Summary of Book XXX
Scipio in Africa defeated the Carthaginians and the
same Syphax, King of Numidia, and Hasdrubal in a
number of battles with the aid of Masinissa. He took by
assault two camps of the enemy, in which forty thousand
men were wiped out by sword and fire. He captured
Syphax by the help of Gaius Laelius and Masinissa.
Masinissa, having captured Sophoniba, wife of Syphax
and daughter of Hasdrubal, at once fell in love and
after marrying her had her to wife. When rebuked by
Scipio he sent her poison, and upon drinking it she died.
The consequence of Scipio's many victories was that the
Carthaginians, driven to despair, recalled Hannibal to the
defence of the state. And he, withdrawing from Italy
in the sixteenth year, crossed over to Africa and endeavoured by a conference to make peace with Scipio;
and as there was no agreement on the peace terms, he was
vanquished in battle. The Carthaginians sued for peace
and it was granted them. When Gisgo argued against a
peace, Hannibal with his own hand dragged him down.
Then after apologizing for the rashness of his act, he himself argued in favour of peace. Masinissa's kingdom was
restored to him. Returning to the city Scipio celebrated
a most splendid and distinguished triumph, followed by
Quintus Terentius Culleo, a senator, wearing a liberty
cap. Whether Scipio Africanus received that cognomen
first from his popularity with the soldiers or from fickle
favour of the people is not known. Certainly he was the
first commander-in-chief to be distinguished by the name
of a nation he had conquered. Mago was wounded in a
war in which he had come in conflict with Romans in the
land of the Insubrians, and while returning to Africa,
having been recalled by envoys, he died of his wound.
