to investigate who each one was and what was his business
and so detected the enemy.—The Carthaginians
now set themselves in battle array and Metellus pretended
to be afraid. As he continued this pretence for
several days the Carthaginians became filled with
presumption and attacked him rather recklessly.
Then Metellus raised the signal for the Romans.
Forthwith they made an unexpected rush through all
the gates, easily overcame resistance, and enclosed
the enemy in a narrow place through which they could
now no longer retreat. Being many in number and
with many elephants along they were huddled together
and thrown into confusion. Meanwhile the Libyan
fleet approached the coast and became the prime cause
of their destruction. The fugitives seeing the
ships rushed toward them and made desperate exertions
to climb aboard; some fell into the sea and perished,
other were killed by the elephants, which got close
to one another and to the human beings, still others
were slain by the Romans; many also were captured
alive, men as well as elephants. For since the
beasts, bereft of the men to whom they were used,
became furious, Metellus made a proclamation to the
prisoners, offering preservation and forgiveness to
such as would check them: accordingly, some keepers
approached the gentlest of the animals, controlling
them by the influence of their accustomed presence,
and then won over the remainder. These, one hundred
and twenty in number, were conveyed to Rome, and they
were ferried across the strait in the following way.
A number of huge jars, separated by pieces of wood,
were fastened together in such a way that they were
neither detached nor yet did they touch; then this
framework was spanned by beams and on the top of all
earth and brush were placed and the surface was fenced
in round about so that it resembled a courtyard.
The beasts were put on board this and were ferried
across without knowing that they were moving on the
water. Thus did Metellus win a victory: Hasdrubal,
the Carthaginian leader, though he got away safe on
this occasion was later summoned to trial by the Carthaginians
at home and suffered impalement.
[Sidenote: FRAG. 43^21] VIII, 15.—THE
CARTHAGINIANS NOW BEGAN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ROMANS
ON ACCOUNT OF THE GREAT NUMBER OF THE CAPTIVES (AMONG
OTHER CAUSES); AND WITH THE ENVOYS THEY ALSO SENT
REGULUS HIMSELF, THINKING THAT THROUGH HIM THEIR OBJECT
HAD PRACTICALLY BEEN ALREADY GAINED BECAUSE OF THE
REPUTATION AND VALOR OF THE MAIN: AND THEY BOUND
HIM BY OATHS TO RETURN WITHOUT FAIL. AND HE ACTED
IN ALL RESPECTS LIKE ONE OF THE CARTHAGINIANS; FOR
HE DID NOT EVEN GRANT HIS WIFE LEAVE TO CONFER WITH
HIM NOR DID HE ENTER THE CITY ALTHOUGH REPEATEDLY
INVITED TO DO SO; INSTEAD, WHEN THE SENATE WAS ASSEMBLED
OUTSIDE THE WALLS, AS THEY WERE ACCUSTOMED TO DO IN
TREATING WITH ENVOYS OF THE ENEMY, and he was introduced
into the gathering, he said: “We, Conscript
Fathers, have been sent to you by the Carthaginians.