had
it not been for the the reserve led by Scipio AEmilianus, a grandson of
Africanus, who was then serving as military tribune. He also performed
many gallant actions when Censorinus retired to Rome, leaving the army in
the hands of his incompetent colleague.

(M900) The second campaign was equally unsuccessful, under L. Calpurnius
Fiso and L. Mancinus. The slow progress of the war excited astonishment
throughout the world. The suspense of the campaign was intolerable to the
proud spirit of the Romans, who had never dreamed of such resistance. The
eyes of the Romans were then turned to the young hero who alone had thus
far distinguished himself. Although he had not reached the proper age, he
was chosen consul, and the province of Africa was assigned to him. He
sailed with his friends Polybius and Laelius. He was by no means equal to
the elder Scipio, although he was an able general and an accomplished man.
He was ostentatious, envious, and proud, and had cultivation rather than
genius.

(M901) When he arrived at Utica, he found the campaign of B.C. 147 opened
in such a way that his arrival saved a great disaster. The admiral
Mancinus had attempted an attack on an undefended quarter, but a desperate
sally of the besieged had exposed him to imminent danger, and he was only
relieved by the timely arrival of Scipio.

(M902) The new general then continued the siege with new vigor. His
headquarters were fixed on an isthmus uniting the peninsula of Carthage
with the main-land, from which he attacked the suburb called Megara, and
took it, and shut up the Carthaginians in the old town and ports. The
garrison of the suburb and the army of Hasdrubal retreated within the
fortifications of the city. The Carthaginian leader, to cut off all
retreat, inflicted inhuman barbarities and tortures on all the Roman
prisoners they took. Scipio, meanwhile, intrenched and fortified in the
suburb, cut off all communication between the city and main-land by
parallel trenches, three miles in length, drawn across the whole isthmus.
The communication with the sea being still open, from which the besieged
received supplies, the port was blocked up by a mole of stone ninety-six
feet wide. The besieged worked night and day, and cut a new channel to the
sea, and, had they known how to improve their opportunity, might, with the
new fleet they had constructed, have destroyed that of their enemies,
unprepared for action.

(M903) Scipio now resolved to