Iug. 8.1Eā tempestāte in exercitū nostrō fuēre complūrēs novī atque nōbilēs, quibus dīvitiae bonō honestōque potiōrēs erant, factiōsī domī, potentēs apud sociōs, clārī magis quam honestī, quī Iugurthae nōn mediocrem animum pollicitandō accendēbant, sī Micipsa rēx occīdisset, fore utī sōlus imperī Numidiae potīrētur: in ipsō maxumam virtūtem, Rōmae omnia vēnālia esse.At that time there were in our army a number of new men and nobles, to whom riches were preferable to what was good and honourable, partisans at home, powerful among the allies, famous rather than honourable, who inflamed Jugurtha's by no means modest ambition by promising that, if King Micipsa should die, he would gain sole power over Numidia: there was the greatest merit in him, and at Rome everything was for sale. Iug. 8.2Sed postquam Numantiā dēlētā P. Scīpiō dīmittere auxilia et ipse revortī domum dēcrēvit, dōnātum atque laudātum magnificē prō contiōne Iugurtham in praetōrium abdūxit ibique sēcrētō monuit, ut potius pūblicē quam prīvātim amīcitiam populī Rōmānī coleret neu quibus largīrī īnsuēsceret: perīculōsē ā paucīs emī quod multōrum esset.But when, after Numantia had been destroyed, Publius Scipio decided to dismiss the auxiliaries and himself return home, he presented Jugurtha with gifts and praised him splendidly before the assembled troops, then led him away into his headquarters and there advised him in private to cultivate the friendship of the Roman people publicly rather than privately, and not to get into the habit of giving bribes to particular men: it was dangerous to buy from a few what belonged to many.
Iug. 8.2Sī permanēre vellet in suīs artibus, ultrō illī et glōriam et regnum ventūrum;If he would persist in his own good qualities, both glory and a kingdom would come to him of their own accord; Iug. 8.2sīn properantius pergeret, suamet ipsum pecūniā praecipitem cāsūrum.but if he went on too hastily, he would fall headlong, ruined by his own money.