e was made prisoner by Hannibal, would influence me most as an
authority did he not confound the number by adding the Gauls and
Ligurians. Including these (who, it is more probable, flocked to him
afterward, as some authors assert), he says that eighty thousand foot
and ten thousand horse were brought into Italy; and that he had heard
from Hannibal himself that, after crossing the Rhone, he had lost
thirty-six thousand men, and an immense number of horses and other
beasts of burden among the Taurini,[71] the next nation to the Gauls,
as he descended into Italy.

III

HANNIBAL AND SCIPIO AT ZAMA[72]

(202 B.C.)

Hannibal had by this time arrived at Adrumetum,[73] from which place,
after employing a few days there in refreshing his soldiers, who had
suffered from the motion by sea, he proceeded by forced marches to
Zama, roused by the alarming statements of messengers, who brought
word that all the country round Carthage was filled with armed troops.
Zama is distant from Carthage a five days' journey. Some spies, whom
he had sent out from this place, being intercepted by the Roman guard,
and brought before Scipio, he directed that they should be handed over
to the military tribunes, and, after having been desired fearlessly to
survey everything, he conducted them through the camp wherever they
chose; then, asking them whether they had examined everything to their
satisfaction, he assigned them an escort, and sent them back to
Hannibal. Hannibal received none of the circumstances which were
reported to him with feelings of joy; for they brought word that, as
it happened, Masinissa had joined the enemy that very day, with six
thousand infantry and four thousand horse; but he was principally
dispirited by the confidence of his enemy, which, doubtless, was not
conceived without some ground. Accordingly, tho he himself was the
originator of the war, and by his coming had upset the truce which had
been entered into, and cut off all hopes of a treaty, yet, concluding
that more favorable terms might be obtained if he solicited peace
while his strength was unimpaired than when vanquished, he sent a
message to Scipio requesting permission to confer with him.

Their armed attendants having retired to an equal distance, they met,
each attended by one interpreter, being the greatest generals not only
of their own times, but of any to be found in the records of the times
preceding them, and equal to any of the kings or ge