1So the armies met at a place agreed by both. 1There, after pledges had been given and received, Jugurtha fired Bocchus' spirit with a speech: the Romans were unjust, of boundless greed, the common enemies of all mankind; 1they had the same reason for war with Bocchus as with himself and other nations, the lust for dominion, to which all kingdoms were hostile; 1at that moment it was himself, a little before it had been the Carthaginians, likewise King Perseus, and later whoever seemed wealthiest would in turn be an enemy to the Romans. 2After these and other such words they decided on a march to the town of Cirta, because Quintus Metellus had placed his plunder, prisoners and baggage there.
3So Jugurtha reckoned that either, if the city were taken, it would be worth the effort, or, if the Roman came to the help of his men, they would fight it out in battle. 4For in his cunning he was eager only to spoil Bocchus' chance of peace, so that he should not, by spinning out delays, come to prefer something other than war.