§22.22.1hoc statu rerum in Hispania P. Scipio in provinciam venit, prorogato post consulatum imperio ab senatu missus cum triginta longis navibus et octo milibus militum magnoque commeatu advecto.
In this state of affairs in Spain, Publius Scipio arrived in the province, sent by the senate with his command prolonged after his consulship, with thirty warships, eight thousand soldiers, and a large supply of provisions brought along.
§22.22.2ea classis ingens agmine onerariarum procul visa cum magna laetitia civium sociorumque portum Tarraconis ex alto tenuit.
That fleet, appearing immense from a distance because of the line of transport ships, held the harbor of Tarraco from the open sea to the great joy of the citizens and allies.
§22.22.3ibi milite exposito profectus Scipio fratri se coniungit, ac deinde communi animo consilioque gerebant bellum.
Having disembarked the soldiers there, Scipio set out and joined his brother, and from then on they conducted the war with a common mind and plan.
§22.22.4occupatis igitur Carthaginiensibus Celtiberico bello haud cunctanter Hiberum transgrediuntur nec ullo viso hoste Saguntum pergunt ire, quod ibi obsides totius Hispaniae traditos ab Hannibale fama erat modico in arce custodiri praesidio.
Therefore, while the Carthaginians were occupied with the Celtiberian war, they crossed the Hiberus without hesitation, and without seeing any enemy, they proceeded to Saguntum, because there was a rumor that the hostages of all Spain, delivered by Hannibal, were being guarded in the citadel by a modest garrison.
§22.22.5id unum pignus inclinatos ad Romanam societatem omnium Hispaniae populorum animos morabatur, ne sanguine liberum suorum culpa defectionis lueretur.
This single pledge held back the minds of all the peoples of Spain, though they were inclined toward the Roman alliance, lest the guilt of defection should be paid for with the blood of their own children.
§22.22.6eo vinculo Hispaniam vir unus sollerti magis quam fideli consilio exsolvit.
From this bond, one man released Spain by a plan more clever than faithful.
Abelux erat Sagunti nobilis Hispanus, fidus ante Poenis, tum, qualia plerumque sunt barbarorum ingenia, cum fortuna mutaverat fidem.
Abelux was a noble Spaniard at Saguntum, formerly loyal to the Carthaginians, but then, as the temperaments of barbarians usually are, he had changed his allegiance along with fortune.
§22.22.7ceterum transfugam sine magnae rei proditione venientem ad hostis nihil aliud quam unum vile atque infame corpus esse ratus id agebat, ut quam maxumum emolumentum novis sociis esset.
But considering that a deserter coming to the enemy without the betrayal of some great matter was nothing but a single worthless and infamous body, he strove to be of the greatest possible advantage to his new allies.
§22.22.8circumspectis igitur omnibus, quae fortuna potestatis eius poterat racere, obsidibus potissimum tradendis animum adiecit, eam unam rem maxime ratus conciliaturam Romanis principum Hispaniae amicitiam.
Having therefore considered all things that the fortune of his power could present, he turned his mind chiefly to delivering the hostages, thinking that this one thing would most of all win the friendship of the Spanish chieftains for the Romans.
§22.22.9sed cum iniussu Bostaris praefecti satis sciret nihil obsidum custodes facturos esse, Bostarem ipsum arte adgreditur.
But since he knew well enough that without the order of the prefect Bostar the guards of the hostages would do nothing, he approached Bostar himself with cunning.
§22.22.10castra extra urbem in ipso litore habebat Bostar, ut aditum ea parte intercluderet Romanis.
Bostar had his camp outside the city, on the shore itself, in order to close the approach in that quarter to the Romans.
ibi eum in secretum abductum velut ignorantem monet, quo statu sit res: §22.22.11metum continuisse ad eam diem Hispanorum animos, quia procul Romani abessent; nunc cis Hiberum castra Romana esse, arcem tutam perfugiumque novas volentibus res; itaque quos metus non teneat, beneficio et gratia devinciendos esse.
