1 XIV. By deputation] “Procuratione.” He was to consider himself only the procurator, manager, or deputed governor, of the kingdom.
2 Kindred--and relatives] “Cognatorum--affinium. Cognatus” is a blood relation; affinis is properly a relative by marriage.
4 Next to this] “Secundum ea.” “"Priscianus, lib. xiii., de præpositione agens Secundum, inquit, quando pro κατὰ et μετὰ accipitur, loco prœpositionis est. Sallustius in Jugurthino: secundum ea, uti deditis uterer. ----Videlicet hoc dicit, Secundum in Sallustii exemplo, post vel proximè significare."” Rivius.
5 As I had no power to form the character of Jugurtha] “Neque mihi in manu fuit, qualis Jugurtha foret.” “"In manu, fuit is simply in potestate fuit.--Ter. Hec., iv. 4, 44: Uxor quid faciat in manu non est meâ."” Cortius.
6 Dishonored, afflicted] “Deformatus œrumnis.”
7 Above all others] “Potissimùm.”
8 One of us has been murdered, and I, the other, have scarcely escaped the hand of lawlessness] “Alter eorum necatus, alterius ipse ego manus impias vix effugi.” This is the general reading, but it can not be right. Adherbal speaks of himself and his brother as two persons, and of Jugurtha as a third, and says that of those two the one (alter) has been killed; he would then naturally proceed to speak of himself as the other; i.e. he would use the word alter concerning himself, not apply it to Jugurtha. Allen, therefore, proposes to read alter necatus, alter manus impias vix effugi. This mode of correction strikes out too much; but there is no doubt that the second alter should be in the nominative case.
9 From being friendly, has become hostile to me] “Ex necessariis advorsa facta sunt.” “"Si omnia mihi incolumia manerent, neque quidquam rerum mearum (s. præsidiorum) amisissem, neque Jugurtha aliique mihi ex necessariis inimici facti essent."” Kritzius.
10 But would that I could see him, etc.] “Quod utinam illutm--videam.” The quod, in quod utinam, is the same as that in quod si, which we commonly translate, but if. Quod, in such expressions, serves as a particle of connection between what precedes and what follows it; the Latins being fond of connection by means of relatives. See Zumpt's Lat. Grammar on this point, Sect. 63, 82, Kenrick's translation. Kritzius writes quodutinam, quodsi, quodnisi, etc., as one word. Cortius injudiciously interprets quod in this passage as having facientem understood with it.
11 My life or death depends on the aid of others] “Cujus vitœ necisque ex opibus aliens pendet.” On the aid of the Romans. Unless they protected him, he expected to meet with the same fate as Hiempsal at the hands of Jugurtha.
12 Without disgrace] “Sine dedecore.” That is, if he did not succeed in getting revenge on Jugurtha.
13 By your regard for yourselves, etc.] I have here departed from the text of Cortius, who reads per, vos, liberos atque parentes, i.e. vos (obsecro) per liberos, etc., as most critics would explain it, though Cortius himself prefers taking vos as the nominative case, and joining it with subvenite; which follows. Most other editions have per vos, per liberos, atque parentes vestros, to which I have adhered. Per vos, though an adjuration not used in modern times, is found in other passages of the Roman writers. Thus Liv. xxix. 18: Per vos, fidemque vestram. Cic. pro Plane., c. 42; Per vos, per fortunas vestras.
14 To sink into ruin] “Tabescere.” “"Paullatim interire."” Cortius. Lucret. ii. 1172: Omnia paullatim tabescere el ire Ad capulum. “"This speech," says Gerlach, "though of less weighty argument than the other speeches of Sallust, is composed with great art. Neither the speaker nor his cause was adapted for the highest flights of eloquence; but Sallust has shrouded Adherbal's weakness in excellent language. That there is a constant recurrence to the same topics, is no ground for blame; indeed, such recurrence could hardly be avoided for it is natural to all speeches in which the orator earnestly labors to make his hearers adopt his own feelings and views. The Romans were again and again to be supplicated, and again and again to be reminded of the character and services of Masinissa, that they might be induced, if not by the love of justice, yet by the dread of censure, to relieve the distresses of his grandson. . . . He omits no argument or representation that could move the pity of the Romans; and if his abject prostration of mind appears more suitable to a woman than a man, it is to be remembered that it is purposely introduced by Sallust to exhibit the weakness of his character."”
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