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.

¶ King Syphax marieth the daughter of Asdruball, he sendeth let∣ters to Scipio, willing him to abstein from any warre in Affri∣ca, with the aunswere and dyssimulation of Scipio vn∣to the same. Scipio arryueth in Affrica with his hoost, to whom cometh Massanissa. Ca. lxii. (Book 62)

VVhyles the Romaynes made this great ordynance for the warre: the Carthaginenses, fearing greatly the co∣ming of Scipio, prepared as moche as they coulde for

theyr defence and strengthe. Wherfore to plucke Syphax from the amitie of the Romaynes, Asdrubal, the sonne of Gis∣gon made hast to fynishe a maryage betwene Syphax and his daughter, that was a very fayre mayden. The kynge being in∣flamed with loue, made hast also to be maried. Then Asdrubal, besides his particular aliance, made a newe general bonde of a∣mitie betwene hym and the Carthaginenses, with greate so∣lempnitie and othes takynge: promisynge faythfully, that the friendes and ennemies of the one, shulde also be the friendes or ennemies to the other. Neuer the lesse Asdruball remem∣bringe the promyse of amytie, that the kynge had ones made with Scipio, when he was lodged with him in his palais: kno∣wynge the mutabilitie and vnstedfastnes of those barbarous na¦tions, and fearynge leste if that Scipio were ones arryued in Affrica, that the bande of mariage wolde be but lyttel worthe: Therfore whyles the loue was feruent betwene the kyng and his daughter, he by his greate desyre, and his daughter also with her fayre entreatynge, caused the kynge to sende his em∣bassadours to Scipio into Sicilia, with letters, gyuynge hym warnynge, that he shulde not vpon the truste of any promise to hym before made by the kynge, sayle ouer into Affrica: aduer∣tisynge hym, that he had maryed the daughter of one Asdru∣ball of Carthage, whom Scipio mette in his palaice, when he arriued in Affrica. Furthermore he sayde, he was in a greate leage and amitie with the people of Carthage. Wherfore he desyred hym and the Romaynes, if they wolde warre with the Carthaginenses, that they do it farre from Carthage, as they haue done heretofore, that he shulde not nede to be present at theyr battailes. For in case Scipio wold not forbeare Affrica, but lay siege to Carthage, he coulde no lesse do, but fighte for the defence of his countrey of Affrica, in which he was gotten borne and brought vp: and for the defence of the countrey of his wyfe, for her father and family.

¶ With these letters came the messangers to the citie of Sy∣racusa to Scipio, who parceiued by the contentes of the same, that he shuld haue great lacke of the kynges helpe, in his bu∣sines of Affrica: yet he set forth a countenaunce, kepynge se∣crete the cause of theyr coming, tyll he had sent them home a∣gayne to the kynge with letters: wherin he moued him, neuer to breake the promise that he ones made him, nor swarue from

the faith and amitie made with the Romains, wherof the god∣des were witnesses. When the messangers wer departed with his letters, Scipio fearing, lest his soudiours wold muse moch and deuise also of the cause of the comynge of the sayd messan∣gers, to hyde the sayd cause from them, and to put them in cou¦rage, he dissembled the matter, and callinge his men to gether sayde to them.

¶ Sirs nowe is the ful tyme for vs to depart hense into Affri∣ca, without further tarieng. For the kinges our friendes haue sent vnto vs, instantly desiring vs, to make spede. Fyrst Massa∣nissa came to Lelius, complaining greatly of our tractynge of tyme. And nowe Syphax hath also sent vnto vs, marueylynge why we tary so longe. Desiringe that we wyll eyther shortlye come ouer to him, or els in case we be otherwise minded, to cer¦tifie hym by writing: that therupon he maye prouyde for hym¦selfe and his countrey. Wherfore sens althinges is now redy, and the matter requireth hast, I intende to leade mine army & nauy to the partes of Lilibeus: & as soone as the wether, ser∣ueth, to depart with the fauour of the gods towardes Affrica.

