[476] ‘Laden with booty;’ that is, filled with things which can be taken as booty.
[477] Pugnae adesse belong together, ‘to take part in the battle.’ Marius’s plan was well calculated, as he inspired his soldiers with courage before leading them to labour and hardship.
[478] Futuros; supply esse, ‘they would behave;’ hence the adverbs. See Zumpt, § 365.
[88.]
[479] ‘Contrary to his expectation;’ for spes is often used in the general sense of ‘expecting,’ or ‘looking forward to’ anything, whether good or bad.
[480] Armis exuere, ‘to disarm;’ here the same as ‘conquer’ or ‘defeat;’ intimating that the enemies take to flight, leaving their arms behind.
[481] ‘Not calculated to bring the war to a close.’ See Zumpt, § 662.
[482] Adversum se erant is a combination of two constructions — adversum se essent and adversum eum erant — of which we have already observed several instances. Compare [chap. 66], and p. 122, note 1 [[note 326]].
[483] To nudatum supply fore, which is to be taken out of the following esse; ‘he hoped that Jugurtha would either be deprived of his fortified places, or be compelled to fight.’
[484] Ne quid — timeret, ‘(requesting him) not to fear anything;’ the imperative of the oratio recta is expressed in the oratio obliqua by the subjunctive. See Zumpt, § 603.
[89.]
[485] In manus venire, ‘to come within reach,’ ‘engage in close combat;’ for manus conserere, which is much more frequent.
[486] ‘It seemed to be time;’ that is, it seemed to be a favourable moment, or it seemed to be advisable; hence the infinitive aggredi. Zumpt, § 659, note.
[487] Capsa, a town in the eastern part of Numidia, between the river Bagradas, which empties itself into the sea not far from Carthage, and lake Tritonis: it is believed still to exist under the name of Cafza, and to have been founded by the African Hercules; that is, by Phoenicians; for the Phoenician conquests are ascribed to a Phoenician Hercules, and the north coast of Africa was the principal scene of the enterprises of those seafaring conquerors.
[488] Immunis, ‘exempt from taxes.’
[489] Other editions have quarum instead of quorum. See Zumpt, § 78, note.
[490] Jugis aqua, ‘running water,’ or ‘a well perpetually flowing.’ The other water which they used was rain water, and to pluvia we must supply aqua.
[491] Africa — incultius agebat, ‘Africa, which was in a state of greater want of cultivation;’ an unusual transfer of the verb agere (to be in a condition) from the inhabitants of a country to the country itself.
[90.]
[492] ‘He was brought into danger’ or ‘difficulty.’
[493] ‘They take more care about pastures than cultivated fields.’
[494] Exornat; supply rem, expeditionem, ‘the undertaking or campaign.’
[91.]
[a][495] Per implies an equal distribution among the centuries and turmae.
[496] Duum for duorum occurs most frequently in connection with milium. See Zumpt, § 115, note 2.
[497] Res trepidae, ‘a dangerous situation.’
[498] Sallust feels that he must excuse or explain the destruction of a town which had surrendered at discretion.