The historie of tvvo the moste noble capitaines of the worlde, Anniball and Scipio of theyr dyuers battailes and victories, excedyng profitable to reade, gathered and translated into Englishe, out of Titus Liuius, and other authoures, by Antonye Cope esquier.

¶ Scipio sayleth into Italy, cometh to Rome, and is treate one of the consulies, he despreth to haue licence, to saile into Affrica with an army. Cap. lviii. (Book 58)

SOne after the departyng of Mago from the ile of Gades, the Gaditanes yelded them selues to the Romaynes. P. Scipio committing the rule and gouernaunce of his army to L. Lentulus, & L. Manlius, takyng with him .x. shippes, with men sufficient, went him selfe to Rome. Against whose coming the counsaile satte without the citie in the house of Bellona. There he soberly declared to the senatours, what thinges he had done in Spayne: Howe often he had foughte with banners displayed against his ennemies: howe many cy∣ties he had taken from them by strength: what people he had brought into theyr obeysaunce: he shewed also that he hadde fought with .iiii. sundry capitaines noble men, and vanquished them and their armies, whiche before were neuer vanquished: So that nowe there was no Carthaginenses lefte in Spayne. But for al his noble actes, he was not admitted to entre the ci∣tie with triumph, bicause he had neuer borne office in the citie. After the counsayle arose, he entred the citie, where he presen¦ted and brought into the tresory great plenty of money and ri∣ches of his gaynes and prayes. Soone after the tyme came of chosyng of consuls, at whiche daye P. Cornelius Scipio was chosen consull, and P. Licinius Crassus his fellowe for that yere. Great was the resort that came to behold Scipio where so euer he went. The commons had conceiued in their mindes an opinion of hym, that he was the manne, appoynted by the goddes to finishe the warres in Italy, as he had before dely∣uered Spayne from the Carthaginenses. Whiche warres in Italy ended, they appoynted in theyr owne hertes, and also they spake it openly, that he shulde haue Affrica, appoynted as his prouynce. When the prouynces were allotted, he was appoynted to Sicilia, and L. Crassus to the Brutians against Anniball. The fame amonge the commons ranne styll, that Scipio shoulde haue Affrica to his prouynce. And he euer desyrouse of great glory, sayde: that he was not onely chosen Consull, to meynteyne the warre, but to fynysshe and to make an ende therof. Whiche in no wise myght be achieued, oneles

he myght passe with his army into Affrica. Which his desyre in case the senatours woulde not graunte, he wolde referre it to the voyce of the communes.