25. Scipio, seeing him sail away, sent orders ahead to block up the entrance to the harbor with ships of burthen anchored at intervals so that the galleys could dart out, as through gates, when they should see an opportunity. These ships were bound together by their yard arms and fastened to each other so as to form a wall. This work done he entered into the action. When the Carthaginians made their attack their ships were battered by missiles from the Roman ships, from the shore, and from the walls, and they with-drew at evening discomfited. As they were retreating, the Romans pressed upon them, darting out through the open spaces, and when they were overpowered withdrawing again. They took one ship in tow without any men and brought it to Scipio. After this both combatants went into winter quarters. The Romans received plentiful supplies by sea, but the Uticans and Carthaginians, being pinched with hunger, robbed the merchant ships until new galleys, sent to Scipio from Rome, blockaded the enemy and put an end to their plundering, after which they were severely oppressed by hunger.
25. καὶ ὁ Σκιπίων ἰδὼν αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀπόπλουν, προύπεμπέ τινας τὸν ἔσπλουν τοῦ λιμένος ἐμφράξαι στρογγύλοις πλοίοις ἐπʼ ἀγκυρῶν ἐκ διαστήματος, ἵνα ὡς διὰ πυλῶν αἱ τριήρεις ἐκθέοιεν ὅτε καιρὸς εἴη, καὶ τὰ πλοῖα τοῖς κέρασι συνδῆσαί τε καὶ ἁρμόσαι πρὸς ἄλληλα, ἵνα ἀντὶ τείχους ἦ. καταλαβὼν δὲ τὸ ἔργον, ἥπτετο τοῦ πόνου. καὶ βαλλομένων τῶν Καρχηδονίων ἀπό τε τῶν πλοίων καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους, αἱ νῆες ἐθραύοντο, καὶ καμοῦσαι περὶ ἑσπέραν ἀπέπλεον. ἀπιούσαις δʼ αὐταῖς αἱ Ῥωμαίων ἐπέκειντο, ἐκθέουσαί τε διὰ τῶν διαστημάτων, καὶ ὅτε βιάζοιντο, ὑποχωροῶσαι. μίαν δὲ καὶ ἀνεδήσαντο κενὴν ἀνδρῶν, καὶ πρὸς τὸν Σκιπίωνα ἀνήγαγον. μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο ἐχείμαζον ἄμφω. καὶ Ῥωμαίοις μὲν ἦν ἐκ θαλάσσης ἀγορὰ δαψιλής, Ἰτυκαῖοι δὲ καὶ Καρχηδόνιοι λιμώττοντες ἐλῄστευον τοὺς ἐμπόρους, μέχρι Ῥωμαίων νῆες ἄλλαι, πεμφθεῖσαι τῷ Σκιπίωνι, ἐφώρμουν τοῖς πολεμίοις καὶ τὰς λῃστρικὰς ἐκώλυον. οἱ δʼ ἔκαμνον ἤδη σφόδρα τῷ λιμῷ.
26. This same winter, Syphax being near them, Masinissa asked of Scipio a third part of the Roman army as a reënforcement to his own, and with this force under the command of Laelius, he set out in pursuit of him. Syphax retreated until he came to a certain river, where he gave battle. The Numidians on both sides, as is their custom, discharged volleys of missiles at each other while the Romans advanced, holding their shields in front of them. Syphax, seeing Masinissa, dashed upon him with rage. The latter encountered him eagerly. The battle between them continued until the forces of Syphax turned in flight and began to cross the river. Syphax’s horse received a wound and threw his rider. Masinissa ran up and caught him and also one of his sons, and sent them forthwith to Scipio. In this battle 10,000 of Syphax’s men were killed. The Roman loss was seventy-five and Masinissa’s 300. Four thousand of Syphax’s men also were taken prisoners, of whom 2500 were Massylians who had deserted from Masinissa to Syphax. These Masinissa asked Laelius to surrender to him, and having received them he put them to the sword.
26. τοῦ δʼ αὐτοῦ χειμῶνος, ἐγγὺς ὄντος Σύφακος, Μασσανάσσης ᾔτησεν ἐπὶ τῇ ἰδίᾳ στρατιᾷ τὸ τρίτον τῆς Ῥωμαικῆς παρὰ Σκιπίωνος, καὶ λαβὼν ἡγουμένου τῶν Ῥωμαίων Λαιλίου, τὸν Σύφακα ἐδίωκεν. ὁ δὲ ὑπέφευγε, μέχρι καθορώμενος περί τινι ποταμῷ συνετάσσετο ἐς μάχην. οἱ μὲν οὖν Νομάδες ἑκατέρωθεν, ὥσπερ ἔθος αὐτοῖς, πολλὰ καὶ ἀθρόα ἠφίεσαν ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοις, οἱ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι προβαλλόμενοι τὰς ἀσπίδας ἐπῄεσαν. Σύφαξ δὲ Μασσανάσσην ἰδών, ἵετο ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ὑπʼ ὀργῆς· ὁ δʼ ἀντεπήλασε γεγηθώς. καὶ ἀγῶνος πολλοῦ περὶ ἄμφω γενομένου, τραπέντες οἱ τοῦ Σύφακος ἐς φυγὴν τὸν ποταμὸν ἐπέρων, ἔνθα τις αὐτοῦ Σύφακος τὸν ἵππον ἔβαλεν· ὁ δʼ ἀπεσείσατο τὸν δεσπότην, καὶ ὁ Μασσανάσσης ἐπιδραμὼν εἷλεν αὐτόν τε Σύφακα καὶ τὸν ἕτερον αὐτοῦ τῶν υἱῶν. καὶ τούσδε μὲν εὐθὺς ἔπεμπε Σκιπίωνι, ἀπέθανον δʼ ἐν τῇ μάχῃ Σύφακος μὲν ἐς μυρίους ἄνδρας, Ῥωμαίων δὲ πέντε καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα, Μασσανάσσου δὲ τριακόσιοι. καὶ αἰχμάλωτοι Σύφακος ἐγένοντο τετρακισχίλιοι. τούτων ἦσαν Μασσύλιοι δισχίλιοι καὶ πεντακόσιοι, τῶν ἐς Σύφακα ἀπὸ Μασσανάσσου μεταστάντων· καὶ αὐτοὺς ὁ Μασσανάσσης ἐπὶ τῷδε ᾔτησε παρὰ Λαιλίου, καὶ λαβὼν κατέσφαξεν.
27. After this they entered the country of the Massylians and of Syphax, and settled them under the government of Masinissa, persuading some and coercing others. Ambassadors came to them from Cirta offering them the palace of Syphax, and others came specially to Masinissa from Sophonisba, the wife of Syphax, to make explanations about her forced marriage. Masinissa accepted her explanations gladly and married her; but when he returned to Scipio he left her at Cirta, foreseeing what would happen. Scipio asked Syphax: “What evil genius misled you, after inviting me as your friend to come to Africa, and caused you to forfeit your oath to the gods and your faith to the Roman people, and to join the Carthaginians in making war against us, when not long before we were helping you against the Carthaginians?” Syphax replied: “Sophonisba, the daughter of Hasdrubal, with whom I fell in love to my hurt, is passionately attached to her country and she is able to make everybody subservient to her wishes. She turned me away from your friendship to that of her own country, and plunged me from that state of good fortune into my present misery. I advise you (for, being now on your side and relieved of Sophonisba, I must be faithful to you) to beware lest she draw Masinissa over to her designs, for it is not to be expected that this woman will ever espouse the Roman side, so strongly is she attached to her own country.”
27. μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο Μασσυλίους καὶ τὴν χώραν τὴν Σύφακος ἐπῄεσαν, τοὺς μὲν αὖθις ἐς τὴν ἀρχὴν τὴν Μασσανάσσου καθιστάμενοι, τοὺς δὲ προσποιούμενοί τε καὶ τοὺς ἀπειθοῦντας αὐτῶν καταστρεφόμενοι. ἀφίκοντο δʼ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐκ Κίρτης πρέσβεις, τὰ βασίλεια τοῦ Σύφακος παραδιδόντες, ἰδίᾳ δὲ πρὸς Μασσανάσσην ἕτεροι παρὰ Σοφωνίβας τῆς Σύφακος γυναικός, τὴν ἀνάγκην τοῦ γάμου διηγούμενοι. Σοφωνίβαν μὲν οὖν ἄσμενος εἶχε λαβὼν ὁ Μασσανάσσης· καὶ αὐτήν, ἐπανιὼν πρὸς Σκιπίωνα αὐτός, ἐν Κίρτῃ κατέλιπε, προορώμενος ἄρα τὸ μέλλον. Σκιπίων δὲ ἤρετο Σύφακα· τίς σε δαίμων ἔβλαψε, φίλον ὄντα μοι καὶ ἐπὶ Λιβύην ἐλθεῖν προτρέψαντα, ψεύσασθαι μὲν θεοὺς οὓς ὤμοσας, ψεύσασθαι δὲ μετὰ τῶν θεῶν Ῥωμαίους, καὶ μετὰ Καρχηδονίων ἀντὶ Ῥωμαίων ἑλέσθαι πολεμεῖν, τῶν ἐπὶ Καρχηδονίους οὐ πρὸ πολλοῦ σοι βεβοηθηκότων; ὁ δʼ εἶπε, Σοφωνίβα Ἀσδρούβα θυγάτηρ, ἧς ἐγὼ ἤρων ἐπʼ ἐμῷ κακῷ. φιλόπατρις δʼ ἐστὶν ἰσχυρῶς, καὶ ἱκανὴ ἅπαντά τινα πεῖσαι πρὸς ἃ βούλεται. αὕτη με καὶ ἐκ τῆς ὑμετέρας φιλίας ἐς τὴν ἑαυτῆς μετέθηκε πατρίδα, καὶ ἐς τόδε συμφορᾶς ἐκ τοσῆσδε εὐδαιμονίας κατέβαλεν. σοὶ δὲ παραινῶ (χρὴ γάρ, ὑμέτερον γενόμενον καὶ Σοφωνίβας ἀπηλλαγμένον, νῦν γε ὑμῖν εἶναι βέβαιον)· φύλασσε Σοφωνίβαν, μὴ Μασσανάσσην ἐς ἃ βούλεται μεταγάγῃ. οὐ γὰρ δή, μὴ τὸ γύναιόν ποτε ἕληται τὰ Ῥωμαίων ἐλπίζειν ἄξιον· οὕτως ἐστὶν ἰσχυρῶς φιλόπολις.
