A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

JUGURTHA. JUGURTIFA. 639
pretended submission,. together with the surrender befor6e he withdrew into winter quarters. *But he
of 30 elephants and a small sum of money, B. c. had produced such an effect upon the Numidian
111. As soon as the tidings of- this disgraceful king, that Jugurtha was induced, in the course of
transaction reached Rome, the indignation excited the ensuing winter, to make offers of unqualified
was so great, that on the proposition of C. Mem- submission, and even actually surrendered all his
mius, it was agreed to send the praetor, L. Cassius, elephants, with a number of arms and horses, and
a man of the highest integrity, to Numidia, in a large sum of money, to the Roman general; but
order to prevail on the king to repair in person to when called upon to place himself personally in the
Rome, the popular party hoping to be able to con- power of Metellus, his courage failed him, he broke
vict the leaders of the nobility by means of his off the negotiation, and once more had recourse to
evidence. The safe-conduct granted him by the arms. Not long afterwards he detected a constate was religiously observed: but the scheme spiracy formed against his life by Bomilcar (one of
failed of its effect, for as soon as Jugurtha was his most trusted friends, but who had been secretly
brought forward in the assembly of the people to gained over by Metellus [BOMILCAR]), together
make his statement, one of the tribunes who had with a Numidian named Nabdalsa: the conspirators
been previously gained over by the friends of were put to death; but from this moment the
Scaurus and Bestia, forbade him to speak. The suspicions of Jugurtha knew no bounds; his most
king, nevertheless, remained at Rome for some faithful adherents were either sacrificed to his fears
time longer, engaged in secret intrigues, which or obliged to seek safety in flight, and he wandered
would probably have been ultimately crowned with from place to place in a state of unceasing alarm
success, had he not in the mean time.ventured on and disquietude. The ensuing campaign (B. c. 108)
the nefarious act of the assassination of Massiva, was not productive of such decisive results as might
whose counter influence he regarded with appre- have been expected. Jugurtha avoided any general
hension. [MAssIvA.] It was impossible to over- action, and eluded the pursuit of Metellus by the
look so daring a crime, perpetrated under the very rapidity of his movements: even when driven from
eyes of the senate. Bomilcar, by whose agency it Thala, a stronghold which he had deemed inacceshad been accomplished, was brought to trial, and sible from its position in the midst of arid deserts,
Jugurtha himself ordered to quit Italy without de- he only retired among the Gaetulians, and quickly
lay. It was on this occasion that he is said, when succeeded in raising among those wild tribes a
leaving Rome,- to have uttered the memorable fresh army, with which he once more penetrated
words: " Urbem venalem, et mature perituram, si into the heart of Numidia. A still more important
emptorem invenerit." accession was that of Bocchus, king of Mauritania,
War was now inevitable; but the incapacity of who was now prevailed upon to raise an army, and
Sp. Postumius Albinus, who arrived to conduct it advance to the support of Jugurtha. Metellus,
(B.C. 110), and still more that of his brother however, who had now relaxed his own efforts,
Aulus, whom he left to command in his absence, from disgust at hearing that C. Marius had been
when called away to hold the comitia at Rome, appointed to succeed him in the command, remained
proved as favourable to Jugurtha as the corruption on the defensive, while he sought to amuse the
of their predecessors. Spurius allowed his wily Moorish king by negotiations.
adversary to protract the war by pretended nego- The arrival of Marius (B. c. 107) infused fresh
tiations and affected delays, until the season for vigour into the Roman arms: he quickly reduced
action was nearly past; and Aulus, having pene- in succession almost all the strongholds that still
trated into the heart of Numidia, to attack a city remained to Jugurtha, in some of which the king
named Suthul, suffered himself to be surprised in had deposited his principal treasures: and the latter
his camp: great part of his army was cut to pieces, seeing himself thus deprived step by step of all his
and the rest only escaped a similar fate by the dominions, at length determined on a desperate
ignominy of passing under the yoke. But Jugurtha attempt to retrieve his fortunes by one grand effort.
had little reason to rejoice in this success, great as He with difficulty prevailed on the wavering Bocit might at first appear, for the disgrace at once chus, by the most extensive promises in case of
roused all the spirit of the Roman people: the success, to co-operate with him in this enterprise;
treaty concluded by Aulus was instantly annulled, and the two kings, with their united forces, atgreat exertions made to raise troops, to provide tacked Marius on his march, when he was about to
arms and other stores, and one of the consuls for retire into winter quarters; but though the Roman
the new year (B. C. 109), Q. Caecilius Metellus, general was taken by surprise for a moment, his
hastened to Numidia to retrieve the honour of the consummate skill and the discipline of his- troops
Roman arms. As soon as Jugurtha found that the proved again triumphant, the Numidians were renew commander was at once an able general, and pulsed, and their army, as usual with them in case
a man of the strictest integrity, he began to despair of a defeat,. dispersed in all directions. Jugurtha
of success, and made overtures in earnest for sub- himself, after displaying the greatest courage in the
mission. These were apparently. entertained by action, cut his way almost alone through a body of
Metellus, while he sought in fact to gain over the Roman cavalry, and escaped from the field of
adherents of the king, and induce them to betray battle. He quickly again assembled a body of
him to the Romans, at the same time that he con- Numidian horse around him; but his only hope
tinued to advance into the enemy's territories. of continuing the war now rested on Bocchus. The
Jugurtha, -in his turn, detecting his designs, at- latter was for some time uncertain what course to
tacked him suddenly on his march with a numerous adopt, but was at length gained over by Sulla, the
force; but was, after a severe struggle, repulsed, quaestor of Marius, to the Roman cause, and joined
and his army totally routed. It is unnecessary to in a plan for seizing the person of the Numidian
follow in detail the remaining operations of the war, king. Jugurtha fell into the snare: he was in.
Metellus ravaged the greater part of the country, duced, under pretence of a conference, to repair with
but failed in taking the. important town of Zama, only a few followers to meet Bocchus, when he was