Livy Book 30

Index

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[5] His praeparatis 
aduocatoque consilio 
et dicere exploratoribus iussis 
quae comperta adferrent 
Masinissaque, 
cui omnia hostium nota erant, 
postremo
 ipse quid pararet 
in proximam noctem proponit; 
tribunis edicit ut 
ubi praetorio dimisso 
signa concinuissent
 extemplo educerent castris legiones.
ita ut imperauerat 
signa sub occasum solis efferri sunt coepta; 
ad primam ferme uigiliam 
agmen 
explicauerunt; 
media nocte--
septem enim milia itineris erant--
modico gradu 
ad castra hostium peruentum est. 
ibi Scipio partem copiarum 
Laelio
 Masinissamque ac Numidas attribuit 
et castra Syphacis inuadere 
ignesque conicere iubet. 
singulos deinde separatim 
Laelium ac Masinissam seductos 
obtestatur 
ut 
quantum nox prouidentiae adimat 
tantum diligentia expleant curaque: 
se 
Hasdrubalem Punicaque castra adgressurum;
 ceterum non ante coepturum 
quam ignem in regiis castris conspexisset.
neque ea res morata diu est; 
nam ut 
primis casis iniectus ignis haesit, 
extemplo proxima quaeque 
et deinceps 
continua amplexus 
totis se passim dissipauit castris. 
et trepidatio quidem 
quantam necesse erat 
in nocturno effuso tam late incendio 
orta est; 
ceterum 
fortuitum 
non hostilem ac bellicum 
ignem rati esse, 
sine armis ad restinguendum incendium effusi 
in armatos incidere hostes, 
maxime Numidas 
ab Masinissa 
notitia 
regiorum castrorum 
ad exitus itinerum idoneis locis dispositos. 
multos in ipsis cubilibus semisomnos 
hausit flamma; 
multi [in] praecipiti fuga ruentes
super alios alii 
in angustiis portarum obtriti sunt.

[30.5]After making these arrangements 
he summoned a council of war and 
ordered the spies to report 
what they had discovered, 
and [ordered] Masinissa 
who knew all about the enemy (to do the same),
and finally
he [laid before them] his own plan of operations
for the coming night 
and directed the tribunes that
when the council had been dismissed
and the trumpets had sounded,
they should at once lead the troops out of camp.
In obedience to his order 
the standards began to march out at sunset. 
About the first watch 
the column of march 
was deployed into line of battle. 
About midnight -
the journey was seven miles -
after advancing at an easy pace
they reached the enemy's camp . 
Scipio [assigned] a portion of his force 
to Laelius, 
including Masinissa and his Numidians, 
and [ordered him] to attack Syphax 
and fire his camp. 
Then he took Laelius and Masinissa apart 

and appealed to them each [separately] 
that 
any plans that the night put into confusion
they make up by extra care and diligence. 
He told them that he 
would attack Hasdrubal and the Punic camp, 
but would wait 
until he saw the king's camp on fire. 
He had not to wait long, 
for when 
the fire was cast on the nearest huts 
it very soon caught all the next ones 
and then 
taking hold of one hut after another 
spread over the whole camp. 
And panic
such as was naturally produced
by extensive fire breaking out at night,
broke out;
but (Syphax's men) [thinking] 
[the fire] was due to accident 
and not to enemy action

rushed out without arms to try and extinguish it.
They ran into armed enemies, 
mainly Numidians 
posted by Masinissa, 
who was thoroughly acquainted 
with the arrangement of the camp, 
in suitable places for blocking all the avenues.
Many, whilst half asleep in their beds, 
were caught by the flames;
Many who had fled precipitately, 
scrambling over one another 
were trampled to death in the camp gates.