---
title: "The Punic Wars · Λιβυκή"
author: "Appian"
translator: "Horace White"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 1 of 7
url: https://scriptura.si/works/appian-punic-wars/1/
cite: "Appian, tr. Horace White, The Punic Wars · Λιβυκή, section 1. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/appian-punic-wars/1/"
---

# The Punic Wars · Λιβυκή

*Appian, tr. Horace White*

Rome against Carthage in Africa, from Regulus to Zama and the destruction of Carthage in 146 BC.

> Greek: ed. Ludwig Mendelssohn, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0551.tlg009, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Horace White, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0551.tlg009.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 1. Sections 1–24

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/appian-punic-wars/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/appian-punic-wars/1/#p-N

[¶0] 1. The Phoenicians settled Carthage, in Africa, fifty years before the capture of Troy. Its founders were either Zorus and Carchedon, or, as the Romans and the Carthaginians themselves think, Dido, a Tyrian woman, whose husband had been slain clandestinely by Pygmalion, the ruler of Tyre. The murder being revealed to her in a dream, she embarked for Africa with her property and a number of men who desired to escape from the tyranny of Pygmalion, and arrived at that part of Africa where Carthage now stands. Being repelled by the inhabitants, they asked for as much land for a dwelling place as they could encompass with an ox-hide. The Africans laughed at this frivolity of the Phoenicians and were ashamed to deny so small a request. Besides, they could not imagine how a town could be built in so narrow a space, and wishing to unravel the mystery they agreed to give it, and confirmed the promise by an oath. The Phoenicians, cutting the hide round and round in one very narrow strip, enclosed the place where the citadel of Carthage now stands, which from this affair was called Byrsa (a hide).

> Greek: 1. Καρχηδόνα τὴν ἐν Λιβύῃ Φοίνικες ᾤκισαν ἔτεσι πεντήκοντα πρὸ ἁλώσεως Ἰλίου, οἰκισταὶ δʼ αὐτῆς ἐγένοντο Ζῶρός τε καὶ Καρχηδών, ὡς δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι καὶ αὐτοὶ Καρχηδόνιοι νομίζουσι, Διδὼ γυνὴ Τυρία, ἧς τὸν ἄνδρα κατακαίνει Πυγμαλίων Τύρου τυραννεύων, καὶ τὸ ἔργον ἐπέκρυπτεν. ἡ δὲ ἐξ ἐνυπνίου τὸν φόνον ἐπέγνω, καὶ μετὰ χρημάτων πολλῶν καὶ ἀνδρῶν, ὅσοι Πυγμαλίωνος τυραννίδα ἔφευγον, ἀφικνεῖται πλέουσα Λιβύης ἔνθα νῦν ἔστι Καρχηδών. ἐξωθούμενοι δʼ ὑπὸ τῶν Λιβύων ἐδέοντο χωρίον ἐς συνοικισμὸν λαβεῖν, ὅσον ἂν βύρσα ταύρου περιλάβοι. τοῖς δὲ ἐνέπιπτε μέν τι καὶ γέλωτος ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν Φοινίκων μικρολογίᾳ, καὶ ᾐδοῦντο ἀντειπεῖν περὶ οὕτω βραχυτάτου· μάλιστα δʼ ἠπόρουν ὅπως ἂν πόλις ἐν τηλικούτῳ διαστήματι γένοιτο, καὶ ποθοῦντες ἰδεῖν ὅ τι ἔστιν αὐτοῖς τοῦτο τὸ σοφόν, συνέθεντο δώσειν καὶ ἐπώμοσαν. οἱ δὲ τὸ δέρμα περιτεμόντες ἐς ἱμάντα ἕνα στενώτατον, περιέθηκαν ἔνθα νῦν ἔστιν ἡ Καρχηδονίων ἀκρόπολις· καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦδε Βύρσα ὀνομάζεται.

[¶1] 2. Proceeding from this start and getting the upper hand of their neighbors, as they were more adroit, and engaging in traffic by sea, like the Phoenicians, they built a city around Byrsa. Gradually acquiring strength they mastered Africa and the greater part of the Mediterranean, carried war into Sicily and Sardinia and the other islands of that sea, and also into Spain. They sent out numerous colonies. They became a match for the Greeks in power, and next to the Persians in wealth. But about 700 years after the foundation of the city the Romans took Sicily and Sardinia away from them, and in a second war Spain also. Then, assailing each the other’s territory with immense armies, the Carthaginians, under Hannibal, ravaged Italy for sixteen years in succession, but the Romans, under the leadership of Cornelius Scipio the elder, carried the war into Africa, crushed the Carthaginian power, took their ships and their elephants, and required them to pay tribute for a time. A second treaty was now made between the Romans and the Carthaginians which lasted fifty years, until, upon an infraction of it, the third and last war broke out between them, in which the Romans under Scipio the younger razed Carthage to the ground and forbade the rebuilding of it. But another city was built subsequently by their own people, very near the former one, for convenience in governing Africa. Of these matters the Sicilian part is shown in my Sicilian history, the Spanish in the Spanish history, and what Hannibal did in his Italian campaigns in the Hannibalic history. This book will deal with the operations in Africa from the earliest period.

> Greek: 2. χρόνῳ δʼ, ἐντεῦθεν ὁρμώμενοι καὶ τῶν περιοίκων ἀμείνους ὄντες ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν, ναυσί τε χρώμενοι καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν οἷα Φοίνικες ἐργαζόμενοι, τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἔξω τῇ Βύρσῃ περιέθηκαν. καὶ δυναστεύοντες ἤδη Λιβύης ἐκράτουν καὶ πολλῆς θαλάσσης, ἐκδήμους τε πολέμους ἐστράτευον ἐς Σικελίαν καὶ Σαρδὼ καὶ νήσους ἄλλας ὅσαι τῆσδε τῆς θαλάσσης εἰσί, καὶ ἐς Ἰβηρίαν. πολλαχῇ δὲ καὶ ἀποικίας ἐξέπεμπον. ἥ τε ἀρχὴ αὐτοῖς ἐγένετο δυνάμει μὲν ἀξιόμαχος τῇ Ἑλληνικῇ, περιουσίᾳ δὲ μετὰ τὴν Περσικήν. ἑπτακοσίοις δʼ αὐτοὺς ἔτεσιν ἀπὸ τοῦ συνοικισμοῦ Ῥωμαῖοι Σικελίαν ἀφείλοντο, καὶ Σαρδὼ μετὰ Σικελίαν, δευτέρῳ δὲ πολέμῳ καὶ Ἰβηρίαν. ἔς τε τὴν ἀλλήλων ἐμβαλόντες μεγάλοις στρατοῖς, οἱ μὲν Ἀννίβου σφῶν ἡγουμένου τὴν Ἰταλίαν ἐπόρθουν ἑκκαίδεκα ἔτεσιν ἑξῆς, οἱ δὲ Λιβύην Κορνηλίου Σκιπίωνος τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου σφῶν στρατηγοῦντος, μέχρι τὴν ἡγεμονίαν Καρχηδονίους ἀφείλοντο καὶ ναῦς καὶ ἐλέφαντας, καὶ χρήματα σφίσιν ἐπέταξαν ἐσενεγκεῖν ἐν χρόνῳ. δεύτεραί τε σπονδαὶ Ῥωμαίοις καὶ Καρχηδονίοις αἵδε διέμειναν ἐς ἔτη πεντήκοντα, μέχρι λύσαντες αὐτὰς τρίτον πόλεμον καὶ τελευταῖον ἀλλήλοις ἐπολέμησαν, ἐν ᾧ Καρχηδόνα Ῥωμαῖοι κατέσκαψαν Σκιπίωνος τοῦ νεωτέρου σφῶν στρατηγοῦντος, καὶ ἐπάρατον ἔγνωσαν. αὖθις δʼ ᾤκισαν ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν, ἀγχοτάτω μάλιστα τῆς προτέρας, ὡς εὔκαιρον ἐπὶ Λιβύῃ χωρίον. τούτων τὰ μὲν ἀμφὶ Σικελίαν ἡ Σικελικὴ γραφὴ δηλοῖ, τὰ δʼ ἐν Ἰβηρίᾳ γενόμενα ἡ Ἰβηρική, καὶ ὅσα Ἀννίβας ἐς Ἰταλίαν ἐσβαλὼν ἔπραξεν, ἡ Ἀννιβαϊκὴ· τὰ δʼ ἐν Λιβύῃ γενόμενα ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς ἥδε συνάγει.

[¶2] 3. About the beginning of the Sicilian war the Romans sent 350 ships to Africa, captured a number of towns, and left in command of the army Atilius Regulus, who took some 200 more towns, which gave themselves up to him on account of their hatred of the Carthaginians; and continually advancing he ravaged the territory. Thereupon the Carthaginians, considering that their misfortunes were due to bad generalship, asked the Lacedemonians to send them a commander. The Lacedemonians sent them Xanthippus. Regulus, being encamped in the hot season alongside a lake, marched around it to engage the enemy, his soldiers suffering greatly from the weight of their arms, from dust, thirst, and fatigue, and exposed to missiles from the neigh-boring heights. Toward evening he came to a river which separated the two armies. This he crossed at once, thinking in this way to terrify Xanthippus, but the latter, anticipating an easy victory over an enemy thus harassed and exhausted and having night in his favor, drew up his forces and made a sudden sally from his camp. The expectations of Xanthippus were not disappointed. Of the 30,000 men led by Regulus, only a few escaped with difficulty to the city of Aspis. All the rest were either killed or taken prisoners, and among the latter was the consul Regulus himself.

