Numidarum, nomine Vaga, forum rerum venalium totius regni maxime
celebratum,[267] ubi et incolere et mercari consueverant Italici generis
multi mortales. Huc consul simul temptandi gratia, et si paterentur,
opportunitate loci, praesidium imposuit;[268] praeterea imperavit
frumentum et alia, quae bello usui forent, comportare,[269] ratus id quod
res monebat, frequentiam negotiatorum et commeatum juvaturum exercitum et
jam paratis rebus munimento fore. Inter haec negotia Jugurtha impensius
modo[270] legatos supplices mittere, pacem orare, praeter suam
liberorumque vitam omnia Metello dedere. Quos item, uti priores, consul
illectos ad proditionem domum dimittebat, regi pacem quam postulabat
neque abnuere neque polliceri et inter eas moras promissa legatorum
exspectare.

[267] 'Most frequented;' for _celeber_, _bris_, _bre_, is commonly used
of densely peopled or much frequented places.
[268] Metellus placed a garrison in the city, partly to test the
sentiments of the inhabitants, and partly on account of the
advantages offered to him by the nature of the place, in case the
inhabitants should not object to a garrison of the Romans. The common
reading, _si paterentur opportunitates loci_, must be rejected, for
the words _si paterentur_ must refer to the inhabitants of the place,
and explain the preceding _temptandi gratia_. Another reading,
_opportunitatis_, to which _gratia_ must be supplied by the mind, has
the same meaning as _opportunitate_, the ablative of cause.
[269] 'He believed that the great number of merchants (in the town)
and the corn would be of use to the army, and protect the provisions
(of the Roman army) already accumulated,' so that the Roman stores
might be saved.
[270] _Impensius modo_; that is, _praeter modum_, 'beyond measure,'
'immoderately;' literally, 'stronger than the measure observed in