¶ After these wordes to them spoken, he ordered al thynges for his departynge, and soone after came to the sayde porte, with all his host. All his shyppes also met him there. The nomber whereof was so greatte, that the hauen suffysed not to conteine theym, nor the citie coulde not receyue the men. Of the certainte of the nombre wrytars do not agre. Where∣fore I wyll let it passe. But it semeth, the nomber of the men was greatte, that achyeued so greatte an enterpryse, and for whom so gret prouisiō was made. For there were .iiii. C. ship∣pes charged with men vitailes ordinances and other necessa∣ry cariage, besides .xx. great and long shippes: wherof Sci∣pio him selfe, and L Scipio his brother, toke the gouernance. and other .xx. like shippes vnder the rule of C. Lelius his ad∣myrall of the sea. Whiche .xl. great shippes thus deuided, sai∣led euer on both sydes of the other .iiii. C. as wafters, for the defence of theyr vitayles and cariage. In euery shyppe also he caused to be vittailes and freshe water for .xlv. dayes: wherof the meate that wolde serue for .xv. dayes, was redye sodden: the other was rawe. Then gaue he commaundement to al his souldiours, to kepe peace and sylence in theyr shyps, for trou∣blynge the shipmen: and that they shulde be redy to do al that

the sayd shypmen desyred them to do, if nede requyred. With this great numbre of shippes and of mē, they departed the day folowyng: Euery one of the .xl. long shyppes beinge appoin∣ted to haue in the nyght season one lyght, euery one of the .iiii. C. laden shyppes. u. lyghtes, and the capitaynes chiefe ships for a speciall marke or knowlege, had thre fayre lightes. In the mornynge at the soundinge of a trumpet the vesselles set forth in good order. And Scipio hym selfe at his departynge made his praier openly in the audience of many peple on this maner.

¶Oye goddes and goddesses, whiche inhabite rule and go∣uerne both sea and lande, I humbly beseche you, that ye graūt all thynges that I haue done, do, or shall do, may turne to the honour and welthe of me and the citizens of Rome, and that ye wyll be aydynge and assistinge to me in my procedinges: So that our ennemies, beinge ouer come, we maye safe and sounde returne home to our houses, laden with the pray gotten by the spoyle of our ennemies. Graunt ye also, that I may haue pow∣er, so to do vnto the people and citie of Carthage, as they haue intended to do to the citie of Rome.

¶After these wordes, doing sacrifice (after the custome that they vsed) he departed. The wynde was good, and in shorte space toke them from the fyght of the lande, and within foure dayes, they were brought vpon the cost of Affrica. Then Sci¦pio seinge a great mounteyne or rocke, lienge out vpon the sea, inquired of the mayster of his shyppe, what was the name of that mountain. He answered, it is named the mount of Beaute. Then sayde Scipio, I lyke the name and the lucke therof ve∣ry well: in the nexte hauen therto set vs on lande. When the armye was landed, they get them to the nexte hylles, wher∣vpon they pitched theyr tentes, and encamped them selues. Then were the inhabitantes of the sea costes, and all the coū∣trey there about, in great feare and trouble, perceyuynge the arriuaile of so great a nauy, euery man fled from those parties, takynge with them theyr wynes theyr chyldren and substance: driuinge before them their cattell to the nexte strong townes, to the great feare of all the countrey, where the newes ther∣of was brought. Specially in Carthage such feare sorowe and trouble inuaded the people, as though theyr citie had ben all redy taken by theyr ennemies. They were then vnprouyded bothe of men of warre, and also of a good capitayne to be their

gouernour. The best capitayne that they then had, was As∣drubal the sonne of Bysgon, whom Scipio at diuers battelles in Spayne, had before put to flyghte, and at the last droue him cleane oute of Spayne, with all his helpers: soo that they e∣stemed the capitaynes to be as farre vnlyke, as the armye of Carthage was vnlyke to the Romayne hoste. In this greate feare the gates of the citie were shutte, the walles kepte with watche and warde, as thoughe theyr ennemies had ben already come before the walles of the towne. Fyue hundred horse∣men were also sente forthe to espye the conduite of the Ro∣maynes, who by chaunce mette with manye Romayne horse∣men, that were sent out to robbe and spoyle the fieldes adioy∣nynge, and were by them put to flyghte, to the greate losse of many of the Carthaginenses.

