[69] Alius alio, ‘one in one direction, and the other in another.’ See Zumpt, § 289.
[70] Proximus lictor is the one of the lictors who, when they precede the praetors or consuls, walks last, and is therefore nearest to his commander; and this lictor, according to Roman custom, had the highest rank among his fellow-lictors. The customs of the Romans were imitated at the courts of allied princes.
[71] Claves adulterinae, ‘imitation keys.’
[72] Respecting the quum in descriptions, where it is commonly preceded by interea, or interim, see Zumpt, § 580.
[13.]
[73] Parat, in the sense of se parat, ‘he prepares himself,’ or ‘sets about;’ and thus parare is not unfrequently used by Sallust absolutely in the sense of statuere and instituere.
[74] Provincia here is the Roman province of Africa, consisting of the territory of Carthage which had been destroyed, and containing the towns of Leptis, Hadrumetum, Utica, and Carthage, which was gradually rising again as a Roman town. That territory now belongs to the dey of Tunis, a vassal prince of the Turkish sultan. Numidia, in the west of the Roman province, was bounded in the west by the kingdom of Mauretania, and comprised the modern Algeria which is possessed by the French.
[75] Paucis diebus, ‘within a few days;’ that is, a few days after. See Zumpt, § 480.
[76] Singulos ambire, ‘to go about addressing individual persons,’ has at the same time the meaning of ‘attempting to gain them over by intreaties or promises.’
[77] ‘That no severe decree might be passed against him,’ ne gravius consilium in eum caperetur.
[14.]
[78] Adherbal says that only the administration of Numidia belongs to him, but that the legal title and supremacy belong to Rome — the language of abject servility, by which he wishes to recommend himself to the protection of the senate.
[79] Affines are those connected with one another by marriage, whereas cognati are relations by blood.
[80] Sustinere is here the same as ferre.
[81] ‘As I was to come to such misery;’ that is, as it had been ordained by fate that I should come to such misery. See Zumpt, § 498.
[82] Adherbal wishes to be able to solicit the aid of the Romans, in consequence of his own services, rather than those of his ancestors; he then again divides that wish, considering it as most desirable that the Roman people should owe him services without his being in want of them, and next in desirableness that the services which he requires should be performed as services due to him. By this latter sentiment he returns to the point from which he set out — namely, his wish to have done good services (beneficia) to the Romans. Vellem in this sentence is followed twice by the accusative with the infinitive (posse, to which me is to be supplied, and beneficia deberi), and then by a clause with ut (uti; that is, ut — uterer). Secundum ea, ‘next to,’ or ‘next after this,’ according to the etymology of secundum from sequor.
[83] In manu fuit, an expression not uncommon in the comic poets; in manu alicujus est, ‘it is in a person’s power.’
[84] ‘At a time when the good fortune of the Romans did not render it so desirable to enter into connection with them as their fidelity and trustworthiness.’
[85] ‘Do not allow me in vain to pray for your assistance.’ Me in this sentence is accompanied by two accusatives in apposition, first progeniem, and then nepotem Masinissae.
[86] Observe the unusual combination Romani populi for populi Romani, which is to be explained by the fact, that here Romani is the more emphatic word, placing the Roman people in contrast with other nations.
[87] ‘O I, unfortunate man! to what result, father Micipsa, have thy good services led!’ For the accusative me miserum, see Zumpt, § 402; and for the double suffix in hucine, § 132.
[88] ‘Never, then, will our family be at peace!’ an exclamation to which afterwards an interrogative sentence with ne is appended. The former also might have been expressed by numquamne ergo, &c.
[89] The subjunctive jussissetis indicates a repeated action. See Zumpt, § 569. The senate and people of Rome had the right to make war and peace throughout the extent of the Roman dominion, so that the allied nations and kings were obliged to regard those against whom the Romans declared war as their own enemies; as, for example, not long since, the Numantines.
[90] ‘Who being a brother, was at the same time a relation.’ Respecting this use of the pronoun idem, when the two predicates are added to one subject, see Zumpt, § 697.
[91] Non queo; that is, nequeo, or non possum.
[92] Extorris (from terra), as exsul from solum, ‘homeless.’ Respecting the ablative denoting separation or privation, see Zumpt, § 468.
[93] Tutius; the adjective tutior also might have been used. Respecting the use of adverbs with esse, see Zumpt, § 365.
[94] Maxime tutos; that is, omnium tutissimos.
[95] ‘Whatever was in the power of our family;’ quod per familiam nostram stetit.
[96] This inserted clause belongs to the following propinquus. The demonstrative id (or is) is omitted, and the relative clause precedes the word to which it refers. See Zumpt, §§ 765, 813.
[97] Pars — pars; that is, alii — alii; whence the verb is in the plural.
[98] Exigere vitam for agere vitam, but implying a long and sorrowful life.
[99] ‘Which out of friendly things (circumstances), have become hostile.’ The neuter necessaria also comprises the persons who are termed necessarii, ‘persons connected by ties of relationship or friendship;’ such as in particular Jugurtha, the adoptive brother of the speaker.