> Greek: 3. ἤρξαντο δʼ αὐτῶν ἀμφὶ τὸν Σικελικὸν πόλεμον οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι, ναυσὶ πεντήκοντα καὶ τριακοσίαις ἐπιπλεύσαντες ἐς Λιβύην, καὶ πόλεις τινὰς ἑλόντες, καὶ στρατηγὸν ἐπὶ τῇ δυνάμει καταλιπόντες Ἀτίλιον Ῥῆγλον, ὃς ἄλλας τε πόλεις διακοσίας προσέλαβεν, αἳ Καρχηδονίων ἔχθει πρὸς αὐτὸν μετετίθεντο, καὶ τὴν χώραν ἐπιὼν ἐπόρθει. Καρχηδόνιοι δὲ Λακεδαιμονίους στρατηγὸν ἤτουν, οἰόμενοι διʼ ἀναρχίαν κακοπραγεῖν. οἱ μὲν δὴ Ξάνθιππον αὐτοῖς ἔπεμπον, ὁ δὲ Ἀτίλιος ἀμφὶ λίμνῃ στρατοπεδεύων ὥρᾳ καύματος περιώδευε τὴν λίμνην ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους, ὅπλων τε βάρει καὶ πνίγει καὶ δίψει καὶ ὁδοιπορίᾳ κακοπαθῶν, καὶ βαλλόμενος ἀπὸ κρημνῶν ἄνωθεν. ὡς δʼ ἐπλησίασε περὶ ἑσπέραν καὶ ποταμὸς αὐτοὺς διεῖργεν, ὁ μὲν εὐθὺς ἐπέρα τὸν ποταμὸν ὡς καὶ τῷδε τὸν Ξάνθιππον ἐκπλήξων, ὁ δὲ συντεταγμένην τὴν στρατιὰν ἐπαφίησι διὰ τῶν πυλῶν, ἐλπίσας κεκμηκότος καὶ κακοπαθοῦντος περιέσεσθαι, καὶ τὴν νύκτα πρὸς τῶν νικώντων ἔσεσθαι. τῆσδε μὲν οὖν τῆς ἐλπίδος ὁ Ξάνθιππος οὐκ ἀπέτυχεν· ἀπὸ γὰρ τρισμυρίων ἀνδρῶν οὓς ὁ Ἀτίλιος ἦγεν, ὀλίγοι μόλις αὐτῶν ἐς Ἀσπίδα πόλιν διέδρασαν, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ πάντες οἱ μὲν ἀπώλοντο οἱ δʼ ἐζωγρήθησαν. καὶ μετʼ αὐτῶν ὁ στρατηγὸς Ἀτίλιος, ὕπατος γεγονώς, αἰχμάλωτος ἦν.

[¶3] 4. Not long afterward the Carthaginians, weary of fighting sent him, in company with their own ambassadors, to Rome to obtain peace or to return if it were not granted. Yet Regulus in private strongly urged the chief magistrates of Rome to continue the war, and then went back to certain torture, for the Carthaginians shut him up in a cage stuck full of spikes and thus put him to death. This success was the beginning of sorrows to Xanthippus, for the Carthaginians, in order that the credit might not seem to be due to the Lacedemonians, pretended to honor him with splendid gifts, sent galleys to convey him back to Lacedemon, but enjoined upon the captains of the ships to throw him and his Lacedemonian comrades overboard. In this way he paid the penalty for his successes. Such were the results, good and bad, of the first war of the Romans in Africa, until the Carthaginians surrendered Sicily to them. How this came about has been shown in my Sicilian history.

> Greek: 4. τόνδε μὲν δὴ μετʼ οὐ πολὺ κάμνοντες οἱ Καρχηδόνιοι σὺν οἰκείοις πρέσβεσιν ἔπεμψαν ἐς Ῥώμην, ἐργασόμενον σφίσι διαλλαγὰς ἢ ἐπανήξοντα· καὶ ὁ Ἀτίλιος Ῥῆγλος ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ τοῖς τέλεσι Ῥωμαίων ἐπισκήψας ἐγκρατῶς ἔχεσθαι τοῦ πολέμου, ἐπανῆλθεν ἐς λύμην ἕτοιμον, καὶ αὐτὸν οἱ Καρχηδόνιοι καθείρξαντες ἐν γαλεάγρᾳ κέντρα πάντοθεν ἐχούσῃ διέφθειραν. Ξανθίππῳ δὲ τὸ εὐτύχημα συμφορῶν ἦρξε· Καρχηδόνιοι γὰρ αὐτόν, ἵνα μὴ δοκοίη Λακεδαιμονίων ἔργον εἶναι τοσοῦτον, ὑποκρινάμενοι τιμᾶν δωρεαῖς πολλαῖς καὶ προπέμπειν ἐπὶ τριήρων ἐς Λακεδαίμονα, τοῖς τριηράρχοις ἐνετείλαντο μετὰ τῶν συμπλεόντων Λακώνων καταποντίσαι. ὁ μὲν δὴ δίκην ἔδωκε τήνδε εὐπραξίας, καὶ τάδε ἦν τοῦ πρώτου πολέμου Ῥωμαίοις περὶ Λιβύην εὐπραγήματά τε καὶ ἀτυχήματα, μέχρι Καρχηδόνιοι Σικελίας Ῥωμαίοις ἀπέστησαν. ὅπως δὲ ἀπέστησαν, ἐν τῇ Σικελικῇ γραφῇ δεδήλωται.

[¶4] 5. After this there was peace between the Romans and the Carthaginians, but the Africans, who were subject to the latter and had served them as auxiliaries in the Sicilian war, and certain Celtic mercenaries who complained that their pay had been withheld and that the promises made to them had not been kept, made war against the Carthaginians in a very formidable manner. The latter appealed to the Romans for aid on the score of friendship, and the Romans allowed them for this war only to hire mercenaries in Italy, for even that had been forbidden in the treaty. Nevertheless they sent men to act as mediators between them. The Africans refused the mediation, but offered to become subjects of the Romans if they would take them. The latter would not accept them. Then the Carthaginians blockaded the towns with a great fleet, and cut off their supplies from the sea, and as the land was untilled in consequence of the war they overcame the Africans by the famine, but were driven to supply their own wants by piracy, even taking some Roman ships, killing the crews, and throwing them overboard to conceal the crime. This escaped notice for a long time. When the facts became known and the Carthaginians were called to account they put off the day of reckoning until the Romans voted to make war against them, when they surrendered Sardinia by way of compensation. And this clause was added to the former treaty of peace.

> Greek: 5. μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο Ῥωμαίοις μὲν καὶ Καρχηδονίοις εἰρηναῖα ἦν ἐς ἀλλήλους, Λίβυες, δʼ ὅσοι Καρχηδονίων ὄντες ὑπήκοοι συνεμεμαχήκεσαν αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ Σικελίαν, καὶ Κελτῶν ὅσοι ἐμεμισθοφορήκεσαν, ἐγκλήματά τινα μισθῶν καὶ ὑποσχέσεων ἐς τοὺς Καρχηδονίους ἔχοντες ἐπολέμουν αὐτοῖς μάλα καρτερῶς. οἱ δὲ Ῥωμαίους ἐς συμμαχίαν ὡς φίλους ἐκάλουν, καὶ αὐτοὺς οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι ξενολογεῖν ἐς μόνον τόνδε τὸν πόλεμον ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰταλίας ἐφῆκαν· ἀπείρητο γὰρ ἐν ταῖς σπονδαῖς καὶ τόδε. ἔπεμψαν δὲ καὶ διαλλακτῆρας, οἷς οἱ Λίβυες οὐχ ὑπήκουον, ἀλλὰ τὰς πόλεις ἐδήλωσαν ὑπηκόους εἶναι Ῥωμαίων, εἰ θέλοιεν· οἱ δʼ οὐκ ἐδέξαντο. Καρχηδόνιοι δὲ ναυτικῷ πολλῷ ταῖς πόλεσιν ἐφεδρεύοντες τὴν ἀγορὰν αὐτῶν ἀφῃροῦντο τὴν ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης, ἀσπόρου δὲ καὶ τῆς γῆς ὡς ἐν πολέμῳ γενομένης, Λιβύων μὲν διὰ τὸν λιμὸν ἐκράτουν, ἐμπόρους δʼ, ὅσοι παρέπλεον, ἐλῄστευον ἐξ ἀπορίας· τοὺς δὲ Ῥωμαίων καὶ κτείνοντες ἔβαλλον ἐς τὸ πέλαγος, ἵνα λανθάνοιεν. καὶ διέλαθον ἐπὶ πολύ. γνωσθέντος δὲ τοῦ γιγνομένου, ποινὴν αἰτούμενοι διωθοῦντο, μέχρι Ῥωμαίων ἐπιστρατεύειν αὐτοῖς ψηφισαμένων Σαρδὼ ποινὴν ἔδωκαν. καὶ τόδε ταῖς προτέραις συνθήκαις ἐνεγράφη.

[¶5] 6. Not long afterwards the Carthaginians invaded Spain and were gradually subduing it, when the Saguntines appealed to Rome and a boundary was fixed to the Carthaginian advance by agreement that they should not cross the river Ebro. The Carthaginians, under the lead of Hannibal, violated this treaty by crossing the stream, and having done so Hannibal marched against Italy, leaving the command in Spain in the hands of others. The Roman generals in Spain, Publius Cornelius Scipio and Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio, two brothers, after having performed some brilliant exploits were both slain by the enemy. The generals who succeeded them fared badly until Scipio, the son of the Publius Scipio who was killed in Spain, set sail thither, and making all believe that he was come by a divine mission and had divine counsel in all things, prevailed brilliantly, and achieving great glory by this success, gave over his command to those sent to succeed him, returned to Rome, and asked to be sent with an army to Africa so as to draw Hannibal out of Italy and to bring retribution upon the Carthaginians in their own country.

