1Meanwhile Jugurtha, when he learned from messengers what Metellus was doing, and was at the same time informed from Rome of his integrity, began to despair of his situation and only then tried to make a genuine surrender. 2So he sent envoys to the consul with the tokens of suppliants, to ask only for life for himself and his children, and to surrender everything else to the Roman people. 3But Metellus had already learned from experience that the Numidian race was faithless, fickle in character and eager for revolution. 4So he approached the envoys one by one, apart from the others, and gradually sounding them out, once he found them suited to his purpose, by many promises he persuaded them to hand Jugurtha over to him, alive if possible, or, if that should not succeed, dead.
4Openly, however, he ordered that a reply should be taken to the king which would agree with his wishes. 5Then a few days later he himself advanced into Numidia with his army alert and ready for battle, where, quite unlike the face of war, the huts were full of people, and there were flocks and farmers in the fields. 5From the towns and villages the king's officers came out to meet him, ready to give grain, to carry provisions, and in short to do everything that was ordered. 6Metellus did not on that account act any less carefully, but advanced with his column protected just as if the enemy were at hand, reconnoitred everything far and wide, believed that those signs of surrender were for show and that an opportunity for an ambush was being sought.
7So he himself was among the foremost with the light-armed cohorts and also a picked band of slingers and archers; in the rear Gaius Marius, his lieutenant, was in charge with the cavalry; on both flanks he had distributed the auxiliary cavalry among the tribunes of the legions and the prefects of the cohorts, so that the light infantry, mixed in with them, might drive off the enemy's horsemen wherever they approached. 8For in Jugurtha there was such cunning and such knowledge of the country and of warfare that it was held uncertain whether he was more dangerous absent or present, waging peace or war.