Iug. 103.1Marius intereā exercitū in hībernāculīs conpositō cum expedītīs cohortibus et parte equitātūs proficīscitur in loca sōla obsessum turrim rēgiam, quō Iugurtha perfugās omnīs praesidium inposuerat.Marius meanwhile, having settled the army in winter quarters, sets out with the light-armed cohorts and part of the cavalry into desert country to besiege a royal tower, in which Jugurtha had placed all the deserters as a garrison. Iug. 103.2Tum rūrsus Bocchus, seu reputandō quae sibi duōbus proeliīs vēnerant, seu admonitus ab aliīs amīcīs, quōs incorruptōs Iugurtha relīquerat, ex omnī cōpiā necessāriōrum quīnque dēlēgit, quōrum et fidēs cognita et ingenia validissuma erant.Then once again Bocchus, either from reflecting on what had befallen him in two battles, or on the advice of other friends whom Jugurtha had left unbribed, chose from the whole number of his intimates five men whose loyalty was known and whose abilities were very great. Iug. 103.3Eōs ad Marium ac deinde, sī placeat, Rōmam lēgātōs īre iubet, agundārum rērum et quōcumque modō bellī conpōnundī licentiam ipsīs permittit.He orders them to go as envoys to Marius and then, if it seemed good, to Rome, and gives them full authority to negotiate and to settle the war on any terms.
Iug. 103.4Illī mātūrē ad hīberna Rōmānōrum proficīscuntur, deinde in itinere ā Gaetūlīs latrōnibus circumventī spoliātīque pavidī sine decore ad Sullam profugiunt, quem cōnsul in expedītiōnem proficīscēns prō praetōre relīquerat.They set out promptly for the Romans' winter quarters, but then on the way they were surrounded and robbed by Gaetulian bandits and fled in fear and without dignity to Sulla, whom the consul, when setting out on his expedition, had left behind as propraetor. Iug. 103.5Eōs ille nōn prō vānīs hostibus, utī meritī erant, sed adcūrātē ac līberāliter habuit.He treated them, not as untrustworthy enemies, as they had deserved, but with care and generosity. Iug. 103.5Quā rē barbarī et fāmam Rōmānōrum avāritiae falsam et Sullam ob mūnificentiam in sēsē amīcum ratī.Because of this the barbarians thought that the reputation of the Romans for greed was false, and that Sulla, because of his munificence towards them, was their friend. Iug. 103.6Nam etiam tum largītiō multīs ignōta erat;For even then many did not know about bribery; Iug. 103.6mūnificus nēmō putābātur nisi pariter volēns;no one was thought generous unless he was also well-disposed; Iug. 103.6dōna omnia in benignitāte habēbantur.all gifts were regarded as kindness.
Iug. 103.7Igitur quaestōrī mandāta Bocchī patefaciunt;So they disclose Bocchus' instructions to the quaestor; Iug. 103.7simul ab eō petunt, utī fautor cōnsultorque sibi adsit;at the same time they ask him to be their supporter and adviser; Iug. 103.7cōpiās fidem magnitūdinem rēgis suī et alia, quae aut ūtilia aut benevolentiae esse crēdēbant, ōrātiōne extollunt.they extol in their speech the forces, the good faith and the greatness of their king, and other things which they believed were either useful or would win goodwill. Iug. 103.7Dein Sulla omnia pollicitō doctī, quō modō apud Marium, item apud senātum verba facerent, circiter diēs quadrāgintā ibīdem opperiuntur.Then, when Sulla had promised everything, they were taught how to speak before Marius and likewise before the senate, and wait there for about forty days.