> Greek: 6. οὐ πολὺ δὲ ὕστερον οἱ Καρχηδόνιοι στρατεύουσιν ἐς Ἰβηρίαν, καὶ αὐτὴν κατὰ μέρος ὑπήγοντο, μέχρι Ζακανθαίων ἐπὶ Ῥωμαίους καταφυγόντων Καρχηδονίοις ὅρος ἐν Ἰβηρίᾳ γίγνεται, μὴ διαβαίνειν τὸν Ἴβηρα ποταμόν. καὶ τάσδε αὖ τὰς σπονδὰς ἔλυσαν Καρχηδόνιοι, περάσαντες Ἀννίβου σφῶν ἡγουμένου. διαβάντες δέ, ὁ μὲν Ἀννίβας διαστρατηγεῖν ἑτέροις τὰ ἐν Ἰβηρία καταλιπὼν ἐς τὴν Ἰταλίαν ἐσέβαλε· στρατηγοὶ δὲ Ῥωμαίων ἐν Ἰβηρίᾳ, Πόπλιός τε Κορνήλιος Σκιπίων καὶ Γναῖος Κορνήλιος Σκιπίων, ἀλλήλοιν ἀδελφώ, λαμπρὰ ἔργα ἀποδεικνυμένω θνήσκετον ἄμφω πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων. καὶ οἱ μετʼ αὐτοὺς στρατηγοὶ κακῶς ἔπραττον, μέχρι Σκιπίων ὁ Ποπλίου Σκιπίωνος τοῦδε τοῦ περὶ Ἰβηρίαν ἀναιρεθέντος υἱὸς ἐπιπλεύσας, καὶ δόξαν ἅπασιν ἐμβαλὼν ὡς ἥκοι κατὰ θεὸν καὶ δαιμονίῳ χρῷτο συμβούλῳ περὶ ἁπάντων, ἐκράτει τε λαμπρῶς, καὶ ἐπὶ δόξης ἐκ τοῦδε πολλῆς γενόμενος τὴν μὲν στρατηγίαν τοῖς ἐς διαδοχὴν ἐπιπεμφθεῖσι παρέδωκεν, ἐς δὲ Ῥώμην ἐπανελθῶν ἠξίου πεμφθῆναι στρατηγὸς ἐς Λιβύην ὡς ἀναστήσων Ἀννίβαν ἐξ Ἰταλίας καὶ Καρχηδονίοις δίκην ἐπιθήσων ἐν τῇ πατρίδι.

[¶6] 7. Some of the leading men opposed this plan, saying that it was not best to send an army into Africa while Italy was wasted by such long wars and was subject to the ravages of Hannibal, and while Mago was enlisting Ligurian and Celtic mercenaries for a flank attack upon her. They ought not to attack another land, they said, until they had delivered their own country from its present perils. Others thought that the Carthaginians were emboldened to attack Italy because they were not molested at home, and that if war were brought to their own doors they would recall Hannibal. So it was decided to send Scipio into Africa, but they would not allow him to levy an army in Italy while Hannibal was ravaging it. If he could procure volunteers he might take them, and he might use the forces which were then in Sicily. They authorized him to fit out ten galleys and allowed him to take crews for them, and also to refit those in Sicily. They did not give him any money except what he could raise among his friends. So indifferently at first did they undertake this war, which soon came to be the most great and glorious for them.

> Greek: 7. τῶν δὲ πολιτευομένων οἱ μὲν ἀντέλεγον οὐ χρῆναι, κεκενωμένης ἄρτι τῆς Ἰταλίας τοσοῖσδε πολέμοις καὶ πορθουμένης ἔτι πρὸς Ἀννίβου, καὶ Μάγωνος ἐν πλευραῖς ἐπʼ αὐτὴν Λίγυάς τε καὶ Κελτοὺς ξενολογοῦντος, ἐς Λιβύην στρατεύειν, οὐδὲ τὴν ἀλλοτρίαν χειροῦσθαι πρὶν τὴν οἰκείαν ἀπαλλάξαι τῶν παρόντων· οἱ δὲ ᾤοντο Καρχηδονίους νῦν μὲν ἀδεεῖς ὄντας ἐφεδρεύειν τῇ Ἰταλίᾳ, οὐδὲν ἐνοχλουμένους οἴκοι, πολέμου δὲ οἰκείου σφίσι γενομένου καὶ Ἀννίβαν μεταπέμψεσθαι. οὕτω μὲν ἐκράτησε πέμπειν ἐς Λιβύην Σκιπίωνα, οὐ μὴν συνεχώρησαν αὐτῷ καταλέγειν στρατὸν ἐξ Ἰταλίας πονουμένης ἔτι πρὸς Ἀννίβου· ἐθελοντὰς δέ, εἴ τινες εἶεν, ἐπέτρεψαν ἐπάγεσθαι, καὶ τοῖς ἀμφὶ τὴν Σικελίαν ἔτι οὖσι χρῆσθαι. τριήρεις τε ἔδοσαν αὐτῷ κατασκευάσασθαι δέκα, καὶ πληρώματα αὐταῖς λαβεῖν, ἐπισκευάσαι δὲ καὶ τὰς ἐν Σικελία. καὶ χρήματα οὐκ ἔδωκαν, πλὴν εἴ τις ἐθέλοι τῷ Σκιπίωνι κατὰ φιλίαν συμφέρειν. οὕτως ἀμελῶς ἥπτοντο τοῦδε τοῦ πολέμου τὰ πρῶτα, μεγίστου σφίσι καὶ ἀξιοτιμοτάτου μετʼ ὀλίγον γενομένου.

[¶7] 8. Scipio, who seemed to be divinely inspired from long ago against Carthage, having collected scarcely 7000 soldiers, cavalry and infantry, sailed for Sicily, taking as a body-guard 300 chosen youths whom he ordered to accompany him without arms. He then chose 300 wealthy Sicilians by conscription and ordered them to report on a certain day, provided with the best possible arms and horses. When they came he told them that they might furnish substitutes for the war if they preferred. As they all accepted this offer he brought forward his 300 unarmed youths and directed the others to supply them with arms and horses, and this they did willingly. So it came about that Scipio had in place of the Sicilians, 300 Italian youths admirably equipped at other people’s expense, who at once thanked him for this favor and ever afterward rendered him excellent service.

> Greek: 8. ὁ δὲ Σκιπίων ἔνθους ὢν ἐπὶ Καρχηδόνι ἐκ πολλοῦ, καί τινας ἱππέας τε καὶ πεζούς, ἐς ἑπτακισχιλίους μάλιστα. ἀθροίσας, διέπλευσεν ἐς Σικελίαν ἔχων ἀμφʼ αὑτὸν ἀρτιγενείους ἐπιλέκτους τριακοσίους, οἷς εἴρητο χωρὶς ὅπλων ἕπεσθαι. Σικελῶν δʼ αὖ τριακοσίους καταγράψας εὐδαίμονας ἐκέλευσεν ἥκειν ἐς ἡμέραν ῥητήν, ἐσκευασμένους ὅπλοις τε καὶ ἵπποις ὅτι δύναιντο καλλίστοις. ὡς δὲ ἀφίκοντο, προύθηκεν εἴ τις ἑαυτοῦ θέλοι τὸν στρατευσόμενον ἀντιδοῦναι. δεξαμένων δὲ πάντων, ἤγαγεν ἐς μέσον τοὺς τριακοσίους τοὺς ὅπλων ἐρήμους, καὶ ἐς τούσδε ἐκείνοις προσέταξε μετασκευάσασθαι. οἱ δʼ ἑκόντες παρεδίδοσαν ὅπλα καὶ ἵππους. καὶ περιῆν τῷ Σκιπίωνι τριακοσίους νέους Ἰταλιώτας ἔχειν ἀντὶ Σικελιωτῶν, κάλλιστα ἵπποις καὶ ὅπλοις ἀλλοτρίοις ἐσκευασμένους, καὶ χάριν εὐθὺς ἐπὶ τῷδε εἰδότας· οἷς δὴ καὶ προθυμοτάτοις ἐς πάντα χρώμενος διετέλει.

[¶8] 9. When the Carthaginians learned these things they sent Hasdrubal, the son of Gisco, to hunt elephants, and they despatched to Mago, who was enlisting Ligurian mercenaries, 6000 foot, 800 horse, and seven elephants, and commanded him to attack Etruria with these and such other forces as he could collect, in order to draw Scipio from Africa. But Mago delayed because he could not join Hannibal at such a distance and because he was always of a hesitating disposition. Hasdrubal, on his return from the elephant hunt, levied 6000 foot and 600 horse from both the Carthaginian and the African population, and bought 5000 slaves as oarsmen for the ships. He also obtained 2000 horse from the Numidians and hired mercenaries and exercised them all in camp at a distance of two hundred stades from Carthage.

> Greek: 9. Καρχηδόνιοι δὲ ταῦτα πυνθανόμενοι Ἀσδρούβαν μὲν τὸν Γέσκωνος ἐπὶ θήραν ἐλεφάντων ἐξέπεμπον, Μάγωνι δʼ ἀμφὶ τὴν Λιγυστίνην ξεναγοῦντι πεζοὺς ἀπέστελλον ἐς ἑξακισχιλίους καὶ ἱππέας ὀκτακοσίους καὶ ἐλέφαντας ἑπτά, καὶ προσέτασσον αὐτῷ μεθʼ ὅσων δύναιτο ἄλλων ἐσβαλεῖν ἐς Τυρρηνίαν, ἵνα τὸν Σκιπίωνα περισπάσειεν ἐκ Λιβύης. Μάγων μὲν δὴ καὶ τότε ἐβράδυνεν, Ἀννίβᾳ τε συνελθεῖν οὐ δυνάμενος πολὺ διεστῶτι, καὶ τὸ μέλλον ἀεὶ περιορώμενος. Ἀσδρούβας δʼ ἀπὸ τῆς θήρας ἐπανελθὼν κατέλεγε Καρχηδονίων τε καὶ Λιβύων ἐς ἑξακισχιλίους πεζοὺς ἑκατέρων καὶ ἱππέας ἑξακοσίους, δούλους τε ἠγόραζε πεντακισχιλίους, τὸ ναυτικὸν ἐρέσσειν, καὶ παρὰ τῶν Νομάδων ἔλαβε δισχιλίους ἱππέας, καὶ ξένους ἐμισθοῦτο, καὶ πάντας ἐγύμναζε, διακοσίους σταδίους ἀποσχὼν ἀπὸ Καρχηδόνος.

