29.3
After this
Mandonius summoned a meeting of the national council, at which loud
complaints were uttered about the disasters they had incurred, and the
authors of the war were strongly denounced. It was resolved to send envoys
to make a formal surrender and offer to give up their arms. They threw all
the blame on Indibilis for starting the war, and on the other chieftains also,
most of whom had fallen in the battle. The reply they received was that their
surrender would only be accepted on condition of their giving up Mandonius
alive and the other instigators of the war; failing this, the Roman army would
march into the country of the Ilergetes and Ausetani, and into the territories
of other nations one after another. When this reply was reported to the
council, Mandonius and the other chiefs were at once arrested and handed
over for punishment. Peace was re-established amongst the Spanish tribes.
They were required to furnish double pay for the troops that year, a six
months' supply of corn, and cloaks and togas for the army. Hostages were
also demanded from about thirty tribes. In this way the revolt in Spain was
crushed without any serious disturbance, and all the terror of our arms was
turned towards Africa. C. Laelius reached Hippo Regius in the night, and at
daybreak his soldiers and the crews of the vessels were sent ashore for the
purpose of ravaging the surrounding country. As the inhabitants were all
peacefully pursuing their avocations and suspecting no danger, considerable
mischief was done amongst them. Wild alarm was spread through Carthage
by the breathless fugitives, who declared that a Roman fleet had arrived
under the command of Scipio; the report of his having crossed over to Sicily
had already got abroad. As no one was quite clear as to how many ships had
been sighted, or what was the strength of the force that was landed, they
were led by their fears to exaggerate everything. When they had recovered
from the first shock of alarm they were filled with consternation and grief.
"Has Fortune," they asked, "so completely changed that the nation which in
the pride of victory had an army before the walls of Rome, and after making
so many of the enemy's armies bite the dust, forced or persuaded into
submission all the peoples of Italy should now in the recoil of war have to
witness the desolation of Africa and the siege of Carthage without having
anything like the resources which the Romans have wherewith to meet these
troubles? In the Roman plebs and in Latium they are supplied with a soldiery
which is always growing more efficient and more numerous to replace all the
armies they have lost, whilst our common people are utterly unwarlike
whether in town or country. We have to hire mercenaries from amongst the
Africans, upon whom no dependence can be placed, who are as fickle as the
wind. The native sovereigns are hostile now; Syphax has quite turned against
us since his interview with Scipio; Masinissa has openly declared himself our
bitterest enemy. Nowhere does there appear the slightest prospect of help.
Mago has not created any outbreak in Gaul nor has he effected a junction
with Hannibal; Hannibal himself is weakening, both in prestige and in
strength."
