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were driven out of Italy. For the consuls were positioned against Hannibal and Mago, while Scipio was ravaging Libya and attacking the cities. And at this time, having captured a Carthaginian ship, he released it, since they pretended to be coming to him on an embassy. For he knew it was a pretense, but he preferred not to be slandered as one who had detained ambassadors. And while Syphax was still negotiating for a reconciliation, so that Scipio would depart from Libya, and Hannibal from Italy, he accepted the proposal, not because he trusted it, but in order to trip him up. For by sending different soldiers at different times to the camp of the Carthaginians and that of Syphax on the pretext of the truce, when they had spied out everything in their camps, he rejected the agreement on some plausible excuse, especially because Syphax was caught plotting against Massinissa. And by night he came to their camps, which were not very far from each other, and set fire to Hasdrubal's camp from many points at once. And since it was very easily set on fire, for their tents were made of reeds and leaves, the Carthaginians fared badly, and Syphax's men, wanting to help them, fell in with the surrounding Romans and were themselves destroyed, and their camp was also set on fire, and many were destroyed, both horses and men. The Romans, having done this, suffered nothing by night, but at daybreak, Iberians who had just arrived as allies for the Carthaginians unexpectedly fell upon them and killed many. Immediately, then, Hasdrubal withdrew to Carthage, and Syphax to his home. But Scipio 2.286 set Massinissa and Gaius Laelius against Syphax, while he himself marched against the Carthaginians. But the Carthaginians in turn sent ships against the Roman stronghold, which they were using as winter quarters and in which they stored everything, in order either to capture it or to draw Scipio away from themselves. And so it was; for learning what was happening, he withdrew and, hastening to the naval station, put it under guard. And on the first day the Romans easily repulsed those who engaged them, but on the next they were much worsted; for they even dragged away Roman ships by throwing iron grappling hooks. But they did not dare to disembark on the land, but sailing back home they deposed Hasdrubal and chose a certain Hanno in his place. And from then on Hanno was general, but the other man, on his own, took some slaves and deserters and put together a force that was not weak, and after secretly persuading some of the Iberians serving with Scipio, he attempted to plot against his camp by night. And he might have accomplished something, had not both the