[¶9] 10. There were many chieftains in Numidia who had separate dominions. Syphax occupied the highest place among them and was held in greater honor than the others. There was also a certain Masinissa, son of the king of the Massylians, a powerful tribe. He had been brought up and educated at Carthage. He was a man of fine presence and good manners. Hasdrubal, the son of Gisco, who was second in rank to nobody in Carthage, betrothed his daughter to him although he was a Numidian, and after the betrothal took the young man with him to the war in Spain. Syphax, who was also in love with the girl, was indignant at this and began to pillage the Carthaginian territory, and he proposed to Scipio (who made a journey from Spain to meet him) that they should make a joint at-tack on Carthage. The Carthaginians, learning this and knowing how great service Syphax could render them in the war against the Romans, gave the girl to him without the knowledge of Hasdrubal or Masinissa, since they were in Spain. The latter, being greatly exasperated, made an alliance with Scipio in Spain, concealing it from Hasdrubal, as he supposed. Hasdrubal, although he was grieved at the outrage put upon the young man and his daughter, nevertheless thought that it would be an advantage to the country to make away with Masinissa. So when the latter returned from Spain to Africa at the death of his father, he sent a cavalry escort with him and told them to put him to death secretly in whatever way they could.

> Greek: 10. Νομάδων δὲ τῶν ἐν Λιβύῃ δυνάσται μὲν ἦσαν κατὰ μέρη πολλοί, Σύφαξ δʼ ὑπὲρ ἅπαντας, καὶ τιμὴν εἶχε πρὸς τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιφανῆ. Μασσυλίων δʼ αὖ, γένους ἀλκίμου, παῖς ἦν τοῦ βασιλέως Μασσανάσσης, ὃς ἐτέθραπτο μὲν ἐν Καρχηδόνι καὶ ἐπεπαίδευτο, ὄντι δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ σῶμα καλῷ καὶ τὸν τρόπον ἀρίστῳ Ἀσδρούβας ὁ Γέσκωνος, οὐδενὸς Καρχηδονίων δεύτερος, ἠγγύησε τὴν θυγατέρα, καίπερ ὄντι Νομάδι, Καρχηδόνιος ὤν. ὡς δʼ ἠλλύησεν, ἐπήγετο ἐς Ἰβηρίαν στρατηγῶν τὸ μειράκιον. Σύφαξ δὲ κνιζό μενος ὑπʼ ἔρωτος ἐπὶ τῇ παιδὶ τὰ Καρχηδονίων ἐλεηλάτει, καὶ Σκιπίωνι διαπλεύσαντι πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐξ Ἰβηρίας συνέθετο συμμαχήσειν ἐπὶ Καρχηδονίους ἰόντι. αἰσθόμενοι δʼ οἱ Καρχηδόνιοι καὶ μέγα ποιούμενοι ἐς τὸν πρὸς Ῥωμαίους πόλεμον Σύφακα προσλαβεῖν, ἐξέδοσαν αὐτῷ τὴν παρθένον ἀγνοούντων καὶ ὄντων ἐν Ἰβηρίᾳ Ασδρούβου τε καὶ Μασσανάσσου. ἐφʼ οἷς ὁ Μασσανάσσης ὑπεραλγῶν συνετίθετο καὶ ὅδε ἐν Ἰβηρίᾳ τῷ Σκιπίωνι, λανθάνων, ὡς ᾤετο, Ἀσδρούβαν. ὁ δʼ αἰσθόμενος βαρέως μὲν ἔφερεν ὑπὲρ τοῦ μειρακίου καὶ τῆς θυγατρός, ὑβρισμένοιν ἀμφοῖν, ἡγεῖτο δʼ ὅμως τῇ πατρίδι συμφέρειν ἐκποδὼν Μασσανάσσην ποιήσασθαι, καὶ ἐπανιόντι ἐς Λιβύην ἐξ Ἰβηρίας ἐπὶ θανάτῳ τοῦ πατρὸς συνέπεμπε προπομποὺς ἱππέας, οἷς εἴρητο ἀφανῶς ἐπιβουλεύειν αὐτῷ καὶ κτείνειν ὅπῃ δύναιντο.

[¶10] 11. Masinissa, getting wind of this plot, managed to escape, and made his inherited power strong by collecting a body of cavalry who were trained to hurl the javelin advancing and retreating and advancing again, either by day or by night; for their only method of fighting was flight and pursuit. The Numidians also know how to endure hunger. They often subsist on herbs in place of bread, and they drink nothing but water. Their horses never even taste grain; they feed on grass alone and drink but rarely. Masinissa collected about 20,000 such and led them in the chase and in pillaging expeditions against other tribes, thinking to keel) them exercised in this way. The Carthaginians and Syphax, thinking that these preparations of the young man were made against them (for they were conscious of the affront they had put upon him), decided to make war on him first, and after crushing him to march against the Romans.

> Greek: 11. ὁ δʼ αἰσθόμενος ἐξέφυγέ τε, καὶ τὴν πάτρῴαν ἀρχὴν ἐκρατύνετο, ἱππέας ἀθροίζων, οἷς ἡμέρας τε καὶ νυκτὸς ἦν ἔργον ἀκοντίοις πολλοῖς χρωμένους ἐπελαύνειν ἀεὶ καὶ ἀναχωρεῖν καὶ αὖθις ἐπελαύνειν. καὶ ὅλως ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς ἡ μάχη φυγὴ καὶ δίωξις. ἴσασι δὲ καὶ λιμὸν φέρειν οἱ Νομάδες οἵδε, καὶ πόᾳ χρῆσθαι πολλάκις ἀντὶ σίτου· καὶ τὸ πάμπαν ὑδροποτοῦσιν. ὅ τε ἵππος αὐτοῖς κριθῆς μὲν οὐδʼ ὅλως γεύεται, ποηφαγῶν ἀεί, πίνει δὲ διὰ πολλοῦ. τοιούτους ὁ Μασσανάσσης ἐς δισμυρίους συναγαγὼν ἐξῆγεν ἐπὶ θήρας ἢ λεηλασίας ἑτέρων ἐθνῶν· ἅπερ ᾤετο καὶ ἔργα καὶ γυμνάσια εἶναι. Καρχηδόνιοι δὲ καὶ Σύφαξ νομίζοντες ἐπὶ σφᾶς εἶναι τὴν παρασκευὴν τοῦ μειρακίου (οὐ γὰρ ἠγνόουν ἃ ἐλελυπήκεσαν αὐτόν), ἔκριναν προτέρῳ τῷδε πολεμεῖν ἔστε καθέλωσι, καὶ τότε Ῥωμαίοις ἀπαντᾶν.

[¶11] 12. Syphax and the Carthaginians were much the more numerous. They marched with wagons and a great load of luggage and luxuries. On the other hand, Masinissa was an example in all doing and enduring and had only cavalry, no pack animals and no provisions. Thus he was able the more easily to retreat, to attack, and to take refuge in strongholds. Often, when surrounded, he divided his forces so that they might scatter as best they could, concealing himself with a handful until they should all come together again, by day or by night, at an appointed rendezvous Once he was one of three who lay concealed in a cave around which his enemies were encamped. He never had any fixed camping-place. His generalship consisted especially in concealing his position. Thus his enemies never could make a regular assault upon him, but were always warding off his attacks. His provisions were obtained each day from whatever place he came upon toward evening, whether village or city. He seized and carried off everything and divided the plunder with his men, for which reason many Numidians flocked to him, although he did not give regular pay, for the sake of the booty, which was better.

> Greek: 12. Σύφαξ μὲν οὖν καὶ Καρχηδόνιοι πλείους ἦσαν παρὰ πολύ, μετὰ δὲ ἁμαξῶν καὶ παρασκευῆς βαρείας καὶ τρυφῆς ἐστρατεύοντο· Μασσανάσσης δὲ πόνων τε πᾶσιν ἐξῆρχε, καὶ ἱππικὸν μόνον εἶχε καὶ ὑποζύγιον οὐδέν, οὐδὲ ἀγοράν. ὅθεν ῥᾳδίως ὑπέφευγέ τε καὶ ἐπεχείρει καὶ ἐς τὰ ὀχυρὰ ἀνεπήδα. πολλάκις τε καὶ καταλαμβανόμενος διεσκίδνη τὸ στράτευμα, ὅπῃ δυνηθεῖεν ἀποφεύγειν κατὰ μέρη. καὶ σὺν ὀλίγοις αὐτὸς ὑπεκρύπτετό ποι, μέχρι συνέλθοιεν αὐτῷ νυκτὸς ἢ μεθʼ ἡμέραν ἐς τὸ συγκείμενον. τρίτος δέ ποτε ἐν σπηλαίῳ κρυπτόμενος ἔλαθε, τῶν πολεμίων περὶ τὸ σπήλαιον στρατοπεδευόντων. οὐδʼ ἔστιν ὅτε ἐστάθμευεν ἐν στρατοπέδῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ μάλιστʼ ἐστρατήγει λανθάνειν ὅποι ποτε εἴη. ὅθεν οὐκ εἶχον αὐτῷ συνεχῶς προεπιχειρεῖν οἱ πολέμιοι, ἀλλʼ ἠμύνοντο ἐπιόντα. ἀγορὰ δʼ ἦν αὐτῷ καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, ὅ τι περὶ ἑσπέραν καταλάβοι χωρίον ἢ κώμην ἢ πόλιν, λῃζομένῳ τε πάντα καὶ διαρπάζοντι καὶ μεριζομένῳ τοῖς συνοῦσιν. ὅθεν αὐτῷ πολλοὶ τῶν Νομάδων ἐπεφοίτων, μισθοὺς μὲν οὐ διδόντι τεταγμένους, τὰς δʼ ὠφελείας πολὺ πλείονας ἔχοντες.

