1Metellus meanwhile, having set out for Rome, is received, contrary to his own expectation, with the greatest joy, being dear to the people and the senators alike now that envy had died away. 2But Marius attended energetically and prudently to his own affairs and the enemy's alike: he learned what was advantageous or the reverse to each side, spied out the kings' movements, forestalled their plans and ambushes, and allowed nothing slack on his own side or safe on theirs. 3Therefore he had often attacked the Gaetulians and Jugurtha on the march as they were driving off plunder from our allies, and had routed them, and not far from the town of Cirta had stripped the king himself of his arms.
4When he realised that these exploits were merely glorious and did not bring the war to an end, he decided to surround one by one the cities which, by their garrisons or position, were most useful to the enemy and most dangerous to himself: in this way Jugurtha would either be stripped of his garrisons, if he allowed it, or would fight a battle. 5For Bocchus had often sent messengers to him: that he wanted the friendship of the Roman people; 5that Marius should fear nothing hostile from him. 6Whether he pretended this, so as to strike a heavier blow when unexpected, or whether through fickleness of character he was in the habit of alternating between peace and war, has not been well established.