[100] ‘Whither shall I turn myself? whom shall I call to my assistance?’ Donatus, an ancient grammarian, in his commentary on Terence, quotes from Sallust quo accidam? ‘whither shall I turn myself for assistance?’ but none of the manuscripts has that reading in this passage.
[101] He alludes to the nations and kings who were still independent and had not yet been incorporated with the Roman empire, especially the kings of Syria and Egypt, and perhaps also the king of Mauritania.
[102] Sallust might have said hujus imperii, but he prefers the dative, which is a dativus incommodi.
[103] Secundus, ‘favourable,’ according to its derivation from sequor, is especially used of a favourable wind, but also in the general sense of ‘assisting,’ or ‘devoted to.’
[104] Fatigare, ‘to importune a person with prayers.’ See note [chap. 3].
[105] Quodutinam connects this sentence in an animated manner with the preceding, otherwise utinam alone might be used. ‘Yes, would that I could but see Jugurtha feigning these very things.’
[106] Nae ille — reddat; as far as the sense is concerned, this sentence forms the apodosis to the preceding wish: ‘would that I could see him in like circumstances, and would that at length the gods opened their eyes; then he would surely have to pay a heavy penalty for his impiety, for the death of my brother and for my sufferings.’ The present subjunctive in the apodosis corresponds with the same tense in the protasis, and differs very little from the future indicative. See Zumpt, § 524, note.
[107] ‘Although life has been taken from thee before the age of maturity, and by a person who should have done it least of all.’ Unde, the more general relative, is here used for a quo homine. In like manner the Romans, in legal phraseology, called the defendant unde petitur; that is, the person of whom payment is demanded.
[108] Doleo, ‘I grieve at,’ is construed with de, as de casu tuo, with the ablative alone, casu tuo, and also as a transitive verb with the accusative, doleo casum tuum. Laetari here follows the construction of doleo, for it is generally followed by de, or the ablative alone. See Zumpt, § 383.
[109] Namely, the life and death of the persecuted Adherbal depends upon the power of Jugurtha.
[110] Adherbal wishes two things: first, that a speedy death may terminate his misfortunes; and second, not to be obliged to live in contempt, if he should yield to Jugurtha. But neither of these things, says he, can be done. Jugurtha will continue to lay snares for him, and if he yields, and gives up to him his kingdom, he must live despised. These two wishes are here uttered to move the hearts of the senators, expressed as they are by a king.
[111] Per vos liberos atque parentes vestros. The words per liberos belong together; to vos supply oro. See Zumpt, § 794. Adherbal intreats the senators by their children and parents, because Jugurtha has so criminally trampled on the sacred rights of the family. Others read per vos per liberos vestros; but this is wrong, and the repetition of per is bad: we never intreat persons by themselves, but by something that is dear to them.
[112] Tabescere, ‘to waste away,’ ‘perish;’ the proper meaning is, ‘to be consumed by some disease.’
[15.]
[113] Ante facta, &c. It would have been more common to say factis suis anteponerent. In Cicero, ante is not used to denote preference as in Sallust, [Cat. 53]: Graeci ante Romanos fuere for Graeci Romanis praestabant.
[114] According to Sallust’s mode of speaking, we should have expected depravati, pars being only another form for alii. But nothing can be said against the grammatical agreement pars depravata, it being that form which, according to grammar, should be used.
[115] Scaurus dreaded the stained audacity of those who accepted bribes from Jugurtha without any scruple or shame, and would have liked to stir up against them the hatred and envy of others. Licentia is the conduct of a man who thinks he is allowed to do anything, and accordingly here signifies to accept bribes by which statesmen disgrace themselves. The adjective which properly refers to men (pollutus) is here transferred to licentia. Sallust describes Aemelius Scaurus, one of the most eminent men of his age (he was twice consul and princeps senatus), as a prudent aristocrat, anxious to keep up a respectable appearance, and to avoid suspicion as much as possible; although in secret he, too, had recourse to unfair means to obtain influence and wealth. The events which Sallust has related hitherto, the murder of Hiempsal, the expulsion of Adherbal by Jugurtha, and Adherbal’s flight to Rome, belong to the year B.C. 116, a time when, if we except some trifling wars against barbarous tribes on the frontiers, the Roman Republic was not engaged in any military undertaking.
[16.]
[116] Opimius had been consul in B.C. 121, and in that year he had, with the authority of the senate, crushed the democratical party of G. Gracchus by force of arms. In consequence of that victory, several very harsh measures had been adopted by the aristocracy to strengthen and increase the power of the senate and the nobility. Opimius, too, was a statesman of loose principles, as is clear from the narrative of Sallust.
[117] Fide for fidei. See Zumpt, § 85, note 3.
[118] Possedit, ‘he took possession of.’ The present possideo only means ‘to possess;’ but the past tenses, possedi, possessum, at the same time have the meaning of ‘taking possession,’ as if they were formed from a present possido, possidere. Compare the similarly-formed compounds of sido, sidere, in Zumpt, § 189.