28. So he spake, but whether he was telling the truth or was moved by jealousy and a desire to hurt Masinissa as much as possible, is not known. But Scipio called Syphax to the council, as he had shown himself sagacious and was acquainted with the country, and advised with him as Cyrus did with Crœsus, king of Lydia. Laelius having returned and told him the same things about Sophonisba that he had learned from many others, he commanded Masinissa to deliver up the wife of Syphax. When the latter tried to beg off and related the facts concerning her as above, Scipio ordered him more sharply not to possess himself by force of the Roman spoils of victory, but to ask for her after she was delivered up and obtain her if he could. Accordingly Masinissa went with a Roman detachment to fetch Sophonisba, but he went ahead secretly and gave her a dose of poison, explaining the circumstances and telling her that she must either drink it or go into voluntary captivity to the Romans. Without another word he mounted his horse. She showed the cup to her nurse, told her not to weep for her since she died gloriously, and drank the poison. Masinissa showed her dead body to the Romans who had now come up, then gave her a royal funeral; after which he returned to Scipio. The latter praised him, and to console him for the loss of a worthless woman, crowned him for his successful attack upon Syphax and gave him many presents. When Syphax arrived in Rome, some of the authorities thought that he ought to be spared because he had been their friend and ally in Spain, others, that he ought to be punished for fighting against his friends. In the meantime he sickened of grief and died.
28. ταῦθʼ ὁ μὲν ἔλεγεν, εἴτʼ ἀληθεύων εἴτε ζηλοτυπούμενος καὶ Μασσανάσσην ἐς τὰ μέγιστα βλάπτων· ὁ δὲ Σκιπίων Σύφακα μέν, συνετόν τε φαινόμενον καὶ τῆς χώρας ἔμπειρον, ἐπὶ τὰ κοινὰ ἐπήγετο, καὶ γνώμης καὶ συμβουλῆς μετεδίδου, οἷόν τι καὶ Κροίσῳ τῷ Λυδῷ Κῦρος ἐχρῆτο, Λαιλίου δʼ ἀφικομένου, καὶ ταὐτὰ περὶ τῆς Σοφωνίβας πυθέσθαι παρὰ πολλῶν λέγοντος, ἐκέλευσε τὸν Μασσανάσσην τὴν Σύφακος γυναῖκα παραδοῦναι. παραιτουμένου δʼ ἐκείνου, καὶ τὰ περὶ αὐτῆς ἄνωθεν ὡς ἐγένετο διηγουμένου, τραχύτερον ὁ Σκιπίων ἐκέλευεν αὐτὸν μηδὲν ἀφαιρεῖσθαι βίᾳ των Ῥωμαικῶν λαφύρων, ἀλλʼ ἐς τὸ μέσον καταθέντα αἰτεῖν, καὶ πείθειν, εἰ δύναιτο. ᾤχετο οὖν ὁ Μασσανάσσης μετὰ τινῶν Ῥωμαίων, παραδώσων αὐτοῖς τὴν Σοφωνίβαν. κρύφα δὲ αὐτῇ φέρων φάρμακον πρῶτος ἐνέτυχε, καὶ τὰ παρόντα προύθηκεν, ἢ πιεῖν ἢ Ῥωμαίοις δουλεύειν ἑκοῦσαν. οὐδέν τε εἰπὼν ἔτι ἐξήλασε τὸν ἵππον. ἡ δὲ τῇ τροφῷ δείξασα τὴν κύλικα, καὶ δεηθεῖσα μηδὲν ὀδύρασθαι καλῶς ἀποθανοῦσαν, ἔπιε τοῦ φαρμάκου. καὶ αὐτὴν ὁ Μασσανάσσης τοῖς ἥκουσι Ῥωμαίων ἐπιδείξας, καὶ θάψας βασιλικῶς, ὑπέστρεφε πρὸς Σκιπίωνα. ὁ δὲ αὐτὸν ἐπαινέσας τε, καὶ παρηγορήσας ὅτι πονηρᾶς γυναικὸς ἀπηλλάγη, ἐστεφάνωσε τῆς ἐφόδου τῆς ἐπὶ Σύφακα καὶ ἐδωρήσατο πολλοῖς. ἀχθέντος δʼ ἐς Ῥώμην τοῦ Σύφακος, οἱ μὲν ἠξίουν περισώζειν ἄνδρα ἐν Ἰβηρίᾳ φίλον καὶ σύμμαχον αὐτοῖς γενόμενον, οἱ δὲ κολάζειν, ὅτι τοῖς φίλοις ἐπολέμησεν. ὁ δὲ ὑπὸ λύπης νοσῶν ἀπέθανεν.
29. When Hasdrubal had his forces well drilled he sent word to Hanno, the Carthaginian general, proposing to share the command with him, and intimating that there were many Spanish soldiers serving with Scipio under compulsion, who might be bribed with gold and promises to set fire to Scipio’s camp. He said that he would lend a hand if he were duly notified. Hanno, although he in-tended to cheat Hasdrubal, did not neglect the suggestion. He sent a trusty man, in the guise of a deserter, with gold to Scipio’s camp, who, winning the confidence of those he fell in with, corrupted many, and having fixed a day for the execution of the plot, disappeared. Hanno communicated the date to Hasdrubal. To Scipio, while sacrificing, the victims revealed that there was danger from fire. Accordingly he sent orders all around the camp if any glowing fires were found to put them out. He continued sacrificing several days, and as the victims still indicated danger from fire he became anxious and determined to shift his camp.
29. Ἀσδρούβας δὲ ἐπειδὴ καλῶς τοὺς συνόντας ἐγύμνασεν, ἔπεμπέ τινα πρὸς Ἄννωνα τὸν στρατηγὸν τῶν Καρχηδονίων, ἀξιῶν αὑτῷ τὸν Ἄννωνα κοινωνῆσαι τὴν στρατηγίαν, καὶ ὑποδεικνὺς ὅτι πολλοὶ Σκιπίωνι σύνεισιν Ἴβηρες ἄκοντες, οὓς ἐάν τις χρυσίῳ καὶ ὑποσχέσεσι διαφθείρῃ, τὸ στρατόπεδον ἐμπρήσουσι τὸ Σκιπίωνος. ἔφη δὲ καὶ αὐτός, εἰ προμάθοι τὸν καιρόν, ἥξειν ἐπὶ τὸ ἔργον. ταῦτα μὲν Ἀσδρούβας, ὁ δὲ Ἄννων ἐς μὲν τὸν Ἀσδρούβαν ἐπανούργει, τοῦ δʼ ἐγχειρήματος οὐκ ἀπήλπισεν, ἀλλʼ ἄνδρα πιστὸν μετὰ χρυσίου, καθάπερ αὐτόμολον, ἐς τὸ Σκιπίωνος στρατόπεδον κατέπεμψεν, ὃς πιθανὸς ὢν ἐντυχεῖν ἑκάστῳ διέφθειρε πολλούς, ἡμέραν τε συνθέμενος αὐτοῖς ἐπανῆλθεν. καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν ὁ Ἄννων τῷ Ἀσδρούβᾳ μετέφερεν. Σκιπίωνι δὲ θυομένῳ κίνδυνον τὰ ἱερὰ ἐδήλου ἐμπρησμοῦ· καὶ περιπέμψας ἐς ἅπαν τὸ στρατόπεδον, εἴ πού τι λάβρον ηὕρισκε πῦρ, κατέπαυεν. καὶ αὖθις ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἡμέρας ἐθύετο. ὡς δʼ οὐκ ἀνίει τὰ ἱερὰ τὸν ἐμπρησμὸν ὑποδεικνύοντα, ὁ μὲν ἐβαρυθύμει καὶ μεταστρατοπεδεῦσαι διεγνώκει, ἱππέως δὲ Ῥωμαίου θεράπων Ἴβηρ, ὑπονοήσας τι περὶ τῶν συνθεμένων, ὑπεκρίνατο συνειδέναι, ἕως τὸ πᾶν ἔμαθε, καὶ ἐμήνυσε τῷ δεσπότῃ, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸν ἐς τὸν Σκιπίωνα ἤγαγε, καὶ τὸ πλῆθος ἠλέγχετο.
30. At this juncture a Spanish servant of one of the Roman knights, suspecting something of the conspiracy, pretended to be one of the accomplices and in this way learned all about it, and told his master. The latter brought him to Scipio, and he convicted the whole crowd. Scipio put them all to death and cast their bodies out of the camp. Knowledge of this coming quickly to Hanno, who was not far off, he did not come to the rendezvous, but Hasdrubal, who remained in ignorance, did. When he saw the multitude of corpses he guessed what had happened and withdrew. But Hanno slandered him and told every-body that he had come to surrender himself to Scipio, but that the latter would not receive him. Thus Hasdrubal was made more hateful to the Carthaginians than ever. About this time Hamilcar made a sudden dash on the Roman fleet and took one galley and six ships of burthen, and Hanno made an attack upon those who were besieging Utica, but was beaten off. As the siege had lasted a long time without result, Scipio raised it and moved his engines against the town of Hippo. As he accomplished nothing there, he burned his engines as useless, and overran the country, making allies of some and pillaging others.