[¶12] 13. In this way Masinissa made war on the Carthaginians. In the meantime Scipio, having completed his preparations in Sicily, and sacrificed to Jupiter and Neptune, set sail for Africa with fifty-two war-ships and 400 transports, with a great number of smaller craft following behind. His army consisted of 16,000 foot and 1600 horse. He carried also projectiles, arms, and engines of various kinds, and a plentiful supply of provisions. And thus Scipio accomplished his voyage. When the Carthaginians and Syphax learned of this they decided to pretend to make terms with Masinissa for the present, until they should over-come Scipio. Masinissa was not deceived by this scheme. In order to deceive them in turn he marched to Hasdrubal with his cavalry as though he were reconciled to him, fully advising Scipio beforehand. Hasdrubal, Syphax, and Masinissa encamped not far from each other near the city of Utica, to which Scipio had been driven by the winds, and he also was camped hard by. Not far from him was Hasdrubal with an army of 20,000 foot, 7000 horse, and 140 elephants.

> Greek: 13. καὶ Μασσανάσσης μὲν Καρχηδονιοις οὕτως ἐπολέμει, ὁ δὲ Σκιπίων, ἐπεί οἱ πάντα εὐτρεπῆ ἐγεγένητο ἐν Σικελίᾳ, ἔθυε Διὶ καὶ Ποσειδῶνι, καὶ ἐς Λιβύην ἀνήγετο ἐπὶ νεῶν μακρῶν μὲν δύο καὶ πεντήκοντα φορτίδων δὲ τετρακοσίων· κέλητές τε καὶ λέμβοι πολλοὶ συνείποντο αὐτῷ. καὶ στρατιὰν ἦγε πεζοὺς μὲν ἑξακισχιλίους ἐπὶ μυρίοις, ἱππέας δὲ χιλίους καὶ ἑξακοσίους. ἐπήγετο δὲ καὶ βέλη καὶ ὅπλα καὶ μηχανήματα ποικίλα καὶ ἀλορὰν πολλήν. καὶ Σκιπίων μὲν ὧδε διέπλει, Καρχηδόνιοι δὲ καὶ Σύφαξ πυνθανόμενοι ἔγνωσαν ἐν τῷ παρόντι ὑποκρίνασθαί τε Μασσανάσσην καὶ ἐς φιλίαν ὑπαγαγέσθαι, μέχρι ὅτου Σκιπίωνος ἐπικρατήσαιεν. ὁ δʼ οὐκ ἠγνόει μὲν ἐξαπατώμενος, ἀντενεδρεύων δέ, καὶ μηνύων πάντα τῷ Σκιπίωνι, ἧκε πρὸς τὸν Ἀσδρούβαν ὡς συνηλλαγμένος μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων ἱππέων. καὶ ἐστρατοπέδευον οὐ μακρὰν ἀπʼ ἀλλήλων Ἀσδρούβας τε καὶ Σύφαξ καὶ Μασσανάσσης περὶ Ἰτύκην πόλιν, ἐς ἣν ὁ Σκιπίων καταχθεὶς ὑπʼ ἀνέμων καὶ αὐτὸς ἐστρατοπέδευσε περὶ αὐτήν. οὐ πολὺ δʼ ἀπεῖχεν ὁ Ἀσδρούβας αὐτοῦ, στρατιὰν ἔχων ἐς δισμυρίους πεζοὺς καὶ ἱππέας ἑπτακισχιλίους καὶ ἐλέφαντας ἑκατὸν ἐπὶ τεσσαράκοντα.

[¶13] 14. Now Syphax, either being moved by fear, or being faithless to all parties in turn, pretended that his country was harassed by the neighboring barbarians, and set out for home. Scipio sent out some detachments to feel the enemy, and at the same time several towns surrendered themselves to him. Then Masinissa came to Scipio’s camp secretly by night, and, after mutual greeting, advised him to place not more than 5000 men in ambush on the following day, about thirty stades from Utica, near a tower built by Agathocles, the tyrant of Syracuse. At daybreak he persuaded Hasdrubal to send Hanno, his master of horse, to reconnoitre the enemy and throw himself into Utica, lest the inhabitants, taking advantage of the proximity of the enemy, should start a revolution. He promised to follow if ordered to do so. Hanno set out accordingly with 1000 picked Carthaginian horse and a lot of Africans. Masinissa followed with his Numidians. Thus they came to the tower and Hanno passed on with a small force to Utica. Hereupon a part of the men in ambush showed themselves, and Masinissa advised the officer who was left in command of the cavalry to attack them as being a small force. He followed at a short distance, as if to support the movement. Then the rest of the men in ambush showed themselves and surrounded the Africans; and the Romans and Masinissa together assailed them on all sides and slew all except 400, who were taken prisoners. After he had accomplished this, Masinissa, as though a friend, hastened after Hanno, who was returning, seized him and carried him to Scipio’s camp, and exchanged him for his own mother, who was in Hasdrubal’s hands.

> Greek: 14. Σύφαξ μὲν οὖν, εἴτε δείσας εἴτε ἄπιστος ἐς ἑκατέρους γιγνόμενος παρὰ μέρος, ἐσκήψατό τι λυπεῖν τὴν ἀρχὴν αὐτοῦ τοὺς ὁμόρους βαρβάρους, καὶ ἀνεζεύγνυεν ἐς τὰ οἰκεῖα· Σκιπίων δὲ κατʼ ὀλίγους ἔπεμπεν ἐπιχειρεῖν τῷ Ἀσδρούβᾳ, καί τινες αὐτῷ καὶ τῶν πόλεων προσεχώρουν. νυκτὸς δὲ λαθὼν ὁ Μασσανάσσης ἧκεν ἐπὶ τὸ στρατόπεδον τοῦ Σκιπίωνος, καὶ δεξιωσάμενος αὐτὸν ἐδίδασκε τῆς ἐπιούσης ἔς τι χωρίον ἀπὸ τριάκοντα σταδίων Ἰτύκης, ἔνθα πύργος ἔστιν Ἀγαθοκλέους ἔργον τοῦ Συρακοσίων τυράννου, μὴ πλείους πεντακισχιλίων ἐνεδρεῦσαι. ἅμα δʼ ἡμέρᾳ τὸν Ἀσδρούβαν ἔπειθε τὸν ἵππαρχον Ἄννωνα πέμψαι τό τε πλῆθος τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐπισκεψόμενον καὶ ἐς Ἰτύκην ἐσδραμούμενον, μή τι πλησιαζόντων πολεμίων νεωτερίσειαν· καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπισχνεῖτο, εἰ κελεύοιτο, ἕψεσθαι. Ἄννων μὲν δὴ χιλίους ἦγεν ἐπιλέκτους ἱππέας Καρχηδονίους καὶ Λιβύων τι πλῆθος, Μασσανάσσης δὲ Νομάδας τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ· ὡς δʼ ἐπὶ τὸν πύργον ἀφίκοντο καὶ ὁ Ἄννων ἐξίππευσεν ἐς τὴν Ἰτύκην σὺν ὀλίγοις, μέρος τι τῆς ἐνέδρας ἐξεφαίνετο, καὶ ὁ Μασσανάσσης ἐκέλευσε τὸν τεταγμένον ἐπὶ τοῖς ἱππεῦσι τῶν Καρχηδονίων ἐπιδραμεῖν αὐτοῖς ὡς οὖσιν ὀλίγοις. καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκ βραχέος εἵπετο ὡς ἐπιβοηθήσων. ἐν μέσῳ δὲ τῶν Λιβύων γενομένων, ἥ τε πλείων ἐνέδρα κατεφαίνετο, καὶ συνηκόντισαν αὐτοὺς ἑκατέρωθεν οἵ τε Ῥωμαῖοι καὶ ὁ Μασσανάσσης, πλὴν τετρακοσίων, οἳ ἐλήφθησαν αἰχμάλωτοι. Μασσανάσσης δʼ, ἐπεὶ τοῦτο ἐξετετέλεστο, ἀπήντα τῷ Ἄννωνι κατὰ σπουδὴν ὡς φίλος ἐπανιόντι, καὶ συλλαβὼν αὐτὸν ἀπῆγεν ἐς τὸ τοῦ Σκιπίωνος στρατόπεδον, καὶ ἀντέδωκεν Ἀσδρούβᾳ τῆς μητρὸς τῆς ἑαυτοῦ.

[¶14] 15. Scipio and Masinissa ravaged the country and released the Roman prisoners who were digging in the fields, who had been sent thither by Hannibal from Spain, from Sicily, and from Italy itself. They also besieged a large town called Locha, where they met great difficulties. As they were putting up the scaling ladders, the Lochaians asked a parley and offered to leave the city under a truce. Thereupon Scipio sounded a retreat; but the soldiers, angry at what they had suffered in the siege, refused to obey. They scaled the walls and slaughtered indiscriminately, not sparing women and children. Scipio dismissed the survivors in safety; he then deprived the army of its booty and compelled the officers who had disobeyed orders to cast lots publicly, and punished three of them, upon whom the lot had fallen, with death. Having done these things he began ravaging the country again. Hasdrubal sought to draw him into ambush by sending Mago, his master of horse, to attack him in front, while he fell upon his rear. Scipio and Masinissa being surrounded in this way divided their forces into two parts, turning in opposite directions against the enemy, by which means they slew 5000 of the Africans, took 1800 prisoners, and drove the remainder over a precipice.

