C. Sallusti Crispi De Bello Catilinario Et JugurthinoSallust
History
C. Sallusti Crispi De Bello Catilinario Et Jugurthino
Sallust
Jugurthine War, 111-105 B.C.; Rome -- History -- Conspiracy of Catiline, 65-62 B.C.
[367] 'The whole town was given up to punishment or booty.' We cannot say
_urbs poenae fuit_ alone; but the dative _poenae_ is explained
by the common expression _praedae fuit_, with which it is connected.
[368] 'Ordered to defend himself' against the charge of treachery
which was brought against him. For a _reus_ (a person standing
accused of a crime) _causam dicit_; that is, conducts his case, or
defends himself. Turpilius was condemned by the war council, and paid
the forfeit with his life, after having previously been scourged.
This ancient severity, according to which the condemned was bound
to a post, and scourged with rods on his naked body, had been
abolished by a lex Porcia for Roman citizens. See page 52, note 5.
[note 260 in Cat.] For this reason Sallust adds the remark, that
Turpilius was a citizen from Latium; that is, he did not possess the
full Roman franchise, but only that part of it which was not
incompatible with his retaining the franchise in some Latin town.
Such half-citizens or Latins, to whom the Roman franchise was given
in this manner, that thereby they acquired the right to settle in the
territory of Rome, and become members of a Roman tribe, provided they
renounced their Latin franchise, were at that time still very
numerous; but they ceased to exist in B.C. 91, when what were called
the Latin towns received the Roman franchise.
70. Per idem tempus Bomilcar, cujus impulsu Jugurtha deditionem, quam
metu deseruit, inceperat, suspectus regi et ipse eum suspiciens, novas
res cupere, ad perniciem ejus dolum quaerere, diu noctuque fatigare
animum;[369] denique omnia temptando, socium sibi adjungit Nabdalsam,
hominem nobilem, magnis opibus, carum acceptumque popularibus suis, qui
plerumque seorsum ab rege exercitum ductare et omnes res exequi solitus
erat, quae Jugurthae fesso aut majoribus astricto superaverant;[370] ex
quo illi gloria opesque inventae. Igitur utriusque consilio dies insidiis
statuitur; cetera, uti res posceret, ex tempore parari placuit; Nabdalsa
ad exercitum profectus, quem inter hiberna Romanorum jussus habebat, ne
ager inultis hostibus vastaretur.[371] Is postquam magnitudine facinoris
perculsus ad tempus non venit metusque rem impediebat,[372] Bomilcar
simul cupidus incepta patrandi et timore socii anxius, ne omisso vetere
consilio novum quaereret,[373] litteras ad eum per homines fideles
mittit, in quis mollitiem socordiamque viri accusare,[374] testari deos,
per quos juravisset, monere ne praemia Metelli in pestem converteret;
Jugurthae exitium adesse; ceterum suane an virtute Metelli periret, id
modo agitari;[375] proinde reputaret cum animo suo, praemia an cruciatum
mallet.
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