30. καὶ πάντας ὁ Σκιπίων ἔκτεινε καὶ ἐξέρριψε πρὸ τοῦ στρατοπέδου. αἴσθησις δʼ ἦν Ἄννωνι μὲν ὀξεῖα πλησίον ὄντι, καὶ οὐκ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸ συγκείμενον, Ἀσδρούβας δὲ ἀγνοῶν ἀφίκετο. ὡς δὲ τὸ πλῆθος εἶδε τῶν νεκρῶν, εἴκασε τὸ συμβὰν καὶ ἀνεχώρει. καὶ αὐτὸν ὁ Ἄννων ἐς τὸ πλῆθος διέβαλλεν, ὡς ἀφίκοιτο Σκιπίωνι διδοὺς ἑαυτόν, ὁ δὲ οὐ λάβοι. Ἀσδρούβας μὲν δὴ καὶ ἐκ τοῦδε τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις ἦν μᾶλλον διὰ μίσους· ὑπὸ δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν Ἀμίλχαρ μὲν ἄφνω ταῖς Ῥωμαίων να υσὶν ἐπιπλεύσας μίαν ἔλαβε τριήρη καὶ φορτίδας ἕξ, Ἄννων δʼ ἐπιθέμενος τοῖς πολιορκοῦσιν Ἰτύκην ἀπεκρούσθη. Σκιπίων δέ, χρονίου τῆς πολιορκίας οὔσης, ταύτην μὲν διέλυσεν οὐδὲν ἀνύων, τὰς δὲ μηχανὰς ἐς Ἱππῶνα πόλιν μετετίθει. καὶ οὐδενὸς οὐδʼ ἐνταῦθα προκόπτοντος αὐτῷ, κατακαύσας ὡς ἄχρηστα τὰ μηχανήματα τὴν χώραν ἐπέτρεχε, τοὺς μὲν ἐς φιλίαν ἐπαγόμενος, τοὺς δὲ λῃζόμενος.
31. The Carthaginians, depressed by their ill success, chose Hannibal as their commanding general and sent an admiral with ships to hasten his coming. At the same time they sent ambassadors to Scipio to negotiate for peace, thinking to gain one of two things, either peace or a delay until Hannibal should arrive. Scipio consented to an armistice, and having thus gained sufficient supplies for his army allowed them to send their ambassadors to Rome. They did so, but they were received there as enemies and required to lodge outside the walls. When the Senate gave them audience they asked pardon. Some of the senators adverted to the faithlessness of the Carthaginians, and told how often they had made treaties and broken them, and what injuries Hannibal had inflicted on the Romans and their allies in Spain and Italy. Others represented that the Carthaginians were not more in need of peace than themselves, Italy being exhausted by so many wars; and they showed how much danger was to be feared from the great armies moving together against Scipio, that of Hannibal from Italy, that of Mago from Liguria, and that of Hanno at Carthage.
31. Καρχηδόνιοι δʼ ἐπὶ ταῖς κακοπραγίαις δυσφοροῦντες αἱροῦνται στρατηγὸν αὐτοκράτορα Ἀννίβαν, τὸν δὲ ναύαρχον ἔπεμπον ἐπὶ νεῶν, ἐπισπέρχειν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν διάβασιν. ἅμα δὲ ταῦτʼ ἔπρασσον, καὶ ἐς τὸν Σκιπίωνα περὶ εἰρήνης ἐπρεσβεύοντο, ἡγούμενοι τούτοιν πάντως ἂν ἑνὸς τυχεῖν, ἢ τὴν εἰρήνην ἕξειν, ἢ χρόνον διατρίψειν ἕως ἀφίκοιτο ὁ Ἀννίβας. Σκιπίων μὲν οὖν αὐτοῖς ἀνοχάς τε ἔδωκε, καὶ τὴν δαπάνην τοῦ στρατοῦ λαβὼν πρεσβεύειν ἐφῆκεν ἐς Ῥώμην· οἱ δὲ ἐπρέσβευον, καὶ τειχῶν ἐκτὸς ἐστάθμευον ὡς ἔτι πολέμιοι, ἀχθέντες τε ἐπὶ τὴν βουλὴν ἐδέοντο συγγνώμης τυχεῖν. τῶν δὲ βουλευτῶν οἱ μὲν τῆς Καρχηδονίων ἀπιστίας ὑπεμίμνησκον, ὁσάκις συνθοῖντο καὶ παραβαῖεν, ὅσα τε Ἀννίβας δράσειε δεινὰ Ῥωμαίους καὶ τοὺς Ῥωμαίων συμμάχους ἔν τε Ἰβηρίᾳ καὶ Ἰταλίᾳ· οἱ δὲ τὸ τῆς εἰρήνης χρήσιμον οὐ Καρχηδονίοις μᾶλλον ἢ σφίσιν ὑπεδείκνυον ἔσεσθαι, τῆς Ἰταλίας τοσοῖσδε πολέμοις ἐκτετρυχωμένης, τό τε τοῦ μέλλοντος περιδεὲς ἐπεξῄεσαν, ἐπιπλευσουμένων ἐπὶ τὸν Σκιπίωνα αὐτίκα σὺν μεγάλοις στρατοῖς Ἀννίβου τε ἐξ Ἰταλίας καὶ Μάγωνος ἐκ Λιγύων καὶ Ἄννωνος ἀπὸ Καρχηδόνος.
32. The Senate was not able to agree, but sent counsellors to Scipio with whom he should advise, and then do whatever he should deem best. Scipio made peace with the Carthaginians on these terms: That Mago should depart from Liguria forthwith, and that hereafter the Carthaginians should hire no mercenaries; that they should not keep more than thirty long galleys; that they should restrict themselves to the territory within the so-called Phœnician trenches; that they should surrender to the Romans all captives and deserters, and that they should pay 6000 talents of silver within a certain time; also that Masinissa should have the kingdom of the Massylians and as much of the dominion of Syphax as he could take. Having made this agreement, ambassadors on both sides set sail, some to Rome to take the oaths of the consuls, and others from Rome to Carthage to receive those of the Carthaginian magistrates. The Romans gave to Masinissa, as a reward for his alliance, a crown of gold, a signet ring of gold, a chair of ivory, a purple robe, a horse with gold trappings, and a suit of armor.
32. ἐφʼ οἷς ἀποροῦσα ἡ βουλὴ συμβούλους ἔπεμψε τῷ Σκιπίωνι, μεθʼ ὧν ἔμελλε κρινεῖν τε καὶ πράξειν ὅ τι δοκιμάσειε συνοίσειν. ὁ δὲ ἐς τὴν εἰρήνην τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις ἐπὶ τοῖσδε συνέβη, Μάγωνα μὲν ἀποπλεῖν ἐκ Λιγύων αὐτίκα, καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ Καρχηδονίους μὴ ξενολογεῖν, μηδὲ ναῦς ἔχειν μακρὰς πλείους τριάκοντα, μηδὲ πολυπραγμονεῖν τι πέρα ὧν ἔχουσιν ἐντὸς τῶν λεγομένων Φοινικίδων τάφρων, ἀποδοῦναι δὲ Ῥωμαίοις ὅσους αἰχμαλώτους αὐτῶν ἔχουσι καὶ αὐτομόλους, ἀργυρίου τε αὐτοῖς τάλαντα χίλια καὶ ἑξακόσια ἐσενεγκεῖν ἐν χρόνῳ, ἔχειν δὲ Μασσανάσσην Μασσυλίους τε καὶ τῆς Σύφακος ἀρχῆς ὅσα δύναιτο. τάδε μὲν συνέθεντο ἀλλήλοις. καὶ πρέσβεις διέπλεον, οἱ μὲν ἐς Ῥώμην, τοὺς ὑπάτους ὁρκιοῦντες, οἱ δʼ ἀπὸ Ῥώμης ἐς Καρχηδόνα, καὶ τὰ τέλη τῶν Καρχηδονίων αὐτοῖς ὤμνυεν. Μασσανάσσῃ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι χαριστήρια τῆς συμμαχίας στέφανόν τε ἀπὸ χρυσοῦ καὶ σφραγῖδα χρυσῆν ἔπεμπον, καὶ ἐλεφάντινον δίφρον καὶ πορφύραν καὶ στολὴν Ῥωμαϊκὴν καὶ ἵππον χρυσοφάλαρον καὶ πανοπλίαν.
33. In the meantime Hannibal set sail for Africa against his will, knowing the untrustworthy character of the people of Carthage, their bad faith toward their magistrates, and their general recklessness. He did not believe that a treaty would be made, and if made he well knew that it would not last long. He landed at the city of Hadrumetum, in Africa, and began to collect corn and buy horses. He made an alliance with the chief of a Numidian tribe called the Areacidae. He slew with arrows 4000 horsemen who had come to him as deserters. These had formerly been Syphax’s men and afterward Masinissa’s, and he suspected them. He gave their horses to his own army. Mesotulus, another chieftain, came to him with 1000 horse; also Verminia, another son of Syphax, who ruled the greater part of his father’s dominions. He gained some of Masinissa’s towns by surrender and some by force. He took the town of Narce by stratagem in this way. Dealing in their market he sent to them as to friends, and when he thought the time had come to spring the trap he sent in a large number of men carrying concealed daggers, and ordered them not to do any harm to the traders until the trumpet should sound, and then to set upon all they met, and hold the gates for him. In this way was Narce taken.
