for him was still
greater when he appeared before him. For besides that his person,
naturally majestic in the highest degree, was rendered still more
so by his flowing hair, by his dress, which was not in a precise and
ornamental style, but truly masculine and soldier-like, and also by
his age, for he was then in full vigour of body, to which the bloom of
youth, renewed as it were after his late illness, had given additional
fulness and sleekness. The Numidian, who was in a manner thunderstruck
by the mere effect of the meeting, thanked him for having sent home
his brother's son. He affirmed, that from that time he had sought for
this opportunity, which being at length presented to him, by favour of
the immortal gods, he had not allowed to pass without seizing it. That
he desired to serve him and the Roman people in such a manner, as that
no one foreigner should have aided the Roman interest with greater
zeal than himself. Although he had long since wished it, he had not
been so able to effect it in Spain, a foreign and strange country; but
that it would be easy for him to do so in that country in which he had
been born and educated, under the hope of succeeding to his father's
throne. If, indeed, the Romans should send the same commander, Scipio,
into Africa, he entertained a well-grounded hope that Carthage would
continue to exist but a short time. Scipio saw and heard him with the
highest delight, both because he knew that he was the first man in all
the cavalry of the enemy, and because the youth himself exhibited in
his manner the strongest proof of a noble spirit. After mutual pledges
of faith, he set out on his return to Tarraco. Masinissa, having laid
waste the adjacent lands, with the permission of the Romans, that he
might not appear to have passed over into the continent to no purpose,
returned to Gades.

36. Mago, who despaired of success in Spain, of which he had
entertained hopes, from the confidence inspired first by the mutiny of
the soldiers, and afterwards by the defection of Indibilis, received a
message from Carthage, while preparing to cross over into Africa, that
the senate ordered him to carry over into Italy the fleet he had at
Gades; and hiring there as many as he could of the Gallic and Ligurian
youth, to form a junction with Hannibal, and not to suffer the war to
flag which had been begun with so much vigour and still more success.
For this object Mago not only received a supply of money from