[594] 'By whose decision a final determination might be come to respecting the common affairs.' Respecting the ablative _arbitratu_, see Zumpt, S 190. [595] The infantry which, besides an escort of Roman cavalry, was sent to accompany Sulla, consisted of light-armed troops, who were prepared both to march through uncultivated districts, and to fight with the barbarians. Roman infantry could not have kept up with the cavalry. The inhabitants of the Balearian Islands (Majorca, Minorca, and Iviza) were celebrated in antiquity as slingers; and as _socii_ of the Romans, they furnished slingers for the Roman armies. Their weapon was a leathern sling, by which leaden balls were thrown, with great skill and accuracy, at a distance of 500 paces. The _Pelignians_ are a people of central Italy, not far from the Adriatic, with two important towns, Corfinium and Sulmo. All the Italian nations which had then not yet received the Roman franchise furnished their auxiliary cohorts of 400, 500, or 800 men to the Roman army. Whether the Pelignians always bore _arma velitaria_ (a round shield, a short sword, and a light javelin), or whether they did so only on this occasion, is doubtful; but it seems that this was their proper armour. [596] _Non amplius_. See Zumpt, S 485. [597] 'They tried (tested) their arms and darts, and directed them against the supposed enemy,' but without making actual use of them. [598] 'As was in reality the case;' namely, that the approaching cavalry had no hostile intentions. 106. Volux adveniens quaestorem appellat dicitque se a patre Boccho obviam illis simul et praesidio missum. Deinde eum et proximum diem sine metu conjuncti eunt. Post ubi castra locata et diei vesper erat; repente Maurus incerto vultu, pavens ad Sullam accurrit dicitque sibi ex speculatoribus cognitum, Jugurtham haud procul abesse; simul, uti noctu clam secum profugeret, rogat atque hortatur. Ille animo feroci negat se toties fusum Numidam pertimescere; virtuti suorum satis credere;[599] etiamsi certa pestis adesset, mansurum potius quam proditis, quos ducebat, turpi fuga incertae ac forsitan post paulo morbo interiturae vitae parceret.[600] Ceterum ab eodem monitus, uti noctu proficiscerentur, consilium approbat, ac statim milites coenatos esse, in castris ignes quam creberrimos fieri, dein prima vigilia silentio egredi jubet. Jamque nocturno itinere fessis omnibus Sulla pariter cum ortu solis castra metabatur, quum equites Mauri nuntiant Jugurtham circiter duum milium intervallo ante eos[601] consedisse. Quod postquam auditum est, tum vero ingens metus nostros invadit; credere se proditos a Voluce et insidiis circumventos. Ac fuere, qui dicerent manu vindicandum neque apud illum tantum scelus inultum relinquendum.