33. γιγνομένων δʼ ἔτι τούτων ὁ Ἀννίβας ἄκων ἐς Καρχηδόνα ἔπλει, τὴν ἐς τοὺς ἄρχοντας ἀπιστίαν τοῦ δήμου καὶ ταχυεργίαν ὑφορώμενος. ἀπιστῶν δʼ ἔτι τὰς σπονδὰς ἔσεσθαι, καὶ εἰ γένοιντο, εὖ εἰδὼς οὐκ ἐς πολὺ βεβαίους ἐσομένας, ἐς Ἀδρυμητὸν Λιβύης κατήγετο πόλιν, καὶ σῖτον συνέλεγεν, ἐπί τε ὠνὴν ἵππων περιέπεμπε, καὶ τὸν δυνάστην τῶν Νομάδων τῶν καλουμένων Ἀρεακιδῶν ἐς φιλίαν ὑπήγετο. καὶ τετρακισχιλίους ἱππέας αὐτομόλους αὐτῷ προσφυγόντας, οἳ Σύφακος ὄντες τότε ἐγίγνοντο Μασσανάσσου, κατηκόντισεν ὑποπτεύσας· τοὺς δʼ ἵππους διέδωκε τῷ στρατῷ. ἦλθε δε και Μεσοτυλος αὐτῷ δυνάστης ἕτερος μετὰ χιλίων ἱππέων, καὶ Οὐερμινᾶς Σύφακος υἱὸς ἕτερος, ἔτι τῶν πλεόνων τῆς πατρῴας ἀρχῆς ἐπικρατῶν. πόλεις τε Μασσανάσσου τὰς μὲν ὑπήγετο, τὰς δʼ ἐβιάζετο. νάρκην δʼ ἐνήδρευσεν ὧδε. ἀγορᾷ χρώμενος ἐσέπεμπεν ὡς ἐς φίλους. ὅτε δʼ ἔδοξεν ἐπιθέσθαι, πλείους ἔπεμπε ξιφίδια ἐπικρύπτοντας, οἷς εἴρητο τὰ δίκαια ποιεῖν ἐς τοὺς πιπράσκοντας μέχρι σαλπίγγων ἀκούσειαν, τότε δʼ ἐπιχειρεῖν τοῖς ἐντυχοῦσι καὶ τὰς πύλας οἱ φυλάσσειν.
34. The common people of Carthage, although the treaty had been so lately concluded, and Scipio was still there, and their own ambassadors had not yet returned from Rome, plundered some of Scipio’s stores that had been driven into the port of Carthage by a storm, and put the carriers in chains, in spite of the threats of their own council and of their admonitions not to violate the treaty so recently made. The people found fault with the treaty, and said that hunger was more dangerous to them than treaty-breaking. Scipio did not deem it best to renew the war after the treaty, but he demanded reparation as from friends who were in the wrong. The people attempted to seize his messengers, intending to hold them until their own ambassadors should return from Rome, but Hanno the Great and Hasdrubal Eriphus [the Kid] rescued them from the mob and sent them away in two galleys. Some others, however, sent word to Hasdrubal, the admiral, who was moored near the promontory of Apollo, that when the escort should leave them he should set upon Scipio’s galleys. This he did, and some of the messengers were killed with arrows. The others were wounded, and the rowers darted into the harbor of their own camp and sprang from the ship which was just being seized. So narrowly did they escape being taken prisoners.
34. οὕτω μὲν ἑάλω Νάρκη, Καρχηδονίων δε ὁ δῆμος ἄρτι τὰς συνθήκας πεποιημένοι, καὶ Σκιπίωνος αὐτοῖς ἔτι παρόντος, οὔπω τῶν ἰδίων πρέσβεων ἀπὸ Ῥώμης ἀνεστροφότων, ἀγορὰν Σκιπίωνος ὑπʼ ἀνέμων κατενεχθεῖσαν ἐς Καρχηδόνα διήρπασαν, καὶ τοὺς παραπέμποντας αὐτὴν ἔδησαν, πολλὰ τῆς βουλῆς ἀπειλούσης, καὶ παραινούσης μὴ λύειν συνθήκας ἄρτι γεγενημένας· οἱ δὲ καὶ ταῖς συνθήκαις ἐπεμέμφοντο ὡς ἀδίκως γενομέναις, καὶ τὸν λιμὸν ἔφασαν ἐνοχλεῖν ὑπὲρ τὰς παραβάσεις. Σκιπίων μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἠξίου πολέμου κατάρχειν μετὰ σπονδάς, ἀλλʼ ᾔτει δίκας ὡς φίλους ἁμαρτόντας· οἱ δὲ καὶ τοὺς πρέσβεις αὐτοῦ κρατεῖν ἐπενόουν, ἕως ἀφίκοιντο αὑτοῖς οἱ ἀπὸ Ῥώμης. ἀλλὰ τούσδε μὲν Ἄννων τε ὁ μέγας καὶ Ἀσδρούβας ὁ ἔριφος ἐξείλοντο τοῦ πλήθους καὶ προύπεμπον δύο τριήρεσιν· ἕτεροι δὲ Ἀσδρούβαν τὸν ναύαρχον ἔπεισαν, ὁρμοῦντα περὶ τὴν Ἀπόλλωνος ἄκραν, ὅταν ἀποστῶσιν αἱ προπομποὶ τριήρεις, ἐπιθέσθαι τοῖς τοῦ Σκιπίωνος. καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐπέθετο, καὶ τῶν πρέσβεών τινες ἐκ τοξευμάτων ἀπέθανον· οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ τιτρωσκόμενοί τε καὶ ἐρέσσοντες ἔφθασαν ἐς τὸν λιμένα τοῦ σφετέρου στρατοπέδου, καὶ ἐξήλαντο τῆς νεὼς ἤδη λαμβανομένης. παρὰ τοσοῦτον ἦλθον αἰχμάλωτοι γενέσθαι.
35. When the Romans at home learned these things they ordered the Carthaginian ambassadors, who were still there treating for peace, to depart immediately as enemies. They accordingly set sail, and were driven by a tempest to Scipio’s camp. To his admiral, who asked what he should do with them, Scipio said: “We shall not imitate Carthaginian bad faith; send them away unharmed.” When the Carthaginian Senate learned this they chided the people for the contrast between their behavior and Scipio’s, and advised them to beg Scipio to adhere to the agreement and to accept reparation for the Carthaginian wrong-doing. But the people had been finding fault with the Senate a long time for their ill success, because they had not sufficiently foreseen what was for their advantage, and being pushed on by demagogues and excited by vain hopes, they summoned Hannibal and his army.
35. ὧν οἱ ἐν ἄστει Ῥωμαῖοι πυθόμενοι τοὺς πρέσβεις τοὺς Καρχηδονίων, οἳ περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης ἔτι παρῆσαν, ἐκέλευον ἀποπλεῖν αὐτίκα ὡς πολεμίους. καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐξέπλεον, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ χειμῶνος ἐς τὸ τοῦ Σκιπίωνος στρατόπεδον κατήγοντο· Σκιπίων δὲ τῷ ναυάρχῳ, πυθομένῳ περὶ αὐτῶν ὅ τι δέοι ποιεῖν, οὐδὲν ὅμοιον, ἔφη, ταῖς Καρχηδονίων ἀπιστίαις, ἀλλʼ ἀπόπεμπε ἀπαθεῖς. μαθοῦσα δʼ ἡ γερουσία τὸν δῆμον ὠνείδιζε τῇ συγκρίσει, καὶ συνεβούλευε καὶ νῦν δεηθῆναι Σκιπίωνος τὰ μὲν συγκείμενα φυλάσσειν, δίκας δὲ τῶν ἡμαρτημένων παρὰ Καρχηδονίων λαβεῖν. οἱ δὲ καὶ αὐτῇ τῇ γερουσίᾳ δυσχεραίνοντες ἐκ πολλοῦ διὰ τὴν κακοπραγίαν, ὡς οὐκ εὖ τὰ συμφέροντα προορωμένῃ, καὶ ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν δημοκόπων ἐρεθιζόμενοί τε καὶ ἐς ἀλόγους ἐλπίδας ἐπαιρόμενοι, τὸν Ἀννίβαν ἐκάλουν υεθʼ ἧς ἔχει στρατιᾶς.
36. Hannibal, in view of the magnitude of the war, asked them to call in Hasdrubal and the force he had in hand. Hasdrubal was accordingly forgiven for his offence, and he delivered his army over to Hannibal. Yet he did not dare to show himself to the Carthaginians, but concealed himself in the city. Now Scipio blockaded Carthage with his fleet and cut off their supplies by sea, while from the land they were poorly supplied by reason of the war. About this time there was a cavalry engagement between the forces of Hannibal and those of Scipio near Zama, in which the latter had the advantage. On the succeeding days they had sundry skirmishes until Scipio, learning that Hannibal was very short of supplies and was expecting a convoy, sent the military tribune, Thermus, by night to attack the supply train. Thermus took a position on the crest of a hill at a narrow pass, where he killed 4000 Africans, took as many more prisoners, and brought the supplies to Scipio.
