lose and alway trust in auauncement by auenturinge theÌ„selfe And therfore they iudge euery thinge whiche they do good honest and laudable if any auantage be therto appendant Thus dout they no peryll so that they may come therby to promocion At last Marius departed from Rome with somwhat gretter nombre than was graunted and decreed to him of the senatours Within fewe dayes after that he toke shyppyng arriued in the prouâ—nce next vnto Affrike vnder the Romains at a towne named Vtica The army whiche was there with Metellus was deliuered to him by one Publius Rutilius which was embassadour with the said Metellus For Metellus himself fled the sight of Marius bâ— cause he wolde not se that with his eyes which he coude not endure to here But whan Marius had restored and fulfylled the legions of his souldyors and the cohortes for the subsidyes and rescous Than went he into a plentifull place of Numidy whiche was full of prayes Al that he toke there he gaue frely in rewarde to his souldyours This done he assayled suche castels and townes which wer but febly defended with men and walles He had many batayls lyght skyrmishes and many other thinges he dyd in other place not with much difficultie In the meane time the newe souldiours were redy manly fighting without fere seyng that they which fled wer other taken or slayne therfore they aduysed them wel that the strongest boldest was most sure of all They considred wel that it stode them in hande to defende with wepyn and armour their libertie their countrey their frendes and all other thynges longing to their helth and honour Thus laboured they for glorie laude and riches which they optained so that within short season the olde souldiours and the newe encreased together cherishynge and infourmynge one an other tyl their vertue and boldnes was like But whan the two kinges Iugurth and Bocchus vnderstode of the comminge of Marius they deuyded their hoostes and went in sonder into dyuers places where no man coude attayne to them for difficultie of the places This was done by counsell of Iugurth For it pleased him so to do trustinge that within shorte space the Romaines wolde be spred abrode in spoilinge and than thought he to assayle them in euery place whan they were moost without fear at libertie at large and vnprouided as men ar want to be specially whan their ennemies behaueth them as if they were affraied Than often be the victours improuident and lesse circumspect ¶ Howe Metellus the olde consull retourned to Roome and of the worthy and valyaunte behaueour of Maryuâ— agaynste Iugurth and of hys greate actes at his begynnyng The .lii. Chapter IN the meane time Metellus returned to Rome which contrary to his opinion was receyued wyth gladde myndes of the Romains and after that the enuy whiche Marius had moued agaynste hym was asswaged and ouerpassed he was lyke dere and beloued bothe to the commens and Senatours ¶ But Marius on his parte applyed and toke heede to his owne busines and his enemies also without slouth but with great wisedome He perceiued well and knew what was good and yll for auantage on both sides He caused the waies iourneis of the two kinges to be daily searched and espied He preuented interrupted their counsels prouisions and guiles He suffered nothyng to be vnprouided and vnredie on his side but on the other syde and party of his enemies he suffered nothing to be sure or prouided for alwaie he preuented their prouisions pursued them Often while Iugurth and the Getulians spoiled the Numidiens which had yelded them selfe to the Romaines Marius was redie in their way and valiantly assayled them ouerthrewe many of theÌ„ while they were dispersed abroade and flying away for feare And also not farre frome the towne of Cirtha he made Iugurth hym selfe so trust in his flighte that for hast to ren awaie he left his armour behind hym But whan Marius considered that his actes were only glorious and excellent without any auantage and that he might not execute bataile with Iugurth for his vnstedfastnes and mouinge from place to place he considered in minde and ordeined hym redy to besiege the cities of the contreys one after another And namelye suche as eyther of men or of place were necessarie and behouable to his enemies and contrarye or hurtefull to hym Thys dyd he thynkynge that if Iugurthe wythoute disturbaunce suffered hym so to do he shulde eyther be spoyled and bereft of hys cities ordinaunce socoures and refuge or els he must abide the fortune of batail striue for the mastry in plaine field Bocchus the kinge of the Mauriens had often sende messengers before vnto Marius saying that he wold gladly come into fauour amyte and frendship of the Romains and bydding Marius not to dout him as an ennemy nor to fear any thing longing to an enemy to be coÌ„mitted of him ageinst the Romains It is but lytel knowen for trueth whether Bocchus fained this thing to the intent that his comming to batayle vnknowen and vnproued myght be to Marius more greuous or els whether he was wont by vnstablenes of mynd to change peace somtime for warre and somtime war for peace But Marius the consul as he had purposed before dru him vnto the castels and townes whiche were walled and defended and fiersly assailed theÌ„ Anone he tourned many of them from his ennemies to him some by strength violence some by feare and other some by promising and giueng of rewardes and prodicion of their captains But at first beginning he medled but with meane castels and townes thinking that Iugurth shulde come to defende and socour his people townes so come into danger of the Romains But whan Marius herde that Iugurth was far thens and occupied in other besinesses than thought he not to lose his time but to auenture on gretter thynges wherin was more harde besinesse and laboure and honoure Wherfore he entended to besiege the cite of Capsa which was a greate cite stronge and riche ¶ How Marius wan the greate and ryche Citye named Capsa and howe he vtterly destroyed the same and gaue all the ryches thereof to hauock◠〈◊〉 his souldiours The .liii. Chapter AMong the most widest thickest wyldernesses of Numidy was this great ryche cite named Capsa whiche as men say was first bylded by that Hercules whiche was
