[485] _In manus venire_, 'to come within reach,' 'engage in close combat;' for _manus conserere_, which is much more frequent. [486] 'It seemed to be time;' that is, it seemed to be a favourable moment, or it seemed to be advisable; hence the infinitive _aggredi_. Zumpt, S 659, note. [487] _Capsa_, a town in the eastern part of Numidia, between the river Bagradas, which empties itself into the sea not far from Carthage, and lake Tritonis: it is believed still to exist under the name of Cafza, and to have been founded by the African Hercules; that is, by Phoenicians; for the Phoenician conquests are ascribed to a Phoenician Hercules, and the north coast of Africa was the principal scene of the enterprises of those seafaring conquerors. [488] _Immunis_, 'exempt from taxes.' [489] Other editions have _quarum_ instead of _quorum_. See Zumpt, S 78, note. [490] _Jugis aqua_, 'running water,' or 'a well perpetually flowing.' The other water which they used was rain water, and to _pluvia_ we must supply _aqua_. [491] _Africa--incultius agebat_, 'Africa, which was in a state of greater want of cultivation;' an unusual transfer of the verb _agere_ (to be in a condition) from the inhabitants of a country to the country itself. 90. Igitur consul omnibus exploratis, credo dis fretus (nam contra tantas difficultates consilio satis providere non poterat, quippe etiam frumenti inopia temptabatur,[492] quod Numidae pabulo pecoris magis quam arvo student,[493] et quodcumque natum fuerat jussu regis in loca munita contulerant, ager autem aridus et frugum vacuus ea tempestate, nam aestatis extremum erat), tamen pro rei copia satis providenter exornat;[494] pecus omne, quod superioribus diebus praedae fuerat, equitibus auxiliariis agendum attribuit, A. Manlium legatum cum cohortibus expeditis ad oppidum Lares, ubi stipendium et commeatum locaverat, ire jubet dicitque se praedabundum, post paucos dies eodem venturum. Sic incepto suo occultato pergit ad flumen Tanam. [492] 'He was brought into danger' or 'difficulty.' [493] 'They take more care about pastures than cultivated fields.' [494] _Exornat_; supply _rem, expeditionem_, 'the undertaking or campaign.'