The conspiracie of Catiline, written by Constancius, Felicius, Durantinus, and translated bi Thomas Paynell: with the historye of Iugurth, writen by the famous Romaine Salust, and translated into Englyshe by Alexander Barcklaye

¶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 be¦fore) then he considered wel that in al his kyng¦dome was no place stronge ynough to resyst the myght of Metellus. Wherfore he hasted hym with a small cō¦pany through deserts & great wyldernesses flying from his owne contrey. And at last he came to the land of Ge¦tulia which is a maner of people, rude, wyld, and wyth¦out order or maners: & at that season naught knowing of the preeminent honor & fame of the Romain empire. Of thys people Iugurth assembled a multitude toge∣ther, and by lytle & lytle enduced & taughte them by co∣stume & exercise to folowe the order of chiualry, to kepe araye, to insue their standerds, to obaye the cōmaunde∣ments of their captaines, to decerne & haue knowledge of the signifiyng of y^e 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 Mauri¦ens, 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 be¦ginninge 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 dy∣uerse 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 be¦fore this time the doughter of Iugurth was spoused to the sayd Bocchus. But this bond of friendshyp or affi∣nitie 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 sub¦stance & riches. Some .x. and some mo, after as they ar of abilitie or power to meinteine. But y^e 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 multi¦tude of thē, and because they haue so many that they re∣serue 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 ob∣serued betwene thē. Iugurth inhaunced & lifted vp the minde of Bocchus with his words: saying that the Ro¦maines were vniust, grounded in auarice without suffi¦sance 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 a∣gainst 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 y^e 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 am∣bicion 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 Ro¦mains 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 pow∣ers 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 res∣cous of Metellus, he thoughte that shulde be moste to hys honour and profite. Or elles if the Romayne cap∣tayne 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. Iu∣gurthe for crafte and subtyltie hasted thereto so muche

the moare to tangle Bocchus in the warre before a∣nye place shulde be moued bytwene him and the Ro∣mayns. 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 ad∣uisement. 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