Iug. 65.1Erat praetereā in exercitū nostrō Numida quīdam nōmine Gauda, Mastanabalis fīlius, Masinissae nepōs, quem Micipsa testāmentō secundum hērēdem scrīpserat, morbīs cōnfectus et ob eam causam mente paulum inminūtā.There was besides in our army a Numidian named Gauda, son of Mastanabal and grandson of Masinissa, whom Micipsa had named in his will as second heir, a man worn out by illness and for that reason somewhat weakened in mind. Iug. 65.2Quoi Metellus petentī, mōre rēgum ut sellam iūxtā pōneret, item posteā custōdiae causā turmam equitum Rōmānōrum, utrumque negāverat: honōrem, quod eōrum modo foret, quōs populus Rōmānus rēgēs appellāvisset;When he had asked Metellus to place his seat next to him in the manner of kings, and later also for a squadron of Roman knights as a bodyguard, Metellus had refused both: the honour, because it belonged only to those whom the Roman people had called kings; Iug. 65.2praesidium, quod contumēliōsum in eōs foret, sī equitēs Rōmānī satellitēs Numidae trāderentur.the guard, because it would be an insult to Roman knights if they were handed over as attendants to a Numidian.
Iug. 65.3Hunc Marius ānxium aggreditur atque hortātur, ut contumēliārum in imperātōrem cum suō auxiliō poenās petat.Marius approached this man in his resentment and urged him to seek vengeance with his help for the insults done him by the commander. Iug. 65.3Hominem ob morbōs animō parum validō secundā ōrātiōne extollit: illum rēgem, ingentem virum, Masinissae nepōtem esse;With flattering words he puffed up the man, whose mind was none too strong because of his illnesses: he was a king, a great man, the grandson of Masinissa; Iug. 65.3sī Iugurtha captus aut occīsus foret, imperium Numidiae sine morā habitūrum;if Jugurtha were captured or killed, he would have the rule of Numidia without delay; Iug. 65.3id adeō mātūrē posse ēvenīre, sī ipse cōnsul ad id bellum missus foret.and this could come about very soon if Marius himself were sent as consul to that war. Iug. 65.4Itaque et illum et equitēs Rōmānōs, mīlitēs et negōtiātōrēs, aliōs ipse, plērōsque pācis spēs inpellit, utī Rōmam ad suōs necessāriōs asperē in Metellum dē bellō scrībant, Marium imperātōrem poscant.And so he drove both Gauda and the Roman knights, soldiers and traders alike, some by his own persuasion, most by the hope of peace, to write to their friends at Rome harshly against Metellus about the war, and to demand Marius as commander.
Iug. 65.5Sīc illī ā multīs mortālibus honestissumā suffrāgātiōne cōnsulātus petēbātur.In this way many people were canvassing for the consulship for him with the most honourable support. Iug. 65.5Simul eā tempestāte plēbs nōbilitāte fūsā per lēgem Mamiliam novōs extollēbat.At the same time in that period the commons, having routed the nobility through the Mamilian law, were raising up new men. Iug. 65.5Ita Mariō cūncta prōcēdere.So everything went forward for Marius.