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 wisely espieng the maner of his ennemies campes, in the nyght burneth them bothe, putteth Syphax and Asdruball to flyght, with great losse of theyr men. They make agayn a newe fylde, and are eftsones discomfyted and put to flyghte. Cap. lxiii. (Book 63)

THe winter drewe nere, and both the gret hostes lay encamped not farre from Vtica: Yet Scipio neuer ceassed from the besiegynge of the towne, and his campe was in syghte of his ennemyes. His mynd was styll vpon his busynes touching the warre. Amonge other his cares, he deuised greatly, by what meanes he myght wynne king Syphax from the Carthaginenses, iudgyng that the heate of loue, which he had to his yonge wyfe, was by that tyme somewhat asswaged, and that he was then werye of the pleasure in loue, beinge (as he thoughte) satisfyed therin to his contentation: When he had by legates assaied the mynde of the kynge, he made aun∣swere, that he wolde intreate of peace betwene the Romains and the Carthaginenses, Vpon this condition, that the Ro∣maynes shulde departe cleane out of Affrica, and the Cartha∣ginenses lykewyse out of Italy, without further trouble: or∣elles he wolde not fayle to pursue the warre on the partie of the Carthaginenses. With these conditions Scipio was no∣thynge pleased: Neuerthelesse, trustinge by further commu∣nication in the matter: to haue aduauntage, by the serche and trewe knowledge of the state of his ennemyes, throughe the common entercourse of eyther partie to the others campe: he

fayntly refused those conditions, wherby his ennemies myght take some hope of the achieuinge of theyr purpose. Now were the wynter houses in the campes of the Carthaginenses made of wodde and bowes, suche as they coulde get together. The Numidiens lodginges were couered with flagges and redes, and they laye within theyr campe, without order. Many also chosynge theyr owne places without assignemente, laye with∣oute the campe or dyches: whiche beinge shewed to Scipio, gaue hym a comfort and an hope, that the lodginges of his en∣nemies by pollicie myghte be set on fyre. Wherfore at euerye tyme that he sente any embassadours to the kynge Syphax, to entreate of the peace, to be parfectly assured of the ••rewe state of all thynges, he euer sent with them certayne witty fellowes of his army, disguysed in the habite and fourme of slaues, com∣maundinge them, whiles the embassadours were busy in theyr communication, that they shulde straye abrode to all partes of the campe of his ennemies, and to marke well the entrees and issues of the campes, with the syte & fascion of the stacion or lodginges, as well of the Carthaginenses as of the Numidi∣ens, and in what quarter they were sette, and howe farre the kynges campe was distante from the campe of Asdruball, with the maner of theyr watche and warde bothe by nyghte and by daye.

¶ When the matter was thus dyuerse tymes debated betwen the two counsayles: and that the Romaynes were parfecte of all the state of theyr ennemies, and theyr order: Then the le∣gates of Scipio sayde vnto the kynge, that they were com∣maunded neuer to returne, vntyll they had brought determy∣nate aunswere, eyther of peace or of warre: Desyrynge hym, eyther to gyue aunswere therof hym selfe, or to take the coun∣sayle and aduyse of Asdruball and the Carthaginenses, and therupon to make them theyr aunswere. For it was nowe hye tyme to knowe, eyther the oone or the other, withoute fur∣ther tryfelynge forthe of tyme. Thus while Syphax toke the aduyse of Asdruball, and Asdruball of the noble menne of Carthage, the espyes had leysar to viewe and serche all thyn∣ges that they were charged with: and Scipio hadde tyme to prepare all that was mete to serue his purpose. The Numi∣diens also and the Carthaginenses, trustynge euer on peace, were neglygente in foreseinge and aduoydynge daungiers of

warre, that were prepared for theyr myschiefe. At the laste aunswere was made, that the Romaynes woulde haue peace, but theyr conditions were not indifferente, whiche they desy∣red. Wheruppon Scipio, hauynge a good occasion, honest∣lye to breake the truse before betwene theim taken: On the morrowe he sente worde to the kynge, that syns he percey∣ued no man wyllynge to haue peace but hym selfe: therefore the kynge from thens forthe shulde truste to haue noo peace with the Romaynes, onlesse he wolde leaue the amitie of the Carthaginenses. Then was the tyme of truse expyred, and the sprynge of the yere was come. Wherefore Scipio, to brynge his pourpose aboute, assembled to gether his shippes, and furnished theim with ordynaunce and artyllery, as though he woulde assayle Vtica on the sea coste. He also sente two thousande men of warre to kepe the hyll about Vtica, whiche before laye vnkepte: And that he dydde for two purposes.

