LY THE RECOLLECTION
THAT HE HAD MADE A PREDICTION, SAYING BEFOREHAND THAT HE WOULD ENCAMP
IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY, CAUSED ALL TO HONOR HIM. THE SPANIARDS
ACTUALLY NAMED HIM "GREAT KING."

Hasdrubal, giving up all hope, was anxious to leave Spain for Italy.
[Sidenote: B.C. 208 (_a.u._ 546)] So after packing everything for the
march he started in winter. His fellow commanders held their ground
and kept Scipio busy so that he could not pursue Hasdrubal nor lighten
the burden of war for the Romans in Italy by going there, nor sail to
Carthage. But, although Scipio did not pursue Hasdrubal, he sent
runners through whom he apprised the people of Rome of his approach,
and he himself gave attention to his own immediate concerns. As he saw
that his opponents were spread over a goodly portion of the country,
he dreaded that whenever he should begin an engagement with them, he
should be the cause of their gathering in one place through a
necessity of aiding one another. Accordingly, he conducted in person a
campaign against Hasdrubal, son of Gisco, and sent Silanus into
Celtiberia against Mago, and also Lucius Scipio his brother into
Bastitania. Lucius occupied the district after hard fighting,
conquered Mago, kept close at his heels as he fled to Hasdrubal, and
came to Scipio before the latter had accomplished anything as yet.

Now that Mago had joined Hasdrubal and Lucius his brother Scipio, at
first they would make descents into the plain and fight strenuously
with their cavalry, and later they would array their whole army in
line of battle but did not do any fighting. This went on for several
days. When the clash finally came, the Carthaginians themselves and
their allies were defeated, their stronghold was taken by the Romans,
and the Romans made use of the provisions in it. This Scipio had
prophesied, as the story goes, three days before. For when materials
for food had failed them he predicted--by what prompting is unknown--:
"On such and such a day we shall make use of the enemy's
store."--After this he left Silanus to take care of the surviving
opponents and himself took his departure to the other cities, many of
which he won over. When he had brought order into the newly acquired
territory he took up his winter abode there. His brother Lucius he
despatched to Rome to report the progress made, to convey the captives
thither, and to investigate how the people of Rome felt toward him.

IX, 9.--The dwellers in Italy had su