36. ὁ δὲ ὁρῶν τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ πολεμου, Ἀσδρούβαν αὐτοὺς ἐκέλευε σὺν τῇ παρούσῃ δυνάμει καλεῖν. Ἀσδρούβας μὲν δὴ τῆς καταδίκης αὐτῷ λυθείσης παρεδίδου τὸν στρατὸν Ἀννίβᾳ, καὶ οὐδʼ ὣς ἐπιφαίνεσθαι τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις ἐθάρρει, ἀλλʼ ἐκρύπτετο ἐν τῇ πόλει· Σκιπίων δὲ ναῦς τῇ Καρχηδόνι ἐπιστήσας εἶργεν αὐτοὺς ἀγορᾶς ἀπὸ θαλάσσης, οὐκ εὐποροῦντας οὐδʼ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἀσπόρου διὰ τὸν πόλεμον γενομένης. τῶν δʼ αὐτῶν ἡμερῶν Ἀννίβου καὶ Σκιπίωνος ἱππομαχία γίγνεται περὶ Ζάμαν, ἐν ᾗ Σκιπίων ἐπλεονέκτει· καὶ ταῖς ἐπιούσαις ἀκροβολίσματα ἦν ἐς ἀλλήλους, ἕως αἰσθόμενος ὁ Σκιπίων Ἀννίβαν ἰσχυρῶς τε ἀπορούμενον καὶ περιμένοντα ἀγορὰν φερομένην, νυκτὸς ἔπεμψε Θέρμον χιλίαρχον ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄγοντας αὐτήν. καὶ λόφον ὁ Θέρμος ἐν στενῇ διόδῳ καταλαβών, ἔκτεινε τῶν Λιβύων ἐς τετρακισχιλίους καὶ ἐζώγρησεν ἑτέρους τοσούσδε, καὶ τὴν ἀγορὰν ἧκε φέρων τῷ Σκιπίωνι.
37. Hannibal, being reduced to extremity for want of provisions and considering how he might arrange for the present, sent messengers to Masinissa reminding him of his early life and education at Carthage, and asking that he would persuade Scipio to renew the treaty, saying that the former infractions of it were the work of the common people, and of fools who had stirred them up. Masinissa, who had in fact been brought up and educated at Carthage, and who had a high respect for the dignity of the city, and was the friend of many of the inhabitants, besought Scipio to comply, and brought them to an agreement on the following terms: That the Carthaginians should surrender the men and ships bringing provisions to the Romans, which they had taken, also all plunder, or the value of it, which Scipio would estimate, and pay 1000 talents as a penalty for the wrong done. These things were agreed upon. An armistice was concluded until the Carthaginians should be made acquainted with the details; and thus Hannibal was saved in an unexpected way.
37. ὁ δʼ Ἀννίβας ἐς ἔσχατον ἀφιγμένος ἀποριας, καὶ τὸ παρὸν ἐπινοῶν ὅπως δύναιτο διαθέσθαι, πρέσβεις ἐς Μασσανάσσην ἔπεμπεν, ὑπομιμνήσκων τε τῆς ἐν Καρχηδόνι διατριβῆς καὶ παιδεύσεως, καὶ παρακαλῶν ἔτι οἱ συναγαγεῖν ἐς συνθήκας Σκιπίωνα· τὰ γὰρ πρότερα τοῦ δήμου καὶ τῶν ἀνοητοτέρων τοῦ δήμου ἁμαρτήματα γενέσθαι. ὁ δὲ τῷ ὄντι τεθραμμένος τε καὶ πεπαιδευμένος ἐν Καρχηδόνι, καὶ τὸ ἀξίωμα τῆς πόλεως αἰδούμενός τε καὶ φίλος ὢν ἔτι πολλοῖς ἐκεῖθεν, ἐδεήθη τοῦ Σκιπίωνος, καὶ συνήγαγεν αὐτοὺς αὖθις ἐς τοιάσδε συνθήκας ὥστε Καρχηδονίους τάς τε ναῦς καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας, οὓς ἔλαβον Ῥωμαίοις ἀγορὰν φέροντας, ἀποδοῦναι, καὶ τὰ ἡρπασμένα ἅπαντα, ἢ τῶν ἀπολωλότων τιμὴν ἣν ἂν ὁρίσῃ Σκιπίων, ποινήν τε τοῦ ἀδικήματος χίλια τάλαντα ἐσενεγκεῖν, τάδε μὲν ἦν τὰ συγκείμενα, καὶ γενομένων ἀνοχῶν μέχρι αὐτὰ μάθωσι Καρχηδόνιοι, ὁ μὲν Ἀννίβας ἐξ ἀέλπτου περιεσώζετο, Καρχηδονίων δʼ ἡ μὲν βουλὴ τὰ συμβάντα ὑπερησπάζετο, καὶ παρεκάλει τὸν δῆμον ἐμμεῖναι τοῖς ἐγνωσμένοις, τήν τε κακοπραγίαν σφῶν τὴν ἐς ἅπαντα διηγουμένη καὶ τὴν παροῦσαν ἀπορίαν στρατοῦ τε καὶ χρημάτων καὶ ἀγορᾶς.
38. The Carthaginian council warmly welcomed the agreement and exhorted the people to adhere to its terms, explaining all their misfortunes and their immediate want of soldiers, money, and provisions. But the people, like a mere mob, behaved like fools. They thought that their generals had made this arrangement for their own private ends, so that, relying upon the Romans, they might hold the power in their own country. They said that Hannibal was doing now what had been done before by Hasdrubal, who had betrayed his camp to the enemy by night, and a little later wanted to surrender to Scipio, having approached him for that purpose, and was now concealed in the city. Thereupon there was a great clamor and tumult, and some of them left the assembly and went in search of Hasdrubal. He had anticipated them by taking refuge in his father’s tomb, where he destroyed himself with poison. But they pulled his corpse out, cut off his head, put it on a pike, and carried it about the city. Thus was Hasdrubal first banished unjustly, next falsely slandered by Hanno, and then driven to his death by the Carthaginians, and loaded with indignities after his death.
38. οἱ δέ, οἷον ὄχλος, ἀφρόνως ἡγοῦντο τοὺς στρατηγοὺς σφῶν διʼ ἑαυτοὺς ταῦτα Ῥωμαίοις συντίθεσθαι, ἵνα διʼ ἐκείνων δυναστεύσωσι τῆς πατρίδος· ὃ καὶ Ἀννίβαν νῦν καὶ Ἀσδρούβαν οὐ πρὸ πολλοῦ ποιῆσαί τε, καὶ τὸ στρατόπεδον νυκτὸς ἐγχειρίσαντα τοῖς πολεμίοις, μετʼ ὀλίγον καὶ ἑαυτὸν ἐθελῆσαι τῷ Σκιπίωνι ἐνδοῦναι ἐπὶ τῷδε προσπελάσαντα, κρύπτεσθαί τε νῦν ἐν τῇ πόλει. βοῆς δʼ ἐπὶ τούτῳ καὶ θορύβου γενομένου. τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τινὲς καταλιπόντες ἐζήτουν Ἀσδρούβαν περιιόντες. ὁ δʼ ἔφθασε μὲν ἐς τὸν τοῦ πατρὸς τάφον καταφυγὼν καὶ φαρμάκῳ διαχρησάμενος αὑτόν· οἱ δὲ κἀκεῖθεν αὐτοῦ τὸν νέκυν ἐξελόντες, καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ ἀποτεμόντες περιέφερον ἐπὶ δόρατος ἀνὰ τὴν πόλιν. Ἀσδρούβας μὲν δὴ καὶ τὸ πρῶτον ἀδίκως ἐξεπεπτώκει, καὶ τὸ δεύτερον ψευδῶς διεβέβλητο ὑπὸ Ἄννωνος, καὶ τότε πρὸς Καρχηδονίων οὕτως ἀνῄρητο καὶ οὕτως ἀποθανὼν ὑβρίζετο.
39. Then the Carthaginians ordered Hannibal to break the truce and begin war against Scipio, and to fight as soon as possible on account of the scarcity of provisions. Accordingly he sent word that the truce was at an end. Scipio marched immediately, and took the great city of Partha and encamped near Hannibal. The latter moved off, but he sent three spies into the Roman camp who were captured by Scipio. The latter did not put them to death, however, according to the custom of dealing with spies, but ordered that they should be taken around and shown the camp, the arsenals, the engines, and the army under review. He then set them free so that they might inform Hannibal concerning all these things. The latter deemed it advisable to have a parley with Scipio, and when it was granted he said that the Carthaginians had rejected the former treaty on account of the money indemnity. If he would remit that, and if the Romans would content themselves with Sicily, Spain, and the islands they now held, the agreement would be lasting. “Hannibal’s escape from Italy would be a great gain to him,” said Scipio, “if he could obtain these terms in addition.” He then forbade Hannibal to send any more messages to him. After indulging in some mutual threats they departed, each to his own camp.
39. Καρχηδόνιοι δʼ ἐπέστελλον Ἀννίβᾳ λῦσαι τὰς ἀνοχὰς καὶ πολεμεῖν Σκιπίωνι, κρῖναι δʼ ὅτι τάχιστα τὸν πόλεμον μάχῃ διὰ τὴν ἀπορίαν. ὁ μὲν δὴ πέμψας ἔλυσε τὰς ἀνοχάς, καὶ Σκιπίων Πάρθον τε, μεγάλην πόλιν, αὐτίκα προσπεσὼν εἷλε, καὶ πλησίον Ἀννίβου μετεστρατοπέδευεν. ο δὲ ἀνεζεύγνυε, τρεῖς τοῖς Ῥωμαιοις κατασκοπους ἐπιπέμψας, οὓς ὁ Σκιπίων ἔλαβέ τε καὶ οὐκ ἔκτεινεν, ὥσπερ ἔθος τοὺς κατασκόπους κτείνειν, ἀλλʼ ἐς τὸ στρατόπεδον καὶ τὰς ὁπλοθήκας καὶ τὰ μηχανήματα περιαχθῆναι κελεύσας, καὶ τὴν στρατιὰν γυμναζομένην ἰδεῖν, ἀπέλυσε φράζειν Αννίβᾳ περὶ ἑκάστων. ὁ δὲ ἠξίωσεν ἔτι συνελθεῖν ἐς λόγους Σκιπίωνι, καὶ συνελθὼν ἔλεγε Καρχηδονίους ἀγανακτῆσαι τῇ πρότερον εἰρήνῃ διὰ τὰ χρήματα, καὶ εἰ τοῦτο ἐκλυθείη, Σικελίας δὲ μόνον ἀξιοῖεν οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι καὶ Ἰβηρίας καὶ νήσων ὅσων ἄρχουσι κρατεῖν, ἔσεσθαι τὰς συνθήκας βεβαίους. ὁ δὲ πολύ, ἔφη, κέρδος Ἀννίβᾳ τῆς φυγῆς ἔσται τῆς ἐξ Ἰταλίας, εἰ ταῦτα προσλάβοι παρὰ Σκιπιωνος. καὶ ἀπηγόρευε πέμπειν ἔτι πρὸς αὐτόν. διαπειλησάμενοί τε ἀλλήλοις ἀνεζεύγνυον ἑκάτερος ἐς τὸ αὑτοῦ στρατόπεδον.
