Iug. 38.1At Iugurtha cognitā vānitāte atque inperītiā lēgātī subdolē eius augēre āmentiam, missitāre supplicantīs lēgātōs, ipse quasi vītābundus per saltuōsa loca et trāmitēs exercitum ductāre.But Jugurtha, recognising the folly and inexperience of the legate, craftily increased his madness, kept sending envoys to plead for terms, and himself, as if avoiding him, led his army through wooded country and by-paths. Iug. 38.2Dēnique Aulum spē pactiōnis perpulit, utī relictō Suthule in abditās regiōnēs sēsē velutī cēdentem īnsequerētur: ita dēlicta occultiōra fuēre.At last, by the hope of a settlement, he induced Aulus to leave Suthul and follow him, as if he were retreating, into remote regions: in this way his misdeeds were better hidden. Iug. 38.3Intereā per hominēs callidōs diū noctūque exercitum temptābat, centuriōnēs ducēsque turmārum, partim utī trānsfugerent, corrumpere, aliī signō datō locum utī dēsererent.Meanwhile, day and night, through crafty agents he kept tampering with the army, bribing centurions and commanders of cavalry squadrons, some to desert, others to abandon their posts at a given signal. Iug. 38.4Quae postquam ex sententiā īnstruit, intempestā nocte dē inprōvīsō multitūdine Numidārum Aulī castra circumvenit.When he had arranged these matters to his liking, in the dead of night he suddenly surrounded Aulus' camp with a host of Numidians.
Iug. 38.5Mīlitēs Rōmānī, perculsī tumultū īnsolitō, arma capere aliī, aliī sē abdere, pars territōs cōnfirmāre, trepidāre omnibus locīs.Of the Roman soldiers, struck by the unaccustomed uproar, some seized their arms, others hid themselves, some encouraged the frightened, and there was panic everywhere. Iug. 38.5Vīs magna hostium, caelum nocte atque nūbibus obscūrātum, perīculum anceps;The enemy's force was great, the sky darkened by night and clouds, the danger on both sides; Iug. 38.5postrēmō fugere an manēre tūtius foret, in incertō erat.in short, whether it was safer to flee or to stay was uncertain. Iug. 38.6Sed ex eō numerō, quōs paulō ante corruptōs dīximus, cohors ūna Ligurum cum duābus turmīs Thrācum et paucīs gregāriīs mīlitibus trānsiēre ad rēgem, et centuriō prīmī pīlī tertiae legiōnis per mūnītiōnem, quam utī dēfenderet accēperat, locum hostibus introeundī dedit, eāque Numidae cūnctī inrūpēre.But of the number whom we said had been bribed shortly before, one cohort of Ligurians together with two squadrons of Thracians and a few common soldiers went over to the king, and the chief centurion of the Third Legion gave the enemy a way in through the fortification he had been assigned to defend, and by that way all the Numidians burst in.
Iug. 38.7Nostrī foedā fugā, plērīque abiectīs armīs, proxumum collem occupāvērunt.Our men, in shameful flight, most of them having thrown away their arms, occupied the nearest hill. Iug. 38.8Nox atque praeda castrōrum hostīs, quō minus victōriā ūterentur, remorāta sunt.Night and the plunder of the camp held the enemy back from making use of their victory. Iug. 38.9Deinde Iugurtha posterō diē cum Aulō in conloquiō verba facit: tametsī ipsum cum exercitū fame et ferrō clausum tenēret, tamen sē memorem hūmānārum rērum, sī sēcum foedus faceret, incolumīs omnīs sub iugum missūrum;Then on the following day Jugurtha spoke with Aulus in a parley: although he held him and his army shut in by hunger and the sword, still, being mindful of the fortunes of men, if Aulus made a treaty with him, he would send them all under the yoke unharmed; Iug. 38.9praetereā utī diēbus decem Numidiā dēcēderet.and furthermore Aulus must leave Numidia within ten days. Iug. 38.10Quae quamquam gravia et flāgitī plēna erant, tamen, quia mortis metū mūtābantur, sīcutī rēgī lubuerat, pāx convenit.Although these terms were harsh and full of disgrace, nevertheless, because they were being exchanged for the fear of death, peace was agreed just as the king had wished.