nsured him for having so speedily married a woman taken captive
from the enemy without the commanding officer's consent, and he bade
him give her up to the Romans. Masinissa, thoroughly distracted,
rushed into the tent where Sophonis was and cried out to her: "If I
might by my own death ensure thee liberty and freedom from outrage, I
would cheerfully die for thee; but since this is impossible, I send
thee before me whither I and all shall come." With these words he held
out poison to her. And she uttered neither lament nor groan but with
much nobility made answer: "Husband, if this is thy will, I am
content. My soul shall after thee know no other lord: for my body, if
Scipio require it, let him take it with life extinct." Thus she met
her death, and Scipio marveled at the deed.

Laelius conducted to Rome Syphax and his son Vermina and some others of
the foremost men; and the citizens gave Syphax an estate at Alba,
where at his death they honored him with a public funeral, and
confirmed Vermina in the possession of his father's kingdom besides
bestowing upon him the captured Nomads.

[Sidenote: FRAG. 56^54] THE CARTHAGINIANS WHILE MAKING PROPOSITIONS TO
SCIPIO THROUGH HERALDS GAVE HIM MONEY AT ONCE AND GAVE BACK ALL THE
PRISONERS, BUT IN REGARD TO THE REMAINING MATTERS THEY DESPATCHED AN
EMBASSY TO ROME. HOWEVER, THE ROMANS WOULD NOT RECEIVE THE ENVOYS AT
THAT TIME, DECLARING THAT IT WAS A TRADITION IN THE STATE NOT TO ADMIT
AN EMBASSY FROM ANY PARTIES AND NEGOTIATE WITH THEM IN REGARD TO PEACE
WHILE THEIR ARMIES WERE STILL IN ITALY. LATER, WHEN HANNIBAL AND MAGO
HAD EMBARKED, THEY ACCORDED THE ENVOYS AN AUDIENCE AND VOTED THE
PEACE. But Hannibal and Mago departed from Italy not on account of the
tentative arrangements but through haste to reach the scene of war at
home.

The Carthaginians in Libya were not thinking seriously of peace even
before this and had made propositions about a truce only for the
purpose of using up time and with a view to securing Hannibal's
presence. When they heard that Hannibal was really drawing near, they
took courage [Sidenote: FRAG. 56^55] AND ATTACKED SCIPIO BOTH BY LAND
AND BY SEA. WHEN THE LATTER COMPLAINED TO THEM ABOUT THIS, THEY
RETURNED NO PROPER ANSWER TO THE ENVOYS AND ACTUALLY PLOTTED AGAINST
THEM WHEN THEY SAILED BACK; AND HAD NOT A WIND FORTUNATELY ARISEN TO
HELP THEM, THEY WOULD HAVE PERISHED. HENCE SCIPIO, THOUGH AT THIS TIME
THE VOTE REGARDING PEACE WAS BROUGHT TO HIM, RE