40. The town of Cilla was in the neighborhood and near it was a hill well adapted for a camp. Hannibal, perceiving this, sent a detachment forward to seize it and lay out a camp. Then he started and moved forward as though he were already in possession of it. Scipio having anticipated him and seized it beforehand, Hannibal was cut off in the midst of a plain without water and was engaged all night digging wells. His army, by toiling in the sand, with great difficulty obtained a little muddy water to drink, and so they passed the night without food, without care for their bodies, and some of them without removing their arms. Scipio, mindful of these things, moved against them at day-light while they were exhausted with marching, with want of sleep, and want of water. Hannibal was troubled, since he did not wish to join battle in that plight. Yet he saw that if he should remain there his army would suffer severely from want of water, while if he should retreat the enemy would take fresh courage and fall upon his rear. For these reasons it was necessary for him to fight. He speedily put in battle array about 50,000 men and eighty elephants. He placed the elephants in the front line at intervals, in order to strike terror into the enemy’s ranks. Next to them he placed the third part of his army, composed of Celts and Ligurians, and mixed with them everywhere Moorish and Balearic archers and slingers. Behind these was his second line, composed of Carthaginians and Africans. The third line consisted of Italians who had followed him from their own country, in whom he placed the greatest confidence, since they had the most to apprehend from defeat. The cavalry were placed on the wings. In this way Hannibal arranged his forces.
40. πόλις δʼ ἐγγὺς ἦν Κίλλα, καὶ παρʼ αὐτὴν λόφος εὐφυὴς ἐς στρατοπεδείαν, ὃν ἐπινοῶν ὁ Αννίβας προλαβεῖν, ἔπεμπέ τινας διαγράφειν τὸ στρατόπεδον, καὶ εὐθὺς ἀναστήσας ἐβάδιζεν ὡς ἔχων τὸν λόφον. Σκιπίωνος δʼ αὐτὸν φθάσαντός τε καὶ προλαβόντος, ἀποληφθεὶς ἐν πεδίῳ μέσῳ καὶ ἀνύδρῳ διετέλει τὴν νύκτα πᾶσαν ὀρύσσων φρέατα, καὶ ὁ στρατὸς αὐτῷ διαμώμενος τὴν ψάμμον ὀλιγον καὶ θολερὸν ἔπινον ἐπιμόχθως. ἀθεράπευτοί τε καὶ ἄσιτοι, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις ἔνιοι, διενυκτέρευσαν. ὧν ὁ Σκιπίων αἰσθανόμενος προσέβαλεν ἅμα ἕῳ κεκμηκόσιν ἐξ ὁδοῦ καὶ ἀγρυπνίας καὶ ἀνυδρίας. Ἀννίβας δʼ ἤχθετο μέν, οὐχ ὅτε βούλοιτο συνιὼν ἐς μάχην, ἑώρα δὲ ὡς εἴτε μένοι κατὰ χώραν, κακοπαθήσων ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνυδρίας, εἴτε φεύγοι, τὰ φρονήματα τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἀναστήσων καὶ πολλὰ πεισόμενος ὑπʼ αὐτῶν ἐπικειμένων. ὅθεν ἀναγκαῖον ἦν αὐτῷ μάχεσθαι. καὶ παρετασσεν αὐτίκα ἄνδρας μὲν ἐς πεντακισμυρίους, ἐλέφαντας δὲ ὀγδοήκοντα. ἵστη δὲ πρώτους μὲν τοὺς ἐλέφαντας, ἐκ διαστημάτων, ἐφʼ ὅλου τοῦ μετώπου, φοβερώτατα σκευασας. καὶ ὑπʼ αὐτοῖς ἦν τὸ τρίτον τῆς στρατιᾶς, Κελτοὶ καὶ Λίγυες· τοξόται τε αὐτοῖς ἀνεμεμίχατο πάντῃ καὶ σφενδονῆται Μαυρούσιοί τε καὶ Γυμνήσιοι. τούτων δʼ ὄπισθεν ἡ δευτέρα τάξις ἦν, Καρχηδόνιοί τε καὶ Λίβυες. τρίτοι δʼ ὅσοι ἐξ Ἰταλίας εἵποντο αὐτῷ. οἷς δὴ καὶ μάλιστα, ὡς πλέον δεδιόσιν, ἐθάρρει. ἡ δʼ ἵππος περὶ τὰ κέρατα ἦν.
41. Scipio had about 23,000 foot and 1500 Italian and Roman horse. He had as allies Masinissa with a large number of Numidian horse, and another prince, named Dacamas, with 1600 horse. He drew up his infantry, like those of Hannibal, in three lines. He placed all his cohorts in straight lines with open spaces so that the cavalry might readily pass between them. In front of each cohort he stationed men armed with heavy stakes two cubits long, mostly shod with iron, for the purpose of assailing the oncoming elephants by hand, as with catapult bolts. He ordered these and the other foot-soldiers to avoid the impetus of these beasts by turning aside and continually hurling javelins at them, and by darting around them to hamstring them whenever they could. In this way Scipio disposed his infantry. He stationed his Numidian horse on his wings because they were accustomed to the sight and smell of elephants. As the Italian horse were not so, he placed them all in the rear, ready to charge through the intervals of the foot-soldiers when the latter should have checked the first onset of the elephants. To each horseman was assigned an attendant armed with plenty of darts with which to ward off the attack of these beasts. In this way was his cavalry disposed. Laelius commanded the right wing and Octavius the left. In the middle both Hannibal and himself took their stations, out of respect for each other, each having a body of horse in order to send reënforcements wherever they might be needed. Of these Hannibal had 4000 and Scipio 2000, besides the 300 Italians whom he had armed in Sicily.
41. οὕτω μὲν Ἀννίβας ἐξέτασσε, Σκιπίωνι δʼ ἦσαν ἀμφὶ τοὺς δισμυρίους καὶ τρισχιλίους, ἱππεῖς δʼ Ἰταλῶν καὶ Ῥωμαίων χίλιοι καὶ πεντακόσιοι. συνεμάχει δὲ Μασσανάσσης ἱππεῦσι Νομάσι πολλοῖς, καὶ Δακάμας ἕτερος δυνάστης ἱππεῦσιν ἑξακοσίοις. τὸ μὲν οὖν πεζὸν ἐς τρεῖς καὶ ὅδε τάξεις ἐπέταττεν ὁμοίως Ἀννίβᾳ, λόχους δʼ ὀρθίους ἐποιεῖτο πάντας, ἵνα διʼ αὐτῶν οἱ ἱππεῖς εὐχερῶς διαθέοιεν. ἐφίστη δʼ ἑκάστῳ λόχῳ προμάχους κατὰ μέτωπον, οἳ ξύλα παχέα διπήχη μάλιστα, πυκνὰ καὶ τὰ πολλὰ αὐτῶν σεσιδηρωμένα, ἔμελλον ὡς καταπέλτας ἐκ χειρὸς ἐς τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἐπιόντας ἀφήσειν. παρήγγελτο δʼ αὐτοῖς τε καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις πεζοῖς ἐκκλίνειν τὴν ὁρμὴν τῶν θηρίων, καὶ περιθέοντας ἀκοντίζειν ἐς αὐτὰ συνεχῶς, καὶ προσπελάζοντας, ὅτε δύναιντο, ὑποτέμνειν τὰ νεῦρα. οὕτω μὲν οἱ πεζοὶ διετετάχατο τῷ Σκιπίωνι· τοὺς δʼ ἱππέας τοὺς μὲν Νομαδικοὺς ἐπέστησε τοῖς κερασιν, εἰθισμένους τὴν τῶν ἐλεφάντων ὄψιν καὶ ὀδμὴν φέρειν, τοὺς δὲ Ἰταλικοὺς διὰ τὸ ἄηθες ὀπίσω πάντων, ἑτοίμους ἐπελθεῖν διὰ τῶν διαστημάτων, ὅτε τὴν πρώτην τῶν ἐλεφάντων ὁρμὴν ὑπομείνειαν οἱ πεζοί. παρʼ ἕκαστον δὲ τῶν ἱππέων τῶνδε ὑπηρέτης ἦν πολλὰ ἀκόντια φέρων, οἷς ἐπενόει τὰ θηρία ἀμύνεσθαι. οὕτω μὲν αὐτῷ καὶ ἡ ἵππος εἶχε, παρεδίδου δὲ τὸ μὲν δεξιὸν Λαιλίῳ, τὸ δὲ λαιὸν Ὀκταουιῳ. ἐν δὲ τοῖς μέσοις ἤστην αὐτός τε καὶ Ἀννίβας, κατὰ δόξαν ἀλλήλων, ἔχοντες ἀμφʼ αὑτοὺς ἱππέας, ἐπικουρεῖν ὅπῃ τι πονούμενον ἴδοιεν, ὁ μὲν Ἀννίβας τετρακισχιλίους, ὁ δὲ Σκιπίων δισχιλίους, καὶ τοὺς τριακοσίους Ἰταλοὺς οὓς αὐτὸς ὥπλισεν ἐν Σικελίᾳ.
