The tvvo most vvorthy and notable histories which remaine vnmained to posterity (viz:) the conspiracie of Cateline, vndertaken against the gouernment of the Senate of Rome, and the vvarre which Iugurth for many yeares maintained against the same state. Both written by C.C. Salustius.

CHAP. 28.

1 Marius in sundry small bikeringes distresseth Iugurth and Bocchus. 2 Altereth the course of the war. 3 And with∣out losse taketh and sacketh Capsa. 4 His praises.

BVt Marius like a prudent and industrious Captaine, had an eie both on his owne Army and his enemies: he wel perceiud what most aduantaged or disaduāta∣ged th'one or other side: he set spies to obserue what waies the kings tooke, & ouerreached all their counsels & strata∣gems: he suffered nothing to bee slacke or vnprouided on his part, or any thing to remaine safe and secure to the o∣ther side. By reason whereof, many times on his way hee charged and defeated Iugurth, & the Getulians as he found them forraging and spoiling our confederates, and not far from the Town of Cirtha forced the King himself to leaue his armes behind him.

But at length perceiuing, that these exploits were only glorious, and no way furthered him to force Iugurth to battaile whereby at one blow he might impose an ende vnto these lingering warres, he determined to besiege all such Townes, as either for strength of men or natural de∣fence, were of greatest importance and succor to the ene∣my, and contrarily most preiudiciall to the Romans: Ima∣gining, that Iugurth, if he endured this, should bee debar∣red of his strongest forts & places of refuge, or at least, be heerby prouoked to a pitcht battel. For Bocchus by sundry Messengers had before signified vnto Marius, that for his part he was desirous of amitie and friendship with the Ro∣mans, and that he should not feare him as an enemy.

But whether he dissembled heerin, to the end, that sur∣prising the Romans vnawars, he might giue them the grea∣ter blowe, or whether through the inconstancy and insta∣bility of his mind, it was vsuall with him to change war for peace, it is vncertaine.

But the Consull proceeding in his former resolution, began to assault townes and fortified castels; some where∣of he tooke by force, some through fear, & others by pro∣mise of reward & bounty: at first he dealt with the smal∣ler sort, supposing that Iugurth would for their defence be drawn to a battaile: but receiuing intelligence, that he was gone far off, and imployed in other affaires, he thought it high time to attempt matters of greater consequence, and more difficulty.

3 There was a Towne large and strong, scituate in the vast and wilde desertes, named Capsa: of which Her∣cules Lybius was said to be the first founder. The Inhabi∣tants hereof, vnder the gouernment of Iugurth, were gent∣ly and peaceably ruled, free from tribute, and in that re∣gard remained most firme and true vnto him.

They were furnished against forraine inuasion, not onely with walles, Armes, and Men, but which was much more, by the difficulty of the place and scituation. For ex∣cepting those fieldes that lay neere vnto the Towne, all the Region about, was wilde, desert, and vnmannured; wanting Water, and anoyed with Serpentes, who (as all other wilde beastes) become enraged for want of meate. Moreouer, the mischieuous Nature of those Serpents, is by nothing more then by drought prouoked.

Marius was maruailously enflamed with a desire to take this Towne, as well for the seruice of the Warre, as for that it seemed a very hard and difficult enterprise, and partly for that Metellus had formerly with great applause taken the Towne of Thala, not much vnlike this place, ey∣ther for scituation or defence: Onely the difference was, that not farre from the VValles of Thala were certaine Springes and Fountaines; whereas the Capsians had but one continuall water-spring, and that within their wals: those without vsing no other then rain-water, which both there, and in all other places of Affrique, remote from the Sea, that are wilde and desert, is the more easily endured, for that the Numidians for the most part feede on Mike, and the flesh of sauage beasts; desiring neyther Salt, nor other Sawce to whet there stomackes, as hauing prouisi∣on

sufficient to appease hunget and thirst, but not for su∣perfluity or daintinesse.

The Consull therefore hauing enquired the truth of these matters; becam confident, I think on the help of the gods. For it was impossible he shuld either in wit or policy haue beene sufficiently prouided to encounter so many difficul∣ties, especially hauing there but small store of Corne (for as much as the Numidians imploy their grounds rather in pasture then tillage) & that quantity which they had, was by the Commandement of their king conueied into their strong holds. Their fields were also dry and barren with∣out fruit, it being then the latter end of Summer: Howbe∣it, Marius made sufficient prouision as his ocasions requi∣red. Hee committed to his auxiliary troopes of horse the conuoy of such Cattle, as formerly he had taken from the enemy, and sent his Lieutenant Aulus Manlius with his lightest armed Cohorts to the Towne of Laris, where he had layed in his souldiers pay, and victuals: alledging that hee himselfe would go a forraging, and within fewe daies meet him there.

Thus concealing his purpose, he led his army toward the Riuer Tanais: and made daily in his iournies equall & ratable distribution of his Cattle amongst his Army, as they were deuided by hundreds, and troopes of thirties, or other small companies. taking order that of the hides of those beasts, should bee made vessels for the cariage of Water: And moreouer (no man knowing his pretence) he prouided such store of Corne and other necessaries as shortly should be requisite for his entended enterprize. In a word, on the sixt day arriuing at the riuer, he had a great number of those vessels made of the hides of beasts: There pitching his Tents slightly fortified, he commaunded his souldiers to take their repast, and be ready to depart by the setting of the Sunne; willing them further to leaue all their baggage behinde, and charge their carriages onelie with water.

At length, when he saw his time, he departed from his Tents, and trauelling, all that night, rested on the morning with his Army: The like he did the second night, and the

third night, long before day, hee arriued at a place full of Hillocks, not aboue two miles distant from the Town of Capsa; where, as couertly as he could, he ambushed his ar∣my. But the day approching, & a great part of the Numi∣dians not mistrusting any enemy, being issued out of the Towne, Marius suddenly caused all his Horse, and with those, his lightest foot-men to make hast, and seize vpon the gates of the Citty: Immdiately himselfe follow••d, giuing expresse charge to his Souldiers to refraine from pillage. Which when the Towns-men perceiued, there estate standing on such dangerous tearms, extreame fear, a mischiefe so vnlooked for, and moreouer, a great part of their fellow-cittizens surprized, and in the power of their enemies, moued thē to yeeld the town to Marius. Foorth∣with the Citty was fired, all of the age of fourteene yeares and vpwardes put to the Sword, the rest sold, & the prey deuided amongest the Souldiers. Which iniurious acte, contrary to the Law of armes, was not committed either for auarice, or barbarous cruelty in the Consull, but be∣cause the place was most commodious for Iugurth, & al∣most vnaccessable to the Romans: Moreouer, they were a kind of people inconstant & faithlesse, & in former times could not be contained in obedience, neither through fear or fauor. 4. Marius hauing so speedily finished so great an enterprise, without any losse of his own, albeit he was re∣nowned before, yet now began to be of greater fame and estimation: now al his designes and proiects, as well such as were put in execution through good aduise, as such al∣so, as inconsiderately & by chance were aduentured, were ascribed wholly to his vertue & pollicy: His Souldiers o∣uer whom he mildely cōmanded, being likewise inriched by these seruices, extolled his name to the heauens, & the Numidians feared him, as if he had bin more then mortall. Finally, as well his companions as his enemies, were of o∣pinion, that hee had either a diuine vnderstanding, or at least, that by the Goddes appointment, the euents of his enterprises were reuealed vnto him.