tacitus respiciens postremo dixisse: 'urbem venalem et mature perituram, si emptorem invenerit.' [212] We here enter the year B.C. 110. [213] _Urgueat_, 'presses Jugurtha;' that is, he is hindered by the indignation on account of his past crimes, and at the same time by the apprehension with which the Roman people regard him. [214] He would like best that it should be done in secret; but if this should not succeed, he would like it to be done in any way, whatever it might be. Instead of _maxime_, the author might have said _potissimum_. See the same expression chap. 46. [215] _Profiteri indicium_, 'to declare that you will state everything.' We must understand that in the defective administration of justice at Rome, the _index_ (informer) received a promise of impunity. [216] _Manifestus_, with the genitive of the crime, is a person _qui mani festo tenetur_, or against whom there is most decisive evidence. [217] _Animum adverto_, the same as the compound _animadverto_, like _venum eo_ for _veneo_. [218] Jugurtha had given fifty sureties in the name of Bomilcar, in order that he might remain at liberty. These sureties were of course fifty Roman citizens. As Bomilcar fled, those sureties had to pay the money with which each guaranteed his appearance, and there can be no doubt but that Jugurtha secretly paid the money. [219] _Paucis diebus._ See Zumpt, S 480. 36. Interim Albinus renovato bello commeatum, stipendium aliaque, quae militibus usui forent, maturat in Africam portare; ac statim ipse profectus, uti ante comitia, quod tempus[220] haud longe aberat, armis aut deditione aut quovis modo bellum conficeret. At contra Jugurtha trahere omnia et alias deinde alias morae causas facere, polliceri deditionem, ac deinde metum simulare, cedere instanti et paulo post, ne sui diffiderent, instare; ita belli modo, modo pacis mora consulem ludificare.[221] Ac fuere, qui tum Albinum haud ignarum consilii regis existimarent, neque ex tanta properantia tam facile tractum bellum socordia magis quam dolo crederent.[222] Sed postquam dilapso tempore comitiorum dies adventabat, Albinus, Aulo fratre in castris pro praetore relicto Romam decessit.