42. When everything was ready each one rode up and down encouraging his soldiers. Scipio, in the presence of his army, invoked the gods, whom the Carthaginians had offended by their frequent violation of treaties. He told the soldiers not to think of the numbers of the enemy but of their own valor, by which aforetime these same enemies, in even greater numbers, had been overcome in this same country. If fear, anxiety, and doubt oppress those who have hitherto been victorious, how much more, he said, must these feelings weigh upon the vanquished. Thus did Scipio encourage his forces and console them for their inferiority in numbers. Hannibal reminded his men of what they had done in Italy, their great and brilliant victories won, not over Numidians, but over those who were all Italians, and throughout Italy. He pointed out, in plain sight, the smallness of the enemy’s force, and exhorted them not to show themselves inferior to a less numerous body in their own country. Each general magnified to his own men the consequences of the coming engagement. Hannibal said that the battle would decide the fate of Carthage and all Africa; if vanquished, they would be enslaved forthwith, if victorious, they would have universal supremacy hereafter. Scipio said that there was no safe refuge for his men if they were vanquished, but if victorious there would be a great increase of the Roman power, a rest from their present labors, a speedy return home, and glory forever after.
42. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἕτοιμα ἦν αὐτοῖς, ἐπέτρεχε τοὺς ἰδίους ἐπισπέρχων ἑκάτερος, ὁ μὲν Σκιπίων τοὺς θεοὺς κατακαλῶν ἐν ὄψει τῶν στρατευομένων, ἐς οὓς οἱ Καρχηδόνιοι παρεσπονδήκεσαν ὁσάκις ἔλυον τὰ συγκείμενα, καὶ τὴν στρατιὰν ἀξιῶν μὴ ἐς τὸ πλῆθος τῶν πολεμίων ἀφορᾶν, ἀλλʼ ἐς τὴν ἀρετὴν αὑτῶν, ᾗ καὶ πρότερον τῶνδε τῶν ἐχθρῶν πλειόνων ὄντων ἐπεκράτησαν ἐν τῇδε τῇ γῇ. εἰ δʼ ἔστι καὶ τοῖς νικήσασιν ἐπὶ τῷ μέλλοντι φόβος ἢ δέος ἢ ἀμφιβολία, πόσῳ ταῦτα τοῖς νενικημένοις πλεονάζειν ἀνάγκη. οὕτω μὲν ὁ Σκιπίων ἠρέθιζέ τε καὶ παρηγόρει τῆς ὀλιγότητος· ὁ δʼ Ἀννίβας τῶν τε ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ γεγονότων ἔργων ὑπεμίμνησκεν αὐτούς, ὡς λαμπρὰ καὶ μεγάλα πράξειαν, οὐκ ἐπὶ Νομάσιν ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν Ἰταλοῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἰταλίαν, καὶ τὴν ὀλιγότητα τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτόθεν ἑστὼς ἐπεδείκνυε, καὶ παρεκάλει μὴ χείρους ὀλιγωτέρων ἐν οἰκείᾳ γῇ πλέονας ὄντας ὀφθῆναι. τὸν δὲ κίνδυνον τοῦ παρόντος ἀγῶνος καὶ τὸ μέγεθος ἑκάτερος τοῖς ἰδίοις ὑπερεπῆρεν, Ἀννίβας μὲν ὅτι Καρχηδόνα καὶ Λιβύην ἅπασαν ὁ ἀγὼν ὅδε κρινεῖ, ἢ δούλην εὐθὺς ἡσσωμένων εἶναι, ἢ ἐς τὸ ἔπειτα ἄρχειν ἁπάντων ὧν ἐπεκράτουν, Σκιπίων δʼ ὅτι νικωμένοις μὲν οὐδʼ ἀναχώρησις ἔστιν ἀσφαλής, ἐπικρατοῦσι δὲ ἀρχὴ μεγάλη προσγίγνεται καὶ ἀνάπαυλα πόνων τῶν παρόντων καὶ ἐς τὰ οἰκεῖα ἀπόπλους καὶ ἐς τὸ μέλλον εὔκλεια.
43. Having thus exhorted their men they joined battle. Hannibal ordered the trumpet to sound, and Scipio responded in like manner. The elephants began the fight decked out in fearful panoply and urged on with goads by their riders. The Numidian horse flying around them incessantly thrust darts into them. Being wounded and put to flight and having become unmanageable, their drivers took them out of the combat. This is what happened to the elephants on both wings. Those in the centre trampled down the Roman infantry, who were not accustomed to that kind of fighting and were not able to avoid or to pursue them easily on account of their heavy armor, until Scipio brought up the Italian cavalry, who were in the rear and more lightly armed, and ordered them to dismount from their frightened horses, and run around and stab the elephants. He was himself the first to dismount and wound the front-tramping elephant. The others were encouraged by his example, and they inflicted so many wounds upon the elephants that these also withdrew.
43. οὕτω παροξύνας τοὺς ἰδίους ἑκάτερος ἐς τὸν ἀγῶνα συνῄεσαν, Ἀννίβας μὲν σαλπίγγων κατάρξας, Σκιπίων δʼ ἀντηχεῖν κελεύσας. συνιόντων δʼ αὐτῶν οἱ μὲν ἐλέφαντες κατῆρχον τῆς μάχης, ἐς τὸ φοβερώτατον ἐσκευασμένοι καὶ τοῖς κέντροις ἐξοτρυνόμενοι πρὸς τῶν ἐπικαθημένων· περιθέοντες δʼ αὐτοὺς οἱ Νομάδες ἱππεῖς ἐσηκόντιζον ἀθρόως, μέχρι τρωθέντας τε καὶ φεύγοντας καὶ δυσπειθῶς ἤδη ἔχοντας ἀπήγαγον ἐκ τῆς μάχης οἱ ἐπιβάται. καὶ τάδε μὲν ἦν περὶ τοὺς ἀμφὶ τὰ κέρατα ἐλέφαντας· οἱ δʼ ἐν μέσῃ τῇ φάλαγγι τοὺς Ῥωμαίων πεζοὺς κατεπάτουν, ἀπείρους τε μάχης τοιᾶσδε ὄντας καὶ βαρεῖς ὑπὸ τῆς ὁπλίσεως, καὶ παρʼ αὐτὸ φεύγειν εὐκόλως ἢ διώκειν οὐ δυναμένους, ἕως ὁ Σκιπίων τοὺς ἱππέας τοὺς Ἰταλικούς, ὀπίσω τεταγμένους καὶ κουφότερον ἐσκευασμένους, ἐπαγαγὼν ἀποβῆναι τῶν ἵππων ταρασσομένων ἐκέλευσε, καὶ τοὺς ἐλέφαντας περιθέοντας ἐσακοντίζειν. πρῶτός τε αὐτὸς ἀποβὰς ἔτρωσε τὸν προπηδῶντα τῶν ἐλεφάντων. θαρρησάντων δὲ τῶν ἄλλων, καὶ τιτρωσκόντων ἤδη πανταχόθεν αὐτούς, καὶ οἵδε ὑπεχώρουν.
44. The field being cleared of these beasts the battle was now waged by men and horses only. The Roman right wing, where Laelius commanded, put the opposing Numidians to flight, and Masinissa struck down their prince, Massathes, with a dart, but Hannibal quickly came to their rescue and restored the line of battle. On the left wing, where Octavius commanded and where the hostile Celts and Ligurians were stationed, a doubtful battle was going on. Scipio sent the tribune Thermus thither with a reënforcement of picked men, but Hannibal, after rallying his left wing, flew to the assistance of the Ligurians and Celts, bringing up at the same time his second line of Carthaginians and Africans. Scipio, perceiving this, brought his second line in opposition. When the two greatest generals of the world thus met, in hand to hand fight, there was, on the part of the soldiers of each, a brilliant emulation and reverence for their commanders, and no lack of zeal on either side in the way of sharp and vehement fighting and cheering.
44. καὶ γενομένης τῆς μάχης καθαρᾶς θηριων, ὁ ἀγὼν ἐγίγνετο μόνων ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ ἵππων. τὸ μὲν οὖν δεξιὸν τὸ Ῥωμαίων, οὗ Λαίλιος ἐπεστάτει, τρέπεται τοὺς ἐναντίους Νομάδας, Μασσανάσσου βαλόντος αὐτῶν τὸν δυνάστην Μασσάθην· ὀξέως δʼ αὐτοὺς ὁ Ἀννίβας ἐπιδραμὼν συνέτασσε τὴν μάχην. τὸ δὲ λαιόν, ἔνθα Ῥωμαίων μὲν Ὀκτάουιος ἐπεστάτει, τῶν δὲ πολεμίων Κελτοὶ καὶ Λίγυες ἦσαν, ἐπόνει μάλα καρτερῶς ἑκατέροις. καὶ Σκιπίων μὲν ἔπεμπε Θέρμον τὸν χιλίαρχον ἐπικουρεῖν μετʼ ἐπιλέκτων· Ἀννίβας δʼ ἐπεὶ τὸ λαιὸν συνέστησεν, ἐς τοὺς Λίγυας καὶ Κελτοὺς μεθίππευεν, ἐπάγων ἅμα τὴν δευτέραν τάξιν Καρχηδονίων τε καὶ Λιβύων. κατιδὼν δʼ αὐτὸν ὁ Σκιπίων ἀντιπαρῆγε μεθʼ ἑτέρου στίφους. δύο δὲ στρατηγῶν ἀρίστων ἐς ἀγῶνα συνιόντων, ἔρις ἦν τῶν ὑφʼ ἑκατέρῳ λαμπρὰ καὶ δέος, καὶ προθυμίας οὐδετέροις τι ἐνέλιπε, σφοδροῦ καὶ ὀξέος ὄντος πόνου τε καὶ παρακελεύσεως.