¶Sone after the arriuaile of the Romaynes, came Massanis∣sa to Scipio, bryngynge with hym .ii. C. good men well hor∣sed. His power was then not greate, for he had ben driuen and chased out of his owne realme, and was banished by strengthe out of his owne countrey. Whose comynge was verye ioyfull and comfortable to the Romaynes. The Carthaginenses after the losse of theyr horsemen, assembled againe a newe winge of horsmen, wherof they made gouernor Hanno, the son of Amil∣car. Then sent they letters and legates to Asdruball, to come to the succour of the citie, that was at pointe to be besyeged. They sent also to kyng Syphax, desyring him to come to the socour & defence both of Carthage & also of all Affrica. Then lay the Romaines nere vnto the citie of Vtica. Hanno hauyng with him .iiii. M. horsemen, came to the towne of Salera, xv. miles from the Romain campe. When Scipio had knowlege therof, he sent Massanissa before, with certayn horsemen with hym to shirmishe with them at the gates. Commaunding him, that so sone as the multitude of his ennemies were ones come forth, and that he coulde no longer endure theyr strength, that then he shuld softly withdrawe him selfe towardes the hylles, where he shuld fynde hym with his host, redy to succour him. With this instructiō Massanissa departed & rode to the gates of the citie, skirmishing with such as were at the said gates. ma ny came forth to the battayl, without good order, & then Mas∣sanissa faining him selfe to be afraide, somewhat reculed: some∣time he turned again and fought, with them that folowed him.

Thus he played at base with them, tyll the whole multitude of horsemenne were come furthe of the yates. Than sobrely he withdrewe him selfe tyll he came to the hylles: to which hil∣les the Romayne horsemen were than couertely come. Than Massanissa fiersely retourned and assayled his ennemies, and the Romaines beinge fresshe them selues, and hauyng fresshe horses, compassed and assailed them that were before almoste weery with chasing Massanissa: so that at the fyrst brunt Han∣no him selfe, and ••. M. horsemen with hym were slayne. The rest fledde, wherof the Romaynes in the chase slewe and toke other .ii. M. amonge whom wer many noble men of the citie of Carthage. The pray after the victory was greatte. The towne was taken, and the capytains with other men of armes were welle rewarded by Scipio. But aboue other he gaue Massanissa great gyftes, and leauynge a sufficient garrison in the towne, he with his hoste remoued thense: sendynge mo∣che of the pray, whiche he had taken, bothe men, beastes, and other rychesse, by certayne of his shippes into Sicilia: inten∣dyng hym selfe to assayle the citie of Vtica, with all his power: whiche yf he myght ones wynne, he reckened to be a restyng place for him and his, tyl the rest of his voiage were acheued.

¶ Thus was the town of Vtica besieged round about, & their hope was to haue succours of Asdruball: who had assembled togyther .xxx. M. fotemen, and .iii. M. horsmen. Neuer the lesse for all that numbre, Asdruball durste not sette furthe of Carthage tyll kyng Syphax was also come to hym with fyfty thousande footemen, and .x. M. horsemen. Then set he fore∣wardes, and came nere vnto Vtica, pytchinge his tentes and campe not farre from the Romayn army. There came aboute this tyme from Sicilia and Sardinia, great plenty of wheate, to vitaile the Romaines: so that they had therof great plenty. There was also brought thither .xii. C. gownes, and .xii. M. cotes for the souldiours, and prouision was made for all thyn∣ges that they lacked. These were the actes of Scipio in Affri¦ca this sommer.

¶ Duryng whych sommer P. Sempronius the consull in Ita¦ly fought with Anniball: where the Romayns had the worst, and loste .xii. C. of theyr men. But soone after Sempronius sent for P. Licinius the proconsull, to come to hym with his armye. After whose cōmyng, theyr powers beinge ioyned to¦gether

they went towardes Anniball, and he beynge ioyefull of his laste victory, foughte with theim agayne, to his greate losse. For there were aboue .iiii. M. of his men slayne, and iii. C. taken. Then Anniball, beynge greately dyscomforted with this losse, retourned from thence to Croton. Sone after the tyme of the chosyng of consulles was come, at whiche Cn. Seruilius Cepio, and Cn. Seruilius Geminus were create consulles, & other officers were chosen, according to the olde custome, diuers cities also of the Brutiens, as Consentia, Pan∣dosia, and other, submytted theym selues, and retourned a∣gayne to the Romaynes.