§24.49.1filium Gala Masinissam habebat septemdecem annos natum, ceterum iuvenem ea indole, ut iam tum appareret maius regnum opulentiusque, quam quod aecepisset, facturum.
Gala had a son, Masinissa, seventeen years old, but a youth of such a character that even then it was apparent that he would make a greater and wealthier kingdom than the one he would receive.
§24.49.2legati quoniam Syphax se Romanis iunxisset, ut potentior societate eorum adversus reges populosque Africae esset, §24.49.3docent melius fore Galae quoque Carthaginiensibus iungi quam primum, antequam Syphax in Hispaniam aut Romani in Africam transeant: opprimi Syphacem nihildum praeter nomen ex foedere Romano habentem posse.
The ambassadors, since Syphax had joined himself to the Romans so that he might be more powerful against the kings and peoples of Africa by their alliance, pointed out that it would be better for Gala also to be joined to the Carthaginians as soon as possible, before Syphax should cross into Spain or the Romans into Africa; and that Syphax, possessing as yet nothing but a name from the Roman treaty, could be crushed.
§24.49.4facile persuasum Galae, filio deposcente id bellum, ut mitteret exercitum; qui Carthaginiensibus legionibus coniunctis magno proelio Syphacem devicit.
Gala was easily persuaded, as his son was demanding that war, to send an army; which, having joined with the Carthaginian legions, defeated Syphax in a great battle.
triginta milia eo proelio hominum caesa dicuntur.
Thirty thousand men are said to have been slain in that battle.
§24.49.5Syphax cum paucis equitibus in Maurusios ex acie Numidas — extremi prope Oceanum adversus Gadis colunt — refugit adfluentibusque ad famam eius undique barbaris ingentis brevi copias armavit, §24.49.6cum quibus in Hispaniam angusto diremptam freto traiceret.
Syphax, with a few horsemen, fled from the battle-line to the Maurusian Numidians—who dwell near the Ocean, opposite Gades, at the edge of the world—and as the barbarians flocked to him from all sides at his fame, he armed huge forces in a short time, with which he might cross into Spain, which was separated by a narrow strait.
interea Masinissa cum victore exercitu advenit; isque ibi cum Syphace ingenti gloria per se sine ullis Carthaginiensium opibus gessit bellum.
Meanwhile, Masinissa arrived with his victorious army; and there, by himself without any resources of the Carthaginians, he waged war against Syphax with great glory.
§24.49.7in Hispania nihil memorabile gestum praeterquam quod Celtiberum iuventutem eadem mercede, qua pacta cum Carthaginiensibus erat, imperatores Romani ad se perduxerunt, §24.49.8et nobilissimos Hispanos supra trecentos in Italiam ad sollicitandos populares, qui inter auxilia Hannibalis erant, miserunt.
In Spain, nothing memorable was done except that the Roman commanders won over the youth of the Celtiberians to themselves for the same pay that had been agreed upon with the Carthaginians, and sent more than three hundred of the most noble Spaniards into Italy to solicit their countrymen who were among the auxiliaries of Hannibal.