History of Rome

​Hasdrubal happened at that time, when these things were going on, to be with Syphax; who told this Numidian, who indeed believed that it did not much concern him ​whether the kingdom of the Maesulians was in the hands of Lacumazes or Masinissa, that he was greatly mistaken if he believed that Masinissa would be content with the same limits that had satisfied his father Gala or his uncle Oezalces: that there was a much greater character of mind and talent in him than had ever been in anyone of that nation;

​that he had often in Spain shown, to allies and enemies alike, an example of valor rare among men; and that both Syphax and the Carthaginians, unless they extinguished that rising fire, would soon be consumed by a huge conflagration when they could no longer bring any help;

​that his forces were still tender and fragile, while he was fostering a kingdom that was scarcely yet coalescing. By urging and stimulating him, he succeeded in making him move his army to the borders of the Maesulians, and pitch his camp in the territory ​about which there had often been disputes with Gala, not only in words but also in arms, as if it were undoubtedly of his own right: saying that if anyone should oppose him, which was what was most to be desired, he would fight in a pitched battle;

​but if, through fear, the territory should be ceded, they must march into the heart of the kingdom; and that the Maesulians would either yield to his dominion without a struggle, or would by no means be equal to him in arms.

​Incited by these words, Syphax made war on Masinissa, and in the first encounter routed and put the Maesulians to flight.

​Masinissa with a few horsemen fled from the battle to a mountain—the inhabitants call it Bellum. Several families with their tents and cattle—which constitutes their wealth—followed the king;

​the rest of the multitude of the Maesulians yielded to the dominion of Syphax. The mountain which the exiles had occupied is grassy and well-watered; and because it was good for feeding cattle, it also abundantly supplied food for men who lived on meat and milk.

​From there, at first by nightly and stealthy incursions, and then by open robbery, they infested all the surrounding country; especially the Carthaginian territory was burned, because there was both more plunder than among the Numidians, and the robbery was safer.

​And now they eluded them with such license that they sold the plunder carried down to the sea to merchants who brought their ships for that very purpose, and more Carthaginians often fell or were captured than in a regular war.

​The Carthaginians deplored these things before Syphax, and instigated him, who was already hostile himself, to prosecute the remains of the war. But it seemed scarcely worthy of a king to pursue a wandering robber in the mountains;