[286] His desert—Industriam. That is, the efforts which he made to attain distinction.
[287] XCVII. When scarcely a tenth part of the day remained—Vix decimâ parte die reliquâ. A remarkably exact specification of the time.
[288] From various quarters—Ex multis. From his scouts, who came in from all sides.
[289] The Roman veterans, who were necessarily well experienced in war,—The reading of Cortius is, Romani veteres, novique, et ob ea scientes belli; which he explains by supposing that the new recruits were joined with the veterans, and that both united were consequently well skilled in war, citing, in support of his supposition, a passage in c. 87: Sic brevi spatio novi veteresqua coaluere, et virtus omnium aequalis facta. And Ascensius had previously given a similar explanation, quod etiam veterani adessent. But many later critics have not been induced to believe that Cortius's reading will bear any such interpretation; and accordingly Kritzius, Dietsch, and Orelli, have ejected novique; as indeed Ciaeconius and Ursinus had long before recommended. Muller, Burnouf, and Allen, retain it, adopting Cortius's interpretation. Gerlach also retains it, but not without hesitation. But it is very remarkable that it occurs in all the manuscripts but one, which has Romani veteres boni scientes erant ut quos locus, etc.
[290] Neque minus hostibus conturbatis. If the enemy had not been in as much disorder as himself, Marius would hardly have been able to effect his retreat.
[291] Pleno gradu.—"By the militaris gradus twenty miles were completed in five hours of a summer day; by the plénusus, which is quicker, twenty-four miles were traversed in the same time." Veget. i.9.
[292] XCIX. When the watches were changed—_Per vigilias: i. e. at the end of each watch, when the guards were relieved. "The nights, by the aid of a clepsydra, were divided into four watches, the termination of each being marked by the blast of a trumpet or horn. See Viget. in. 8: A tubicine omnes vigiliae committuntur; et finitis horis a cornicine revocantur." Kritzius He also refers to Liv. vii. 35; Lucan. viii. 24; Tacit. Hist. v. 22.
[293] Auxiliary cohorts—Cohortium. I have added the word auxiliary. That they were the cohorts of the auxiliaries or allies is apparent, as the word legionum follows. Kritzius indeed thinks otherwise, supposing that the cohorts had particular trumpeters, distinct from those of the whole legion. But for this notion there seems to be no sufficient ground. Sallust speaks of the cohortes sociorum, c. 58, and cohortes Ligurum, c. 100.
[294] Sally forth from the camp—Portis erumpere. Sallust uses the common phrase for issuing from the camp. It can hardly be supposed, that the Romans had formed a regular camp with gates during the short time that they had been upon the hill, especially as they had fled to it in great disorder.
[295] Stupor—Vecordia. A feeling that deprived them of all sense.