also drove away their cattle before them, so that you would say that Africa was being suddenly deserted.  In the cities, indeed, they occasioned much greater terror than they felt themselves.  At Carthage, particularly, the tumult was almost as great as if it had been captured.  For since the time of Marcus Atilius Regulus and Lucius Manlius, which was almost fifty years ago, the Carthaginians had seen no Roman armament, with the exception of fleets sent for plundering, from which troops had made descents upon the lands bordering on the sea, and after carrying away every thing which chance threw in their way, had always returned to their ships before their noise had collected the peasantry.  For this reason the hurry and consternation in the city was, on the present occasion, the greater.  And, by Hercules, they had neither an efficient army at home, nor a general, whom they could oppose to their enemy.  Hasdrubal, son of Gisgo, was by far the first man in their state in respect of birth, fame, opulence, and, at that time, also by reason of an affinity with the king.  But they recollected that he had been routed in several battles and driven out of Spain by this very Scipio; and that therefore, as a general, he was no more a match for the general of the enemy than their tumultuary army was for that of the Romans.  Therefore they shouted to arms, as if Scipio were coming immediately to attack the city; the gates were hastily closed, armed men placed upon the walls, guards and outposts stationed in different places, and the following night was spent in watching.  The next day, five hundred horsemen, sent to the coast to reconnoitre and interrupt the enemy while landing, fell in with the advanced guards of the Romans; for by this time Scipio, having sent his fleet to Utica, had proceeded a short distance from the sea, and occupied the nearest heights.  He had also placed outposts of cavalry in proper situations, and sent troops through the country to plunder.

29.  These, engaging the body of Carthaginian horse, slew a few of them in the fight, and the greater part of them as they pursued them when they were flying; among whom was Hanno, their captain, a young man of distinction.  Scipio not only devastated the lands in the country round him, but also took a very wealthy city of the Africans which lay nearest to him; where, besides other things which were immediately put on board the transports and sent into Sicily, eight thousand free persons and slaves were captured.  But the most gratifying circumstance to the Romans was, the arrival of Masinissa just at the commencement of their operations.  Some say that he came with not more than two hundred horse, but most authors say with a body of two thousand cavalry.  But, as this man was by far the greatest king of his age, and rendered most essential service to the Romans, it seems worth while to digress a little, to give a full account of the great vicissitudes of fortune he experienced in the loss and recovery of his father’s kingdom.