Fyrste, to drawe the myndes of his ennemies from the suspe∣ction of that whiche he had deuysed, and to occupy them with contrary worke. Secondly, with that power to defende his campe from the excursions of the citezens, in case they wolde issue out, whyles he with his power were gone to Syphax and Asdruball. Then dydde he open vnto Massanissa, and certayne other, what his mynde was to doo the nyghte fo∣lowynge. And he commaunded the Tribunes, that in the euenynge folowynge, they shulde brynge forthe the hoste in∣to the fyeldes. They accordynge to his commaundement, a∣boute the sonne settynge, sette forthe the standardes and ban∣ners, and in the begynnynge of the nyghte, the hoste set for∣warde in arraye, so that by mydnyghte they hadde gone .vii. myles, and were come nere to the campe of theyr ennemyes. Then Scipio deuyded his army in .ii. partes. The one parte with the Numidiens, he appoynted to Lelius and Massanis∣sa, wyllynge them to inuade the campe of kynge Syphax, and to set fire on the lodginges made of bowes and of flagges, har∣tely prayinge them bothe, that nyght to apply theyr businesse with great dilygence. And he sayde, that so sone as he myghte perceyue the fyre to be in the kynges campe, then wolde he al∣so assayle the campe of Asdruball.

¶ Accordyng to his commaundement the purpose was achie∣ued. For incontinent after the fyre was put into the vttermost

partes and houses, the fyre anon toke in the drye styckes and flagges, and ranne from one house to an other: so that in shorte space it was abrode in euery parte of the campe. The Numidi∣ens of the kynges hoste, parceyuinge the fyre, were stryken with a sodeyne great feare, and the more bycause it chaunced in the nyght season. yet nothynge mistrustinge the cause ther∣of to aryse throughe their ennemies, but iudginge it to come throughe some negligence or euyll fortune. They ranne on all partes to helpe to ceasse or quenche the fyre, without armour or weapons. Nowe Massanissa, whiche knewe the wayes and entrees about the kinges campe, had soo laide his Numidiens in embushmētes, that as the people ran abrode to quenche the fyre, they fel into the company of theyr ennemies er they knew where they were, and by that meanes many were slaine, many also wer burned in theyr beddes with fyre. The watche of the Carthaginenses, in the campe of Asdruball, parceyuinge the great fires in the kynges campe, awaked the rest of the hoste. Who being also deceyued, for that they thought the fyre was hapned by negligence, and not by the deuise of theyr ennemies, and herynge the greate crye of theyr companye in the kynges hoste, that were slayne, whiche they thought came but onely throughe the sodeyne feare of the fyre, that was happened in the nyghte: they ranne together in companyes vnarmed out of the gates of theyr campes, the next way, takyng onely with them suche thynges, wherwith they myght quenche the fyre. Whom the Romaynes receyued as they came, and flewe them euery one, that none escaped to beare tydynges therof. Then Scipio incontinent inuaded the campe. Where fyudynge the gates ther of vnwarded, he entred with his armye, and set fyre on the lodginges in diuerse partes, whiche spreadyng abrode, in short space burned all that was therin, bothe man beaste and stuffe. And suche as wold haue fledde from the daunger of the fyre, were slayne with the swerde of the Romaynes.

¶ Thus in one tyme were bothe the campes wonne. Neuer∣thelesse bothe the capitaines escaped with .xx. M. fotemen, and v. C. horsemen: wherof manye were wounded and hurte with that fyre. There were slayn and burned that night .xl. M. besydes them that there were taken, aboue .vi. thousand, with many noble men of Carthage: whereof .xl. were senatours, with a greate and ryche praye, of horses armure and other

thynges moche of valure, whiche were distributed amonges the souldiours. The kynge with certayne with hym, fledde to his owne countrey.

¶ Asdruball with as great speede as he mightcame to Car∣thage, where he founde the citie soore troubled, and in greate feare. For they iudged, that Scipio, leauynge the further as∣sault of Vtica, wolde incontinent after his victory come to as∣sault and ouercome Carthage. Than they determined, in hast to assemble a newe host of the citie and countrey about theim. They also sent messangers to kynge Syphax, to require hym, that he would gather his power, and healpe to defende bothe his countrey and theyrs. Whervnto his yonge wyfe muche moued hym: who pyteously wepyng, desyred hym not to suf∣fre his fathers and her countrey to be distroyed, and the citie of Carthage to be bourned by the Romaynes, as they of late bourned the kynges tentes and her fathers. The legates of Carthage also shewed hym, that good fortune was comminge towardes them. For that there were arryued of late .iiii. M. men of warre of Celtiberia, a countrey of Spayne, whyche were hyred to comme to their succours. And that Asdruball woulde not fayle to ioyne with hym with a full noble armye. To whome the kyng gaue gentyll aunswere, sayinge, that he woulde assemble and put in armour all the lusty yonge men of his realme. For he sayde, he knewe well, that he was before ouercome by fyre, and not by battayle. Wherefore he woulde neuer accompte hym selfe vanquyshed, oneles he were ouer∣come and subdued in the fielde by strength and power. With this answere the messangers departed.

