his victories by Sulla, just in the same way as he had deprived
Metellus of his credit: and how this happened I will state briefly,
since the particular circumstances are told more at length in the Life
of Sulla. Bocchus, who was king of the barbarians in the interior, and
the father-in-law of Jugurtha, showed no great disposition to help him
in his wars, because of the faithlessness of Jugurtha, and also
because he feared the increase of his power. But when Jugurtha, who
was now a fugitive from place to place, made Bocchus his last resource
and took refuge with him, Bocchus received his son-in-law more from a
regard to decency, as he was a suppliant, than from any goodwill, and
kept him in his hands; and while he openly interceded with Marius on
behalf of Jugurtha, and wrote to say that he would not surrender him
and assumed a high tone, he secretly entertained treacherous designs
against Jugurtha, and sent for Lucius Sulla, who was the Quaestor of
Marius, and had done some service to Bocchus during the campaign.
Sulla confidently went to Bocchus, but the barbarian, who had changed
his intentions and repented of his design, for several days wavered in
his plan, hesitating whether he should deliver up Jugurtha or keep
Sulla a prisoner: at last, however, he determined to carry into effect
his original design, and surrendered Jugurtha into the hands of Sulla.
Thus was sown the seed of that irreconcilable and violent animosity
between Marius and Sulla which nearly destroyed Rome: many claimed the
credit of this transaction for Sulla on account of their dislike of
Marius, and Sulla himself had a seal-ring made, which he used to on
which there was a representation of the surrender of Jugurtha by
Bocchus. By constantly wearing this ring Sulla irritated Marius, who
was an ambitious and quarrelsome man, and could endure no partner in
his glory. But the enemies of Marius gave Sulla most encouragement by
attributing to Metellus the credit of the first and best part of the
war, and that of the latter part and the conclusion to Sulla, their
object being to lower Marius in public estimation and to withdraw the
people from their exclusive attachment to him.

XI. But this envy and hatred and these calumnies against Marius were
dissipated and removed by the danger which threatened Italy from the
west, as soon as the State saw that she needed a great commander and
had to look about for a pilot whose skill should save her from such a
tor