[Sidenote: B.C. 201 (a.u. 553)] Scipio followed up his victory by a rapid advance against Carthage and proceeded to besiege it by land and sea at once. The Carthaginians at first set themselves in readiness as though to endure the siege, but later, brought to the end of their resources, [Sidenote: FRAG. 56^62] THEY MADE OVERTURES TO SCIPIO FOR PEACE. Scipio accepted their proposals and discussed with them the articles of the compact. THE TERMS AGREED UPON WERE: THAT THE HOSTAGES AND THE CAPTIVES AND THE DESERTERS SHOULD BE GIVEN UP BY THE CARTHAGINIANS, THAT ALL THE ELEPHANTS AND THE TRIREMES (SAVE TEN) SHOULD BE DELIVERED OVER, AND THAT IN THE FUTURE THEY SHOULD NOT KEEP ELEPHANTS NOR MORE SHIPS OF WAR THAN TEN, NOR MAKE WAR UPON ANY ONE CONTRARY TO THE ADVICE AND CONSENT OF THE ROMANS, and a few other points.
WHEN AN AGREEMENT OF THIS NATURE HAD BEEN REACHED,
THE CARTHAGINIANS
DESPATCHED AMBASSADORS TO ROME. [Sidenote: (FRAG.
56^63?)] SO THEY
WENT THEIR WAY, BUT THE SENATE DID NOT RECEIVE THE
EMBASSY READILY;
INDEED, ITS MEMBERS DISPUTED FOR A LONG TIME, ONE
PARTY BEING OPPOSED
TO ANOTHER. [Sidenote: FRAG. 56^64] THE POPULAR
ASSEMBLY, HOWEVER,
UNANIMOUSLY VOTED FOR PEACE AND ACCEPTED THE AGREEMENT
AND SENT TEN
MEN THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH SCIPIO THEY MIGHT SETTLE
ALL THE DETAILS.
AND THE TREATY WAS ACCEPTED, THE TRIREMES WERE GIVEN
UP AND BURNED,
AND OF THE ELEPHANTS THE LARGER NUMBER WERE CARRIED
OFF TO ROME, AND
THE REST WERE PRESENTED TO MASINISSA. THE ROMANS
NOW ABANDONED LIBYA,
AND THE CARTHAGINIANS ITALY.
THE SECOND WAR, THEN, WITH THE CARTHAGINIANS RESULTED
IN THIS WAY AT
THE END OF SIXTEEN YEARS. BY IT SCIPIO HAD BEEN
MADE ILLUSTRIOUS, AND
HE WAS GIVEN THE TITLE OF AFRICANUS (AFRICA WAS THE
NAME OF THAT PART
OF LIBYA SURROUNDING CARTHAGE), AND MANY ALSO CALLED
HIM “LIBERATOR”
BECAUSE HE HAD BROUGHT BACK MANY CAPTIVE CITIZENS.
HE THEREFORE
ATTAINED GREAT PROMINENCE BY THESE DEEDS, BUT HANNIBAL
WAS ACCUSED BY
HIS OWN PEOPLE OF HAVING REFUSED TO CAPTURE ROME WHEN
HE WAS ABLE TO
DO SO, AND OF HAVING APPROPRIATED THE PLUNDER IN ITALY.
HE WAS NOT,
HOWEVER, CONVICTED, BUT WAS SHORTLY AFTER ENTRUSTED
WITH THE HIGHEST
OFFICE IN CARTHAGE.


