injuriae concessissem.[110] Nunc neque vivere libet, neque mori licet
sine dedecore. Patres conscripti, per vos liberos[111] atque parentes
vestros, per majestatem populi Romani subvenite misero mihi, ite obviam
injuriae, nolite pati regnum Numidiae, quod vestrum est, per scelus et
sanguinem familiae nostrae tabescere.'[112]

[78] Adherbal says that only the administration of Numidia belongs to
him, but that the legal title and supremacy belong to Rome--the
language of abject servility, by which he wishes to recommend himself
to the protection of the senate.
[79] _Affines_ are those connected with one another by marriage, whereas
_cognati_ are relations by blood.
[80] _Sustinere_ is here the same as _ferre_.
[81] 'As I was to come to such misery;' that is, as it had been ordained
by fate that I should come to such misery. See Zumpt, S 498.
[82] Adherbal wishes to be able to solicit the aid of the Romans, in
consequence of his own services, rather than those of his ancestors;
he then again divides that wish, considering it as most desirable
that the Roman people should owe him services without his being in
want of them, and next in desirableness that the services which he
requires should be performed as services due to him. By this latter
sentiment he returns to the point from which he set out--namely, his
wish to have done good services (_beneficia_) to the Romans. _Vellem_
in this sentence is followed twice by the accusative with the
infinitive (_posse_, to which _me_ is to be supplied, and _beneficia
deberi_), and then by a clause with _ut_ (_uti;_ that is,
_ut--uterer_). _Secundum ea_, 'next to,' or 'next after this,'
according to the etymology of _secundum_ from _sequor_.
[83] _In manu fuit_, an expression not uncommon in the comic poets; _in
manu alicujus est_, 'it is in a person's power.'