scipio. 
801 
practices, the result partly of enthusiasm and partly of arti¬ 
fice. He insinuated to the multitude, that he acted fre¬ 
quently from divine inspiration, or by the admonitions com¬ 
municated to him by dreams; and he never undertook any 
public business without repairing' to the temple in the Capitol, 
as if he were consulting the gods. Soon after his appoint¬ 
ment, he embarked a considerable reinforcement of troops, 
and having, on his arrival, surprised and captured the capital 
of the Carthaginian dominions in Spain, he became master 
of a great number of prisoners, and immense treasures. It 
was upon this occasion he gave an example of continence, 
for which he has been celebrated by every historian who has 
written on the subject. A female captive, of singular beauty, 
was brought to him as part of his spoil; he was not insen¬ 
sible to her charms; but finding that she was betrothed to a 
Celtiberian prince, instead of using the supposed rights of a 
conqueror, he sent for her parents and lover, and surrendered 
her pure into their hands, at the same time bestowing the 
ransom which they pressed upon him as an addition to her 
marriage portion. This noble act, which deserved all the 
applause that has been bestowed upon it, filled the Spaniards 
with admiration, and not only the bridegroom joined Scipio’s 
troops at the head of a body of cavalry, but the whole pro¬ 
vince of Celtiberia came over to the Roman party. In the 
next campaign Scipio marched against Asdrubal, the bro¬ 
ther of Hannibal, with whom was Massinissa, the Numidian 
prince. He entirely routed them, and took possession of 
their camp, with a number of captives. Among these was 
a youth of a very prepossessing aspect, who was the nephew 
of Massinissa. Scipio treated him with great kindness, and 
thus' laid the foundation of Massinissa’s attachment to the 
Roman cause. He vigorously pursued his advantages over 
the Carthaginians, and after almost entirely destroying As- 
drubal’s army, obliged him to fly to Africa, leaving Spain 
entirely in the power of the Romans. In the end, the suc¬ 
cess of Scipio was complete; and the Roman senate being 
informed of the event, recalled him to Italy, sending two 
pro-consuls to take the command in Spain. He arrived at 
Rome near the time of the consular election, and though he 
was yet under the age prescribed for attaining that-dignity, 
the splendour of his exploits caused him to be unanimously 
chosen by the people to the office of consul. This was in 
the year 205, B. C. It was his wish to be sent to command 
in Africa, but, through the influence of Fabius, he was 
appointed to a command in Sicily, with a conditional power 
of passing over to Africa with thirty ships. Being, in his 
own mind, determined to make that country the theatre of 
war, he assiduously employed himself in preparations for 
the purpose. The year of his consulship being ended, he 
was continued in the command as pro-consul, with the per¬ 
mission of carrying with him to Africa, such of the Roman 
troops in Sicily as he should think proper: he at length 
embarked at Lilybcenm, amidst a vast concourse of spec¬ 
tators, and with all the circumstances of solemnity that 
might impress his soldiers with a sense of the magnitude of 
the undertaking, and the hope of victory. Almost imme¬ 
diately after his landing, he was joined by Massinissa, and 
having obtained some successes, he proceeded to lay siege to 
Utica. This, however, he was obliged to abandon, and he 
chose a place for his winter quarters, where he could readily 
receive supplies front Italy. In the mean time, his pro¬ 
consular command having expired, it was continued to him 
by the voice of the people as long as the war should last. 
Syphax, having married the daughter of Asdrubal, was now 
fixed in the Carthaginian interest, and lay with his army en¬ 
camped near that general. Scipio opened the campaign 
with surprising by night and burning the Numidian and 
Carthaginian camps, and with a great slaughter of their 
forces. After this he defeated Asdrubal and Syphax, and 
captured Tunis, and several of their other towns. The Car¬ 
thaginians now sent deputies to Rome to treat for a peace, 
and Scipio agreed to a suspension of hostilities till their re¬ 
turn. They had, however, in the mean time, recalled Han¬ 
nibal from Italy, as the only antagonist fitted to oppose their 
successful invader. On his arrival, active hostilities recom- 
Vol. XXII. No. 1541. 
menced; and the two great commanders met, at the head of 
their collected forces, near Zama, where a decisive battle 
was fought. This action, which happened in the year B. C., 
202, ended in a complete victory over the Carthaginians. 