> Greek: 15. Σκιπίων δὲ καὶ Μασσανάσσης τὴν χώραν ἐπόρθουν, καὶ Ῥωμαίων ἐξέλυον ὅσοι δεθέντες ἔσκαπτον ἐν τοῖς ἀγροῖς, ἐξ Ἰβηρίας ἢ Σικελίας ἢ ἀπʼ αὐτῆς τῆς Ἰταλίας πεμφθέντες ὑπὸ Ἀννίβου. πολιορκοῦσι δʼ αὐτοῖς πόλιν μεγάλην ᾗ ὄνομα ἦν Λόχα, καὶ πολλὰ δεινὰ πάσχουσιν, οἱ μὲν Λοχαῖοι προστιθεμένων τῶν κλιμάκων ἐπεκηρυκεύοντο ἐκλείψειν τὴν πόλιν ὑπόσπονδοι, καὶ ὁ Σκιπίων ἀνεκάλει τῇ σάλπιγγι τὴν στρατιάν· ἡ δʼ οὐχ ὑπήκουεν ὑπʼ ὀργῆς ὧν ἐπεπόνθεσαν, ἀλλʼ ἐπιβάντες τοῖς τείχεσι καὶ γύναια καὶ παιδία κατέσφαττον· ὁ δὲ τοὺς μὲν ἔτι ὄντας Λοχαίων ἀφῆκεν ἀπαθεῖς, τὴν δὲ στρατιὰν τὴν λείαν ἀφείλετο, καὶ τοὺς λοχαγούς, ὅσοι συνεξήμαρτον, ἐκλήρωσεν ἐν τῷ μέσῳ, καὶ τρεῖς τοὺς λαχόντας ἐκόλασε θανάτῳ. καὶ τάδε πράξας αὖθις ἐλεηλάτει. Ἀσδρούβας δʼ αὐτοὺς ἐνήδρευε, Μάγωνα μὲν τὸν ἵππαρχον ἐπιπέμψας ἐκ μετώπου, αὐτὸς δὲ ὄπισθεν ἐπιών. οἱ δʼ ἐν μέσῳ γενόμενοι τὸ ἔργον ἐμερίσαντο, καὶ ἐς ἑκατέρους αὐτῶν ἑκάτερος ἐπιστραφεὶς πεντακισχιλίους τῶν Λιβύων ἀπέκτειναν, καὶ χιλίους καὶ ὀκτακοσίους ἔλαβον αἰχμαλώτους, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς ἐς τὰς πέτρας κατήραξαν.

[¶15] 16. Soon afterward Scipio besieged Utica by land and sea. He built a tower on two galleys joined together, from which he hurled missiles three cubits long, and also great stones, at the enemy. He inflicted much damage and also suffered much, and the ships were badly shattered. On the landward side he built great mounds, and battered the wall with rams, and tore off with hooks what hides and other coverings were on it. The enemy, on the other hand, undermined the mounds, turned the hooks aside with slipknots, and deadened the force of the rams by interposing transverse wooden beams. They made sallies against the machines with fire whenever the wind was blowing toward them. Whereupon Scipio, despairing of the capture of the city by this means, established a close siege around it.

> Greek: 16. καὶ ὁ Σκιπίων εὐθὺς ἐπὶ τοῖσδε προσέβαλεν Ἰτύκῃ κατὰ γῆν καὶ κατὰ θάλασσαν, δύο μὲν πεντήρεσιν ἐζευγμέναις πύργον ἐπιθείς, ὅθεν τριπήχη βέλη καὶ λίθους μεγάλους ἐς τοὺς πολεμίους ἠφίει, καὶ πολλὰ μὲν ἐλύπει πολλὰ δʼ ἀντέπασχε θραυομένων τῶν νεῶν, χώματα δʼ ἐπαίρων μέγιστα, καὶ κριοῖς τὸ τεῖχος, ὅτε προσπελάσειε, τύπτων, δρεπάνοις τε περισπῶν ὅσαι βύρσαι περὶ αὐτὸ καὶ ἄλλα σκεπαστήρια ἦν. οἱ δὲ τὰ μὲν χώματα ὑπετάφρευον, καὶ τὰ δρέπανα βρόχοις παρῆγον, καὶ τοὺς κριοὺς τῆς ὁρμῆς ἐξέλυον, ἐπιβάλλοντες ἐπικαρσίας δοκούς· ἐς δὲ τὰς μηχανὰς ἐξεπήδων μετὰ πυρός, ὅτε πνεῦμα φυλάξειαν ἐς αὐτὰς ἐπίφορον. ὅθεν ὁ Σκιπίων ἀπογνοὺς οὕτως αἱρήσειν τὴν πόλιν, ἐς πολιορκίαν αὐτῆς καθίστατο.

[¶16] 17. Syphax, when he learned how things were going, came back with his army and encamped not far from Hasdrubal. Pretending still to be the friend of both parties, and thinking to protract the war until the new ships which were building for the Carthaginians were ready, and the Celtic and Ligurian mercenaries arrived, he proposed an arbitration. He thought that it would be fair for the Romans to discontinue the war in Africa and the Carthaginians in Italy, and that the Romans should retain Sicily, Sardinia, and whatever other islands they now held, and also Spain. He said that if either party should refuse these terms he would join forces with the other. While he was doing this he attempted to draw Masinissa to himself by promising to establish him firmly in the kingdom of the Massylians and to give him in marriage whichever of his three daughters he should choose. The person who delivered this message brought gold also, in order that, if he could not persuade Masinissa, he might bribe one of his servants to kill him. As he did not succeed, he paid the money to one of them to murder him. The servant took the money to Masinissa and exposed the giver.

> Greek: 17. Σύφαξ δὲ τῶν γιγνομένων πυνθανόμενος ἧκε μετὰ τοῦ στρατοῦ, καὶ οὐ μακρὰν ἐστάθμευεν ἀπὸ Ἀσδρούβου. ἔτι δʼ ὑποκρινόμενος εἶναι φίλος ἑκατέροις, καὶ τρίβειν τὸν πόλεμον ἐγνωκὼς μέχρι νῆές τε ἕτεραι ναυπηγούμεναι πρὸς τῶν Καρχηδονίων ἐπιγένοιντο καὶ μισθοφόροι τινὲς Κελτῶν καὶ Λιγύων ἐπέλθοιεν, ἐπεχείρει διαιτᾶν διαλύσεις, καὶ ἐδικαίου μήτε Ῥωμαίους Λιβύης μήτε Καρχηδονίους Ἰταλίας ἐπιβαίνειν ἐπὶ πολέυῳ, ἔχειν δὲ Ῥωμαίους Σικελίαν καὶ Σαρδὼ καὶ εἴ τινας ἄλλας νήσους ἔχουσι, καὶ Ἰβηρίαν. ἢν δέ τις ἀπειθῇ, τοῖς πειθομένοις ἔφη συμμαχήσειν. ἅμα δὲ ταῦτʼ ἔπρασσε, καὶ Μασσανάσσην ἐπείρα μεταθέσθαι πρὸς αὑτόν, τήν τε Μασσυλίων ἀρχὴν αὐτῷ βεβαιώσειν ὑπισχνούμενος, καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων τριῶν οὐσῶν δώσειν ἐς γάμον ἣν ἂν ἐθέλῃ. ἔφερε δʼ ὁ ταῦτα λέγων χρυσίον, ἵνα, εἰ μὴ πείσειε, δοίη τῶν θεραπευτήρων αὐτοῦ τῷ κτείνειν Μασσανάσσην ὑπισχνουμένῳ. ὁ μὲν δὴ μὴ πείθων ἔδωκέ τινι τὸ χρυσίον ἐπὶ τῷ φόνῳ· ὁ δὲ λαβὼν ἔδειξε τῷ Μασσανάσσῃ, καὶ τὸν δόντα ἤλεγξεν.

[¶17] 18. Then Syphax, finding that he could not deceive any-body, joined the Carthaginians openly. He captured, by means of treachery, an inland town named Tholon, where the Romans had a large store of war materials and food, and slew all of the garrison who would not depart on parole. He also called up another large reënforcement of Numidians. And now, as the mercenaries had arrived and the ships were in readiness, they decided to fight, Syphax attacking those besieging Utica, and Hasdrubal the camp of Scipio, while the ships should bear down upon the ships; all these things to be done the next day and at the same time in order to overwhelm the Romans with numbers.

> Greek: 18. Σύφαξ δʼ οὐ προσδοκῶν ἔτι λήσειν, φανερῶς τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις συνεμάχει, πόλιν τε ἐν μεσογείῳ Θολοῦντα, Ῥωμαίων παρασκευὴν καὶ σῖτον πολὺν ἔχουσαν, ἐκ προδοσίας εἷλε, καὶ τοὺς φρουροῦντας αὐτὴν ἔκτεινεν οὐκ ἐθελήσαντας ἀπελθεῖν ὑποσπόνδους, συμμαχίαν τε ἄλλην πολλὴν Νομάδων μετεπέμπετο. καὶ οἱ μισθοφόροι παρῆσαν αὐτοῖς ἤδη, καὶ νῆες εὐτρεπῶς εἶχον, ὥστε ἔγνωστο πολεμεῖν Σύφακα μὲν ὁρμώμενον ἐπὶ τοὺς πολιορκοῦντας Ἰτύκην, Ἀσδρούβαν δʼ ἐπὶ τὸ Σκιπίωνος στρατόπεδον. τὰς δὲ ναῦς ἔδει ταῖς ναυσὶν ἐπιπλεῖν, καὶ γίγνεσθαι ταῦτα τῆς ἐπιούσης ἡμέρας ἅπαντα ὁμοῦ, ἵνα μὴ διαρκέσειαν αὐτοῖς οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι διὰ τὴν ὀλιγότητα.

