§29.4.1in haec deflenda prolapsos ab recenti nuntio animos rursus terror instans revocavit ad consultandum, quonam modo obviam praesentibus periculis iretur.
The imminent terror again recalled their minds, which had fallen into lamenting these things because of the recent news, to deliberating how they might go to meet the present dangers.
§29.4.2dilectus raptim in urbe agrisque haberi placet, mittere ad conducenda Afrorum auxilia, munire urbem, frumentum convehere, tela arma parare, instruere naves ac mittere ad Hipponem adversus Romanam classem.
It was resolved that a levy should be held immediately in the city and fields, and to send to hire African auxiliaries, to fortify the city, to bring in grain, to prepare weapons and arms, to equip ships and send them to Hippo against the Roman fleet.
§29.4.3iam haec agentibus nuntius tandem venit Laelium, non Scipionem, copiasque, quantae ad incursiones agrorum satis sint, transvectas; summae belli molem adhuc in Sicilia esse.
While they were already doing these things, a messenger at length arrived with the news that Laelius, not Scipio, had crossed over, and with forces only as large as were sufficient for incursions into the fields; and that the main weight of the war was still in Sicily.
§29.4.4ita respiratum, mittique legationes ad Syphacem aliosque regulos firmandae societatis causa coeptae.
Thus they took breath, and embassies began to be sent to Syphax and other petty kings for the purpose of strengthening the alliance.
ad Philippum quoque missi, qui ducenta argenti talenta pollicerentur, ut in Siciliam aut in Italiam traiceret.
Envoys were also sent to Philip to promise two hundred talents of silver, so that he might cross over into Sicily or Italy.
§29.4.5missi et ad suos imperatores in Italiam, ut omni terrore Scipionem retinerent; §29.4.6ad Magonem non legati modo, sed viginti quinque longae naves, sex milia peditum, octingenti equites, septem elephanti, ad hoc magna pecunia ad conducenda auxilia, quibus fretus propius urbem Romanam exercitum admoveret coniungeretque se Hannibali.
Messengers were also sent to their own commanders in Italy, that they might keep Scipio there by causing every kind of alarm; to Mago, not only envoys were sent, but twenty-five warships, six thousand infantry, eight hundred cavalry, seven elephants, and in addition to this, a large sum of money to hire auxiliaries, relying on which he might move his army closer to the city of Rome and join himself to Hannibal.
§29.4.7haec Carthagine parabant agitabantque.
These things they were preparing and discussing at Carthage.
ad Laelium praedas ingentes ex agro inermi ac nudo praesidiis agentem Masinissa, fama Romanae classis excitus, cum equitibus paucis venit.
To Laelius, who was carrying off immense booty from a countryside defenseless and bare of garrisons, Masinissa, aroused by the rumor of the Roman fleet, came with a few horsemen.
§29.4.8is segniter rem agi ab Scipione questus, quod non iam exercitum in Africam traiecisset, perculsis Carthaginiensibus, Syphace impedito finitumis bellis, quem certum habere, si spatium ad sua, ut velit, componenda detur, nihil sincera fide cum Romanis acturum.
He complained that the business was being conducted sluggishly by Scipio, because he had not already crossed with his army into Africa, while the Carthaginians were panic-stricken and Syphax was entangled in neighboring wars; whom he held for certain that, if time were given him to settle his own affairs as he wished, he would do nothing with sincere good faith toward the Romans.
§29.4.9hortaretur, stimularet Scipionem, ne cessaret; se, quamquam regno pulsus esset, cum haud contemnendis copiis adfuturum peditum equitumque.
He urged that Laelius should exhort and stimulate Scipio not to delay; that he himself, although he had been driven from his kingdom, would be present with forces of infantry and cavalry by no means to be despised.
nec ipsi Laelio morandum in Africa esse; classem credere profectam a Carthagine, cum qua absente Scipione non satis tutum esse contrahi certamen.
Nor, he said, should Laelius himself linger in Africa; for he believed that a fleet had set out from Carthage, against which, in the absence of Scipio, it was not safe enough to join battle.