ENGLISH TRANSLATION.

"Improbe amor, quid non mortalia pectora cogis?"

LIVY. BOOK XXX. 11-15.

CHAP. XI. About the same time on the arrival of Lælius and Masinissa in Numidia after nearly a fortnight's journey, the latter received the allegiance of the Massylians, his hereditary subjects, who received him with all the joy that naturally greets a sovereign after a long and unwelcome absence. Syphax finding his officers and garrisons expelled from the country, confined himself within his original kingdom, by no means however peaceably disposed. His wife and father-in-law both worked on his amorous nature and urged him forward in his designs: and such a wealth of resources had he both in men and horses that the prospect of a powerful kingdom which had been for years past enjoying prosperity might well have inflamed the ambition even of one of less uncivilized and headstrong spirit. Accordingly he assembled together his whole available military force and distributed among them horses, armour, and weapons. He divided the cavalry into squadrons, the infantry into cohorts, remembering the lessons which he had learnt in old days from the Roman centurions. With an army in point of num

bers fully equal to that which he had formerly possessed, but composed almost wholly of raw material, he marched to meet the enemy and pitched his camp at a short distance from him. First of all horsemen in small reconnoitering detachments advanced under cover from the outposts. These were driven in by the enemy's missiles, and compelled to retire to their own ranks. Then followed sallies on either side, and the infuriation of those who were repulsed constantly brought fresh troops into action. It is in this way generally that cavalry engagements are provoked: hope and rage respectively swell the victorious and the routed ranks. And so, in this instance, a combat, which was originally brought on by a small number, finally, as the enthusiasm for conflict spread, drew out the whole cavalry force of both armies. And so long as it continued a purely cavalry engagement, the overwhelming numbers of the Masæsylians, whom Syphax launched out in huge columns, were almost irresistible. But after a time the Roman infantry by a sudden movement inserted themselves among the squadrons, who opened for their advance, and thus they rallied the line and stayed the enemy in the midst of their furious onset. The barbarians first slackened pace, then halted, disconcerted at this novel mode of warfare, and ended by not only yielding ground before the infantry but by failing to hold their own even against the cavalry, to whom the protection of the infantry had lent new courage. By this time the main body too were drawing near, whereupon the Masasylians without waiting for the first shock of battle fled before the mere sight of the colours and the arms. So powerfully affected were they by the memory of their previous disasters or by the terror of the moment.

CHAP. XII. Syphax now rode up in front of the squadrons of the enemy, hoping that a sense of shame or of his

personal danger might stay the fight; but his horse was severely wounded and he himself was thrown to the ground, overpowered and taken prisoner, then dragged alive to the presence of Lælius—a sight calculated to afford pleasure to none so much as to Masinissa. A large

number of men took refuge in Cirta the capital of Syphax's kingdom. The amount of bloodshed in this engagement gives no adequate idea of the importance of the victory, as the battle had been mainly decided by the cavalry. Not more than five thousand lives were lost, less than half that number were captured in an assault upon the camp where a numerous body had taken refuge in a panic at the loss of their king. Under these circumstances Masinissa said that while, personally the greatest honour he could enjoy at present would be to visit in triumph his ancestral kingdom which he had won again after so long an interval, yet the hour of prosperity was not any more than that of adversity the season for inactivity. If Lælius would allow him to march in advance to Cirta with the cavalry and Syphax as his prisoner he would surprise the place while still in all the bewilderment of fear. Lælius might follow after him with the infantry at his leisure. With the consent of Lælius he advanced upon the town and invited to a personal interview the leading inhabitants. But ignorant as they were of the disaster which had befallen their king, no statement of occurrences, no threats or persuasion on his part produced the least effect, till their king appeared in chains before their eyes. This shocking sight called forth an outburst of sympathy. Some in a panic deserted the fortifications, others hoping to win favour at the hands of the conqueror, hastily came to an understanding and flung open the gates. Masinissa planted guards at the various gates and accessible parts of the fortifications, in order to cut off every avenue for escape, and galloped off to secure the palace.

As he was entering the outer hall he was met on the very threshold by Sophonisba, the wife of Syphax, and daughter of Hasdrubal the Carthaginian. She having caught sight of Masinissa in the midst of his armed retinue distinguished alike by his arms and general bearing, rightly took him to be the king, and flinging herself at his knees thus addressed him. "Absolute power over me has been "granted you by Heaven, by your own prowess and the "favour of fortune. But if a captive may before him who "holds in his hands the power of life and death, breathe a "suppliant's prayer: if she might touch his knees and his "victorious right hand, I entreat and beseech you by your "high and sovereign position-a position which but a few "hours ago was mine also-by the name of the Numidian "race, which you shared with Syphax, by the gods who "watch over this palace (and I pray that they may receive "you with happier omens than those with which they sent "Syphax hence,) grant a suppliant this favour; yourself "ordain your captive's lot according to your own good "pleasure, do not allow me to fall under the cruel and "heartless disposal of any Roman. If I had been simply "the wife of Syphax and nothing more, even then I should "prefer to throw myself upon the honour of a Numidian "and one born in the same land of Africa as myself, than "upon that of an alien and a foreigner. What treatment "a Carthaginian, a daughter of Hasdrubal, may expect at "the hands of a Roman, you know too well. If you have no other means in your power I implore and adjure you "to rescue me by death from the disposal of the Romans." She was of striking beauty and in the prime of life as she clasped his hand and knees* and begged him to pledge his word that she should not be delivered into the hands of a Roman, her language assumed rather an endearing than a supplicatory tone, so that the conqueror's

and

Adopting Crever's emendation "modo genua "; the reading of the MSS. is scarcely possible.