eatly changed.

Masinissa, after his father's death, was often reduced to the brink of
ruin;(849) being driven from his kingdom by an usurper; pursued warmly by
Syphax; in danger every instant of falling into the hands of his enemies;
destitute of forces, money, and of every resource. He was at that time in
alliance with the Romans, and the friend of Scipio, with whom he had had
an interview in Spain. His misfortunes would not permit him to bring great
succours to that general. When Laelius arrived in Africa, Masinissa joined
him with a few horse, and from that time continued inviolably attached to
the Roman interest. Syphax, on the contrary, having married the famous
Sophonisba, daughter of Asdrubal, went over to the Carthaginians.(850)

The fate of these two princes again changed, but the change was now
final.(851) Syphax lost a great battle, and was taken alive by the enemy.
Masinissa, the victor, besieged Cirtha, his capital, and took it. But he
met with a greater danger in that city than he had faced in the field, and
this was Sophonisba, whose charms and endearments he was unable to resist.
To secure this princess to himself, he married her, but a few days after,
he was obliged to send her a dose of poison, as her nuptial present; this
being the only way that he could devise to keep his promise with his
queen, and preserve her from the power of the Romans.

This was a considerable error in itself, and one that could not fail to
disoblige a nation that was so jealous of its authority: but this young
prince gloriously made amends for his fault, by the signal services he
afterwards rendered to Scipio. We observed, that after the defeat and
capture of Syphax, the dominions of this prince were bestowed upon
him;(852) and that the Carthaginians were forced to restore all he
possessed before. This gave rise to the divisions which we are now going
to relate.

A territory situated towards the sea-side, near the lesser Syrtis, was the
subject of the dispute.(853) The country was very rich, and the soil
extremely fruitful; a proof of which is, that the city of Leptis alone,
which belonged to that territory, paid daily a talent to the
Carthaginians, by way of tribute. Masinissa had seized part of this
territory. Each side despatched deputies to Rome, to plead the cause of
their respective superiors before the senate. This assembly thought proper
to send Scipio Africanus, with two other commissioners, to examine the
controv