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a character which was the admiration and envy of the rest of mankind.

Scipio dispatched his brother to Rome, with the news of his having conquered Spain. But he carried his views much farther, and considered this conquest only as a prelude and preparation for that of all Africa.

[t] Scipio's valour was not his only virtue; he had wonderful address in conciliating esteem, and bringing over others into his views by the arts of insinuation, as he shewed in his famous interview with Syphax king of Numidia, in which [u] Asdrubal was present, who owned, that though he had formed to himself an idea of the military virtues of Scipio, he appeared to him still greater and more admirable in this conference, than he had ever done before.

SCIPIO RETURNS TO ROME, IS CHOSEN CONSUL, AND PREPARES FOR THE CONQUEST OF AFRICA.

[] The fame of Scipio's victories and great virtues had got before him to Rome, and inclined all men in his favour. As soon as he arrived there, he was chosen consul by general consent, and had the province of Sicily assigned him. This lay directly in his road to Africa, and he made no scruple to own that his views and designs tended thither.

Fabius Maximus, either through an excess of circumspection, which was suitable enough to his character, or through mere jealousy, employed all his interest and eloquence in the senate to oppose him, and alledged several, in appearance, very strong reasons against him. Scipio refuted them all, and concluded the dispute by declaring that he would submit to the judgment of the senate: upon which it was decreed that he should have Sicily for his province, with leave to pass into Africa, if the thought it for the good of the republic.

[t] Liv. lib. xxviii. n. 18.
[u] This Asdrubal was not Han-

nibal's brother.

[x] Liv. lib. xxviii. n. 38-46.

He

He lost no time, and immediately set out for Sicily, [y] still keeping in view his design of carrying the war into the enemy's country. Lælius was gone into Africa with some troops, and it was rumoured that Scipio himself was arrived there with his army. Carthage trembled, and thought herself lost. She was soon undeceived, but however the Carthaginians dispatched couriers to the generals in Italy, with orders to use their utmost endeavours to oblige Scipio to be recalled. Masinissa, who had entered into alliance with the Romans, and was very powerful in Africa, made warm instances to him to come thither, and even reproached him for having so long disappointed the expectation of his allies. Scipio did not stand in need of such remonstrances. He instantly made preparations for the war, and hastened his departure with all possible expedition.

[z] Scipio's enemies, in the mean while, had spread a report at Rome, that he spent his time at Syracuse in luxury and pleasures; that the garrison of the city after his example, wallowed in debauchery, and that licentiousness and riot reigned throughout the whole army. Fabius giving credit to these reports, broke out into violent invectives against Scipio, and advised that he should immediately be recalled. The senate acted with more wisdom and moderation, and first resolved to be satisfied of the truth of the fact. They appointed commissioners, who, when they came upon the spot, found all things in wonderful order, the troops perfectly well disciplined, the magazines furnished with provisions, the arsenals stocked with arms and clothes, the gallies extremely well equipped, and ready to set sail. This spectacle filled them with joy and admiration. They concluded, that if Carthage could be conquered, it must be by such a general and such an army; and they pressed Scipio, in the name of the senate, from whom they had received their or

[y] Nihil parvum, sed Cartha- Lib. xxix. n. 1. ginis jam excidia agitabat animo. [z] Ib. n. 19-25.

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ders, to hasten his departure, and gratify the expectation of the public as soon as possible.

[a] Accordingly he set forward, and the Sicilians ran in troops to be witnesses of his departure. Scipio, who had already acquired such reputation by his victories, and, in the opinion of the people, was destined to still greater events, drew upon him the eyes and attention of all mankind. They principally admired the boldness of the scheme, which only he was capable of forming, and had never entered into the head of any other general, of reducing Hannibal to quit Italy by an expedition against Carthage, of carrying the war into Africa itself, and ending it there. Scipio, first offering prayers and libations to the gods at the stern of his ship, set sail with the acclamations, vows, and benedictions of the whole people.

[b] The passage was short and favourable, and as soon as Scipio saw the coast of Africa, lifting up his eyes and hands towards heaven, he besought the gods to favour his enterprise. The report of his landing threw the whole coast into consternation, and terrified even Carthage itself.

Scipio first ravaged all the plain country, and then made himself master of a very opulent city in Africa, where he took eight thousand prisoners. But what gave him the greatest satisfaction, was the arrival of Masinissa, a very brave prince, who joined him with a considerable body of horse.