¶ And shortly after, accordyng to theyr appoyntement, As∣druball and the kynge mette togyther, with their armies, and had betweene them bothe .xxx. M. men. Scipio herynge of theyr newe comming agayne on hym, with that power, lefte at the sayde Vtica, a smalle numbre of his people, bothe by sea and by lande: and hym selfe with his greatte power, went to mete his ennemies. He pitched his campe in the playn fielde, not farre from the kynges campe, where lyghte skyrmysshes were made betweene the horsemen of bothe partes, by the space of .iii. dayes. On the fourthe day, the capitaynes prepa∣red theyr hostes to battayle.

¶ Scipio set his spearemen in the front of his battayle: be∣hynde

whome were his best assured souldiours footemen set to theyr ayde and succours. On the ryghte wynge were his horsemen of Italy. In the lefte wynge was Massanissa with his Numidian horsemen.

¶ On the other side, Asdruball against the wynge of Italyan horsmen, set his Numidians, and against Massanissa he set his Carthaginenses. In the middes were the newe souldiours of Celtiberia. Thus beinge ordered, the battailles ioyned. And at the fyrst encountre, both the winges of the Carthaginenses and of the Numidians were driuen backe. For the Numidians being now rude and vntaught men of armes, were noothinge able to resyste the Romain horsmen: neither the Carthaginen∣ses (being also vnexpert in feates of warre) were able to with∣stande Massanissa, that was fierse and terrible, through the ioy of his late victory. Wherfore the wynges beinge thus put to flight, the poore army of the Celtiberians remained alone, na∣ked, destitute of helpe or refuge. Flie they durste not, for that beinge in an vnknowen cuntrey, they knewe no place whither to flie to be saued. Again, if they were taken, they looked for no grace at Scipios hand: seinge they came from their owne cuntrey into Affrica, to fight against hym that had before ofte tymes been their good frende. Wherfore, being compassed a∣bout with their ennemies, they were slayne one vppon an o∣ther without pitie. But whiles al men were busy about theim, Syphax and Asdrubal had tyme to escape, to whom the night beinge so nere, was moche their safegarde.

¶ What feare the Carthaginenses were in after this great o∣uerthrowe of their friendes, and seing Scipio with his army, ouer ryding the countrey rounde aboute theim, and winning the cities and townes, which were vnder their subiection: no penne can write, nor tunge expresse. They loked euery houre whan theyr citie shoulde be enuyronned with their ennemies: they fortifyed their walles, they broughte in vytayles to en∣dure a lenger space, and prepared all thynges necessarye. They consulted, what were best for theym to do. It was a∣greed, that messangers shoulde be sent with letters to Anni∣ball, commaundyng him to come to Carthage with his power to their socours.

¶ Certayn of the senatours gaue counsel, that a good nombre of shippes, furnyshed with men and ordenance, shuld sodeinly

inuade the Romayne hoste and nauy, that lay in rest at Vtica: not mystrustynge, but they shulde fynde the shyppes negly∣gently kept: wherby with small peyne they myghte oppresse theim. On these two pointes the senators agreed. The ship∣pes were sette furthe, and letters were also sent to Anniball. Scipio retournynge from the battayle, leadynge and cariyng with hym the spoile or pray of many townes, which he wanne: sent his sayde praye with the prisoners to his campe at Vtica. He hym selfe came to Tunnes, whyche he found void of men of warre. They were fled after the battayle, and left the town without any garrison. Of the takyng of this towne Scipio was very gladde, as well for that it was naturally stronge by reason of the syte therof, besyde that it was surely fortifyed by the industry of man, as also for that the place was so com∣modyouse for his pourpose. It was dystaunt from Carthage twelue myles. Yet frome thense he myghte welle see the ci∣tie of Carthage, and also the sea that bette on the walles of the towne.

¶ Whyles the Romaynes were castynge a trenche and for∣tifiynge this towne of Tunnes: they perceyued the nauy of the Carthaginenses saylynge towardes Vtica. Than Scipio leauyng his woorkes, made haste with his men towardes V∣tica, to come to the healpe of his shippes, that lay at the siege therof, and came before the arryuing of the Carthaginenses: who trifled the tyme on the sea, beinge in feare to set on that enterpryse: so that Scipio had prouyded well for the defence of his shyppes before their coming. Neuer the lesse after mo∣che trouble and fyght on the sea, they toke with them .vi. Ro∣mayn shyppes, and returned to Carthage, where no small ioy was made of that very small gayne.