times the Roman people had suffered still greater reverses,
especially when the Gauls took and burned the city of Rome itself.
But the author purposely avoids speaking of those early periods.
[39] _Africano_. See Zumpt, S 421.
[40] About _et_ after _multa_, see Zumpt, S 756.
[41] _Magnum atque late_, the connection of an adjective and adverb is
somewhat singular--'the dominion of Syphax existed as a large one,
and had a wide extent;' for he possessed the whole of western
Numidia, being the hereditary king of the people of the Massaesyli,
while Masinissa had only the smaller, eastern, part, and the tribe
of the Massyli.
[42] 'He had left him behind in a private station;' that is, he had not
appointed him in his will ruler of any portion of his dominions. But
his uncle Micipsa gave him that which his grandfather Masinissa
had refused to him; namely, he recognised him as a prince of the
royal family.

6. Qui ubi primum adolevit, pollens viribus, decora facie, sed multo
maxime ingenio validus, non se luxu[43] neque inertiae corrumpendum
dedit, sed, uti mos gentis illius est, equitare, jaculari, cursu cum
aequalibus certare, et quum omnes gloria anteiret, omnibus tamen carus
esse; ad hoc pleraque tempora in venando agere, leonem atque alias feras
primus aut in primis ferire, plurimum facere, minimum ipse de se loqui.
Quibus rebus Micipsa tametsi initio laetus fuerat, existimans virtutem
Jugurthae regno suo gloriae fore, tamen, postquam hominem adolescentem
exacta sua aetate et parvis liberis magis magisque crescere intellegit,
vehementer eo negotio permotus, multa cum animo suo volvebat. Terrebat
eum natura mortalium avida imperii et praeceps ad explendam animi
cupidinem, praeterea opportunitas suae liberorumque aetatis,[44] quae
etiam mediocres viros spe praedae transversos agit;[45] ad hoc studia