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Iugurth falleth to his old prastises, and recouereth Vacca, to the great confusion and disgrace of the Romans.
AFter Iugurth had falsified his promise of personall submission, he openeth the war, he prepareth all necessaries with admira∣ble diligence, he slaketh no time, he trai∣neth his soldiers, & soundeth the reuolted cities by bribes & menacies. Those which yet remained at his deuotion, he fortifieth, and renueth or buyeth armours, weapons, and the like ammonitions,
as by the former treaty of peace he had diminished.
Hee allureth the Romaine slaues, and tempteth the Garrisons with ready money: Finally, hee leauieth no course vnthought on, nor vnproued. Nowe the Vaccen∣ses (into whose citty Metellus vpon the first motion of the treaty, had thrust in a garison) being ouercom by the kings faire intreaties, and to speake truth, the better sort in mind neuer estranged from his seruice, began a conspiracie. As for the vulgar (a frequent accident, especially among the Numidians) being by nature of a variable disposition, sedi∣tious, quarrelsome, desirous of nouelties, and contemners of peace and ciuility, they were soone drawne in for com∣pany. The match is made, & the third day following pro∣claimed the feastiuall throughout all Affricke. Vppon the day they present sports and daunces, without any appea∣rance or imagination of feare, but watching their best op∣portunities, they inuite the Centurions, the Tribunes, and the Gouernor of the Towne T. Turpilius Sillanus, some to one house, some to another. In the midst of their metri∣ment they murder them all, except Turpilius: this done, in a trice they set vpon the disarmed & stragling soldiers, obseruing then no military discipline because of the day. The common people, whereof some were made before hand by the Nobility, other some vpon a naturall inclina∣tion to inconstancies, seconded their leaders. To those that knew nothing of the plot and combination, noueltie and the tumult a foot gaue matter of consent & good liking. The Romans stood amazd at the sodennes of the vprore, & not knowing what course of safety to take, were in an extreame extasie. To fly vnto the town castle, where their colours & shields were remaining, was to run vpon their deaths, a garison of enemies already in possessiō, had shut the gates, & denied retrait. Boyes and women cast stones, & such like stuffe vpon their heads in abundance from the toppes of houses. No man could preuent these vncertaine blowes, no nor the valiantest soldier come to be reuenged on this weake and cowardly rable: so that good and euill, cowards & valiant souldiers in this medly died like deaths in great numbers. Of al the Italians, Turpilius the Gouer∣nour escaped alone vntouched through all the barbo∣rous Numidians and their closed gates.
Whether it so happened by the fauour of his hoast, by ransome, or by chance, wee neuer could discouer: onely thus much, a man may say; that Turpilius shewed him∣selfe a base and inconstant fellow, in preferring at such a pinch disgracefull life before a bed of fame.