o enter himself upon the
same glorious career which had immortalized his great ancestor's name.

There was another analogy between the two cases, viz., that both
Hannibal and Hasdrubal had strong parties opposed to them in Carthage
in the incipient stages of their undertakings. In the present
instance, the opposition had been violently suppressed, and the
leaders of it sent into banishment; but still the elements remained,
ready, in case of any disaster to Hasdrubal's arms, or any other
occurrence tending to diminish his power, to rise at once and put him
down. Hasdrubal had therefore a double enemy to contend against: one
before him, on the battle-field, and the other, perhaps still more
formidable, in the city behind him.

The parallel, however, ends here. Hannibal conquered at Saguntum, but
Hasdrubal was entirely defeated in the battle in Numidia. The battle
was fought long and desperately on both sides, but the Carthaginians
were obliged to yield, and they retreated at length in confusion to
seek shelter in their camp. The battle was witnessed by a Roman
officer who stood upon a neighboring hill, and looked down upon the
scene with intense interest all the day. It was Scipio--the younger
Scipio--who became afterward the principal actor in the terrible
scenes which were enacted in the war which followed. He was then a
distinguished officer in the Roman army, and was on duty in Spain. His
commanding general there had sent him to Africa to procure some
elephants from Masinissa for the use of the army. He came to Numidia,
accordingly, for this purpose, and as the battle between Masinissa and
Hasdrubal came on while he was there, he remained to witness it.

This second Scipio was not, by blood, any relative of the other, but
he had been adopted by the elder Scipio's son, and thus received his
name; so that he was, by adoption, a grandson. He was, even at this
time, a man of high consideration among all who knew him, for his
great energy and efficiency of character, as well as for his sound
judgment and practical good sense. He occupied a very singular
position at the time of this battle, such as very few great commanders
have ever been placed in; for, as he himself was attached to a Roman
army in Spain, having been sent merely as a military messenger to
Numidia, he was a neutral in this contest, and could not, properly,
take part on either side. He had, accordingly, only to take his place
upon the hill, and look down