Bellum Iugurthinum 82

Iug. 82.1Imperātor postquam dē rēgum societāte cognōvit, nōn temerē neque, utī saepe iam victō Iugurthā cōnsuēverat, omnibus locīs pugnandī cōpiam facit.The commander, when he learned of the alliance of the kings, did not rashly offer the chance of battle everywhere, as he had been accustomed to do now that Jugurtha had often been beaten. Iug. 82.1Cēterum haud procul ab Cirtā castrīs mūnītīs rēgēs opperītur, melius esse ratus cognitīs Maurīs, quoniam is novōs hostīs adcesserat, ex commodō pugnam facere.But he awaited the kings in a fortified camp not far from Cirta, thinking it better, once he had learned about the Moors, since this new enemy had joined, to fight at his own convenience. Iug. 82.2Interim Rōmā per litterās certior fit prōvinciam Numidiam Mariō datam;Meanwhile he was informed by a letter from Rome that the province of Numidia had been given to Marius; Iug. 82.2nam cōnsulem factum ante accēperat.for he had already heard that he had been made consul. Iug. 82.2Quibus rēbus suprā bonum aut honestum perculsus neque lacrumās tenēre neque moderārī linguam, vir ēgregius in aliīs artibus nimis molliter aegritūdinem patī.Shaken by this beyond what was right or seemly, he could neither hold back his tears nor control his tongue, a man outstanding in other qualities who bore his grief too weakly.

Iug. 82.3Quam rem aliī in superbiam vortēbant, aliī bonum ingenium contumēliā accēnsum esse, multī quod iam parta victōria ex manibus ēriperētur.Some attributed this to arrogance, others said that a noble nature had been inflamed by the insult, many that a victory already won was being snatched from his hands. Iug. 82.3Nōbīs satis cognitum est illum magis honōre Marī quam iniūriā suā excruciātum, neque tam anxiē lātūrum fuisse, sī adempta prōvincia aliī quam Mariō trāderētur.For my part, I know well enough that he was tormented more by Marius' honour than by the wrong done to himself, and would not have taken it so hard if the province taken from him had been handed to anyone other than Marius.