seers, alarmed by the birds, and Massinissa's mother, being divinely inspired, caused a search to be made for them. And so those who were caught beforehand were punished, and Scipio again marched against Carthage and ravaged their land, while Syphax was warring against Laelius' men. And for some time they held out; then the Romans gained the upper hand, and killed many, and took many prisoners, and captured Syphax. And they took Cirta, his royal seat, without a fight, by showing him in bonds to those inside. 2.287 And Sophonisba was also there. And Massinissa rushed in to her at once, and embracing her said, "I have Syphax, the one who stole you away, and I also have you. But do not be afraid; for you have not become a captive, having me as an ally." Having said this, he married her immediately, anticipating the Romans, lest he somehow lose her if she became part of the spoils. Then they also won over the other cities of Syphax. And they came to Scipio, bringing the rest of the spoils and Syphax. And when he saw him in chains he could not bear it, but remembering the hospitality he had received from him and reflecting on the human condition, he leaped up from his seat, unbound him, greeted him, and treated him with honor. And once he asked, "What possessed you to make war on us?" And he both cleverly excused himself and at the same time defended Massinissa, saying that Sophonisba was the cause for him

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τῆς ̓Ιταλίας ἐξέπεσον. οἱ μὲν γὰρ υπατοι τῷ ̓Αννίβᾳ καὶ τῷ Μάγωνι ἀντικαθίσταντο, Σκιπίων δὲ τήν τε Λιβύην ἐκάκου καὶ ταῖς πόλεσι προσέβαλλε. κἀν τούτῳ ναῦν Καρχηδονίαν λαβὼν ἀφῆκεν, ἐπεὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπὶ πρεσβείᾳ ἀφικνεῖσθαι ἐπλάσαντο. ῃδει μὲν γὰρ τὸ πλάσμα, προετίμησε δὲ τὸ μὴ διαβληθῆναι ὡς πρέσβεις κατεσχηκώς. καὶ τοῦ Σύφακος πράττοντος ετι διαλλαγάς, ωστε ἐκ τῆς Λιβύης μὲν τὸν Σκιπίωνα, τὸν δ' ̓Αννίβαν ἐκ τῆς ̓Ιταλίας ἀπᾶραι, ἐδέξατο τὸν λόγον, οὐχ ὡς πιστεύων αὐτῷ, ινα δὲ σφήλῃ αὐτόν. τῶν γὰρ στρατιωτῶν αλλοτε αλλους κατὰ τὴν τῶν σπονδῶν πρόφασιν ἐς τὸ στρατόπεδον τὸ τῶν Καρχηδονίων πέμπων καὶ τὸ τοῦ Σύφακος, ἐπεὶ ἐκεῖνοι πάντα τὰ παρ' αὐτοῖς κατεσκέψαντο, τὴν σύμβασιν ἀπ' εὐλόγου δή τινος σκήψεως, αλλως τε καὶ οτι ὁ Σύφαξ ἐπιβουλεύων ἐφωράθη τῷ Μασινίσσᾳ, διεκρούσατο. νυκτὸς δ' ηλθεν εἰς τὰ στρατόπεδα αὐτῶν οὐ πάνυ ἀλλήλων διέχοντα, καὶ πῦρ ἐς τὸ τοῦ ̓Ασδρούβου πολλαχόθεν αμα ὑπέβαλε. καὶ ἐμπρησθέντος ῥᾷστα αὐτοῦ, ἐκ γὰρ καλάμης καὶ ἐκ φυλλάδων ἐπεποίηντο αὐτοῖς αἱ σκηναί, οι τε Καρχηδόνιοι κακῶς ἀπήλλαξαν, καὶ οἱ περὶ τὸν Σύφακα βοηθῆσαι αὐτοῖς ἐθελήσαντες τοῖς τε ̔Ρωμαίοις τοῖς περιέχουσιν περιέπεσον καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀπώλοντο, καὶ τὸ στρατόπεδον προσενεπρήσθη αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐφθάρησαν πολλοὶ καὶ ιπποι καὶ ανθρωποι. οἱ ̔Ρωμαῖοι δὲ ταῦτα πεποιηκότες νυκτὸς μὲν οὐδὲν επαθον, ἡμέρας δ' ἐπιφαυσάσης Ιβηρες αρτι Καρχηδονίοις ἐπὶ συμμαχίᾳ ἐλθόντες προσέπεσον αὐτοῖς ἀπροσδόκητοι καὶ πολλοὺς ἀπέκτειναν. Εὐθὺς ουν ̓Ασδρούβας μὲν εἰς τὴν Καρχηδόνα, Σύφαξ δὲ οικαδε ἀπεχώρησεν. ὁ δέ γε Σκιπίων 2.286 Σύφακι μὲν τὸν Μασινίσσαν καὶ Γάϊον ἀντέταξε Λαίλιον, αὐτὸς δ' ἐπὶ τοὺς Καρχηδονίους ηλασεν. οἱ δ' αυ Καρχηδόνιοι πρὸς τὸ ερυμα τῶν ̔Ρωμαίων, ῳ χειμαδίῳ ἐχρῶντο καὶ ἐς ο ἀπετίθεντο πάντα, ναῦς επεμψαν, ινα η αὐτὸ αἱρήσωσιν η ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν ἀπάξωσι τὸν Σκιπίωνα. καὶ εσχεν ουτως· μαθὼν γὰρ τὸ γινόμενον ἀπανέστη, καὶ ἐπειχθεὶς πρὸς τὸν ναύσταθμον διὰ φυλακῆς αὐτὸν ἐποιήσατο. καὶ τῇ μὲν πρώτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ῥᾳδίως τοὺς προσμίξαντας αὐτοῖς ἀπεώσαντο οἱ ̔Ρωμαῖοι, τῇ δ' ὑστεραίᾳ πολὺ ἠλαττώθησαν· καὶ ναῦς γὰρ τῶν ̔Ρωμαίων χειρῶν σιδηρῶν ἐπιβολῇ ἀπέσπασαν. ἀποβῆναι δ' ἐς τὴν γῆν οὐκ ἐτόλμησαν, ἀλλ' ἀναπλεύσαντες οικαδε τὸν ̓Ασδρούβαν ἀπεχειροτόνησαν, Αννωνα δέ τινα ἀνθείλοντο. κἀκ τούτου Αννων μὲν στρατηγὸς ην, ἐκεῖνος δὲ καθ' ἑαυτὸν δούλους τινὰς καὶ αὐτομόλους παραλαβὼν δύναμιν οὐκ ἀσθενῆ συνεκρότησε, καί τινας τῶν ̓Ιβήρων τῶν συστρατευομένων τῷ Σκιπίωνι κρύφα ἀναπείσας ἐπεχείρησε νυκτὸς ἐπιβουλεῦσαι τῷ στρατοπέδῳ αὐτοῦ. καν ἐξειργάσατό τι, εἰ μὴ οι τε μάντεις ὑπὸ ὀρνίθων ἐκταραχθέντες καὶ ἡ τοῦ Μασινίσσου μήτηρ θειάσασα ζήτησιν αὐτῶν γενέσθαι ἐποίησαν. καὶ οἱ μὲν προκαταληφθέντες ἐκολάσθησαν, καὶ ὁ Σκιπίων αυθις ἐπὶ τὴν Καρχηδόνα ἐστράτευσε καὶ τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν ἐδῄου, Σύφαξ δὲ ἐπολέμει τοῖς περὶ τὸν Λαίλιον. καὶ χρόνον τινὰ ἀντέσχον· ειτα ὑπερέσχον οἱ ̔Ρωμαῖοι, καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν ἐφόνευσαν, πολλοὺς δὲ ἐζώγρησαν, καὶ τὸν Σύφακα ειλον. καὶ τὴν Κίρταν τὰ βασίλεια αὐτοῦ παρέλαβον ἀμάχως, τοῖς ενδον δεδεμένον αὐτὸν ἐπιδείξαντες. 2.287 Ην δ' ἐκεῖ καὶ ἡ Σοφωνίς. καὶ πρὸς αὐτὴν ὁ Μασινίσσας εὐθὺς εἰσεπήδησε, καὶ περιλαβὼν αὐτήν "εχω μὲν Σύφακα" ειπε "τὸν ἀφαρπάσαντά σε, εχω δὲ καὶ σέ. ἀλλὰ μὴ δέδιθι· οὐδὲ γὰρ αἰχμάλωτος γέγονας, ἐμὲ σύμμαχον εχουσα." ταῦτ' εἰπὼν εγημεν αὐτὴν παραυτίκα, προκαταλαβὼν τοὺς ̔Ρωμαίους, μή πως αὐτῆς ἁμάρτῃ γενομένης ἐν τοῖς λαφύροις. ειτα καὶ τὰς αλλας πόλεις τοῦ Σύφακος προσεποιήσαντο. καὶ πρὸς τὸν Σκιπίωνα ηλθον αγοντες τά τε λοιπὰ καὶ τὸν Σύφακα. καὶ ος ἰδὼν αὐτὸν δεδεμένον οὐκ ηνεγκεν, ἀλλὰ τῆς παρ' αὐτῷ μνημονεύσας ξενίας καὶ τὰ ἀνθρώπεια ἀναλογισάμενος ἀνεπήδησεν ἐκ τοῦ δίφρου ελυσέ τε αὐτὸν καὶ ἐδεξιώσατο καὶ ἐντίμως ηγε. καί ποτε ηρετο "τί σοι δόξαν ἐπολέμησας ἡμῖν;" ὁ δὲ ἑαυτόν τε σοφῶς ἐξῃτήσατο αμα καὶ τὸν Μασινίσσαν ἠμύνατο, εἰπὼν αἰτίαν αὐτῷ τὴν Σοφωνίδα