History of Rome

​And not only was the battle by no means equal in every part, but also because a crowd of Balearians and Spanish recruits had been opposed to the Roman and Latin soldier;

​and as the day was now advancing, strength also had begun to fail Hasdrubal’s army, who were exhausted by the morning tumult and forced to go out hastily into the battle line before they could strengthen their bodies with food.

​And for this very purpose Scipio had intentionally prolonged the day, so that the battle might be late; for it was only from the seventh hour that the infantry standards from the wings clashed, and the battle reached the center lines considerably later, ​so that the heat from the midday sun and the labor of standing under arms, and at the same time hunger and thirst, affected their bodies before they joined hands with the enemy.

​Therefore they stood leaning on their shields. Now, in addition to everything else, the elephants also, terrified by the tumultuous kind of fighting of the cavalry, velites, and light-armed troops, had rushed from the wings into the center of the line.

​Exhausted, therefore, in body and mind, they retreated, yet keeping their ranks, just as if they were giving way by command of their general with their line intact.

​But when, on that very account, as soon as they perceived that the line was wavering, the victors pressed upon them more fiercely from all sides, ​and the onset could not easily be sustained, although Hasdrubal kept holding back and opposing those who were retreating, shouting out that there were hills behind them and a safe retreat if they would retreat in an orderly manner, ​yet, fear overcoming shame, when all those closest to the enemy fell, they immediately turned their backs and all poured themselves into flight.

​And at first they had begun to halt their standards at the foot of the hills and recall the soldiers into their ranks, while the Romans hesitated to advance their line up the opposing hill; then, when they saw the standards being brought on vigorously, renewing their flight, they were driven in panic into the camp.

​Nor was the Roman far from the rampart, and he would have taken the camp with such great force, had not so great a torrent of water poured down from the vehement sun, such as shines out between heavy storm-clouds, that the victors with difficulty withdrew into their own camp, and some were even seized by a religious scruple against attempting anything further on that day.

​As for the Carthaginians, although night and the rain were calling them, exhausted as they were by labor and wounds, to necessary rest, ​yet, because fear and danger did not give them time to rest, since the enemy would attack the camp at dawn, they strengthened the rampart by piling up stones from the nearby valleys on all sides around, intending to defend themselves with a fortification, since there would be too little protection in arms.

​But the desertion of their allies made flight seem safer than staying. The beginning of the defection was made by Attenes, a petty king of the Turdetanians;

​he deserted with a large body of his countrymen; then two fortified towns with their garrisons were surrendered by their commanders to the Roman.

​And lest the matter should spread more widely, since their minds had once turned to defection, Hasdrubal moved his camp in the silence of the following night.