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[3] His transactis 
consules praetoresque 
in prouincias profecti; 
omnibus tamen, 
uelut eam sortitis, 
Africae cura erat, 
seu quia ibi 
summam rerum bellique 
uerti cernebant 
seu ut Scipioni gratificarentur, 
in quem tum omnis uersa ciuitas erat. 
itaque non ex Sardinia tantum, 
sicut ante dictum est, 
sed ex Sicilia quoque et Hispania 
uestimenta frumentumque, 
et arma etiam 
ex Sicilia et omne genus commeatus 
eo portabantur. 
nec Scipio 
ullo tempore hiemis 
belli opera remiserat, 
quae multa simul undique eum circumstabant.
Uticam obsidebat; 
castra in conspectu Hasdrubalis erant;
Carthaginienses deduxerant naues; 
classem paratam instructamque 
ad commeatus intercipiendos habebant. 
inter haec 
ne Syphacis quidem reconciliandi curam 
ex animo miserat, 
si forte iam satias 
amoris in uxore 
ex multa copia 
eum cepisset. 
ab Syphace magis 
pacis cum Carthaginiensibus condiciones 
ut Romani Africa, 
Poeni Italia excederent 
quam, 
si bellaretur, 
spes ulla desciturum adferebatur.
--haec per nuntios acta 
magis equidem crediderim--
et ita pars maior auctores sunt--
quam ipsum Syphacem, 
ut Antias Ualerius prodit, 
in castra Romana ad conloquium uenisse.
 --primo eas condiciones imperator Romanus 
uix auribus admisit; 
postea, 
ut causa probabilis suis commeandi foret 
in castra hostium, 
mollius eadem illa abnuere 
ac spem facere 
saepius ultro citroque agitantibus 
rem conuenturam.
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(Here the AS prescription begins)
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hibernacula Carthaginiensium, 
congesta temere ex agris materia 
exaedificata, 
lignea ferme tota erant. 
Numidae praecipue 
harundine textis 
storeaque pars maxima tectis, 
passim nullo ordine, 
quidam ut sine imperio 
occupatis locis 
extra fossam etiam uallumque habitabant. 
haec relata Scipioni 
spem fecerant 
castra hostium per occasionem incendendi.
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[3]When this business was completed 
the consuls and praetors 
departed to their various provinces. 
They were all, however, 
as much as if the ballot had assigned it to them,
interested in Africa,  
whether it was that  there 
the issue of the war and their country's fate,
they saw, would be decided, 
or that they wished to do a service to Scipio 
as the man to whom then all eyes were turned. 
So it was that not only from Sardinia, 
as above stated, 
but from Sicily itself and from Spain, 
clothing, corn, 
even arms 
and supplies of all kinds  from Sicily,
were forwarded to him. 
Scipio himself had not
at any time throughout the winter 
paused in the numerous military operations 
which were pressing him on all sides. 
He maintained the siege of Utica; 
his camp was in full view of Hasdrubal; 
the Carthaginians had launched their ships, 
they held their fleet ready and fully equipped 
to intercept his supplies. 
Among all these things 
he had not lost sight of        )
his purpose to win over Syphax, )
in case already a glut
in his passion for his bride 
through unstinted enjoyment
should have affected him. 
Syphax was more anxious for 
peace with Carthage on condition 
that the Romans should evacuate Africa, 
and the Carthaginians Italy, 
but he gave Scipio to understand than that 
if the war continued 
he should not desert his allies. 
I believe that the negotiations       )
were conducted through intermediaries )
- and most of the authorities take this view -
 rather than that Syphax personally, 
as Antias Valerius asserts, 
came to the Roman camp to confer with Scipio.
At first these terms the Roman commander
would hardly allow these terms to be mentioned;
afterwards, however, 
so that his men might have a plausible reason)
for visiting the enemies' camp               )
he did not reject then so decidedly, 
and held out hopes 
that after frequent discussions 
they might come to an agreement. 
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(Here the AS prescription begins)
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The winter quarters of the Carthaginians,
built from hurriedly gathered materials )
from the country round,                 )
were almost wholly made of wood. 
The Numidians in particular 
[lived in] huts made of wattled reeds 
and mostly roofed with grass matting; 
all over the camp in no arrangement,
and some, as without orders
they had siezed a site for their hut, 
even lived outside the ditch and rampart. 
When this was reported to Scipio, 
he was hopeful 
of burning the camp down if 
an opportunity presented itself.