Appian, The Punic Wars 6
Appian of Alexandria (c.95-c.165): one of the most underestimated of all Greek historians, author of a Roman History in twenty-four books.
Although only Appian's books on the Roman Civil Wars survive in their entirety, large parts of the other books, devoted to Rome's foreign wars, have also come down to us. The parts on the Punic wars, the wars in Iberia, and the Mithridatic Wars are very important historical sources. This is also true for Appian's account of the Third Punic War, the second part of the book presented on these pages, which is one of our main sources for this conflict.
Because these texts have to be reconstructed from several medieval manuscripts, not all editions of Appian's account of Rome's foreign wars are numbered in the same way. On these pages, the separate units of a book are counted strictly chronologically.
The translation was made by Horace White; notes by Jona Lendering.
The Second Punic War (cont'd)
[26] This same winter,note Syphax being near them, Massinissa asked of Scipionote a third part of the Roman army as a reinforcement to his own, and with this force under the command of Laelius,note he set out in pursuit of him. Syphax retreated until he came to a certain river, where he gave battle. The Numidians on both sides, as is their custom, discharged volleys of missiles at each other while the Romans advanced, holding their shields in front of them.
Syphax, seeing Massinissa, dashed upon him with rage. The latter encountered him eagerly. The battle between them continued until the forces of Syphax turned in flight and began to cross the river. Syphax's horse received a wound and threw his rider. Massinissa ran up and caught him and also one of his sons, and sent them forthwith to Scipio.
In this battle 10,000 of Syphax's men were killed. The Roman loss was seventy-five and Massinissa's 300. Four thousand of Syphax's men also were taken prisoners, of whom 2,500 were Massylians who had deserted from Massinissa to Syphax. These Massinissa asked Laelius to surrender to him, and having received them he put them to the sword.
[27] After this they entered the country of the Massylians and of Syphax, and settled them under the government of Massinissa, persuading some and coercing others. Ambassadors came to them from Cirta offering them the palace of Syphax, and others came specially to Massinissa from Sophoniba, the wife of Syphax, to make explanations about her forced marriage. Massinissa accepted her explanations gladly and married her, but when he returned to Scipio he left her at Cirta, foreseeing what would happen.
Scipio asked Syphax: "What evil genius misled you, after inviting me as your friend to come to Africa, and caused you to forfeit your oath to the gods and your faith to the Roman people, and to join the Carthaginians in making war against us, when not long before we were helping you against the Carthaginians?"
Syphax replied: "Sophoniba, the daughter of Hasdrubal, with whom I fell in love to my hurt, is passionately attached to her country and she is able to make everybody subservient to her wishes. She turned me away from your friendship to that of her own country, and plunged me from that state of good fortune into my present misery. I advise you (for, being now on your side and relieved of Sophoniba, I must be faithful to you) to beware lest she draw Massinissa over to her designs, for it is not to be expected that this woman will ever espouse the Roman side, so stron