r, with the
infantry and elephants. He himself, with the best of the foot and the
cavalry, waited nearer the mountains. Metellus saw the snare, but was
obliged to get water, and in making for the river was surrounded. But
the new discipline told. Though isolated, each Roman division fought
bravely. Metellus and Marius carried the hills. Rufus dispersed the
picked infantry, and killed or captured all the elephants. Jugurtha's
plan was masterly, but it had failed. [Sidenote: Jugurtha keeps up a
guerilla warfare.] His army dispersed, as such armies do upon defeat,
and he was reduced to carrying on a guerilla warfare, spoiling the
springs where Metellus was marching, and cutting off stragglers.
Metellus split his army into two columns; Marius commanded one and he
the other, and so they marched, ravaging the country and capturing the
towns, ready to form a junction whenever it was necessary. At last
they came to Zama; and, while Metellus was attempting to storm the
town, Jugurtha surprised his camp. Though beaten off in this assault
he attacked the Romans again next day, and Metellus was obliged to
give up his enterprise. [Sidenote: Metellus tampers with Bomilcar.]
After garrisoning the towns which he had taken, he went into winter
quarters, probably at Utica, where he proceeded to tamper with
Bomilcar. That traitor urged Jugurtha to surrender, and the king gave
up his elephants, the deserters, and a large sum of money. But when it
came to giving up himself his heart failed him, and, having discovered
Bomilcar's treachery, he slew him, and once more resolved to fight.

[Sidenote: Marius stands for the consulship, 107 B.C.] The preceding
military operations are supposed to have taken place in the year 108
B.C. Marius went to Rome to stand for the consulship, and while he was
away, in 107, Metellus retained the command. Jugurtha's cause even now
was not hopeless. The Numidians adored him, and were smarting under
the Roman devastations. [Sidenote: Revolt of Vaga.] The chief town
occupied by the Romans, Vaga--the modern Baja--revolted in the winter,
and the commander, Turpilius, a Latin, rightly or wrongly was executed
by Metellus for collusion with the enemy. But Metellus was eager to
end the war, and pressed the king hard. Jugurtha lost another battle,
and fled to Thala; but Metellus marched fifty miles across the desert,
and forced him to flee by night out of the town, which was taken after
a siege of forty days. But now a ne