[149] Literally, ‘but this report was mild;’ that is, it spoke of the battle and siege as if they had been mild or moderate; which was not the case, as Jugurtha carried them on with all his energy.
[150] Pro bono facere; literally, ‘to act in accordance with what is good,’ and hence ‘to act well,’ bene agere.
[151] Utrique refers to both parties — the Roman ambassadors on the one hand, and Jugurtha on the other. The ambassadors were not allowed to speak with Adherbal.
[23.]
[152] Arrigere, the same as excitare; hence frequently animum arrigere, ‘to rouse courage.’
[24.]
[153] Nisi tamen intellego refers to the preceding plura scribere nolo, and expresses an exception, as is always the case with nisi after a negative: he will write nothing else, but still add the remark that Jugurtha aimed at something beyond the kingdom of Adherbal; namely, that he intended afterwards to attack the Romans themselves, because he saw that the acquisition of the kingdom of Adherbal was irreconcilable with the friendship of Rome. Plura non scribam nisi hoc intellego is an elliptical expression, equivalent to plura non scribam, nisi hoc scribam, me intellegere.
[154] ‘Whatever may have been our mutual acts of injustice, it is no concern of yours;’ that is, they must be indifferent to you. Consider only the fact, that he has taken possession of the kingdom of your ally.
[155] Adherbal, for the purpose of exciting the sympathy of the senate, represents it as a fact that he is born only to exhibit (endure) the crimes of Jugurtha. Respecting the dative ostentui, see Zumpt, §§ 90 and 422.
[156] Adherbal prays the senate to prevent (deprecor) his enemy from acquiring the sole sovereignty, and from killing him amid tortures.
[25.]
[157] Consuleretur; supply senatus; ‘that the subject of the disobedience shown by Jugurtha should be brought for decision before the senate.’
[158] Enisum est, ‘it was carried.’ Observe the passive meaning of the deponent verb.
[159] Quam ocissime, ‘as speedily as possible.’ The positive of ocissime is not in use in Latin. Zumpt, § 293, note.
[160] Cirtam irrumpere is a peculiarity in the style of Sallust, the common expression being, in urbem irrumpere. See Zumpt, § 386, note.
[161] By engaging the enemy’s troops in different places, and thus dividing them. This is the meaning of the inseparable particle dis or di.
[26.]
[162] ‘Although he considered everything else to be of more weight than the faithfulness (promise) of Jugurtha.’ The conquest of Cirta, and the putting to death of Adherbal, belong to the year B. C. 112.