id to have laid his hand on the shoulder of Marius, and said,
"Perhaps here." The name of Marius does not occur again for many years,
but he doubtless continued to serve in the army, and became so
distinguished that he was at length raised to the Tribunate of the Plebs
in B.C. 119, though not till he had attained the mature age of 38. Only
two years had elapsed since the death of C. Gracchus; and the Nobles,
flushed with victory, resolved to put down with a high hand the least
invasion of their privileges and power. But Marius had the boldness to
propose a law for the purpose of giving greater freedom at elections;
and when the Senate attempted to overawe him, he ordered one of his
officers to carry the Consul Metellus to prison. Marius now became a
marked man. He lost his election to the AEdileship, and with difficulty
obtained the Praetorship (B.C. 115); but he added to his influence by his
marriage with Julia, the sister of C. Julius Caesar, the father of the
future ruler of Rome. His military abilities recommended him to the
Consul Metellus (B.C. 100), who was anxious to restore discipline in the
army and to retrieve the glory of the Roman name, which had been
tarnished by the incapacity and corruption of the previous generals in
the Jugurthan War, which now requires our attention.

Masinissa, the ruler of Numidia, and so long the faithful ally of the
Romans, had died in B.C. 149, at the advanced age of 90, leaving three
sons, Micipsa, Mastanabal, and Gulussa, among whom his kingdom was
divided by Scipio Africanus, according to the dying directions of the
old king. Mastanabal and Gulussa dying in their brother's lifetime,
Micipsa became sole king. Jugurtha was a bastard son of Mastanabal; but
Micipsa brought him up with his own sons, Hiempsal and Adherbal.
Jugurtha distinguished himself so much that he began to excite the
jealousy of Micipsa. In order to remove him to a distance, and not
without a hope that he might perish in the war, Micipsa sent him, in
B.C. 134, with an auxiliary force, to assist Scipio against Numantia;
but this only proved to the young man a fresh occasion of distinction.
By his zeal, courage, and ability he gained the favor not only of his
commander, but of all the leading nobles in the Roman camp, by many of
whom he was secretly stimulated to nourish ambitious schemes for
acquiring the sole sovereignty of Numidia; and notwithstanding the
contrary advice of Scipio, the counsels seem to have sun