§38.7.1ὅτι Ἀσδρούβας ὁ στρατηγὸς Καρχηδονίων κενόδοξος ἦν ἀλαζὼν καὶ πολὺ κεχωρισμένος τῆς πραγματικῆς καὶ στρατηγικῆς δυνάμεως.
That Asdrubas, the general of the Carthaginians, was vain, boastful, and far removed from practical and military ability.
§38.7.2πολλὰ δὲ σημεῖα τῆς ἀκρισίας αὐτοῦ.
There were many signs of his lack of judgment.
πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ παρῆν ἐν πανοπλίᾳ, πορφυρίδα θαλαττίαν ἐπιπεπορπημένος, ἡνίκα Γολόσσῃ συνεγίνετο τῷ τῶν Νομάδων βασιλεῖ, μετὰ μαχαιροφόρων δέκα.
First, he was present in full armor, wearing a sea-purple cloak, when he met with Gulussa, the king of the Numidians, accompanied by ten armed guards.
§38.7.3ἔπειτα προβὰς ἀπὸ τῶν δέχʼ ὅσον εἴκοσι πόδας ἀπέστη, προβεβλημένος τάφρον καὶ χάρακα, καὶ κατένευε τῷ βασιλεῖ προσιέναι πρὸς αὑτόν, καθῆκον γίνεσθαι τοὐναντίον.
Then, advancing about twenty feet away from the ten, he stood still, with a trench and a palisade in front of him, and beckoned to the king to come to him, whereas the opposite would have been proper.
§38.7.4οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ ὁ Γολόσσης ἀφελῶς ἔχων Νομαδικῷ τινι τρόπῳ μόνος προσῄει πρὸς αὐτόν· καὶ προσεγγίσας ἤρετο τίνα φοβούμενος τὴν πανοπλίαν ἔχων ἧκε.
Nevertheless, Gulussa, acting in an unaffected Numidian manner, approached him alone; and coming near, he asked whom he feared that he had come in full armor.
§38.7.5τοῦ δʼ εἰπόντος ὅτι Ῥωμαίους, "οὐκ ἂν ἄρʼ" ἔφησεν ὁ Γολόσσης "ἔδωκας σαυτὸν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, μηδεμίαν ἔχων ἀνάγκην. πλὴν τί βούλει καὶ τί παρακαλεῖς; "φησίν.
When he replied, "The Romans," Gulussa said, "In that case, you would not have thrown yourself into the city, having no necessity.
ὁ δʼ Ἀσδρούβας" §38.7.6ἐγώ" φησὶ "πρεσβευτήν σε παρακαλῶ γενέσθαι πρὸς τὸν στρατηγὸν καὶ πᾶν ἀναδέχεσθαι διότι ποιήσομεν τὸ προσταττόμενον· μόνον ἀπόσχεσθε τῆς ταλαιπώρου πόλεως ταύτης. §38.7.7"καὶ [ὁ] Γολόσσης "παιδικὴν δοκεῖς μοι" φησὶν "ἀξίωσιν ἀξιοῦν, ὦ βέλτιστε· §38.7.8ὑπὲρ ὧν γὰρ ἐξ ἀκεραίου πρεσβεύοντες, ἔτι καθημένων ἐν Ἰτύκῃ Ῥωμαίων, οὐκ ἐδύνασθε πείθειν, τίνι λόγῳ νῦν ἀξιοῖς ταῦτά σοι συγχωρεῖσθαι, περιτετειχισμένος καὶ κατὰ γῆν καὶ κατὰ θάλατταν καὶ σχεδὸν ἁπάσας ἀπεγνωκὼς τὰς τῆς σωτηρίας ἐλπίδας; §38.7.9"ὁ δʼ Ἀσδρούβας ἀγνοεῖν αὐτὸν ἔφη· καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἔξωθεν συμμάχοις ἀκμὴν καλὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχειν· οὐ γάρ πω τὰ περὶ τοὺς Μαυρουσίους ἠκηκόει καὶ τὰ περὶ τῶν ὑπαίθρων δυνάμεων [ὅτι σώζονται]· καὶ μὴν οὐκ ἀπελπίζειν τὰ καθʼ αὑτούς· μάλιστα δὲ πεποιθέναι τῇ τῶν θεῶν συμμαχίᾳ καὶ ταῖς ἐν ἐκείνοις ἐλπίσιν· §38.7.10οὐ γὰρ περιόψεσθαι σφᾶς προφανῶς παρασπονδουμένους, ἀλλὰ πολλὰς δώσειν ἀφορμὰς πρὸς σωτηρίαν.
But what do you want, and what do you request?" And Asdrubas said: "I request you," he said, "to become an envoy to the general and to guarantee everything, because we will do what is commanded; only hold off from this miserable city." And Gulussa said, "You seem to me, my good sir, to make a childish request; for regarding things which you could not persuade them of when you sent envoys, while the Romans were still encamped in Utica, on what grounds do you now demand that these things be granted to you, when you are blockaded both by land and by sea, and have given up almost all hopes of safety?" But Asdrubas said that he was ignorant; for he still had fair hopes in his allies from outside (for he had not yet heard the news about the Maurusians and about the outdoor forces, that they had been destroyed); and indeed, he did not despair of their own affairs; and most of all, he trusted in the alliance of the gods and in his hopes in them; for they would not overlook them being manifestly betrayed, but would give many opportunities for safety.
§38.7.11διὸ παρακαλεῖν ἠξίου τὸν στρατηγὸν καὶ τῶν θεῶν ἕνεκεν καὶ τῆς τύχης φείσασθαι τῆς πόλεως, εἰδότα σαφῶς διότι μὴ δυνάμενοι τυχεῖν τούτου κατασφαγήσονται πρότερον ἢ παραχωρήσουσι ταύτης.
Therefore, he requested him to ask the general, both for the sake of the gods and of fortune, to spare the city, knowing clearly that if they could not obtain this, they would be slaughtered before they would surrender it.
§38.7.12τότε μὲν οὖν ταῦτα καὶ παραπλήσια διαλεχθέντες ἐχωρίσθησαν, ταξάμενοι μετὰ τρίτην ἡμέραν πάλιν συμπορεύεσθαι·
At that time, then, having discussed these and similar matters, they parted, agreeing to meet again after three days;