108. Ibi cum Boccho Numida quidam, Aspar nomine, multum et familiariter agebat, praemissus ab Jugurtha, postquam Sullam accitum audierat, orator[608] et subdole speculatum Bocchi consilia; praeterea Dabar, Massugradae filius, ex gente Masinissae, ceterum materno genere impar (nam pater ejus ex concubina ortus erat), Mauro ob ingenii multa bona carus acceptusque. Quem Bocchus fidum esse Romanis multis ante tempestatibus expertus illico ad Sullam nuntiatum mittit paratum sese facere, quae populus Romanus vellet; colloquio diem, locum, tempus ipse delegeret; consulta sese omnia cum illo integra habere;[609] neu Jugurthae legatum pertimesceret, quo res communis licentius gereretur;[610] nam ab insidiis ejus aliter caveri[611] nequivisse. Sed ego comperior Bocchum magis Punica fide[612] quam ob ea, quae praedicabat, simul Romanos et Numidam spe pacis attinuisse multumque cum animo suo volvere solitum, Jugurtham Romanis an illi Sullam traderet; libidinem[613] adversum nos, metum pro nobis suasisse. [608] 'As ambassador with a public commission,' though at the same time he privately acted the part of a spy. [609] 'That he kept firmly and unalterably everything which had been previously determined upon with Sulla.' [610] 'In order that the common business might be conducted the more carelessly.' The laying aside of fear in the presence of Jugurtha's ambassador was to induce Sulla to carry on the negotiations for peace more openly, frankly, and incautiously, since, under the influence of fear, he would have been cautious and mistrustful. _Non pertimescere_ are joined together as one idea, somewhat in the sense of _contemnere_, 'he should disregard' the ambassador, and accordingly act with Bocchus more confidentially. [611] The infinitive of the impersonal passive _cavetur ab insidiis_, 'precaution is taken against snares.' [612] _Punica fides_ is proverbially the same as _mala fides_, the Carthaginians being generally regarded by the Romans as perfidious double-dealers. _Attinere_ is the same as _morari_, 'to detain.' [613] 'His inclination.' 109. Igitur Sulla respondit, pauca coram Aspare locuturum, cetera occulte aut nullo aut quam paucissimis praesentibus; simul edocet, quae sibi responderentur. Postquam sicuti voluerat congressi, dicit se missum a consule venisse quaesitum ab eo, pacem an bellum agitaturus foret. Tum rex, uti praeceptum fuerat, post diem decimum redire jubet, ac nihil etiamnunc[614] decrevisse, sed illo die responsurum. Dein ambo in sua castra digressi. Sed ubi plerumque noctis processit, Sulla a Boccho occulte accersitur; ab utroque tantummodo fidi interpretes adhibentur, praeterea Dabar internuntius, sanctus vir et ex sententia ambobus.[615] Ac statim sic rex incipit: