Micipsa

“ After his father’s death he was brought up by his uncle Micipsa together with his cousins Adherbal and Hiempsal. Jugurtha grew up strong, handsome and intelligent, a skilful rider, and an adept in warlike exercises. He inherited much of Massinissa’s political ability. Micipsa, naturally afraid of him, sent him to Spain (134 B.C.) in command of a Numidian force, to serve under P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus Minor. He became a favourite with Scipio and the Roman nobles, some of whom put into his head the idea of making himself sole king of Numidia, with the help of Roman money. ”

“ Have you noticed that lad Jugurtha? I remember that the old king warned me specially against him. 'That viper,' he called him; and as King Gulussa said the other day, Masinissa was an excellent judge of character. The brothers are elderly men, and, to judge from their looks, not very strong. Micipsa's two sons, who by rights should come after him, are feeble creatures; Jugurtha is his father's favourite, and he will come to the top of the tree sooner or later. And Jugurtha hates us; you first,—perhaps because you are a Roman, and his hatred for the Romans is a proverb,—and me next. ”

“ He is dear to us for his services, and we shall strive, with our utmost efforts, to make him equally dear to the senate and people of Rome. As a friend, I sincerely congratulate you; you have a kinsman worthy of yourself, and of his grandfather Masinissa.”
Micipsa, when he found, from the letter of the general, that what he had already heard reported was true, being moved, both by the merit of the youth and by the interest felt for him by Scipio, altered his purpose, and endeavoured to win Jugurtha by kindnesses. ”

“ When the oration of these men had been heard, Jugurtha replied, “That nothing was greater or dearer to him than the authority of the senate. That from his youth he had always so endeavoured to act as to be approved by every excellent man. That by virtue and not by crime he had been pleasing to Publius Scipio, that most illustrious man, and on account of the same good qualities he had been adopted into the kingdom by Micipsa, and not for want of sons. ”

“ Micipsa had two sons, Adherbal and Hiempsal; but kept at his court, and educated with the same care as his own children, the son of his brother Mastanabal, called Jugurtha, whom Masinissa had left in a private condition, because he was born of a concubine. [4]
VI This youth, when he grew up, with all the advantages of strength of body, a graceful person, and, above all, a fine genius, did not suffer himself to be carried away with luxury and idleness; but, agreeably to the manners of the nation, accustomed himself to ride, to throw the dart, to contend with his companions in running ”

“ He discovered, through communications which he was able with their assistance to open with their fathers and relatives at Rome, that a man with money might do what he pleased. Micipsa’s treasury was well supplied, and Jugurtha hinted among his comrades that if he could be secure of countenance in seizing the kingdom, he would be in a position to show his gratitude in a substantial manner. Some of these conversations reached the ears of Scipio, who sent for Jugurtha and gave him a friendly warning. ”

“ VIII At that time there were in our army not a few, both commoner and noble, who set the winning of wealth above the pursuit of honour and virtue. At home they were turbulent partisans, abroad they made themselves powerful among our allies, and though they made a name, it was not a name of honour. These men enflamed the ambitious heart of Jugurtha by promising that, when Micipsa was dead, he should reign alone over all Numidia, saying that he was a man of great parts and there was naught that money could not buy at Rome. ”

“ VII Thus beset with difficulties, and finding that it was not possible for him to destroy so popular a man, either by force or fraud, he resolved to expose him to the dangers of war, as he was of a daring disposition, and fond of military glory, and thus try what fortune would do. Accordingly, Micipsa, who was engaged to despatch auxiliaries of horse and foot to the Romans, then laying siege to Numantia, sent him to Spain as their commander, [5] in the hope that he would be cut off, either from an ostentation of his courage, or the efforts of the enemy. ”

“ And who can be a greater friend than one brother to another? —Quis autem amicior, quam frater fratri? " [Greek: Nomiz adelphous tous alaethinous philous] Menander." Wasse.
[34] That I have not adopted a better son, &c—Ne ego meliores liberos sumsissevidear quam genuisse. As there is no allusion to Micipsa's adoption of any other son than Jugurtha, Sallust's expression liberos sumsisse can hardly be defended. It is necessary to give son in the singular, in the translation.
[35] XI. Had spoken insincerely—Ficta locutum. Jugurtha saw that Micipsa pretended more love for him than he really felt. ”

“ Even then, sixteen years before Micipsa's death, he had entered into disloyal negotiations as to the Numidian succession with Roman comrades of rank, and Scipio had been under the necessity of gravely reminding him that it was becoming in foreign princes to be on terms of friendship with the Roman state rather than with individual Roman citizens. The envoys of Jugurtha appeared in Rome, furnished with something more than words: that they had chosen the right means of diplomatic persuasion, was shown by the result. ”

“ The Numidians perhaps objected to being partitioned. Micipsa died soon after. Jugurtha at once murdered Hiempsal, claimed the sovereignty, and attacked his other cousin. Adherbal, closely besieged in the town of Cirta, which remained faithful to him, appealed to Rome; but Jugurtha had already prepared his ground, and knew that he had nothing to fear. The Senate sent out commissioners. The commissioners received the bribes which they expected. They gave Jugurtha general instructions to leave his cousin in peace ”

“ His next act was to propose the abolition of the acts of the last five years of Micipsa's reign, declaring that they ought all to be dotted out, on the ground of the old man's dotage. Hiempsal, with a touch of sarcasm, assented to the proposal, observing—"We shall then get rid of you, as your adoption was an act performed within the prescribed period." This attempt to be funny was a serious matter to Hiempsal, for Jugurtha caused the would-be wag to be murdered in the palace. ”

“ It is no fault of mine, Fathers of the Senate, that I often address an appeal to you; on the contrary, I am constrained by the violence of Jugurtha, who is possessed with such a desire for my destruction that he regards neither you nor the immortal Gods, but above everything thirsts for my blood. Hence it is that I, though an ally and friend of the Roman people, have now for more than four months been held in a state of siege, and that neither the services of my father Micipsa nor your decrees avail me; whether sword or famine press harder one I know not. ”

“ It is a very strong place and well provided with everything, which it principally owes to Micipsa, who established a colony of Greeks in it, and raised it to such importance, that it was capable of sending out 10,000 cavalry and twice as many infantry. Here, besides Cirta, are the two cities Hippo,971 one of which is situated near Ityca, the other further off near Tretum, both royal residences. Ityca is next to Carthage in extent and importance. On the destruction of Carthage it became a metropolis to the Romans, and the head quarters of their operations in Africa. ”

“ He felt that Roman authority would be more effective than paternal wishes; perhaps he saw that amongst his sons there was not one who could be trusted alone and unaided to continue to build up the fortunes of the state and to claim recognition from his brothers as their undisputed lord, while the show of submission to Rome might weaken the vigilance and disarm the jealousy of the protecting power. Scipio was summoned to his deathbed to apportion the kingdom between the legitimate sons who survived him, Micipsa, Gulussa and Mastanabal. ”

“ All these assertions appeared the more credible to the merchants, as, by the long continuance of the war, they had suffered in their fortunes; and to impatient minds no haste is sufficient.
LXV There was then in our army a Numidian named Gauda, the son of Mastanabal, and grandson of Masinissa, whom Micipsa, in his will, had appointed next heir to his immediate successors. ”

“ In return for which services, after the Carthaginians were subdued, and after Syphax, [24] whose power in Italy was great and extensive, was taken prisoner, the Roman people presented to Masinissa, as a free gift, all the cities and lands that they had captured. Masinissa's friendship for us, accordingly, remained faithful and inviolate; his reign [25] and his life ended together. His son, Micipsa, alone succeeded to his kingdom; Mastanabal and Gulussa, his two brothers, having been carried off by disease. ”

“ For as I think, it is less dishonourable for a king to be overcome in arms than in generosity. But as to your republic of which you have been sent hither as the protector, hear me in a few words. I have never made war against the Roman people, nor have ever wished it to be made, I only defended my territories by arms against an armed force. This I pass over, since it so pleases you; carry on as you wish war with Jugurtha. I will not pass the river Mulucha which was the boundary between me and Micipsa, nor will I suffer Jugurtha to come within it. ”

“ Whilst in the mean time Hiempsal is found, hiding himself in the cottage of a maid servant, whither at first he had fled, frightened and ignorant of the place. The Numidians carry his head, as they were ordered, to Jugurtha.
XIII But the news of so great a crime was in a short time spread through all Africa. Fear came upon Atherbal, and all who had been under Micipsa’s rule. The Numidians divide into two parties, the greater number follow Atherbal, but those who were braver in war, the other man. Jugurtha therefore arms as many forces as he is able. ”

“ The Romans made a province of that part of the country which had been subject to Carthage, and appointed ruler of the rest Masanasses and his descendants, beginning with Micipsa. For the Romans paid particular attention to Masanasses on account of his great abilities and friendship for them. For [Pg 287] he it was who formed the nomades to civil life, and directed their attention to husbandry. Instead of robbers he taught them to be soldiers. A peculiarity existed among these people; they inhabited a country favoured in everything except that it abounded with wild beasts ”

“ A′den (42) , a fortified town on a peninsula in British territory S. of Arabia, 105 m. E. of Bab-el-Mandeb; a coaling and military station, in a climate hot, but healthy.
Ad′herbal, son of Micipsa, king of Numidia, killed by Jugurtha, 249 B.C.
Adi Granth, the sacred book of the Sikhs.
Adiaph′orists, Lutherans who in 16th century maintained that certain practices of the Romish Church, obnoxious to others of them, were matters of indifference, such as having pictures, lighting candles, wearing surplices, and singing certain hymns in worship. ”

“ VII His difficultatibus circumventus ubi videt neque per vim neque insidiis opprimi posse hominem tam acceptum popularibus, quod erat Iugurtha manu promptus et adpetens gloriae militaris, statuit eum obiectare periculis et eo modo fortunam temptare. igitur bello Numantino Micipsa, cum populo Romano equitum atque peditum auxilia mitteret, sperans vel ostentando virtutem vel hostium saevitia facile eum occasurum, praefecit Numidis, quod in Hispaniam mittebat. sed ea res longe aliter ac ratus erat evenit. ”

“ From Metagonium to Tretum are 6000 stadia; according to others, the distance is less.
Upon the sea-coast are many cities and rivers, and a country which is very fertile. It will be sufficient to mention the most renowned. The city of Siga,955 the royal seat of Syphax, is at the distance of 1000 stadia from the above-mentioned boundaries. It is now razed. After Syphax, the country was in the possession of Masanasses, then of Micipsa, next of his successors, and in our time of Juba, the father of the Juba who died lately. Zama,956 which was Juba’s palace, was destroyed by the Romans. ”

“ Denham [80] is too shallow, to see his way through it; we shall be able to read the Libyan inscriptions when we fully know the alphabet, of which Denham gives one letter. The whole of this matter will one day be cleared up. The Numidian kings likewise had the Carthaginian library given them as a present by the Romans. Gulussa died early, as also did Mastanabal, who left behind him only a son by a concubine, Jugurtha. The Numidian empire, which reached from the borders of Morocco to the Syrtes as far as Leptis and Tripolis, was now in the hands of Micipsa alone. ”

“ He was killed by Æneas, with his son Lausus. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, bk. 1, ch. 15.—Justin, bk. 43, ch. 1.—Livy, bk. 1, ch. 2.—Virgil, Æneid, bk. 7, li. 648; bk. 8, li. 482.—Ovid, Fasti, bk. 4, li. 881.
Micea, a virgin of Elis, daughter of Philodemus, murdered by a soldier called Lucius, &c. Plutarch, Mulierum virtutes.
Micipsa, a king of Numidia, son of Masinissa, who, at his death, B.C. 119, left his kingdom between his sons Adherbal and Hiempsal, and his nephew Jugurtha. Jugurtha abused his uncle’s favours by murdering his two sons. Sallust, Jugurthine War.—Florus, bk. 3, ch. ”

“ Split breathed again, a full, deep breath of satisfaction. An Indian—she, Split Madigan? Perhaps; but an Indian princess, then, with a mission as great, glorious, and impossible as Fedalma's own.
When at last she did turn mechanically to answer the bell, she saw that Sissy had anticipated her and was showing old Professor Trask into the parlor. Ordinarily Irene loved to listen at the door while Sissy's lesson was in progress; for Trask was a nervous, disappointed wreck, whose idea of teaching music seemed to be to make his pupils as much like himself as harried youth can be like worried age. ”