PEACE AT ANT PRICE. 147 



On a bill near the battle field sat a young Roman 

 officer, Scipio iEmilianus, a relative of the man who 

 had defeated Hannibal. He had been sent over from 

 Spain for a squadron of elephants, and arrived in 

 Masinissa's camp at this interesting crisis. The news 

 of the battle was soon despatched by him to Rome: 

 The treaty had now been broken, and the senate de- 

 clared war. 



The Carthaginians fell into an agony of alarm. 

 They were now so broken down that a vassal of Rome 

 could defeat them in the open field. What had they 

 to expect in a war with Rome ? Ambassadors were at 

 once despatched with full powers to obtain peace — peace 

 at any price — from the terrible Republic. The 

 envoys presented themselves before the Senate : they 

 offered the submission of the Carthaginians, who 

 formally disowned the act of war, who had put the 

 two leaders of the war-party to death, who desired 

 nothing but the alliance and good-will of Rome. The 

 answer which they received was this. " Since the 

 Carthaginians are so well advised, the Senate returns 

 them their country, their laws, their sepulchres, their 

 liberties, and their estates, if they will surrender three 

 hundred sons of their senators as hostages, and obey 

 the orders of the consuls." 



The Roman army had already disembarked. When 

 the consuls landed on the coast no resistance was 

 made. They demanded provisions. Then the city gates 

 were opened, and long trains of bullocks and mules, 

 laden with corn, were driven to the Roman camp. The 

 hostages Avere demanded. Then the senators brought 

 forth their children and gave them to the city ; the 

 city gave them to the Romans ; the Romans placed 

 them on board the galleys, which at once spread their 