[¶18] 19. Masinissa learned of these plans at nightfall from certain Numidians, and communicated them to Scipio. The latter was perplexed, being apprehensive lest his army, divided into so many parts, should be too weak to sustain the whole strength of the enemy. He forthwith called his officers to a council at night. Finding that they were all at a loss what to do, and after meditating for a long time himself, he said: “Courage and swiftness, friends, and desperate fighting are our only salvation. We must anticipate the enemy in making the attack. Just see what we shall gain by it. The unexpectedness of the attack and the very strangeness of the thing,— that those who are so few in number should be the aggressors, will terrify them. We shall employ our strength not divided into several detachments, but all together. We shall not be engaged with all of our enemies at once, but with those we choose to attack first, since their camps are separate from each other. We are their equals in strength when we take them separately, while in courage and good fortune we are their superiors. If heaven shall give us victory over the first, we may despise the others. Upon whom the assault shall be made first, and what shall be the time and manner of delivering it, if you please, I will now tell you.”

> Greek: 19. Ὧνἤδη νυκτὸς οὔσης ὁ Μασσανάσσης παρὰ τινῶν Νομάδων πυθόμενος μετέδωκε τῷ Σκιπίωνι. ὁ δὲ ἔδεισε, καὶ ἠπόρει μὴ ἐς πολλὰ αὐτῷ διαιρούμενος ὁ στρατὸς ἀσθενέστερος ἐς πάντα γίγνηται. τοὺς οὖν ἡγεμόνας αὐτίκα νυκτὸς ἐπὶ τὴν σκέψιν ἐκάλει, καὶ ἀπορούντων ἁπάντων ἐπὶ πολὺ σύννους γενόμενος εἶπε· τόλμης καὶ ταχυτῆτος ἡμῖν, ὦ φίλοι, δεῖ, καὶ μάχης ἐξ ἀπογνώσεως. φθάσωμεν ἐπελθόντες τοῖς πολεμίοις. ὅσα δʼ ἐν τῷδε πλεονεκτήσομεν, μάθετε ἤδη. ἐκείνους μὲν ἐκπλήξει τὸ ἀδόκητον τῆς ἐφόδου καὶ τὸ παράδοξον τοῦ ἔργου, τῶν ὀλιγωτέρων προεπιχειρούντων· ἡμεῖς δʼ οὐκ ἐς πολλὰ διῃρημένῃ τῇ στρατιᾷ χρησόμεθα ἀλλʼ ἀθρόᾳ, οὐδʼ ἐπάξομεν αὐτὴν ἅπασι τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἀλλʼ οἷς ἂν ἐπιλεξώμεθα πρώτοις. σταθμεύουσι δʼ ἐφʼ ἑαυτῶν ἕκαστοι, καὶ ἐσμὲν αὐτοῖς κατὰ μέρος ἰσόμαχοι, τόλμῃ δὲ καὶ εὐτυχίᾳ προύχομεν. καὶ ἢν ὁ θεὸς δῷ τῶν πρώτων ἐπικρατῆσαι, τῶν ἄλλων καταφρονήσομεν. οἷς δʼ ἐπιχειρητέον ἐστὶ πρώτοις, καὶ τίς ὁ καιρὸς ἢ τρόπος ἔσται τῆς ἐπιχειρήσεως, ἢν ἀρέσκῃ, τὰ τῆς γνώμης ἐρῶ.

[¶19] 20. As they all agreed, he continued: “The time to strike is immediately after this meeting ends, while it is still night, since the blow will be the more terrifying and the enemy will be unprepared, and none will be able to give aid to their allies in the darkness. Thus we shall anticipate their intention of attacking us to-morrow. They have three stations; that of the ships is at a distance, and it is not easy to attack ships by night. Hasdrubal and Syphax are not far from each other. Hasdrubal is the head of the hostile force. Syphax will not dare to do anything at night; he is a barbarian, effeminate and timid. Come now, let us attack Hasdrubal with all our force. We will place Masinissa in ambush for Syphax, if, contrary to expectation, he should move out of his camp. Let us advance with our infantry against Hasdrubal’s defences, surround and storm them on every side, with high hope and resolute courage, for these are the things most needed now. As the cavalry are not of much use in a night attack, I will send them to surround the enemy’s camp a little farther off, so that if we are overpowered we may have friends to receive us and cover our retreat, and if we are victorious they may pursue the fugitives and destroy them.”

> Greek: 20. συνθεμένων δὲ πάντων, ὁ μὲν καιρός, εἶπεν, εὐθὺς ἐπιχειρεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦδε τοῦ συλλόγου, νυκτὸς ἔτι οὔσης, ὅτε καὶ τὸ ἔργον ἐστὶ φοβερώτερον καὶ ἀνέτοιμα τὰ ἐκείνων, καὶ οὐδεὶς τῶν συμμάχων αὐτοῖς δύναται βοηθεῖν ἐν σκότῳ. φθάσομέν τε οὕτως αὐτῶν τὰ βουλεύματα μόνως, ἐγνωκότων ἡμῖν τῆς ἐπιούσης ἡμέρας ἐπιθέσθαι. τριῶν δʼ αὐτοῖς ὄντων στρατοπέδων, αἱ μὲν νῆές εἰσι πόρρω, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι ναυσὶ νυκτὸς ἐπιχειρεῖν, Ἀσδρούβας δὲ καὶ Σύφαξ οὐ μακρὰν ἀπʼ ἀλλήλων. καὶ τούτοιν Ἀσδρούβας μέν ἐστι τὸ τοῦ πολέμου κεφάλαιον, Σύφαξ δὲ οὐκ ἂν νυκτὸς ἐπιτολμήσειε τῷ πόνῳ, βάρβαρος ἀνὴρ καὶ τρυφῆς γέμων καὶ δέους. φέρε οὖν, ἡμεῖς μὲν ἐπὶ Ἀσδρούβαν μετὰ παντὸς ἴωμεν τοῦ στρατοῦ, Μασσανάσσην δὲ τόνδε ἐπιτάξωμεν ἐφεδρεύειν τῷ Σύφακι, ἢν ἄρα καὶ παρὰ δόξαν ἐξίῃ τοῦ στρατοπέδου. πεζοὶ δὲ χωρῶμεν ἐπὶ τὸν χάρακα τοῦ Ἀσδρούβου, καὶ περιστάντες ἐπιχειρῶμεν ἐκ παντὸς μέρους σὺν ἐλπίδι τε χρηστῇ καὶ τόλμῃ θρασυτάτῃ· τούτων γὰρ τὰ παρόντα δεῖται μάλιστα. τοὺς δʼ ἱππέας (οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς χρῆσθαι νυκτὸς ἔτι οὔσης) προπέμψω πορρωτέρω κυκλοῦσθαι τὸ στρατόπεδον τῶν πολεμίων, ἵνα εἰ μὲν βιασθείημεν, ὑποδέχοιντο ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐς φιλίους καταφεύγοιμεν, εἰ δʼ ἐπικρατοίημεν, ἐκφεύγοντας ἐκείνους διώκοιεν καὶ διαχρῷντο.

[¶20] 21. Having spoken thus he sent the officers to arm the troops, and he offered sacrifice to Courage and also to Fear in order that no panic should overtake them in the night, but that the army should show itself absolutely intrepid. At the third watch the trumpet sounded lightly and the army moved, observing the most profound silence until the cavalry had completely surrounded the enemy and the infantry had arrived at the trenches. Then, with shouts mingled with the discordant blast of trumpets and horns for the purpose of striking terror into the enemy, they swept the guards away from the outposts, filled up the ditch, and tore down the palisades. The boldest, pushing forward, set some of the huts on fire. The Africans, starting in consternation out of sleep, fumbled around for their arms and tried confusedly to get into order of battle, but on account of the noise could not hear the orders of their officers, nor did their general himself know exactly what was happening. The Romans caught them, as they were starting up and trying to arm themselves, with confusion on every hand. They fired more huts and slew those whom they met. The noise of the invaders, their appearance, and the fearful work they were doing in the midst of darkness and uncertainty made the catastrophe complete. Thinking that the camp had been taken, and being afraid of the fire of the burning huts, they were glad to get out of them; and they pushed on to the plain as a safer place. Thus they ran helter-skelter, just as it happened, and the Roman horse, who had completely surrounded them, fell upon them and slaughtered them.

