s accordingly declared against him, and one of the Consuls, L.
Calpurnius Bestia, landed in Africa with a large army, and immediately
proceeded to invade Numidia (B.C. 111). But Jugurtha easily bribed
Bestia and M. Scaurus, who acted as his principal lieutenant, to grant
him a favorable peace, on condition only of a pretended submission,
together with the surrender of thirty elephants and a small sum of
money. As soon as the tidings of this disgraceful transaction reached
Rome, the indignation excited was so great that, on the proposition of
C. Memmius, it was agreed to send the Praetor L. Cassius, a man of the
highest integrity, to Numidia, in order to prevail on the king to
repair in person to Rome, the popular party hoping to be able to convict
the leaders of the Nobility by means of his evidence. The safe-conduct
granted him by the state was religiously observed; but the scheme failed
of its effect, for, as soon as Jugurtha was brought forward in the
assembly of the people to make his statement, one of the Tribunes, who
had been previously gained over by the friends of Scaurus and Bestia,
forbade him to speak. He nevertheless remained at Rome for some time
longer, and engaged in secret intrigues, which would probably have been
ultimately crowned with success had he not in the mean time ventured to
assassinate Massiva, son of Gulussa, who was putting in a claim to the
Numidian throne. It was impossible to overlook so daring a crime,
perpetrated under the very eyes of the Senate. Jugurtha was ordered to
quit Italy without delay. It was on this occasion that he is said, when
leaving Rome, to have uttered the memorable words, "A city for sale, and
destined to perish quickly, if it can find a purchaser."

War was now inevitable; but the incapacity of Sp. Postumius Albinus, who
arrived to conduct it (B.C. 110), and still more that of his brother
Aulus, whom he left to command in his absence, when called away to hold
the elections at Rome, proved as favorable to Jugurtha as the corruption
of their predecessors. Aulus, having penetrated into the heart of
Numidia, suffered himself to be surprised in his camp; great part of his
army was cut to pieces, and the rest only escaped a similar fate by the
ignominy of passing under the yoke. But Jugurtha had little reason to
rejoice in this success, great as it might at first appear; for the
disgrace at once roused all the spirit of the Roman people; the treaty
concluded by Aulus was