[316] CVIII. Of the family of Masinissa—Ex gente Masinissae. Massugrada was the son of Masinissa by a concubine.
[317] Faithful—Fidum. After this word, in the editions of Cortius, Kritzius, Gerlach, Allen, and Dietsch, follows Romanis or esse Romanis. These critics defend Romanis on the plea that a dative is necessary after fidum, and that it was of importance, as Castilioneus observes that Dabar should be well disposed toward the Romans, and not have been corrupted, like many other courtiers of Bocchus, by the bribes of Jugurtha. Glarcanus, Badius Ascensius, the Bipont editors, and Burnouf, with, most of the translators, omit Romanis, and I have thought proper to imitate their example.
[318] Place, day, and hour—Diem, locum, tempus. Not only the day, but the time of the day.
[319] That he kept all points, which he had settled with him before, inviolate—Consulta sese omnia cum illo integra habere. Kritzius justly observes that most editors, in interpreting this passage, have erroneously given to consulta the sense of consulenda; and that the sense is, "that all that he had arranged with Sylla before, remained unaltered, and that he was not drawn from his resolutions by the influence of Jugurtha."
[320] And that he was not to fear the presence of Jugurtha's embassador, as any restraint, etc.—Neu Jugurthae legatum pertimesceret, quo res communis licentius gereretur. There is some difficulty in this passage. Burnouf makes the nearest approach to a satisfactory explanation of it. "Sylla," says he, "was not to fear the envoy of Jugurtha, quo, on which account (equivalent to eoque, and on that account, i. e. on account of his freedom from apprehension) their common interests would be more freely arranged." Yet it appears from what follows that fear of Jugurtha's envoy could not be dismissed, and that there could be no freedom of discussion in his presence, as Sylla was to say but little before him, and to speak more at large at a private meeting. These considerations have induced Kritzius to suppose that the word remoto, or something similar, has been lost after quo. The Bipont editors inserted cautum esse before quo, which is without authority, and does not at all assist the sense.
[321] African duplicity—Punica fide. "Punica fides was a well-known proverbial expression for treachery and deceit. The origin of it is perhaps attributable not so much to fact, as to the implacable hatred of the Romans toward the Carthaginians." Burnouf.
[322] CIX. What answer should be returned by Bocchus—That is, in the presence of Aspar.
[323] Both then retired to their respective camps—Deinde ambo in sua castra digressi. Both, i. e. Bocchus and Sylla, not Aspar and Sylla, as Cortius imagines.
[324] CX. It will be a pleasure to me—Fuerit mihi. Some editions, as that of Langius, the Bipont, and Burnouf's, have fuerit mihi pretium. Something of the kind seems to be wanting. "Res in bonis numeranda fuerit mihi." Burnouf. Allen, who omits pretium, interprets, "Grata mihi egestas sit, quae ad tuam, amicitiam coufugiat;" but who can deduce this sense from the passage, unless he have pretium, or something similar, in his mind?
[325] CXI. That part of Numidia which he claimed—Numidiae partem quam nunc peteret. See the second note on c. 102. Bocchus continues, in his speech in the preceding chapter, to signify that a part of Numidia belonged to him.