There, having led him aside into a secret place, Abelux advised him, as if he were ignorant, of the state of affairs: that fear had held the minds of the Spaniards until that day because the Romans were far away; but now the Roman camp was on this side of the Hiberus, a safe citadel and refuge for those wishing for revolution; therefore, those whom fear did not hold must be bound by kindness and favor.
§22.22.12miranti Bostari percunctantique, quodnam id subitum tantae rei donum posset esse, “Obsides” inquit “in civitates remitte.
To Bostar, who wondered and inquired what sudden gift of so great a matter this could be, he said, "Send the hostages back to their states.
§22.22.13id et privatim parentibus, quorum maximum nomen in civitatibus est suis, et publice populis gratum erit.
This will be pleasing both privately to the parents, whose name is greatest in their own states, and publicly to the peoples.
§22.22.14volt ] sibi quisque credi, et habita fides ipsam plerumque obligat fidem.
Everyone wishes to be trusted, and trust shown usually obliges trust itself.
ministerium restituendorum domos obsidum mihimet deposco ipse, ut opera quoque inpensa consilium adiuvem meum et rei suapte natura gratae quantam insuper gratiam possim adiciam. ” §22.22.15homini. non ad cetera Punica ingenia callido ut persuasit, nocte clam progressus ad hostium stationes conventis quibusdam auxiliaribus Hispanis et ab his ad Scipionem perductus,
I demand for myself the task of restoring the hostages to their homes, so that by expending my labor I may assist my own plan and add as much favor as I can to a matter pleasing by its very nature." Having persuaded the man, who was not clever compared to the usual Carthaginian temperaments, he went out secretly by night to the enemy's outposts, and having met with certain Spanish auxiliaries, he was led by them to Scipio.
§22.22.16quid adferret, expromit, et fide accepta dataque ac loco et tempore constituto ad obsides tradendos Saguntum redit.
He disclosed what he was bringing, and having received and given pledges and established a place and time for delivering the hostages, he returned to Saguntum.
diem insequentem absumpsit cum Bostare mandatis ad rem agendam accipiendis.
He spent the following day with Bostar in receiving instructions for carrying out the business.
§22.22.17dimissus cum se nocte iturum, ut custodias hostium falleret, constituisset, ad compositam cum iis horam excitatis custodibus puerorum profectus, veluti ignarus in praeparatas sua fraude insidias ducit.
Having been dismissed after he had decided to go by night to deceive the enemy's guards, he set out at the hour agreed upon with them, having roused the guards of the children, and as if ignorant, led them into the ambush prepared by his own deception.
§22.22.18in castra Romana perducti; cetera omnia de reddendis obsidibus, sicut cum Bostare constitutum erat, acta per eum eodem ordine, quo si Carthaginiensium nomine sic ageretur.
They were brought into the Roman camp; all other things concerning the return of the hostages were carried out by him in the same order as had been agreed with Bostar, just as if it were being done in the name of the Carthaginians.
maior aliquanto Romanorum gratia fuit in re pari, §22.22.19quam quanta futura Carthaginiensium fuerat.
The gratitude toward the Romans was considerably greater in an equal matter than how great that of the Carthaginians would have been.
illos enim gravis superbosque in rebus secundis expertos fortuna et timor mitigasse videri poterat; §22.22.20Romanus primo adventu incognitus ante ab re clementi liberalique initium fecerat; et Abelux, vir prudens, haud frustra videbatur socios mutasse.
For it could seem that fortune and fear had softened the latter, whom they had experienced as harsh and proud in prosperity; whereas the Roman, previously unknown at his first arrival, had made a beginning from a merciful and liberal act; and Abelux, a prudent man, seemed not to have changed allies in vain.
§22.22.21itaque ingenti consensu defectionem omnes spectare; armaque extemplo mota forent, ni hiems, quae Romanos quoque et Carthaginienses concedere in tecta coegit, intervenisset.
Therefore, all were looking toward defection with immense consensus; and arms would have been taken up immediately had not the winter intervened, which forced both the Romans and the Carthaginians to retire into shelters.