fficers, no less by his
prudence than by his bravery. The consul, under whom he fought, committed
many oversights, by having refused to follow his advice. This young
officer extricated the troops from several dangers, into which the
imprudence of their leaders had plunged them. A renowned officer, Phamaeas
by name, who was general of the enemy's cavalry, and continually harassed
the foragers, did not dare ever to keep the field, when it was Scipio's
turn to support them; so capable was he of keeping his troops in good
order, and posting himself to advantage. So great and universal a
reputation excited some envy against him at first; but as he behaved, in
all respects, with the utmost modesty and reserve, that envy was soon
changed into admiration; so that when the senate sent deputies to the
camp, to inquire into the state of the siege, the whole army gave him
unanimously the highest commendations; the soldiers, as well as officers,
nay, the very generals, with one voice extolled the merit of young Scipio:
so necessary is it for a man to deaden, if I may be allowed the
expression, the splendour of his rising glory, by a sweet and modest
carriage; and not to excite jealousy, by haughty and self-sufficient
behaviour, as this naturally awakens pride in others, and makes even
virtue itself odious!

(M143) About the same time, Masinissa, finding his end approach, sent to
desire a visit from Scipio, in order that he might invest him with full
powers to dispose, as he should see proper, of his kingdom and property,
in behalf of his children.(885) But, on Scipio's arrival, he found that
monarch dead. Masinissa had commanded them, with his dying breath, to
follow implicitly the directions of Scipio, whom he appointed to be a kind
of father and guardian to them. I shall give no farther account here of
the family and posterity of Masinissa, because that would interrupt too
much the history of Carthage.

The high esteem which Phamaeas had entertained for Scipio induced him to
forsake the Carthaginians, and go over to the Romans.(886) Accordingly, he
joined them with above two thousand horse, and was afterwards of great
service at the siege.

Calpurnius Piso, the consul, and L. Mancinus, his lieutenant, arrived in
Africa in the beginning of the spring.(887) Nothing remarkable was
transacted during this campaign. The Romans were even defeated on several
occasions, and carried on the siege of Carthage but slowly. The besieged,
on t