[c] The Carthaginians presently sent Asdrubal against him, with an army of above thirty thousand men; but their great dependence was upon Syphax, who actually came up very soon after, with fifty thousand foot and ten thousand horse. His arrival obliged Scipio to raise the siege of Utica, a maritime city, which he had begun to attack.

[d] When the winter was over, Scipio resumed the siege, Asdrubal was encamped very near him, and Syphax lay not far off. The last offered some conditions

[a] Liv. lib. xxix. n. 26, 27. [b] Ib. n. 28.

[c] Ib. n. 35.
[d] Lib. xxx. n. 3—17.

of peace, of which the principal were, that the Romans should quit Africa, and Hannibal return from Italy. Nothing in reality could be more opposite to the views and designs of Seipio; but he seemed to give ear to those proposals, and designedly protracted the negotiation, by raising every day some fresh difficulty. In the several interviews between the parties, he had disguised some experienced officers in the habits of slaves, with orders, when they came to the enemy, to examine carefully all that was to be seen of the two camps, their extent, the distance between them, and the materials which the soldiers barracks were built with, and withal to take notice of the discipline observed among them, with the orders of their guard by day, and their watch by night. When he was fully informed of all he wanted to know, he broke off the truce, under pretence that his council advised him to make peace only with Syphax; and to remove all suspicion from the enemy, he made shew as if he intended to attack Utica by sea. When he judged it time to execute his enterprise, he ordered Lælius and Masinissa to set fire to the camp of Syphax, whilst he himself did the same to that of Asdrubal. As night came on, they marched out with their fires. The measures which Scipio had taken were so just, that his design succeeded beyond his expectation. The two powerful armies of the enemy were destroyed by fire and sword, and scarce three thousand escaped out of the fifty thousand and upwards of which they consisted. Those who attempted to pass from one camp to the other, as judging that they alone had been surprised, fell into an ambuscade, which he had laid in the midst of the space that divided the two camps. The spoils were immense. Several cities presently surrendered to him of their own accord; and a second victory gained over the same generals, and the new army they had raised with so great difficulty, made Scipio absolutely master of the whole country. Lælius and Masinissa pursued Syphax to his capital, besieged him there, and took him prisoner. It was then the

famous

famous story of Sophonisba fell out. Syphax was carried to Rome, and as soon as the people there heard the news of so complete a victory, they presently ran into all the temples to return thanks to the gods.

[e] Hannibal at the same time received orders from Carthage, which obliged him to depart immediately. The face of affairs was much changed in Italy. He had received several blows, which had weakened him extremely. He had the mortification to see Capua taken by the Romans almost before his eyes; nor could his march towards Rome divert them from the siege. He drew near the city without any effect, and then let fall this expression, [f] "That the gods "sometimes took from him the inclination, and some"times the power of taking Rome." But what was most grievous to him, he heard, that at the same time he lay before the gates of the city, a body of recruits was dispatched from thence to Spain. But the finishing stroke to his misfortunes, was the entire defeat of his brother Asdrubal's army, of which he was informed by the head of that general being thrown into his camp. He was therefore obliged to retire to the extremities of Italy, where he [g] received his orders from Carthage, which he could not bear without breaking out into bitter sighs and tears, foaming with indignation to see himself thus forced to abandon his prey. No exile ever expressed a greater concern for quitting his own, than Hannibal did for quitting his enemy's country: he often turned his eyes towards the coasts of Italy, complaining both of the gods and men, and pronounced a thousand execrations against himself, for not leading his soldiers directly to Rome

[e] Liv. lib. xxx. n. 29.

[] Audita vox Annibalis fertur, potiundæ sibi urbis Romæ modò mentem non dari, modò fortunam. Lib. xxvi. n. 11.

[g] Frendens, gemensque, ac vix lacrymis temperans, dicitur legatorum verba audisse..... Rarò quemquam alium, patriam exilii

causâ relinquentem, magis mæstum abjisse fuerunt, quàm Annibalem hostium terrâ excedentėm. Respexisse sæpe Italiæ littora, Deos hominesque accusantem, in se quoque ac suum ipsius caput execratum, QUOD NON CRUENTUM AB CANNENSI VICTORIA MILITEM RO

MAM DUXISSET. Lib. xxx. n. 20.

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