borne in the lande of Libya and not by Hercules the sonne of Iupiter Alcumena Thinhabitours of this citie were ruled by Iugurthe peasably and easely put to no charges nor besinesse and therfore were they moost true and faythful to him They were defeneded againste al ennemies not onely with walles armour and men but also with much strōger defence of the difficultie and hardnesse of the place and contrey nere about them So that it was in maner impossible that any army could come nere thē for wante of water and scarcite of vitels For except the feldes and place nere to the citie all the other be voyde and wast grounde desart without habitacion vneyred barayne and drie withoute water All full of serpentes whiche were somuche more violent and fiers for lacke of meat and sustenance as al other wilde beastes be wont to inrage for honger And moreouer the myscheuous and perilous nature of serpentes is more kindled to raging and vexed with thyrst thā with any other thing which thyrst they coude not quenche ther for wante of water Wherfore neyther man nor beast myght surely passe by thē Whan Marius cast al these difficulties in his mind his hert was persed with a merueylous desyre to wyn this cite both for that it was muche hurtful to him and profitable to Iugurth and also bycause it was herde to do and muche honour myght be gotten in wynninge therof And moreouer bycause Metellus the other consull before him had won the cite of Thala with great honour and glory whiche of sytuacion was not valyke to this cyte neyther vnlyke in defence Saue that not far from the walles of Thala were a fewe fontaynes but about this citye of Capsa was no water wel no◠fontayne saue one and that was within the wals of the citie alway ful of water All other whiche dwelled with out the walles as in the suburbes occupyed but rayne water The inhabitantes of that contrey and of all the remenant of Affrike whiche were far from the see and rude people coude muche the better endure this scarsite of water and thirst for this cause For the moost part of them were fed with milke and venyson not loking after salte sauces nor other suche thinges as be norishinges or prouocatiues to glotony They toke meate drinke onely to slake their hunger and to quenche their thirst and not without measure to prouoke themselfe to pleasure of the fleshe as many christen men do nowe in our dayes which make of their bely their god And eate not to liue but they liue to eate contrary to mannes life and vtterly encline to bestialite O cursed glotony let vs christen men lerne here of panyms to eschewe thee which wastest the body and goodes damnest the soule and art mother and norice of all vices But to retourne to my purpose this Marius after that he had serched euery thynge by his espyes he proceded in his interprise and purpose as men thought holpen of the goddes For agaynst so many and hard difficulties he coude not haue made sure prouision by counsel of man nor by his owne priuate wyt as he which had impediment and was letted not onely by sharpnes of the cōtrey but also by lacke and scarcite of wheat and of al other corne For the Numidiens intendeth more to norishe pasture for beastes than to labour or eire the grounde for corne And also they had brought together all the seed and corne of the yere before into strong holdes as their kynge Iugurth had commaūded them and moreouer at that season the feldes on euery syde were drye and bare without corne and no maruell For it was about the extremite or later ende of somer Not withstandyng all these difficulties and sharpnesses Marius made prouision ynough as the mater required First he commytted all the bestes whiche he had taken in pray in foretyme vnto the horsemen whiche of their owne wyl folowed hym to war or were sende to hym for helpe by frendes of thempire Marius commaunded thē to take charge to driue forth these beastes Than sent he Aulus Maulius embassadour of the hoost to a towne named Laris and all the cohortes of his souldyours with hym which were fotemen and lyght harnysed for to kepe the treasour of the souldyours wages and vitayles whiche he had lefte in the same towne Marius kept his counsel of this interprise so secrete that none of all his company hye nor low knewe of his purpose nor what he intended But whan Manlius and his company shuld depart toward Laris Marius dissimuled wyth them sayenge that he woulde stray abrode in Numidye in rouynge and afterwarde within few dayes he and his company wold come also to the same towne of Laris laded with prayes of his enemies This done he departed towarde a flod named Tana no creature liuely knowyng of his purpose And euery day he distribued in his iournayes amonge his hoost .xlii. heed of oxen for vitayle which he commaunded to be deuided by euyn porcion amonge them by hunders and halfe hunders together deuidynge vitayls to euery company after their nombre And in the meane season he charged bottels and bowges to the hydes of the same beaste and of other ledder in gerate nombre Moreouer he eased their scarcitie of wheate and other corne by wyse prouision And withoute knoweledge of al his company he made good prouision of euery thing whiche myghte be necessary vnto his armye in tyme of nede At conclusion the syxte daie after whan they were come to the saide floud of Thana thither was brought a myghtye multitude of bottels and bowges made of leather There pitched they theyr tentes with easye labour and smal defence Than refreshed they them selfe with meate and drinke and eased them a certeine space This done Marius cōmaunded them that euery man shulde be ready to procede forward euen with the sūne goynge downe and that euerye man shulde onely lade hym selfe and his beastes with water in the sayd bowges and bottels leauing al other cariage burthens and baggage there behynde them in their tentes vnder the custody of other souldiours therto assigned After thys whan he saw his tyme he departed forth from his tentes with his company and labored all the nyght longe in hys iourney The day after folowyng he rested in a secrete and couerte place In the same wyse behaued he hym selfe the night next insuing and in the third night muche before the day lyghte he entred into a faire and large fielde full of small hylles and downes no more but two myle space frome Capsa And there he taried with all his hoste in the moste priuiest maner abidyng the daye light But assone as the day light began to appear many Numidiens issued forth of the towne some to disport them selfe and some about their busines nothinge fearinge nor suspecting of their enemies Whan Marius sawe that anone with al hast he sent his horse men to the towne and with them as many fotemen in