45. As the battle was long and undecided, the two generals had compassion on their tired soldiers, and rushed upon each other in order to bring it to a more speedy decision. They threw their javelins at the same time. Scipio pierced Hannibal’s shield. Hannibal hit Scipio’s horse. The horse, smarting from the wound, threw Scipio over backwards. He quickly mounted another and again hurled a dart at Hannibal, but missed him and struck another horseman near him. At this juncture, Masinissa, hearing of the crisis, came up, and the Romans seeing their general not only serving as a commander but fighting also as a common soldier, fell upon the enemy more vehemently than before, routed them, and pursued them in flight. Nor could Hannibal, who rode by the side of his men and besought them to make a stand and renew the battle, prevail upon them to do so. Therefore, despairing of these, he turned to the Italians who had come with him, and who were still in reserve and not demoralized. These he led into the fight, hoping to fall upon the Romans in disorderly pursuit. But they perceived his intention, and speedily called one another back from the pursuit and restored the line of battle. As their horse were no longer with them and they were destitute of missiles, they now fought sword in hand in close combat. Great slaughter ensued and innumerable wounds, mingled with the shouts of the combatants and the groans of the dying, until, finally, the Romans routed these also and put them to flight. Such was the brilliant issue of this engagement.
45. μακρᾶς δὲ καὶ ἀκρίτου τῆς μάχης οὔσης, οἱ στρατηγοὶ τοὺς κάμνοντας ἐλεοῦντες ὥρμων ἐπʼ ἀλλήλους ὡς ἐν σφίσι τῆς κρίσεως ταχυτέρας ἐσομένης. καὶ ἠκόντισαν ὁμοῦ, Σκιπίων μὲν Ἀννίβου τὴν ἀσπίδα, ὁ δʼ Ἀννίβας ἔτυχε τοῦ ἵππου. καὶ ὁ ἵππος ὑπὸ τῆς πληγῆς ἐξέφερεν ὀπίσω τὸν Σκιπίωνα, μέχρι περιβὰς ἕτερον ἵππον αὖθις ἐς τὸν Ἀννίβαν ἠκόντισεν. ἀλλʼ ἀπέτυχεν αὐτοῦ καὶ τότε, τὸν δὲ ἱππέα τὸν ἐγγὺς ἔβαλεν. ἧκε δʼ ἐν τούτῳ καὶ Μασσανάσσης πυθόμενος. καὶ οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι τὸν στρατηγὸν ὁρῶντες στρατιωτικῶς σφῶν ὑπερμαχόμενον, καρτερώτερεν τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐνέπεσον καὶ ἐτρέψαντο καὶ φεύγοντας ἐδίωκον· οὐδὲ παριππεύοντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ Ἀννίβου καὶ δεομένου στῆναι καὶ τῆς μάχης αὖθις ἐς πεῖραν ἐλθεῖν ἔτι ἐπείθοντο. ἀπογνοὺς οὖν αὐτῶν ὁ Ἀννίβας τοὺς ἐξ Ἰταλιας οἱ συνελθόντας, ἐφεδρεύοντας ἔτι καὶ ἀτρεμοῦντας, ἦγεν ἐπὶ τὴν μάχην, ἐλπίσας Ῥωμαίοις ἅτε διώκουσιν ἀσυντακτοτέροις ἐπιπεσεῖσθαι. οἱ δὲ τὸ ἐνθύμημα αὐτοῦ θεασάμενοι, μετὰ σπουδῆς ἀλλήλους ἐκ τῆς διώξεως ἀνεκάλουν, καὶ συνετάσσοντο αὖθις ἐς μάχην. οὔτε δὲ ἵππων σφίσι παρόντων οὔτε ἀκοντίων ἔτι ὄντων, ξίφεσιν ἐς ἀλλήλους ἐχρῶντο καὶ συνεπλέκοντο. φόνος τε ἦν πολὺς ἐνθάδε μάλιστα καὶ τραύματα μέγιστα, καὶ πιπτόντων στόνος καὶ ἀναιρούντων μεγαλαυχία, μέχρι ποτὲ καὶ τούσδε ἐτρέψαντο οἱ Ἰταλοὶ καὶ φεύγουσιν εἵποντο, κρίσις τε ἦν λαμπρὰ τοῦ πολέμου.
46. Hannibal in his flight seeing a mass of Numidian horse collected together, ran up and besought them not to desert him. Having secured their promise, he led them against the pursuers, hoping still to turn the tide of battle. The first whom he encountered were the Massylians, and now a single combat between Masinissa and Hannibal took place. Rushing fiercely upon each other, Masinissa drove his spear into Hannibal’s shield, and Hannibal wounded his antagonist’s horse. Masinissa, being thrown, sprang towards Hannibal on foot, and struck and killed a horseman who was advancing towards him in front of the others. At the same time he received in his shield — made of elephant’s hide — several darts, one of which he pulled out and hurled at Hannibal; but, as it happened, it struck another horseman who was near and killed him. While he was pulling out another, he was wounded in the arm, and withdrew from the fight for a brief space. When Scipio learned this, he feared for Masinissa and hastened to his relief, but he found that the latter had bound up his wound and returned to the fight on a fresh horse. Thus the battle continued doubtful and very severe, the soldiers on either side having the utmost reverence for their commanders, until Hannibal, discovering a body of Spanish and Celtic troops on a hill near by, dashed over to them to bring them into the fight. Those who were still engaged, not knowing the cause of his going, thought that he had fled. Accordingly, they abandoned the fight of their own accord and broke into disorderly rout, not following after Hannibal, but helter skelter. This band having been dispersed, the Romans thought that the fight was over and pursued them in a disorderly way, not perceiving Hannibal’s purpose.
46. καὶ ὁ Ἀννίβας ἐν τῇ φυγῇ θεασάμενος ἱππέων Νομάδων πλῆθος συνεστώς, προσδραμὼν ἠξίου μὴ προλιπεῖν αὐτόν, καὶ πείσας ἐπῆγε τοῖς διώκουσιν, ἐλπίσας ἐργάσεσθαί τινα παλινδίωξιν. πρώτοις δὲ Μασσυλίοις ἐντυχὼν ἐμάχετο, καὶ μόνος ἦν ἔτι οὗτος ὁ ἀγὼν Μασσανάσσου καὶ Ἀννίβου συνεστώτων. φερομένων δὲ καὶ τῶνδε ἐπʼ ἀλλήλους ὑπὸ προθυμίας, ἐς μὲν τὴν ἀσπίδα ὁ Μασσανάσσης ἠκόντισε βαλών, ὁ δὲ Ἀννίβας καὶ τότε ἔτυχε τοῦ ἵππου. καὶ ὁ Μασσανάσσης ἐκπεσὼν πεζὸς ἐπὶ τὸν Ἀννίβαν ὥρμα, τόν τε ἐπελαύνοντά οἱ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἱππέα βαλὼν ἀπέκτεινεν. καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν τὰ ἀκόντια ἐς τὸν ἐλεφαντιστὴν ἐκδεχόμενος, ἓν τῶν ἐμπεπηγότων ἐξεῖλε, καὶ ἀκοντίσας ἐς τὸν Ἀννίβαν αὖθις οὐδʼ ὣς ἐπετύγχανεν, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἐγγὺς ἱππέα καὶ ὅδε ἀπέκτεινεν. ἕτερον δʼ ἐξέλκων ἐς τὸν βραχίονα ἐτρώθη, καὶ ὑπεχώρησεν ἐκ τῆς μάχης ἐπʼ ὀλίγον. Σκιπίων δὲ πυθόμενος ἔδεισε περὶ τῷ Μασσανάσσῃ, καὶ ἐς τὸ ἔργον ἠπείγετο· καὶ ηὗρε τὸν Μασσανάσσην ἐς τὴν μάχην αὖθις ἐπὶ ἵππου φερόμενον ἑτέρου, τὸ τραῦμα ἐπιδήσαντα. ὅ τε ἀγὼν ἦν ἴσος αὖθις αὐτοῖς καὶ πάνυ καρτερός, αἰδουμένων τοὺς στρατηγοὺς ἑκατέρων, ἕως ὁ Ἀννίβας ἐπί τινος λόφου θεασάμενος Ἴβηρας καὶ Κελτοὺς συνεστῶτας ἐξίππευσεν ὡς κἀκείνους ἐπάξων. τότε γὰρ οἱ μαχόμενοι, τῆς μὲν αἰτίας οὐ συνιέντες, τὴν δʼ ἀποχώρησιν αὐτοῦ φυγὴν ὑπολαβόντες εἶναι, τὸν ἀγῶνα μεθῆκαν ἑκόντες καὶ ἔφυγον ἀκόσμως, οὐχ ᾗπερ ἑώρων Ἀννίβαν, ἀλλʼ ὅπῃ τύχοιεν ἕκαστοι. καὶ οἱ μὲν οὕτω διελύθησαν, Ῥωμαῖοι δʼ αὐτούς, ὡς τετελεσμένης τῆς μάχης, ἐδίωκον ἀτάκτως, οὐδʼ αὐτοὶ τῆς Ἀννίβου προαιρέσεως συνιέντες.