So in great good temper Marius went on board ship, and in four days landed on Italian soil.
In Rome he was received with favour, and before long his ambition was satisfied. He was elected Consul, and given the command of the army in Africa.
When Marius returned to take up his new position in Africa, Metellus had already left the army in charge of an officer. His pride would not let him stay to receive his erstwhile subordinate, who, as he said in anger, had now usurped his command.
Soon after this Metellus sailed for Rome, with the miserable feeling that he had been disgraced. He was, however, surprised by the welcome the people gave to him. They had not forgotten that he had refused to touch the gold of Jugurtha.
CHAPTER LXXXVI
THE CAPTURE OF JUGURTHA’S TREASURE TOWNS
Jugurtha and Bocchus knew that they had cause to dread the new Roman general. Certainly he would move swiftly, so the king and his ally resolved to march in different directions, in the hope that one of them would be able to fall upon Marius when he was least expecting an attack.
But it was Marius who in the end surprised Jugurtha, near the town of Cirta, and after a skirmish forced him to fly.
Bocchus, at no time an eager ally of his son-in-law, hearing that he was defeated, determined to forsake him and make peace with Rome. But Marius was too anxious to capture Jugurtha to pay much attention to the advances of King Bocchus.
As the kings had foreseen, Marius moved swiftly. He marched first to Capsa, a city in which Jugurtha kept many of his royal treasures.