SCIPIO AFRICANUS. 



135 



ment, destroyed the greater part of them. The 

 remainder, abandoned by their commanders, were 

 allowed to retire undisturbed, in consequence of 

 the intercession of Masinissa. Leaving his army | 

 in Spain, he now went to Africa, to induce Syphax, j 

 king of Massaesylia, to become the ally of Rome ; ! 

 in which he succeeded. After his return, he chas- 

 tised the cities which had revolted during his ab- 

 sence. A short time after, he was attacked by a 

 disease, which nearly cost him his life, and in- 

 duced several Spanish tribes to revolt again from 

 the Romans; even two legions in his own army 

 mutinied. But Scipio recovered, and by his energy 

 and prudence quelled the disturbances. He also 

 obtained possession, by negotiation, of the valuable 

 city of Gades Thus the Carthaginians were 

 wholly driven from Spain, and the greatest part of 

 that country was subjected to Rome. The general 

 entered Rome in triumph, amid the loudest ac- 

 clamations of the people. Scarcely had he arrived, 

 before he petitioned the senate for permission to 

 conduct an army to Africa, that he might attack 

 the enemy in their own country. In vain did Fa- 

 bius Maxiinus exert his influence and eloquence to 

 frustrate the design. Scipio was empowered to go 

 to Sicily with an army and a fleet, in order, after 

 mature deliberation on the means of effecting a 

 landing on the coast of Africa, to execute the plan ! 

 which he had formed. He arrived successfully at ! 

 the island, and dispatched his friend Laelius, with a I 

 detachment of troops and of the fleet, to the 

 enemy's country. On landing, Lselius found the 

 country almost destitute of soldiers, took and 

 plundered several rich cities, laid waste the fields, 

 and gained over Masinissa to the designs of Scipio. 

 At the approach of the hostile fleet, he returned, 

 laden with booty, to Sicily. Scipio now laboured 

 with redoubled activity to equip the troops for his 

 great enterprise ; and then hastened to the shores 

 of Africa. His unexpected arrival spread terror 

 among the Carthaginians, who were without an 

 army or a good general. But they succeeded in 

 detaching the powerful Syphax from the Roman al- 

 liance, and he came with an army of 60,000 men 

 to their aid. Towards winter, the Romans were 

 forced to retire to a distance from the city by the 

 superiority of the enemy: the negotiations for 

 peace produced no result. The proconsulate of 

 Scipio in Africa, therefore, was prolonged, till the 

 war should be terminated. The following spring, 

 the affairs of the Romans took a more favourable 

 turn. The camp of Syphax was assailed, and his 

 whole army destroyed ; Asdrubal suffered a similar 

 fate. The defeat was dreadful, and none escaped 

 but the commanders, with a few attendants. Never- 

 theless, the Carthaginians collected a new army 

 with wonderful rapidity ; but it was equally unable 

 to withstand the Romans. Masinissa, associated 

 \vith Laelius, had again defeated Syphax, and taken 

 him prisoner. The beautiful Sophonisbe, the 

 daughter of Asdrubal, by whom Syphax had been 

 gained over to Carthage, Masinissa longed to marry. 

 Fearing the effect of her charms, Scipio commanded 

 her to be brought to the camp as a Roman prisoner. 

 To avert such a disgrace, the king persuaded her 

 to swallow poison. An armistice was now brought 

 about between the Romans and their enemies; but 

 the latter violated it. Hannibal had returned from 

 Italy, to save his country, if possible ; but he had 

 now only the wreck of his once formidable army. 

 His spies, who fell into the hands of the Romans, 

 Scipio ordered to be led through all parts of the 



Roman camp, and then suffered them to return. 

 Hannibal wished for an interview with the Romar, 

 commander; and not far from Zuma, the two great- 

 est generals of their time met (B. C. 202). They 

 approached each other, for the first time, in the 

 presence of their respective armies. For a long 

 time they gazed upon each other in silence; then 

 Hannibal advised a peace, and spoke of the 

 fickleness of fortune. Scipio required of the 

 Carthaginians unconditional submission; Hannibal 

 promised to give up all the foreign possessions. 

 This was not satisfactory to the Roman; and the 

 generals separated and prepared for an engagement. 

 The two armies fought with ardour; but their 

 strength was unequal. Scipio had an excellent 

 and well-disciplined infantry, and the numerous 

 and valiant cavalry of Masinissa. Hannibal's 

 troops, on the contrary, were mostly raw soldiers, 

 or mercenaries. These fled at the first onset, and 

 the veterans alone defended themselves with firm- 

 ness. Their general stood by their side, as usual, 

 to encourage their exertions. The Romans as- 

 sailed them in vain, till Masinissa and Laelius 

 attacked them in the rear. They now gave way, 

 and nearly all fell victims to their perseverance. 

 Hannibal scarcely succeeded in saving himself. 

 He now advised a peace, which was granted on 

 very hard conditions. Scipio's return through 

 Italy to Rome resembled a triumphal procession; 

 every one was eager to see the conqueror. At the 

 gate of the city he received the congratulations of 

 his fellow-citizens; and then followed the most 

 magnificent triumph which Rome had ever wit- 

 nessed. The spoils were immense. One hundred 

 and twenty thousand pounds of silver were carried 

 in the procession, to be deposited in the public 

 treasury. The columns which the Romans pro- 

 posed to erect in honour of Scipio he declined, but 

 received the surname of Africanus. After this, he 

 discharged, in a praiseworthy manner, the office of 

 censor; but he lost the favour of the people, 

 because he defended with zeal the pretensions of 

 the senate. Afterwards he became his brother's 

 lieutenant, when the war broke out with Antio- 

 chus, king of Syria, and went to Greece, and thence 

 to Asia. Here he had the misfortune to see his 

 only son fall into the hands of the enemy. As 

 Antiochus wished for peace, he sent ambassadors to 

 the Roman commanders, and promised the afflicted 

 father that his son should be restored without a 

 ransom. Scipio declared that he accepted their 

 offer with gratitude, but warned the envoys not to 

 imagine that he could be thus bribed to violate his 

 duty. Nothing but complete submission could 

 purchase peace. Soon after, Scipio was taken sick, 

 and obliged to leave the army. As soon as Antio- 

 chus heard of it, he sent back his captive son 

 without any conditions. With tears of joy the 

 father embraced him, and immediately sent his 

 thanks to Antiochus, and advised him not to en- 

 counter the Romans ; but his advice was neglected. 

 Nevertheless, he procured the defeated king (B. C. 

 189) tolerable conditions of peace. After his re- 

 turn from Asia, Scipio retired into private life. 

 Here he experienced with grief the ingratitude of 

 his fellow-citizens. Cato the Censor, the inveterate 

 enemy of the Scipios, by constant accusations, pro- 

 cured an order for Scipio to be brought before the 

 public tribunal, to give an account of the money 

 which he had received. He appeared, showed the 

 people his accounts, and then tore them in pieces 

 in their sight. " This is the day," he exclaimed 



