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Bocchus relenteth, harkeneth to peace, and againe waue∣reth.
BY this time the Consull being in full possession of victory, arriueth at Cirtha, the place of his first deter∣mined progres. The 5. day after, his second & vnfor∣tunat fight of the Barbarians, Embassadors are hether dis∣patched from Bocchus: who in the king their masters name
of the Generall, that he would vouchsafe to send ouer vn∣to him two most sufficient Cōmissioners, to treat of those Articles which should concerne their mutuall safety, and welfare. The Generall forthwith commandeth L. Silla and Aulus Manlius to prepare for the iourney.
These Gentlemen, though they came before his presence by a message, yet they deemed it their fittest course, first to offer parle; vpon intention, that if they found his disposi∣tion addicted vnto further hazard, they might take occa∣sion, to lenifie his courage; but if desirous of peace, that then they might proceede, to confirme it with feruencie. Whereupon Silla (vnto whose perswasiue eloquence, not to age, nor due of precedency, Manlius submitted) thus be∣gan a short Oration.
Noble King Bocchus, the comfort that we haue taken, to see so worthy a personage, no doubt (not without the speciall direction of heauen) nowe at last, not onely to make choise of peace, rather then War; but also to free himself from the protection of Iugurth, of all men liuing the worst, & bmost miserable: hath in no small measure bin pleasing vnto vs. For heerby thou hast vtterly bereaued vs of an ineuitable necessity, as seuerely to chastice c thy errors, as his Treason & disloialtie.
Noble Lord, euen in the infancie of the Roman state, be∣ing as then but weake and obscure, our Forefathers made choise to acquire friends, rather then to subdue slaues, holding it a principle in policie, that greater benefittes accrued from free will, then d from forced subiection.
Our fauours can proue to no mortall creature more auaile∣able, then to your selfe: first, for that wee are farre remote: e wherein consisteth least opportunity of offence: and yet in our bountie may become as indifferent, as if wee vvere nearest neighbours.
Secondly, for that vve abound inf Subiects: And yet I must confesse, that neither vvee, nor any man liuing, can boast to haue found more friends then he needed.
I would to God your Maiesty had apprehended this in the beginning: then surely by this time, you had not failed to haue reaped farre more pleasures from the Roman people, then hi∣therto you haue suffered damages.
But because Fortune sitteth Lady Regent of all humane proiects, whose fancy forsooth it hath beene, that you shoulde make tryall aswell of our force, as of our fauour: Now, for that she hath offered f the meanes, I beseech you, make hast to em∣brace it, and giue not ouer, to perfect these your good ouer∣tures.
g In your power consist many kind offices, by which to good purpose you may redeeme all fore-passed misprisions.
Lastly, closet vp this my counsell with deepest confidence, h That the Roman people were neuer ouer-ballanced in renu∣meration of thankfull seruices: i what their valour is in war, your selfe can make best report.
HErevnto Bocchus in extenuation of his ouersights maketh a short, but a plausible reply: That hee made choice of Armes, not vppon any fancy that might moue him to make triall of warre, but only to secure the kingdome, k which now after the expulsion of Iugurth, being by the law of conquest diuolued vnto him, he could not brooke to see harried by Marius. Secondly, he complained of the disgrace, and refusall of his friendship, offred vnto the Ro∣mans in former time, by his Ambassadors. But hee was content, now to silence olde greeuances, and promised a∣gaine to send his people in embassie to Rome, so it might stand with Marius his good liking.
Wherupon, leaue being granted, the mind of the Bar∣barian became againe distated, by the mediation of those his followers, whom Iugurth, vppon intelligence of the embassie of Silla and Manlius, and distrust of that, which in truth was l intended, had already corrupted by guiftes and bribery.
Et ideo audituri, quid ipse vellet
Vnde regem at∣tentum faciat, cum admoneat quanti periculi sit cum ho∣mine saepius victo commisceri.
q. d. deceptū ab eo
Nullum violen∣tum diuturnum.
Qui enim longè absunt oneribus & exactionibus Curiae minus grauantur.
viz. Carthaginē∣se••, Macedones, & al••os.
Ad gratiam po∣puli Ro: ineundā.
Tacitè innuit, quòd postea petitu∣rus est s. vt lugur∣tham tradat.
Tacitè etiā in∣uitat per a••arit••ā, sc••ens 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ab ••or••ē regui promissam multa fecisse in gratiam Iugurthae
Rhetoricè in sine promit••it, & mi∣natur.
Intelligendū est, quod antiquam, Iugurtha illi fillā suam daret, motā fuisse lit••m de con fraibus regun & partem a Buc••ho inuas••m, illi pro dote ab Iugurtha concessam, propter Bellum quod •• Ro∣manis metuebat
s. animum Bocchi à bello diuertere