Iug. 55.1Interim Rōmae gaudium ingēns ortum cognitīs Metellī rēbus, ut sēque et exercitum mōre maiōrum gereret, in advorsō locō victor tamen virtūte fuisset, hostium agrō potīrētur, Iugurtham magnificum ex Albīnī sōcordiā spem salūtis in sōlitūdine aut fugā coēgisset habēre.Meanwhile at Rome there was great rejoicing when Metellus' achievements became known: how he was conducting himself and his army in the manner of their ancestors, how on unfavourable ground he had nevertheless been victorious by valour, was master of the enemy's territory, and had compelled Jugurtha, made arrogant by the slackness of Albinus, to place his hope of safety in the wilderness or in flight. Iug. 55.2Itaque senātus ob ea fēlīciter ācta dīs inmortālibus supplicia dēcernere;So the senate decreed thanksgivings to the immortal gods for these successes; Iug. 55.2cīvitās, trepida anteā et sollicita dē bellī ēventū, laeta agere;the citizens, anxious before and troubled about the outcome of the war, were joyful; Iug. 55.2dē Metellō fāma praeclāra esse.the reputation of Metellus was splendid. Iug. 55.3Igitur eō intentior ad victōriam nītī, omnibus modīs festīnāre, cavēre tamen, nēcubi hostī opportūnus fieret, meminisse post glōriam invidiam sequī.Accordingly he strove for victory all the more intently, hastened in every way, but took care nevertheless not to give the enemy an opening anywhere, remembering that envy follows glory.
Iug. 55.4Ita, quō clārior erat, eō magis ānxius erat, neque post īnsidiās Iugurthae effūsō exercitū praedārī;So the more famous he was, the more anxious he was, and after Jugurtha's ambush he did not plunder with his army scattered; Iug. 55.4ubi frūmentō aut pābulō opus erat, cohortēs cum omnī equitātū praesidium agitābant;when grain or fodder was needed, cohorts with all the cavalry stood guard; Iug. 55.4exercitūs partem ipse, reliquōs Marius dūcēbat.part of the army he led himself, the rest Marius led. Iug. 55.5Sed ignī magis quam praedā ager vāstābātur.But the countryside was laid waste by fire more than by plundering. Iug. 55.6Duōbus locīs haud longē inter sē castra faciēbant;They made their camps in two places not far from each other; Iug. 55.6ubi vī opus erat, cūnctī aderant;when force was needed, all were at hand; Iug. 55.7cēterum, quō fuga atque formīdō lātius crēsceret, dīvorsī agēbant.otherwise, so that flight and terror might spread more widely, they operated apart. Iug. 55.8Eō tempore Iugurtha per collīs sequī, tempus aut locum pugnae quaerere, quā ventūrum hostem audierat, pābulum et aquārum fontīs, quōrum pēnūria erat, corrumpere, modo sē Metellō interdum Mariō ostendere, postrēmōs in agmine temptāre ac statim in collīs regredī, rūrsus aliīs, post aliīs minitārī, neque proelium facere neque ōtium patī, tantummodo hostem ab inceptō retinēre.At that time Jugurtha followed along the hills, looked for a time or place for battle where he had heard the enemy would come, spoiled the fodder and the springs of water, of which there was a shortage, showed himself now to Metellus, sometimes to Marius, attacked the rear of the column and at once went back into the hills, threatened now some, afterwards others, neither offering battle nor allowing rest, but only keeping the enemy from his purpose.