me. Adherbal sent again messengers to Rome, being closely pressed,
demanding intervention. The Senate then sent Marcus Scaurus, who held
endless debates with Jugurtha, at Utica, to which place he was summoned.
These were not attended with any results. Scaurus returned to Rome, and
Jugurtha pressed the siege of Aita, which soon capitulated. Adherbal was
executed with cruel torture, and the adult population was put to the
sword.

A cry of indignation arose in Italy. The envoys of Jugurtha were summarily
dismissed, and Scaurus was sent to Africa with an army, but a peace with
Rome was purchased by the African prince through the bribery of the
generals. The legal validity of the peace was violently assailed in the
Senate, and Massiva, a grandson of Masinissa, then in Rome, laid claim to
the Numidian throne. But this prince was assassinated by one of the
confidants of Jugurtha, which outrage, perpetrated under the eyes of the
Roman government, led to a renewed declaration of war, and Spurius Albinus
was intrusted with the command of an army. But Jugurtha bribed the Roman
general into inaction, and captured the Roman camp. This resulted in the
evacuation of Numidia, and a second treaty of peace.

(M955) Such an ignoble war created intense dissatisfaction at Rome, and
the Senate was obliged to cancel the treaty, and renewed the war in
earnest, intrusting the conduct of it to Quintus Metellus, an aristocrat,
of course, but a man of great ability. Selecting for his lieutenants able
generals, he led over his army to Africa. Jugurtha made proposals of
peace, which were refused, and he prepared for a desperate defense.
Intrenched on a ridge of hills in the wide plain of Muthul, he awaited the
attack of his enemies, but was signally defeated by Metellus, assisted by
Marius, a brave plebeian, who had arisen from the common soldiers. After
this battle Jugurtha contented himself with a guerrilla warfare, while his
kingdom was occupied by the conquerors. Metellus even intrigued to secure
the assassination of the king.

(M956) The war continued to be prosecuted without decisive results, as is
so frequently the case when civilized nations fight with barbarians. Like
the war of Charlemagne against the Saxons, victories were easily obtained,
but the victors gained unsubstantial advantages. Jugurtha retired to
inaccessible deserts with his children, his treasures, and his best
troops, to await better times. Numidia was seemingly reduced, bu