Syphax was riding up to the hostile squadrons in the hope that either a sense of honour or his own personal danger might cnecx the night of his men, wnen his horse was severely wounded and少“was thrown, overpowered and made prisoner; and carried ott toI.分eaus. Masinissa was especially delighted to see him as a captive. Cirta was Syphax's capital, and a considerable number escaped to that city. The losses sustained were insignificant compared with the importance of the victory, for the figh had been confined to the cavalrv. There were not more t ;ooo killed.and in the storming of the camp, whither the mass of troops had fled after losing their king, less than half that number were made prisoners. g would delight him more 蒸 told Laelius that nothinfor the moment than to visit asdominions which had after so manyprompt action was as necessary in conqueror his ancestral years been recovered, but success as in defeat. He suggested that he should be allowed to go on with the cavalry and the vanquished Syphax to Cirta, which he would be able to surprise amidst the general confusion and alarm;Laelius might follow with the infantrv by easv states. Laelius cave his consent. and Masmissa advanced to c;irta and ordered the leading citizens to be invited to a conference. They were ignorant of what had happened to the king, and though Masinissa told them all that had occurred he found threats and persuasion equally unavailing until the king was brought before them in chains. At this painful and humiliating spectacle there was an outburst of护ef, the defences were abandoned, and there. was a unanimous resolve to seek the victor's favour 妙opening the gates to him. After placing guards round all the 2S8- .，I}t昨’、 gates and at suitable places.in the fortifications he galloped up to the palace to take possession of it. As he was enterin the vestibule. on the verv threshold in fact, he was met by SoDhonisba. the wife of S 即h nax and saw him daughtere of the Carthaginian Hasdrubal.5 When shesurrounded by an armed escort, and conspicuous by h arms was the and general appearance,5 she rightly guessed that heking, and throwing herself at his feet, exclaimed “Your courage and good fortune aided by the gods have given you we too not song ago were ny the Kingly greatness in wnicnclothed, by the name of Numidianbear, by the tutelary deities of th which you and Svuhax alike is royal aaoae wno, 1 pray, may receive you with fairer omens than those with which they sent him hence, grant this favour at least to your suppliant that you yourself decide your captive's fate whatever it may be, and do not leave me to fall under the cruel tyranny of a Roman. Had I been simply the wife of Syphax I would still choose to trust to the honour of a Nu而diau, born under the same African sky as myself, rather than that of an alien and a foreigner. But I am a Carthaginian, the daughter of Hasdr ubal, and you see what I have to fear. If no other way is possible then I implore you to save me by death from falling into Roman hands." Sophonisba was in the bloom of youth and二all the splendour of her beauty, and as she held Masinissa's hand and begged him to give his word that she should not be surrendered to the Romans, her tone became one of blandishment rather than en A slave ssion like all his countrvmen. the victor at once fell, in love his captive. He gave her his solemn assurance that he would do what she wished .him to do and then retired into the palace. Here he considered in what way he could redeem his mice, and as he saw no prac tical way of doing so he allowe passion to dictate to him as a method equally reckless and indecent. Without a moment's delay he made preparations for celebrating his nuptials on that very day, so，that neither Laelius nor Scipio might be free to treat as a prisoner one who was now Masinissa's wife. When the marriage ceremony was over Laelius appeared on e scene, and, far from concealing his disapproval of what had been done, he actually attempt ed to drag her from her bridegroom's arms and send her with Syphax and the other prisoners to Scipio. However, Masinissa's remonstrances so far prevailed that it was left to Scipio to decide which of the two kings should be the happy possessor of Sophonisba. A Syphax and the other prisoners away, he recovered, with Masinissa's aid, the remaining cities in Numidia which were still held by the king's garrisons.