30.25
The
envoys had not yet come back from Rome, and it was not known whether
the senate had decided for peace or for war. What did most to arouse
Scipio's indignation was the fact that all hopes of peace were destroyed and
all respect for the truce flouted by the very men who had asked for a truce
and were suing for peace. He at once sent L. Baebius, M. Servilius and L.
Fabius to Carthage to protest. As they were in danger of ill-treatment from
the mob and saw that they might be prevented from returning, they
requested the magistrates who had protected them from violence to send
ships to escort them. Two triremes were supplied to them, and when they
reached the mouth of the Bagradas, from which the Roman camp was
visible, the ships returned to Carthage. The Carthaginian fleet was lying off
Utica, and whether it was in consequence of a secret message from
Carthage, or whether Hanno, who was in command, acted on his own
responsibility without the connivance of his government, in any case, three
quadriremes from the fleet made a sudden attack upon the Roman
quinquereme as it was rounding the promontory. They were, however,
unable to ram it owing to its superior speed, and its greater height prevented
any attempt to board it. As long as the missiles lasted, the quinquereme made
a brilliant defence, but when these failed nothing could have saved it but the
nearness of the land and the numbers of men who had come down from the
camp to the shore to watch. The rowers drove the ships on to the beach with
their utmost strength; the vessel was wrecked, but the passengers escaped
uninjured. Thus, by one misdeed after another, all doubt was removed as to
the truce having been broken when Laelius and the Carthaginians arrived on
their return from Rome. Scipio informed them that in spite of the fact that
the Carthaginians had broken not only the truce which they had pledged
themselves to observe, but even the law of nations in their treatment of the
envoys, he should himself take no action in their case which would be
inconsistent with the traditional maxims of Rome or contrary to his own
principles. He then dismissed them and prepared to resume operations.
Hannibal was now nearing the land and he ordered a sailor to climb the mast
and find out what part of the country they were making for. The man
reported that they were heading for a ruined sepulchre. Hannibal regarding it
as an evil omen ordered the pilot to sail past the place and brought up the
fleet at Leptis, where he disembarked his force.