Curio Defeated by Juba on the Bagradas
Death of Curio

His cavalry, which had gone forward in the evening, actually succeeded in surprising the corps of Saburra on the Bagradas during the night and inflicting much damage upon it; and on the news of this victory Curio hastened the march of the infantry, in order by their means to complete the defeat Soon they perceived on the last slopes of the heights that sank towards the Bagradas the corps of Saburra, which was skirmishing with the Roman horsemen; the legions coming up helped to drive it completely down into the plain.  But here the combat changed its aspect.  Saburra was not, as they supposed, destitute of support; on the contrary he was not much more than five miles distant from the Numidian main force.  Already the flower of the Numidian infantry and 2000 Gallic and Spanish horsemen had arrived on the field of battle to support Saburra, and the king in person with the bulk of the army and sixteen elephants was approaching.  After the nocturnal march and the hot conflict there were at the moment not more than 200 of the Roman cavalry together, and these as well as the infantry, extremely exhausted by fatigue and fighting, were all surrounded, in the wide plain into which they had allowed themselves to be allured, by the continually increasing hosts of the enemy.  Vainly Curio endeavoured to engage in close combat; the Libyan horsemen retreated, as they were wont, so soon as a Roman division advanced, only to pursue it when it turned.  In vain he attempted to regain the heights; they were occupied and foreclosed by the enemy’s horse.  All was lost.  The infantry was cut down to the last man.  Of the cavalry a few succeeded in cutting their way through; Curio too might have probably saved himself, but he could not bear to appear alone before his master without the army entrusted to him, and died sword in hand.  Even the force which was collected in the camp before Utica, and that which guarded the fleet—­which might so easily have escaped to Sicily—­surrendered under the impression made by the fearfully rapid catastrophe on the following day to Varus (Aug. or Sept. 705).

So ended the expedition arranged by Caesar to Sicily and Africa.  It attained its object so far, since by the occupation of Sicily in connection with that of Sardinia at least the most urgent wants of the capital were relieved; the miscarriage of the conquest of Africa—­ from which the victorious party drew no farther substantial gain—­ and the loss of two untrustworthy legions might be got over.  But the early death of Curio was an irreparable loss for Caesar, and indeed for Rome.  Not without reason had Caesar entrusted the most important independent command to this young man, although he had no military experience and was notorious for his dissolute life; there was a spark of Caesar’s own spirit in the fiery youth.  He resembled Caesar, inasmuch as he too had drained the cup of pleasure to the dregs;