of Locri, in Southern Italy, and
had left his legate, Q. Flaminius, as commander of the Roman garrison
in that place. The legate treated the Locrians with such severity and
cruelty that they sent an embassy to Rome to lay their complaints
before the Senate. As Scipio, although acquainted with the conduct of
Flaminius, had nevertheless left him in command, his enemies attacked
him on this and other grounds, and Fabius Maximus even proposed that
he should be recalled. A commission was sent out to inquire into the
state of affairs and to bring Scipio home, if the charges against him
were found true. Scipio proved that his army was in the best possible
condition; and the commissioners were so surprised at what they saw,
that instead of recalling the consul, they bade him sail to Africa as
soon as he might think it proper, and to adopt any measures that he
might think useful.

Scipio, in consequence of this, sailed in B.C. 204 as proconsul, with
a large army, from Lilybaeum to Africa, and landed in the neighborhood
of Utica. Here he made successful incursions into the neighboring
country, and Hasdrubal, who attempted to prevent them, suffered a
great defeat. But Scipio could not gain possession of Utica, which was
of the greater importance to him and his fleet as the winter was
approaching, and he was obliged to spend the season on a piece of land
extending into the sea, which he fortified as well as he could. Toward
the close of the winter the Carthaginians, united with Syphax,
intended to make a general attack on Scipio's army and fleet, but
being informed of their plans, he surprised the camps of Hasdrubal and
Syphax in the night, and only a small number of the enemy escaped.
Syphax withdrew into his own dominions, but was defeated by Massinissa
and Laelius, and taken prisoner with his wife and one of his sons.
Massinissa married Sophonisba, the wife of Syphax, who had formerly
been engaged to him, but had been given to Syphax for political
reasons. Scipio, fearing the influence she might have on Massinissa
(for she was a Carthaginian), claimed her as a prisoner belonging to
the Romans, and Massinissa poisoned her, to save her from the
humiliation of captivity.

The fears and apprehensions of the Carthaginians now increased to such
a degree that they thought it necessary to recall Hannibal from Italy,
and at the same time they sued for peace. The terms which Scipio
proposed would have concluded the war in a manner honor