[12] Ibi Syphax dum obequitat hostium turmis si pudore, si periculo suo fugam sistere posset, equo grauiter icto effusus opprimitur capiturque et uiuus, laetum ante omnes Masinissae ) praebiturus spectaculum, ) ad Laelium pertrahitur. caedes in eo proelio minor quam uictoria fuit quia equestri tantummodo proelio certatum fuerat: non plus quinque milia occisa, minus dimidium eius hominum captum est impetu in castra facto quo perculsa rege amisso multitudo se contulerat. Cirta caput regni Syphacis erat; eoque ex fuga ingens hominum se contulerat uis. Masinissa sibi quidem dicere nihil esse in praesentia pulchrius quam uictorem reciperatum tanto post interuallo patrium inuisere regnum, sed tam secundis quam aduersis rebus non dari spatium ad cessandum; si se Laelius cum equitatu uinctoque Syphace Cirtam praecedere sinat, trepida omnia metu se oppressurum; Laelium cum peditibus subsequi modicis itineribus posse. adsentiente Laelio praegressus Cirtam euocari ad conloquium principes Cirtensium iubet. sed apud ignaros regis casus nec quae acta essent promendo nec minis nec suadendo ante ualuit quam rex uinctus in conspectum datus est. tum ad spectaculum tam foedum comploratio orta, et partim pauore moenia sunt deserta, partim repentino consensu gratiam apud uictorem quaerentium patefactae portae. et Masinissa praesidio circa portas opportunaque moenium dimisso ne cui fugae pateret exitus, ad regiam occupandam citato uadit equo. Intranti uestibulum in ipso limine Sophoniba, uxor Syphacis, filia Hasdrubalis Poeni, occurrit; et cum in medio agmine armatorum Masinissam insignem cum armis tum cetero habitu conspexisset, regem esse, id quod erat, rata genibus aduoluta eius 'omnia quidem ut possis' inquit 'in nobis di dederunt uirtusque et felicitas tua; sed si captiuae apud dominum uitae necisque suae uocem supplicem mittere licet, si genua, si uictricem attingere dextram, precor quaesoque per maiestatem regiam, in qua paulo ante nos quoque fuimus, per gentis Numidarum nomen, quod tibi cum Syphace commune fuit, per huiusce regiae deos, qui te melioribus ominibus accipiant quam Syphacem hinc miserunt, hanc ueniam supplici des ut ipse quodcumque fert animus de captiua tua statuas neque me in cuiusquam Romani superbum et crudele arbitrium uenire sinas. si nihil aliud quam Syphacis uxor fuissem, tamen Numidae atque in eadem mecum Africa geniti quam alienigenae et externi fidem experiri mallem: quid Carthaginiensi ab Romano, quid filiae Hasdrubalis timendum sit uides. si nulla re alia potes, morte me ut uindices ab Romanorum arbitrio oro obtestorque.' forma erat insignis et florentissima aetas. itaque cum modo dextram amplectens in id ne cui Romano traderetur fidem exposceret propiusque blanditias iam oratio esset quam preces, non in misericordiam modo prolapsus est animus uictoris, sed, ut est genus Numidarum in uenerem praeceps, amore captiuae uictor captus. data dextra in id quod petebatur obligandae fidei in regiam concedit. institit deinde reputare secum ipse quemadmodum promissi fidem praestaret. quod cum expedire non posset, ab amore temerarium atque impudens mutuatur consilium; nuptias in eum ipsum diem parari repente iubet ne quid relinqueret integri aut Laelio aut ipsi Scipioni consulendi uelut in captiuam quae Masinissae iam nupta foret. factis nuptiis superuenit Laelius et adeo non dissimulauit improbare se factum ut primo etiam cum Syphace et ceteris captiuis detractam eam |
[30.12]There, while Syphax was riding up to the squadrons of the enemy in the hope that a sense of honour or his own personal danger might check the flight of his men, his horse was severely wounded and he was thrown, overpowered and captured, and, alive, to provide a sight ) welcome to Masinissa above all,) he was dragged off to Laelius. The casualties in that battle were less important than the victory, because it was only in a cavalry battle that the fighting had taken place. There were not more than 5000 killed, Less than half that number were made prisoners in the storming of the camp, whither, shocked by the loss of the king. the mass of troops had fled. Cirta was Syphax's capital, and to that city a huge