facile conversus est. Ceterum socius et administer omnium consiliorum
assumitur Scaurus, qui tametsi a principio,[173] plerisque ex factione
ejus corruptis, acerrime regem impugnaverat, tamen magnitudine pecuniae a
bono honestoque in pravum abstractus est. Sed Jugurtha primo tantummodo
belli moram redimebat, existimans sese aliquid interim Romae pretio aut
gratia effecturum; postea vero quam participem negotii Scaurum accepit,
in maximam spem adductus recuperandae pacis, statuit cum eis de omnibus
pactionibus praesens agere. Ceterum interea fidei causa mittitur a
consule Sextius quaestor in oppidum Jugurthae Vagam,[174] cujus rei
species erat acceptio frumenti, quod Calpurnius palam legatis
imperaverat, quoniam deditionis mora induciae agitabantur.[175] Igitur
rex, uti constituerat, in castra venit, ac pauca praesenti consilio
locutus de invidia facti sui atque uti in deditionem acciperetur, reliqua
cum Bestia et Scauro secreta[176] transigit, dein postero die, quasi per
saturam sententiis exquisitis,[177] in deditionem accipitur. Sed uti pro
consilio[178] imperatum erat, elephanti triginta, pecus atque equi multi
cum parvo argenti pondere quaestori traduntur. Calpurnius Romam ad
magistratus rogandos[179] proficiscitur. In Numidia et exercitu nostro
pax agitabatur.

[172] _Aeger avaritia_, 'sick with avarice;' a very appropriate
expression, describing moral defects as a disease.
[173] _A principio_; that is, _in principio_. See Zumpt, S 304. The
faction of Scaurus is that of the nobility or aristocracy.
[174] _Vaga_, a considerable town in Numidia, to the south-east of Cirta.
[175] 'A truce was observed on account of (or during) the delay of the
surrender,' which Jugurtha had promised, but which could not yet be
carried into effect.
[176] _Secreta_ refers to _reliqua_, so that the other negotiations were
secret, whereas the proposal to surrender had been made in presence