Peace was now restored, but the conditions to Carthage were 
extremely severe: her territories were restricted to Africa; 
her naval power was annihilated; and a vast sum was exacted 
from her by way of indemnification. With the ratification 
of this treaty terminated the second Punic war. Scipio 
returned to Rome crowned with glory, and was met at his 
entrance by the whole body of citizens. A triumph was 
decreed him by the united votes of the senate and people, 
together with the surname of Africanus, by which he has 
been distinguished from all the other branches of his illus¬ 
trious family. In the year 199 B. C., he was nominated one 
of the censors, and in 194 he was elected consul a second 
time; but nothing occurred during the year of his office that 
gave him an opportunity of distinguishing himself. In 190 
B. C., his brother Lucius was chosen consul, and Scipio pro¬ 
posed to accompany him as lieutenant, should he be sent to 
command in Asia against Antiochus the Great, in whose 
service his old antagonist Hannibal was engaged. The offer 
was accepted, and the two brothers, with their troops, 
marched for the Hellespont. They crossed the strait with¬ 
out opposition, Africanus staying some days after his bro¬ 
ther, on account of his being occupied as a priest of the Salii 
in certain religious ceremonies, of which he was always very 
observant. The son of Africanus had been taken prisoner 
at sea, and brought to Antiochus, who treated him in the 
most honourable way, and offered to restore him without 
ransom, provided he might thereby secure the good offices 
of the father. Scipio rejected the offer, and advised the 
monarch to accept of peace upon any terms. Shortly after 
this, Scipio, while lying upon a sick bed at Elaea, was gra¬ 
tified with the sight of his son, restored to him by Antiochus. 
The decisive battle of Magnesia, soon after this, obliged 
Antiochus to submit to the conditions which the Roman 
senate imposed on him. Upon the return of Scipio to 
Rome, he appears to have retired to the repose of private 
life, which, however, he was not permitted to enjoy very 
long unmolested. He was accused of various misdemeanors 
when in office, and a day appointed for a hearing. After 
some preliminary inquiries, a second day was appointed; 
on this, when silence was proclaimed, he rose and said, 
“ On this day, tribunes and Romans, I gained a decisive 
victory over Hannibal and the Carthaginians. Since, there¬ 
fore, such a day should be exempt from strife and conten¬ 
tion, I mean to go and pay my devotions to Jove and the 
other gods who preside over the Capitol, and return them 
thanks that, as well on this day as on many others, they 
have granted me the desire and ability of doing great service 
to the republic. You, my fellow-citizens, to whom it is 
convenient, go along with me, and pray that you may 
always possess leaders like myself: for as from the age of 
seventeen, to advanced life, you have outgone my years by 
your honours, so I have anticipated your honours by my 
actions.” He then proceeded to the Capitol, followed by 
the whole assembly, not excepting the scribes and apparitors, 
so that the tribunes were left with no other attendants than 
their slaves, and the public crier. A more splendid mode of 
defeating an impeachment was never practised, and Livy 
prefers the glory conferred upon Scipio by his conduct on 
this day, to his triumph over Syphax and the Carthaginians. 
It was, however, but a temporary success; for his enemies 
returning to the charge, cited him a third time, but he re¬ 
fused to submit to what he felt an indignity, and retired to 
his country seat, his brother appearing in his stead, and 
pleading the excuse of ill health, which not being considered 
as satisfactory, the business was adjourned to another day. 
Tiberius Gracchus, father of the celebrated Gracchi, was one 
of the tribunes at this time, and as he was known to be an 
enemy to the Scipios, his refusal to put his name to this 
decree was thought a prelude to something still more severe; 
but it arose from the most honourable feelings: he declared 
that he would not suffer Scipio to be accused till he should 
9 S return 