body of men escaped . Masinissa told Laelius that nothing would delight him more for the moment than [to visit] as conqueror his ancestral dominions ) recovered after so many years,) but in success as in defeat there was no place for delaying. If Laelius [would allow] him [to go on] with the cavalry and the vanquished/chained up Syphax to Cirta, amidst the general confusion and alarm he would be able to surprise the city; Laelius [might follow] with the infantry by easy stages. Laelius gave his consent and Masinissa advanced to Cirta and ordered the leading citizens ) to be invited to a conference. ) But among people who were ignorant of what had happened to the king, neither by telling them what had occurred nor by threats nor by persuasion did he get anywhere until the king was brought before them in chains. Then at such a foul spectacle there was an outburst of grief, and partly out of fear the defences were abandoned, and partly from a sudden unanimous resolve to seek the victor's favour the gates were opened to him. And Masinissa, after [placing] guards round all the gates and at suitable places on the walls to prevent anyone escaping, he galloped up to the palace ) to take possession of it. ) As he was entering the vestibule, on the very threshold in fact, Sophonisba, the wife of Syphax and daughter of the Carthaginian Hasdrubal met him. When [she saw], surrounded by an armed escort, Masinissa conspicuous both by his arms and by his other dress, rightly guessing that he was the king, she threw herself at his feet; "Absolute power," she said, "over us, the gods have given you - and your own courage and luck; But if a captive before one who is master of her fate may utter words of supplication, [if she may touch] his knees and his victorious right hand, then I pray and beseech you by the kingly greatness in which we too not long ago were clothed, by the name of the Numidian race which you and Syphax alike bear, by the gods of this palace, - may they receive you with fairer omens than they sent Syphax hence with - grant this favour to your suppliant, that you yourself [decide] whatever your heart decides about your captive, and that you do not [allow me to come] under any Roman's proud and cruel tyranny. Had I been simply the wife of Syphax, yet to [the honour of] a Numidian born in the same Africa as myself rather than of an alien and foreigner I would choose to entrust myself. What a Carthaginian [has to fear] from a Roman, what the daughter of Hasdrubal has to fear, you see. If you can do it no other way, then [I implore you] to save me by death from the will of the Romans." Sophonisba's beauty was outstanding and she was in the bloom of youth. And so as she held Masinissa's hand [and begged him to give his word] to this: that she should not be surrendered to any Roman. her words were nearer to blandishment ) than to entreaty. ) It was not to pity only that the victor's heart fell, but, like all the race of Numidians, he fell head-over-heels in love, - the victor captured by love for his captive. He gave her his right hand (in token) that he would do what she wished him to do and then retired into the palace. Then he began to consider (with himself) in what way he could redeem his promise, Since he could not settle this, out of love he adopted a [rash and shameless] plan. [He suddenly ordered] a wedding on that very day to be prepared, to avoid leaving any genuine excuse for Laelius or Scipio himself to treat as a prisoner one who was now Masinissa's wife. When the marriage ceremony was over Laelius appeared on the scene, and, far from concealing his disapproval of what had been done, at first he actually [attempted] (along with Syphax and the other prisoners) to drag her from the marriage bed and send her to Scipio. Then, overcome by Masinissa's pleas, who asked that the decision which of the two kings should be the happy possessor of Sophonisba should be left to Scipio. Sending away Syphax and the prisoners, the remaining cities in Numidia which were still held by the king's garrisons he recovered with Masinissa's aid. |
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