> Greek: 21. ταῦτʼ εἰπών, καὶ τοὺς ἡγεμόνας ἐκπέμψας ὁπλίσαι τὸν στρατόν, αὐτὸς ἐθύετο Τόλμῃ καὶ Φόβῳ, μηδὲν ὡς ἐν νυκτὶ πανικόν οἱ γενέσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὸν στρατὸν αὐτῷ θρασύτατον μάλιστα ὀφθῆναι. τρίτης δὲ ἤδη φυλακῆς ἠρέμα τῇ σάλπιγγι ὑπεσήμαινε, καὶ μετὰ σιγῆς βαθυτάτης στρατὸς τοσοῦτος ἐβάδιζεν, ἕως οἱ μὲν ἱππεῖς περιέστησαν ἐν κύκλῳ τοὺς πολεμίους, οἱ πεζοὶ δʼ ἐπὶ τὴν τάφρον αὐτῶν ἀφίκοντο. βοῇ δὲ τότε παμμιγεῖ καὶ σάλπιγξιν ἀθρόαις καὶ βυκανήμασιν ἐς κατάπληξιν χρώμενοι τοὺς μὲν φύλακας ἐξέωσαν ἐκ τῶν φυλακτηρίων, τὴν δὲ τάφρον ἔχουν καὶ τὰ σταυρώματα διέσπων. οἱ δʼ εὐτολμότατοι προδραμόντες ἐνέπρησάν τινας σκηνάς. καὶ οἱ Λίβυες μετʼ ἐκπλήξεως ἀνεπήδων τε ἐξ ὕπνου, καὶ τὰ ὅπλα μετελάμβανον, καὶ ἐς τὰς τάξεις ἀτάκτως ἐφέροντο, καὶ τῶν παραγγελλομένων διὰ τὸν θόρυβον οὐ κατήκουον, οὐδʼ αὐτοῦ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ τὸ ἀκριβὲς τῶν γιγνομένων εἰδότος. ἀναπηδῶντας οὖν αὐτοὺς οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι καὶ ὁπλιζομένους ἔτι καὶ ταρασσομένους κατελάμβανον, καὶ σκηνὰς πλέονας ἐνεπίμπρασαν, καὶ τοὺς ἐν ποσὶν ἀνῄρουν. τοῖς δʼ ἦν ἥ τε βοὴ τῶν ἐχθρῶν καὶ ἡ ὄψις καὶ τὰ ἔργα φοβερώτατα ὡς ἐν νυκτὶ καὶ ἀγνωσίᾳ τοῦ γιγνομένου κακοῦ. ἡγούμενοί τε εἰλῆφθαι τὸ στρατόπεδον, καὶ τὸ πῦρ τῶν ἐμπεπρησμένων σκηνῶν δεδιότες, ἐξέπιπτον ἑκόντες ἐξ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐς τὸ πεδίον ὡς ἀσφαλέστερον ἐωθοῦντο· ὅθεν κατὰ μέρος, ὅπῃ τύχοιεν, ἀκόσμως διεδίδρασκον, καὶ ἐς τοὺς Ῥωμαίων ἱππέας, οἳ κύκλῳ περιεστήκεσαν, ἐμπίπτοντες ἀπέθνησκον.

[¶21] 22. Syphax, hearing the noise and seeing the fire in the night, did not leave his quarters, but sent a detachment of horse to the assistance of Hasdrubal. Masinissa fell upon these unawares and made a great slaughter. At daybreak, learning that Hasdrubal had fled and that his forces were destroyed, or taken prisoners, or dispersed, and that his camp and war material had fallen into the hands of the Romans, he fled precipitately to the interior, leaving every-thing behind, fearing lest Scipio should return from the pursuit of the Carthaginians and fall upon him. Masinissa took possession of his camp and belongings.

> Greek: 22. Σύφαξ δὲ νυκτὸς μὲν ἔτι, τῆς βοῆς αἰσθόμενος καὶ τὸ πῦρ ὁρῶν, οὐκ ἐπεξῆλθεν, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἱππέων τινὰς ἐπικουρεῖν ἔπεμψεν Ἀσδρούβᾳ, οἷς ὁ Μασσανάσσης ἐπιπεσὼν ἄφνω πολὺν ἐργά ζεται φόνον. ἅμα δʼ ἡμέρᾳ μαθὼν ὁ Σύφαξ Ἀσδρούβαν μὲν ἤδη φυγόντα, τῆς δὲ στρατιᾶς αὐτοῦ τοὺς μὲν ἀπολωλότας, τοὺς δʼ εἰλημμένους ὑπὸ τῶν πολεμίων, τοὺς δὲ διερριμμένους, καὶ τὸ στρατόπεδον αὐτῇ παρασκευῇ Ῥωμαίους ἔχοντας, ἀνεζεύγνυε φεύγων ἐς τὰ μεσόγεια μετὰ θορύβου, πάντα καταλιπών, οἰόμενος εὐθὺς ἀπὸ τῆς Καρχηδονίων διώξεως αὑτῷ τὸν Σκιπίωνα ἐπανίοντα ἐπιστήσεσθαι. ὅθεν καὶ τοῦδε τὸν χάρακα καὶ τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ παρασκευὴν εἷλε Μασσανάσσης.

[¶22] 23. Thus by one act of daring and in a little part of a night, did the Romans demolish two camps and two armies much greater than their own. The Romans lost about 100 men killed, the enemy a little less than 30,000, besides 2400 prisoners. Moreover, 600 horse surrendered them-selves to Scipio on his return. Some of the elephants were killed and some wounded. Scipio, having gained a great store of arms, gold, silver, ivory, and horses, Numidian and other, and having prostrated the Carthaginians by one splendid victory, distributed prizes to the army and sent the richest of the spoils to Rome. Then he began drilling the army diligently, expecting the arrival of Hannibal forthwith from Italy, and of Mago from Liguria.

> Greek: 23. καὶ Ῥωμαῖοι διὰ τόλμης μιᾶς, ἐν ὀλίγῳ μέρει νυκτός, δύο στρατοπέδων καὶ δύο στρατῶν πολὺ μειζόνων ἐκράτησαν ὁμοῦ. ἀπέθανον δὲ Ῥωμαίων μὲν ἀμφὶ τοὺς ἑκατὸν ἄνδρας, τῶν δʼ ἐχθρῶν ὀλίγῳ δέοντες τρισμύριοι· καὶ αἰχμάλωτοι ἐγένοντο δισχίλιοι καὶ τετρακόσιοι. τῶν δὲ ἱππέων ἑξακόσιοι ἐπανιόντι τῷ Σκιπίωνι ἑαυτοὺς παρέδοσαν. καὶ τῶν ἐλεφάντων οἱ μὲν ἀνῄρηντο, οἱ δὲ ἐτέτρωντο. Σκιπίων δὲ ὅπλων τε καὶ χρυσοῦ καὶ ἀργύρου καὶ ἐλέφαντος πολλοῦ καὶ ἵππων ἄλλων τε καὶ Νομαδικῶν κεκρατηκώς, καὶ διὰ μιᾶς τῆσδε νίκης, λαμπροτάτης δὴ γενομένης, ἐς γόνυ τὰ Καρχηδονίων καταβαλὼν ἅπαντα, ἀριστεῖα τῷ στρατῷ διεδίδου, καὶ τῶν λαφύρων τὰ ἀξιολογώτατα ἐς Ῥώμην ἔπεμπεν. καὶ τὸν στρατὸν ἐγύμναζε φιλοπόνως, προσδοκῶν Ἀννίβαν τε αὐτίκα ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰταλίας καὶ Μάγωνα ἀπὸ Λιγυστίνων ἐπελεύσεσθαι.

[¶23] 24. While Scipio was thus engaged, Hasdrubal, the Carthaginan general, who had been wounded in the night engagement, fled with 500 horse to the town of Anda, where he collected some mercenaries and Numidians who had escaped from the battle, and proclaimed freedom to all slaves who would enlist. Learning that the Carthaginians had decreed the penalty of death against him for his bad generalship, and had chosen Hanno, the son of Bomilcar, as commander, he made this an army of his own, recruited a lot of malefactors, robbed the country for provisions, and drilled his men to the number of 3000 horse and 8000 foot, resting his hopes solely on fighting. His doings were for a long time unknown to both the Romans and the Carthaginians. And now Scipio, having his army in readiness, led it to Carthage itself and haughtily offered battle, but nobody responded. Meanwhile Hamilcar, the admiral, hastened with 100 ships to attack Scipio’s naval station, hoping to outstrip him in reaching the place, and thinking that he could easily destroy the twenty Roman ships there with his hundred.

> Greek: 24. καὶ Σκιπίων μὲν περὶ ταῦτα ἦν, Ἀσδρούβας δέ, ὁ στρατηγὸς ὁ Καρχηδονίων, ἐν μὲν τῇ νυκτομαχίᾳ μεθʼ ἱππέων πεντακοσίων, τετρωμένος, ἐς Ἀνδὰν κατέφυγεν, ἔνθα μισθοφόρους τέ τινας ἐκ τῆς μάχης ἐκπεσόντας καὶ Νομάδας συνέλεγε, καὶ δούλους ἐς ἐλευθερίαν συνεκάλει· πυθόμενος δʼ ὅτι Καρχηδόνιοι θάνατον αὐτοῦ κατέγνωσαν ὡς κακῶς ἐστρατηγηκότος, καὶ Ἄννωνα τὸν Βουμίλχαρος εἵλοντο στρατηγεῖν, ἴδιον αὑτοῦ τὸν στρατὸν ἐποίει, καὶ κακούργους προσελάμβανε, καὶ ἐλῄζετο ἐς τὰς τροφάς, καὶ ἐγύμναζεν οὓς εἶχεν, ἀμφὶ τρισχιλίους ἱππέας, πεζοὺς δὲ ὀκτακισχιλίους, ὡς ἐν μόνῳ τῷ μάχεσθαι τὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχων. ὁ μὲν δὴ ταῦτα ποιῶν Ῥωμαίους ὁμοῦ καὶ Καρχηδονίους ἐπὶ πολὺ ἐλάνθανε, Σκιπίων δʼ ἐπῆγεν αὐτῇ Καρχηδόνι τὸν στρατὸν ὡπλισμένον, καὶ σοβαρῶς ἐς μάχην προυκαλεῖτο, οὐδενὸς ἐξιόντος. Ἀμίλχαρ δὲ ὁ ναύαρχος ναυσὶν ἑκατὸν ἐσπευσμένως ἐς τὸν ναύσταθμον ἀνήγετο τοῦ Σκιπίωνος, ἐλπίσας αὐτόν τε φθάσειν ἐπανιόντα, καὶ τὰς οὔσας ἐκεῖ Ῥωμαίων εἴκοσι τριήρεις ῥᾳδίως ταῖς ἑκατὸν αἱρήσειν.